Surah Al-Inshirah
Expansion of the breast, orderly planning [directed] toward Allah
Prologue
Hardships in life are difficult for everyone; sometimes they are backbreaking. Anyone one with any rank
or status, has some problems. But, sometimes we chose our difficulties. In this case we go on life with
pride or patience. However, if the difficulties are not selected or voluntarily, they become excruciating
burdens. Man’s breast is expanded with those voluntary difficulties which he chose for himself in the
path of guidance and which he patiently cope up with. The Prophet (PBUH), who is the criteria for
guidance and worship, has a breast expanded to encompass the whole universe, so that he is tolerate
the hardships in the path of guiding people.
Studying Surah Al-Inshirah
Surat Ash-Sharĥ (The Relief) - ‫سورة الشرح‬
‫بسم هللا الرمحن الرحيم‬
94:1
Did We not expand for you, [O Muhammad], your breast?
94:2
‫ص ْد َرَك‬
َ َ‫أَََلْ نَ ْشَر ْح ل‬
َ ‫ك‬
And We removed from you your burden
94:3
‫نك ِوْزَرَك‬
َ ‫ض ْعنَا َع‬
َ ‫َوَو‬
Which had weighed upon your back
94:4
ِ
َّ‫ال‬
‫ض ظَ ْهَرَك‬
‫ق‬
‫َن‬
‫أ‬
‫ي‬
‫ذ‬
َ َ
And raised high for you your repute.
94:5
‫ك ِذ ْكَرَك‬
َ َ‫َوَرفَ ْعنَا ل‬
For indeed, with hardship [will be] ease.
94:6
‫فَِإ َّن َم َع الْعُ ْس ِر يُ ْسًرا‬
Indeed, with hardship [will be] ease.
94:7
‫إِ َّن َم َع الْعُ ْس ِر يُ ْسًرا‬
So when you have finished [your duties], then stand up [for worship].
94:8
‫ب‬
َ ‫فَِإ َذا فَ َر ْغ‬
َ َ‫ت ف‬
ْ ‫انص‬
And to your Lord direct [your] longing.
‫ك فَ ْار َغب‬
َ ِ‫َوإِ َ َٰل َرب‬
The first step: thinking about the events and subjects in the Surah
Surat Al-Inshirah is coupled with Surat Al-Dhuha and based on Ahadith these two are recited together.
They have the same style and the Prophet (PBUH) is the axis of both Suwar who introduces Divine
Revelation as blessing and guidance for man. To study this surah, we should have in mind the subject
matters of surat Al-Dhuha. As usual, we begin with the words of the surah then visualization of the
words.
A.
Studying the words
Sha’ra’ha (nash’rah)
expand
Wa’za’a (wa’za’naa)
Put
wezr
burden
Na’gha’dha (an’gha’dha)
break
zahr
back
Ra’fa’a (ra’fa’na)
elevate
Thikr
remembrance
osr
difficulty
Yusr
ease
Something which weighs heavy
on you
Breaking and dismantling of
something which was firm
The opposite side of the
stomach. In Arabic, strength,
firmness, tolerance, intensity
are attributed to back.
Raising high. It is the opposite of
lowering something.
It is remembering contrary to
neglect or forgetfulness; it is
remembering and expressing it
both by tongue or heart.
It refers to intense hardship and
difficulties.
Doing things with ease
Fa’ra’gha (fa’ragh’ta)
finish
Getting something done
Na’sa’ba (insab)
Set up
Ra’gha’ba (ir’ghab)
longing
installing something
somewhere (as in nominate,
one installs and places someone
in a position)
Craving greatly
for something
B.
It is the opposite of contracting
and constricting.
Put something down
Visualizing the words
Paying attention to the concepts and famous examples of each word, think of other examples and write
them on the table.
word
Sharh (expnad)
image
Opening something up
Sadr (breast)
Wa’za’a (remove)
The organ on the upper front
part of our body
To put down a heavy weight
Wizr
A heavy burden
Naghz (break)
Breaking into pieces
Other examples
Zahr (back)
The backside of human being
Ra’fa’a (elevate)
thikr
Raising and holding things up;
while establishing something, it
is when you set something up.
Remembrance
osr
Difficulty
Yusr
Ease
Fa’ra’gha
Being empty
Nasb
Constructing a building or
picking up a spear or a stone
Longing for
Ra’gha’ba
C.
Relationships between the words
The surah begins with a question:
Did We not expand for you, [O Muhammad], your breast?
And We removed from you your burden
Which had weighed upon your back
And raised high for you your repute.
Then, two similar sentences introduce a rule:
For indeed, with hardship [will be] ease.
Indeed, with hardship [will be] ease.
Finally, the surah ends with a conditional sentence:
So when you have finished [your duties], then stand up [for worship].
And to your Lord direct [your] longing.
2.
Visualizing the words in combination



The spiritual greatness of the sole who is burdening himself to guide people.
The heavy burden of a responsibility which demands great capacity to be tolerated.
An excruciating and heavy responsibility







Difficulties along with ease and comforts
Someone who is strengthening himself to accomplish his great responsibilities.
The one who accomplishes something and becomes famous for it.
A difficulty dealt with.
The longing for moving forward.
The one who has no responsibility
……..
The Second step: writing logical statements
Each sentence of this surah can be used for extracting logical statements.
A. Logical statements from the surah
Did We not expand for you, [O Muhammad], your breast?







