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الشرح

Surah Ash-Sharh (الشرح) - Transliteration, Translation and Audio

Chapter 94 of the Quran, 8 verses, "The Relief"

بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

Surah Ash-Sharh Transliteration and English Translation

  1. 1

    أَلَمْ نَشْرَحْ لَكَ صَدْرَكَ

    Alam nashrah laka sadrak

    Did We not expand for you, [O Muhammad], your breast?

  2. 2

    وَوَضَعْنَا عَنكَ وِزْرَكَ

    Wa wa d'ana 'anka wizrak

    And We removed from you your burden

  3. 3

    ٱلَّذِىٓ أَنقَضَ ظَهْرَكَ

    Allazee anqada zahrak

    Which had weighed upon your back

  4. 4

    وَرَفَعْنَا لَكَ ذِكْرَكَ

    Wa raf 'ana laka zikrak

    And raised high for you your repute.

  5. 5

    فَإِنَّ مَعَ ٱلْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا

    Fa inna ma'al usri yusra

    For indeed, with hardship [will be] ease.

  6. 6

    إِنَّ مَعَ ٱلْعُسْرِ يُسْرًۭا

    Inna ma'al 'usri yusra

    Indeed, with hardship [will be] ease.

  7. 7

    فَإِذَا فَرَغْتَ فَٱنصَبْ

    Fa iza faragh ta fansab

    So when you have finished [your duties], then stand up [for worship].

  8. 8

    وَإِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ فَٱرْغَب

    Wa ilaa rabbika far ghab

    And to your Lord direct [your] longing.

About Surah Ash-Sharh

Surah Ash-Sharh (Arabic: الشرح), meaning "The Relief", is the 94th chapter of the Quran and has 8 verses. It is also known as Surah Al-Inshirah. It was revealed in Makkah in the early years of the mission of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), and it is close in spirit to Surah Ad-Duha, which comes just before it. It is a surah of comfort in difficulty, built on the promise that hardship comes with ease.

Allah reminds the Prophet of three favors: He expanded his chest, removed the burden that weighed heavily on his back, and raised his mention high. Commentators note that his name is joined with the name of Allah in the testimony of faith and the call to prayer. Then comes the promise, stated twice: with hardship there is ease. Classical commentators observed that the word for hardship is definite in both verses while the word for ease is indefinite, and drew from this that a single hardship will not overcome two eases. The surah closes with a practical instruction: when you have finished one task, stand up for worship, and turn to your Lord in longing.

Main Themes of Surah Ash-Sharh

Listen to Surah Ash-Sharh with Audio-Synced Transliteration

Play Surah Ash-Sharh and follow the Arabic text and Latin transliteration as each verse is recited. You can adjust the speed or loop a verse range for practice.

Frequently Asked Questions About Surah Ash-Sharh

Why is the promise of ease repeated in Surah Ash-Sharh?
Verses 5 and 6 repeat the promise for emphasis and reassurance. Classical commentators also noted that the word for hardship is definite in Arabic while the word for ease is indefinite, which they understood to mean that one hardship comes with more than one ease.
What does the expanding of the Prophet's chest mean in Surah Ash-Sharh?
It refers to Allah opening the heart of the Prophet (peace be upon him) to guidance and giving him the strength to carry the message and bear the difficulties of his mission. Many Muslims ask for the same gift with the words of Musa asking his Lord to expand his chest (Quran 20:25).
Is Surah Ash-Sharh the same as Surah Al-Inshirah?
Yes. The surah is known by both names, and some also call it Alam Nashrah after its opening words. All three refer to the 94th chapter of the Quran.

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