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Tafsir Surat Ash-Sharh (The Relief)
By: Ayatullah al-Uzma Nasir Makarim Shirazi in Tafsir Namuneh
Translated from Farsi into English by: Fatima Zabeth Beenesh
Surat Ash-Sharh (The Relief)
This sura descended in Mecca and has 8 ayaat
The contents and virtues of Surat Ash-Sharĥ
It is famous that Surat Ash-Sharĥ descended after Surat Ađ-Đuĥaá and the contents of this sura confirms its subject. As in this sura once again calculated the divine favors. In fact three great favors are mentioned in Surat Ađ-Đuĥaá and three immense divine favors are declared in Surat Ash-Sharĥ . Some of the past blessings were of materialistic nature and some were of spiritualistic character but the blessings which are mentioned in this sura are entirely spiritualistic. Surat Ash-Sharĥ mainly rotates around three axes.
One the declaration of these three blessings and the other glad tiding to the prophet peace be upon him like elimination of the difficulties, his invitation towards Islam in future, his attention towards the Everlasting God and his insatiability and persuasion in the worshipping and prayers of One God.
For this reason in the narrations of ahal baith as we mentioned before, these two sura are counted as one and hence in the recitation of namaz for a complete one sura both these sura have to be recited.
Among the sunni sect too some of them believe in this theory such as Fakhr Razi, from Taaoos and Omar bin Abdul Aziz quoted that these two chapters together make a single sura. And in one rakat there were reciting it both omitting bismillah between them. (But according to the fatva of the shia fiqh (religious jurisprudence) bismillah must be present in both of them). The late scholar Tabrassi in his book majmail bayan confirmed that our fiqh omitting bismillah is not correct).
It is very strange that Fakhr Razi after quoting the words of those who stated both of these suras together makes single sura and said: this is not proper as the contents of both are different with each other.
Surat Ađ-Đuĥaá was descended when prophet Muhammad peace be upon him was very upset by the torture of the unbelievers and was going through severe unhappiness and hardships. Whereas the second sura descended when the prophet peace be upon him was extremely happy and delighted. How can be these two get inserted together?
Strangely both these chapters narrates the earlier life of the prophet peace be upon him when he had already passed down the most of the difficulties and his pure heart was filled with hopes and cheerfulness, both of these suras talk about the gifts of the Generous God and reminds the difficult days of the past so that it give the prophet peace be upon him more perfect trust.
Any way there is no doubt in the close connection of the contents of the sura which are similar to each otherโs meaning, likewise we will come across sura e Fil and sura e Qureish inshallah. Regarding the descent of sura e Alam Nashrah, whether it was descended in Mecca or Medina but by the above explanations in which it is stated that: we had elevated your name. According to this ayat some believe that it was descended in Medina, the period when the fame of the prophet peace be upon him and Islam prevailed everywhere.
But honestly it is not a satisfactory reason as the prophet peace be upon him with all the difficulties while he was living under the pressure until he was the most famous person. And he was the most talked about person in every social gathering about his rising up, prophecy and invitation of the people towards Islam. By means of annual pilgrimage Hajj, this reputation reached other places of Hijaz especifically the city of Medina.
Regarding the virtues of reading sura e Alam Nashrah in a hadis from the prophet peace be upon him we read, as he said: The one who reads this sura will receives the reward of a person who found the prophet in heartbreaking situation and wiped away all his sorrows.
 รรถรรบรฃรถ รรกรกรธรฅรถ รรกรรธรณรรบรฃรรณรครถ รรกรรธรณรรถรญรฃรถ 
Ash-Sharh (The Opening Forth)
รรณรกรณรฃรบ รครณรรบรรณรรบ รกรณรรณ ร รณรรบรรณรรณ (94:1
Did We not expand for you, [O Muhammad], your breast?
