๏ Have we not expanded your chest for you? (1) And we laid down for you your burden, (2) which broke your back. (3) And we made high for you your remembrance. (4) So indeed, with hardship is ease. (5) Indeed, with hardship is ease! (6) So when you have become exhausted, then strive! (7) And give preference to your lord. (8) ๏

— al-sharḥ, 94/8

The theme of this chapter continues on from the previous one, which tells us that God is with us whatever condition we find ourselves in. God relieves us from a tight chest and a back heavy with burdens. And He made it so that the people will remember us much. This suggests vivifying one another – doing dhik’r – is the means to remove our burdens and open our chests.

There is relief for every hardship. Repeated again in verse 6 for emphasis. faraghta (fā-rā-ghayn) of verse 7 relates to the act of pouring out liquid from a vessel. Even when we have reached exhaustion, emptied out, we are commanded to strive. Because with every hardship comes ease. The chapter closes the way it starts; by reminding us who gives us ease.

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Tagged: #chapter-094 #annotations #fa-ra-ghayn