Allah has expanded the Prophet (PBUH)’s breast for him.
Allah is consoling the Prophet (PBUH) by asking him about expanding of his breast.
The expansion of breast makes it is easy for the Prophet (PBUH) to tolerate the burdens of
guiding people.
This expansion of breast is increase in the possibility of guiding people by the Prophet (PBUH).
Expansion of breast increases the patience and toleration in the face of difficulties.
…………
…………
And We removed from you your burden, Which had weighed upon your back





Tolerating the heavy weight of responsibility is related to the expansion of the breast.
The Prophet (PBUH) has tolerated the harshest difficulties on the path of his prophecy.
Therefore, the expansion of breast for the Prophet (PBUH) is something which helps him do his
difficult duties.
…………
…………
And raised high for you your repute.






Raising high the reputation of someone is related to the expansion of the breast.
By raising high the repute of the Prophet (PBUH), the possibility of guidance for others would
increase. Subsequently, the Prophet (PBUH)’s expansion of breast would increase.
Raising the reputation and remembrance is a sign of success for the Prophet (PBUH) in his
prophecy.
Whoever follows the Prophet (PBUH) is, undoubtedly, enjoying a high reputation.
………..
………..
For indeed, with hardship [will be] ease.





People should accept that there are difficulties in life, and there are some relief beside each
difficulty.
Ease and difficulty are different for people. Therefore, they, mistakenly, choose the easier task;
while, there is a relief with every difficult task. So, if they choose the difficult one, they would,
certainly, reach that ease and relief.
Allah who has given us responsibilities, has also put ease beside the difficulties.
…………..
…………..
Indeed, with hardship [will be] ease.





This sentence emphasized the variety of difficulties and eases.
This emphasis shows that mankind does not believe in this rule. And, it leads to man choosing
his benefits and priorities wrongly.
Ease is naturally desirable for man, but it is not necessarily helpful for his growth. Therefore, it is
essential that we consider how much growth each option in life entails for us.
………..
………..
So when you have finished [your duties], then stand up [for worship].







Our life is composed of ‘fa’ragh’ta’ and ‘in’sab’ which are related to ‘dhuha’ and ‘layl’ from surah
al-Dhuha.
When man is done with one task, he should immediately begin the next one.
Finishing and beginning of tasks always follow each other.
This verse prevents us from doing sporadic and diverse tasks, which makes us confused.
Each new beginning in life is accompanied by some difficulties. Sticking to the plans would surely
lead to ease and smoothness in conducting them.
…………
…………
And to your Lord direct [your] longing.





The direction in every task is the criteria for evaluating it. The value of each task depends on the
degree of sincerity with which it has been done for the sake of Allah.
We should plan for both the direction and improvement of our tasks.
Allah demands His Prophet (PBUH) to direct his longing and direction toward him; so should we
be.
…………
…………
Logical statements from Tafsir Al-Mizan
The Third step: reflection on surah, getting closer to its intention
If you listen you here Azan all around the universe. It is not surprising if you faint. The name you hear
everywhere, Mohammad, is the one who was Prophet (PBUH) for only 23 years and who governed only
for 10 years. Now, the religion he brought has conquered everywhere and everyone knows him. What
did he do that made him so famous?
It is for the blessing of his existence and prophecy that people say prayers and observe the religion.
Regarding the greatness of such a Prophet (PBUH), the surah says:
1. The Prophet (PBUH)’s capacity for guiding people is so vast that it encompasses the whole
universe. This capacity is accompanied with removing of the burden (by Allah) and raising of his
reputation. His multiple difficulties are turned into ease and relief for him; and for the
continuation of prophecy, the path of guidance is followed by Imamate system.
2. The expansion of breast given to the Prophet (PBUH) makes him offer some solutions for those
who want to be in the path of God consistently. It is a movement in which a difficult task is
followed by the next one in a consistent way and the follower is never void of the desire to
move toward God.
3. The rule of the surah, there comes ease with each difficulty, makes it contingent on us to
prepare ourselves for difficulties and accept them for the sake of Allah. Doing so, we would
attain expansion of the breast. Consistency in this divine path would lighten your load of
responsibilities and raises your reputation.
4. ……………
Conclusion
To conclude the surah, the following questions are presented. Add to the questions.
1. Why the surah opens with a question? Does the Prophet (PBUH) have any doubt about this
issue?
2. What are the words ‘zahr’ and ‘sadr’ representing? How do they relate to the content of the
surah?
3. In this surah, what blessing is introduces by Allah? What is it for? what is reporting it good for?
4. Studying the two suwar, how can we move toward receiving expansion of breast? What do we
need first?
5.