รฆรณรฆรณรรณรรบรครณร รรณรครรณ รฆรถรรบรรณรรณ (94:2
And We removed from you your burden
รรกรธรณรรถรญ รรณรครรณรรณ รรณรฅรบรรณรรณ (94:3
Which had weighed upon your back
รฆรณรรณรรณรรบรครณร รกรณรรณ รรถรรบรรณรรณ (94:4
And raised high your fame?
รรณร
รถรครธรณ รฃรณรรณ รรกรบรรตรรบรรถ รญรตรรบรรฐร (94:5
So verily, with the hardship, there is relief,
ร
รถรครธรณ รฃรณรรณ รรกรบรรตรรบรรถ รญรตรรบรรฐร (94:6
Verily, with every hardship comes ease!
รรณร
รถรรณร รรณรรณรรบรรณ รรณรรคร รณรรบ (94:7
So when you have finished (your duties), then stand up (for worship).
รฆรณร
รถรกรณรฌ รรณรรธรถรรณ รรณรรรบรรณรรบ (94:8
And to your Lord (Alone) turn (all your intentions, hopes and) your prayers.
Definition:
We have blessed you with various favors
The tone of ayaat is blended with the unusual divine love, kindness and consolation towards the great prophet Muhammad peace be upon him. In the first ayat indicated towards the most important divine gift and said: Do not we expand your chest?
รรณรกรณรฃรบ รครณรรบรรณรรบ รกรณรรณ รรณรรบรรณรรณ (94:1
รครณรรบรรณรรบ
The above term means to widen,
รรร รรร
The above term means to expand the chest with the help of divine illumination, the Majestic Godโs gifted calmness and peace. Anyway, certainly here it has the nominative meaning, the meaning of expanding the chest is to widen the soul and the thoughts of prophet Muhammad peace be upon him and this widening can have very infinite meaning. It consists of vastness of knowledge of the prophetโs peace be upon him knowledge by the help of the revelation, prophet hood and the immense scope of patience, toleration and the perseverance to face the stubbornness and hindrances of the enemy and the opponents.
Therefore when Musa ibn Imram got the duty to invite the rebellious Firaun he soon addressed Allah and said: O the Provider God! Expand for me my chest.
Ta-Ha
20:25
รรณรรกรณ รรณรรธรถ รรรบรรณรรบ รกรถรญ รรณรรบรรถรญ
20:25
(Moses) said, "My Lord, expand for me my breast (with assurance).
รฆรณรญรณรรธรถรรบ รกรถรญ รรณรฃรบรรถรญ (20:26
And make my task easy for me
In another place spoke with prophet Muhammad peace be upon him and said: Now wait for the command of Mighty God and be patient and persevere and do not be like prophet Yunus (Jonah) peace be upon him. (Losing the needed patience he went through all those troubles and sufferings).
Al-Qalam (The Pen)
รรณรร รบรรถรรบ รกรถรรตรรบรฃรถ รรณรรธรถรรณ รฆรณรกรณร รรณรรตรค รรณร รณรรรถรรถ รรกรบรรตรฆรรถ ร
รถรรบ รครณรรรณรฌ รฆรณรฅรตรฆรณ รฃรณรรบรรตรฆรฃรฑ (68:48
So wait with patience for the Decision of your Lord, and be not like the Companion of the Fish, when he cried out (to us) while he was in deep sorrow.
The expansion of chest in fact is the opposite of the fear in the heart hence in the ayat 97 of Sura e Hijr we read: We know your chest get uptight because of their selfish talk. Basically no prominent leader without the expansion of chest is able to go to fight the hardships and the one whose prophecy is higher than everybody (like the prophet of Islam) the floods and storms could not disturb the ocean of his soul and the troubles were unable to break his hopes. And the hindrances of the enemies could not perturb him. The questions of complicated matters did not bring him to blockade and this was the greatest divine gift to the messenger of Allah.
Therefore in a hadis it is mentioned by the prophet who said: I made a request to my Protector God and wished I would not have made this appeal and I demanded: O Holy God! You bestowed some of the prophets before me, the command over the winds and a few of the messengers were giving life to the death. The Praise worthy God asked: Were you not an orphan child when I provided you with shelter? I replied: Yes.
