Surah-94 (Surat Ash-Sharh) The Relief

The tafsir of Surah Alam Nashrah (chapter-94)
Which was revealed in Makkah







In The Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

1) Have We not opened your breast for you?
2) And removed from you your burden.
3) Which weighed down your back?
4) And have We not raised high your fame?
5) Indeed, with every hardship is relief.
6) Indeed, with every hardship is relief.
7) So when you have finished, devote yourself to Allah's worship.
8) And to your lord turn intentions and hopes.

The Meaning of opening the Breast
Allah says,



["Have We not opened your breast for you?"] meaning, 'have We not opened your chest for you?'. This means, 'We illuminated it, and We made it spacious, vast and wide.' This is as Allah says,




(6:125)
"And whomsoever Allah wills to guide, He opens his breast to Islam"

And just as Allah expanded his chest, He also made His Law vast, wide, accommodating and easy, containing no difficulty, hardship or burden.

A discussion of Allah's Favor upon His Messenger (pbuh)
Concerning Allah's statement,





"And removed from you your burden" (94:2)

This means,



"That Allah may forgive you your sins of the past and the future" (48:2)





"Which weighed down your back?" Al-Inqad means the sound. And more than one of the Salaf has said concerning Allah's saying,



"Which weighed down your back?" meaning, 'it's burden weighed heavy upon you'.

The Meaning of raising the Fame of the Prophet (pbuh)
Allah then said,



"And have We not raised high your fame?" (94:4)
Mujahud said, "I (Allah) am not remembered except that you are remembered with Me: I bear witness that there is no God worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammed is the Messenger of Allah".
Qatadah said, "Allah raised his fame in this life and in the Hereafter. There is no one who gives a sermon, declares the testimony of faith (Shahadah), or prays a prayer (Salah) except that he proclaims it: I bear witness that there is no God worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammed is the Messenger of Allah."

Ease after Difficulty
Concerning Allah's saying,



"Indeed, along with every hardship is relief. Indeed, along with every hardship is relief."
(94:6 and 7)

Allah informs that with difficulty there is ease, and then He reaffirms this information by repeating it.

The Command to remember Allah during the Spare Time
Allah says,



"So when you have finished, devote yourself to Allah's worship. And to your Lord turn intentions and hopes" (94: 7 and 8)

Meaning, 'when you have completed your worldy affairs and its tasks, and you have broken away from its routine, then get up to perform the worship, and stand for it with zeal (passion), complete devotion and purify your intention and desire for your Lord.'

Similar to this is the Prophet's (pbuh) statement in a Hadith that is agreed-upon to be authentic,
"There is no prayer when the food is served, nor when the two foul things (excrement and urine) are pressing a person."

The prophet (pbuh) also said,
"When the prayer has started and the dinner has been served, then begin with the dinner"

Mujahid said concerning this Ayah, "When you are free from the worldy affairs, and you have stood to pray, then stand up for your Lord"

This is the end of the Tafsir of Surah Alam Nashrah and all praise and blessings are due to Allah.