(Revealed before Hijrah)

Date of Revelation and Context
Since the Surah is closely connected with the one preceding it so as to form an extension of its subject-matter, it was obviously revealed at Mecca, most probably in the second or third year of the Call. While the preceding Surah spoke of the increasing prosperity of the Holy Prophet's cause, the present Surah alludes to some distinguishing features and marks which constitute a sure guarantee of the ultimate triumph of one's mission and for that matter of the mission of every preacher of Truth: (a) First of all, he should be firmly convinced of the truth of his claim and should possess necessary means for propagating it; (b) he should be able to attract people's attention, and (c) the Divine decree should be working in his favor. In this Surah the Holy Prophet is described as being in possession of all these means in full measure. His cause is, therefore, bound to prevail.

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ
[1] In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful.

أَلَمْ نَشْرَحْ لَكَ صَدْرَكَ
[2] Have We not opened for thee thy bosom,

وَوَضَعْنَا عَنكَ وِزْرَكَ
[3] And removed from thee thy burden

الَّذِي أَنقَضَ ظَهْرَكَ
[4] Which had well nigh broken thy back[3380],

وَرَفَعْنَا لَكَ ذِكْرَكَ
[5] And We exalted thy name?[3381]

فَإِنَّ مَعَ الْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا
[6] Surely there is ease after hardship[3382].

إِنَّ مَعَ الْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا
[7] Aye, surely there is ease after hardship.

فَإِذَا فَرَغْتَ فَانصَبْ
[8] So when thou art free, strive hard,

وَإِلَى رَبِّكَ فَارْغَبْ
[9] And to thy Lord do thou attend whole-heartedly.[3382A]

3380. The Holy Prophet had been saddled with such nerve-racking and backbreaking task as had never been entrusted to any human being, i.e., first to raise a degenerate people from the depths of moral turpitude to the pinnacle of spiritual excellence and, then through them to cleanse and purify the whole of mankind of the dross of iniquity, ignorance and superstition. This was indeed, a very heavy responsibility which had almost crushed him under its weight, but God lightened his burden.

3381.  The Surah was revealed in the second or third vear of the Call. at a time when the Holy Prophet was hardly known outside his immediate neighbourhood, but very soon he rose to be the best known and most loved, respected and successful of all religious Teachers. No leader, religious or temporal, has so much commanded the love and respect of his followers as has the Holy Prophet.

3382. The expression, 'Surely, there is ease after hardship,' has been repeated twice. This signifies that Islam will have to pass through very hard times, but on two occasions it will have to face a challenge to its very existence-first in the first few years of its life and then in the Latter Days-and on both these occasions it will emerge from the ordeal with renewed strength. These verses also indicate that the hardships with which the Holy Prophet and Muslims are faced are temporary, but their successes will be permanent and ever-expanding.

3382A. The Holy Prophet is comforted with the assurance that endless vistas of spiritual progress lie before him and that after he has conquered the difficulties that bar his way he should not rest contented with the success achieved, but having scaled one peak he should strive to climb the next, and his attention should be wholly directed towards regenerating a fallen humanity and towards establishing God's Kingdom on earth. The verse may also signify that when the Holy Prophet has finished his day's work of teaching and training his followers and disposing of other temporal affairs he should turn to God with all his heart, for his spiritual journey knows no end.