He told: Do not I guide you when you were lost? I replied: Yes, O the Majestic God. Did I expand your chest and reduced the weight from your back. I responded: Yes, O Dominant God!
This reveals that the blessing of the chest expansion is more higher than the miracles of the prophets and if any person intricately reads the conditions in the life of the messenger and measures the expansion of his chest in the difficult and complicated events in the entire life of the prophet then he will strongly believe that it is impossible in a general life and it is truly a divine and heavenly assistance.
Here some said: By the expansion of chest it means occurrence which happened in the childhood or the youth of the prophet as the heavenly angels opened his chest and pulled out his heart and washed it carefully and filled it with knowledge, awareness, kindness and compassion.
It is evident by this hadis that it is not this physical heart but it is indicating Self-Sufficient Godโs spiritual assistance and support, strengthening his resolutions, intentions and cleansing from him every moral insufficiency and devilish temptations.
But any way, we have no reason that the ayat under discussion is pointing towards that incident but it have far more vast and infinite meaning and possibly this tale counted as a proof.
By the help of this expansion of chest, the prophet passed the complicated situations of prophecy in an excellent manner and performed them perfectly.
Then defined another gift among the great favors of Honourer God and added: Did not we cast away the heavy weight from you?
รฆรณรฆรณรรณรรบรครณร รรณรครรณ รฆรถรรบรรณรรณ
The burden which is heavy upon your back
รรกรธรณรรถรญ รรณรครรณรรณ รรณรฅรบรรณรรณ
รฆรร
The above term means heavy and the term
รฆรیร
, is taken from this meaning as the heavy burdens of the ministry of government, he drags upon his shoulder. The sins are also called
รฆรร
, as its heavy burden is upon the shoulder of the sinner
รรณรครรณรรณ
The above term means bone breaking sound in the vertebral column; this term is used in breaking the vows. Like this manner the above ayat states: The Enricher God removed from you the back breaking heavy load.
What was this heavy load that Majestic God had removed from the back of the prophet? The evenness of the ayat exhibits that it means the difficulties in the prophecy and divination and invitation of the people towards the monotheism and worship of One God, to eliminate the effects of decay, corruption and immorality from that severely contaminated environment. Not only the great prophet peace be upon him of Islam but also the entire prophets in the beginning of their prophetic mission faced immense difficulties and only with the heavenly support triumphed over them. However the conditions of the atmosphere in the period of the prophet peace be upon him was more difficult and heavy in many dimensions.
In defining the third holy endowment expressed: We have raised your reputation.
รฆรณรรณรรณรรบรครณร รกรณรรณ รรถรรบรรณรรณ
Your name along with the name of Islam and the noble manuscript Quran spread everywhere. And more than that your name is described in the azan near the name of Mighty Allah from the high heights where the Muazzin calls for prayers. And the witness for your prophecy besides the witness for the Matchless and Single God is the sign of Islam and the proof for the acceptance of Islam. Which honorary is more prominent than that the exalted position that can be imagined?
We read in a hadis by the prophet peace be upon him in the definition of this ayat he said: Jibril (Gabriel) alaihis salam told me: the Dominant God commands: while my name is mentioned at the same time your name as well is described along with it.
(That is enough for the greatness of your status).
There is a question that whether sura e Alam Nashrah descended in Mecca or Medina, where the prophet peace be upon him became worldwide famous.
In response of this question: it means that the glad tiding is given before hand to the prophet peace be upon him. The load of unhappiness and hopelessness wiped away from his heart.
In the next ayat the Protector God gave his prophet peace be upon him the most important glad news that scattered the illumination of hope upon the pure heart of the messenger peace be upon him and said: Certainly with the hardships there is lenience.
รรณร
รถรครธรณ รฃรณรรณ รรกรบรรตรรบรรถ รญรตรรบรรฐร
Once again it emphasized and said: Undoubtedly with the hardships there is easiness.
