SURAH INSHIRAH: UPLIFTING THE HEART AND EASING THE SOUL

 

Surah Inshirah, also known as Surah Al-Sharh, is the 94th chapter of the Quran, consisting of eight verses. It is a Meccan surah, revealed during the early period of the Prophet Muhammad’s (pbuh) mission when he and his followers faced significant challenges and opposition. The Surah provides comfort and reassurance, emphasizing Allah's support and the promise of ease after hardship.

Allah (swt) is er-Rahman (all compassionate), er-Rahim (the most merciful), es-Salam (the giver of peace), who gives inner peace to us, his servants, whose hearts are narrowed; enlightens our darkened selves, and clears our spiritual confusion. These and other beautiful names of Allah (swt) are evidence that divine help will be revealed to His servants in difficult times. Surah al-Inshirah offers us a prescription that is like therapy for our mental fatigue and anxiety. In the early periods of the difficult preaching, Surah Inshirah expresses the morale and support for Muhammad (pbuh) and companions who had newly converted to Islam.

Have we not uplifted your heart for you (O Prophet)

Relieved you of the burden Which weighed so heavily on your back

And elevated your renown for you?

 

Almighty Allah mentions that He has always been gracious to Muhammad (pbuh) by counting the blessings and favors He gave him and reminds him of His blessings in different places and times.

Here, Allah begins the surah by reminding our Prophet of his three blessings. First is the expansion of the Prophet’s chest. Expansion of the chest expresses that the Prophet’s soul was enriched with knowledge and wisdom, his sadness and distress were alleviated, and his heart was relieved. Secondly, Allah lifted the burden that was bending the Prophet’s back. It is thought that the burden that weighed him down here was the heavy suffering that our Prophet felt due to the moral corruption in society. By revealing the message of Islam to Prophet Muhammed, Allah addressed such corruption and showed the straight way to people. His third blessing is that Allah raises the Prophet’s rank among people through his mission of prophethood and spreads his fame all over the world.

So, surely with hardship comes ease

Surely with (that) hardship comes (more) ease

The fact that it is emphasized twice that there is ease with every difficulty and that the word highlighted is ‘ease’ are verses that feel like healing to the hearts of believers. What should also be noticed here is that ease comes with difficulty, not after it. Just as Allah puts day into night, He also puts ease into difficulty. The period when these verses were revealed was the time when the Prophet and Muslims suffered the most. When this surah was revealed, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said: “Good news! Ease has come to you, now one difficulty can never prevail over two eases.” (Muwatta, Jihad 6) This encouraged and relieved the Muslims as it assures believers that no matter how challenging their circumstances may be, relief and ease will inevitably follow.

So, once you have fulfilled (your duty), strive (in devotion)

Allah (swt) does not like us to remain idle. The connection between this verse and the previous verses is that when we are in trouble, Allah (swt) wants us to make an effort towards the solution with resolution. He wants us not to give up, not to worry, not to get depressed, but to continue walking on this long path of the world. Instead of filling our minds with disaster scenarios, He calls us to get to strive, work more and be productive.

Turning to your Lord (alone) with hope

This journey happens no matter what we do. When we become aware of the journey on this path that ultimately leads to Allah (swt), our troubles decrease and life becomes easier for us. We spend most of our time doing things for ourselves. However, Allah (swt) tells us that we should also make time for Him. If we want the problems in our chest to ease, we must both try to strive and work hard and turn to Allah (swt) by praying sincerely.