ร
รถรครธรณ รฃรณรรณ รรกรบรรตรรบรรถ รญรตรรบรรฐร
The one who tolerated the problems and daringly stood straight before the violent floods, one day he will obtain the fruit and will taste the sweet turn out of his toil. The day when the clamor of the enemies calms down, the colorless hopeless events will change. The paths of progress and perfection are sparkling and clean, so that for a person will become easy to step upon the right path of the truth.
It is a general rule for all the dedicated and enthusiastic believers and is giving good news that always near the hardships there are comforts.
The term
รฃรณรรณ
Indicates the meaning to be with it and it does not gives the meaning of after wards.
Yes, it is always like that with every difficulty there is easiness and with every disaster there is relieve.
In a hadis the great prophet Muhammad peace be upon him said: Be aware there are comforts with the hardships and there is success by means of patience and with sorrow and grief there is happiness and immensity.
In a hadis from amir al mominin Ali alaihis salam we read: a woman complained the prophet peace be upon him about her husband that he does not spend anything for her while her husband was truly going through the miseries of poverty. Hazrat Ali alaihis salam wanted to avoid his imprisonment in jail. Responding her, he said:
ร
รถรครธรณ รฃรณรรณ รรกรบรรตรรบรรถ รญรตรรบรรฐร
And invited her towards patience and tolerance,
Yes, patience and success both are old friends
With patience there is success.
Then in the last ayaat of sura e Alam Nashrah said: when you finished any task soon start another duty.
รรณร
รถรรณร รรณรรณรรบรรณ รรณรรครรณรรบ
Do not sit idle and do not leave aside the great efforts and struggles, be engaged incessantly in the endeavors, at the end of every important mission commence another job.
In all these circumstances rely upon the Eternal God and pay attention towards the Sovereign God.
รฆรณร
รถรกรณรฌ รรณรรธรถรรณ รรณรรรบรรณรรบ
Ask for his delight and search his pleasure and be in hurry to seek his nearness. It advises that all the efforts must end in the way of Forgiver God.
In one of the various narrations from the famous Sunni scholar named Hafiz Hakim Haskani in his book Shavahid Tanzil it is quoted from imam Sadiq alaihis salam who said: When you have finished your duties appoint Ali alaihis salam as the guardian of the Muslims.
Qartabi too in his definition quoted: the meaning of the ayat is that when you had finished the task appoint the spiritual leader who is your successor (Though he himself did not accepted the name).
To sit idly and the complete relaxation basically creates tiredness, decreases delight. Laziness and sluggishness in the most occasions creates various kinds of sins, inhuman acts and destructions.
It is interesting to know that by the estimation of educational institutes it is revealed: In the vacation period the number of falseness and disloyalties sometimes reaches seven times higher.
Any way this sura entirely describes the particular divine blessings for the great prophet Muhammad peace be upon him and consoled him while he was facing the sufferings, promised him victory and to support him in ups and downs of the prophetic mission. As well as it totally generates hope, inspiration and energy for all human beings and the voyagers of the path of genuineness.
As we indicated above, in the various narrations it is mentioned that by the ayat:
รรณร
รถรรณร รรณรรณรรบรรณ รรณรรครรณรรบ
It is relating a truth that the appointment of amiral mominin Ali alaihis salam as successor after the achievement of prophetic mission.
รฆรณรรณรรณรรบรครณร รกรณรรณ รรถรรบรรณรรณ
The Most High and the Sublime God wanted to spread the name of prophet Muhammad peace be upon him in the entire history and this name attain the high recognition in the human world whether the people are fond of him or dislike him.
O the Glorious God! Vacate from our hearts the love of our own self and fill it entirely with your love.
O the Protecting Friend God! You promised us that with every misery there is comfort and relieve. Make comfortable the Muslims of the world from the enormous sufferings and adversities inflicted by the enemies.
O the Originator God! Your blessings and favours are abundant upon us, bestow us the capability of the offering the thanks to you.
Ameen O God the Provider of the universe
The sura e Alam Nashrah reached to the ending here.
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