(Revealed at Mecca)

8 Verses in 1 Section

According to the Ahl Al-Bayt this Surah, though separated front the previous Surah, by ‘Bismillah’ir Rahmanir Rahim’, yet from the point of view of its contents, is the supplementary of the preceding one. Hence, if the former is recited in the compulsory daily ‘Fareeza’ it should be combined with the latter, because according to the Ahl Al-Bayt, the first and the second ‘Rak’ats’ (units) it is necessary that a complete Surah is recited after the Surah Fateha (Opening Chapter). The same treatment has been given by the Ahl Al-Bayt to Suras 105 and 106. These subtle and minute considerations about this and Suras 105 and 106, is the best proof that according to the Ahl Al-Bayt, no disarrangement or misarrangement had been affected in the order of the Suras of Qur’an. Refer to note on ‘Tahreef’ in introduction. (A.P.).

Sections of Surah Al-Inshirah

1. Prophet ordained to appoint one in his place.

Al-Inshirah - Prophet Ordained To Appoint One In His Place

The special favours of God upon the Prophet, The Prophet ordained to appoint one in his place when he completes his Mission.

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

“In the name of God the Beneficent the Merciful”

أَلَمْ نَشْرَحْ لَكَ صَدْرَكَ

“(O’ Our Apostle Muhammad!) What! Have We not expanded for thee thy breast1?” (94:1)

وَوَضَعْنَا عَنْكَ وِزْرَكَ

“And We took off from thee thy burden2?” (94:2)

الَّذِي أَنْقَضَ ظَهْرَكَ

“Which weighed down thy back3?” (94:3)

وَرَفَعْنَا لَكَ ذِكْرَكَ

“And exalted we for thee, thy fame4?” (94:4)

فَإِنَّ مَعَ الْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا

“Verily with (every) difficulty (there) is ease” (94:5)

إِنَّ مَعَ الْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا

“Verily with (every) difficulty (there) is ease5“ (94:6)

فَإِذَا فَرَغْتَ فَانْصَبْ

“And when thou hast finished6(the duties of thy ministry), then thou establish it7!” (94:7)

وَإِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ فَارْغَبْ

“And unto thy Lord, return with fervour8“ (94:8)

Commentary

Verse 1

In spite of the simple and clear words, this Surah, as a whole, has been most erroneously misinterpreted by some commentators. The misinterpretations mislead the common people who blindly follow their pet religious leaders without any scrutiny or verification, readily accepting whatever is told to them. ‘Sharh al-sadr’ means expansion of the breast, i.e., heart. It is an acknowledged term, to mean the broadening or the extending of the faculty of conscience, reasoning and understanding for the accommodation of wider, greater or higher knowledge. The verse means an assertion from God that He has given the heart of the Holy Prophet, the greatest expanse for knowledge. When Moses was commanded by God to proceed to Pharaoh, to preach to him the truth and to admonish him against his wicked and evil ways of thought and action and to warn him against his rebellious attitude toward the true Lord of the Universe, he prayed for the extension or the expansion of his breast or heart, meaning to increase him in knowledge9.

The same words occur in 6:125, wherein it is mentioned that whomsoever God pleases, He extends or expands the individual’s breast, i.e., heart, for Islam, and in contrast to this it is said that whomsoever God wills, He straitens and narrows the individual’s breast. In spite of what the expression ‘Expansion of a breast’ clearly means, some commentators have coined a very insulting and very offending story about the native purity of the divine personality of the Holy Prophet saying that the Messenger Angel Gabriel took hold of him and performed an operation of his breast by cutting it open, washed the heart and then placed it in its place and closed the breast and interpreted this verse illustrating their explanation referring to their own fabricated story which is not only fantastic but grossly degrading the holiest of God’s creation.

The expansion meant here is the illumination of the heart or the soul with the vastness of the great extent of the knowledge affected, not in this world but in the very creation of the soul and in the very make of the body. Referring to this inherent or native purity of the soul and the body of the Holy Prophet and of those of his family who had to play his role in his place after him, as the guides to mankind, viz. his Ahl Al-Bayt (i.e., the Lady Fatimah and the Twelve Holy Imams), God has declared in 33:33, The advent of the Holy Prophet, was the fulfilment of the divine promise to give mankind a Perfect guide, a fully accomplished prophet referred to in the Old Testament10, who would be the Spirit of Truth, who would give the All-Truth, the Holy Ghost, prophesied by Jesus11. He actually acted as the Best and the Greatest:

1. Apostle of God, i.e., a Religious Teacher and Leader.

2. Spiritual Guide.

3. Judge.

4. Legislator.

5. King.

6. Administrator.

7. Military Commander.

8. A Citizen.

9. Kind Husband.

10. Affectionate Father.

11. Guardian of orphans and the poor.

12. Protector of woman’s rights.

13. A friend and companion.

14. A philosopher and Saye

and the various other positions in life. He was the one who was destined by God to convey to mankind the All-Truth, i.e., the truth as a whole about the All-Divine One and the ways of approaching Him (i.e., earning the Salvation) which even Jesus the immediate forerunner of the Holy Prophet could not do for humanity then could not bear it12. Jesus had only to prophesy about the advent of the Holy Prophet, the Spirit of Truth13 the Holy Ghost14 and the Comforter15.

Note that the same expansion of the breast or the heart was prayed for by Moses16, whereas in the case of the Holy Prophet it is granted unasked for.

The verse clearly refers to the Holy Prophet being given the helper in his cousin Ali Ibn Abu Talib. The appointment of Ali as the Vazier, i.e., the Bearer of the Burden, was announced at the very outset of the Holy Prophet’s ministry, in the historic assembly of the leaders of the Quraish, which meeting is known in history as the ‘Da’wat al-Asheera’, i.e., the Feast of the Kith and Kin17.

Note Moses also prayed to God to strengthen his back with the help of his brother Aaron - and here the back was strengthened without asking. There is a great identity between Moses and the Holy Prophet, and this has also been prophesied by God in the Old Testament18.

Verse 2

The ‘Vizr’ means the burden of the apostleship, i.e., ministry19. (A.P.).

Verse 4

This is a prophetic announcement of the mention, or the eminence of the Holy Prophet being raised to glorious heights both in this world and in the hereafter, high above the mention of any one in the world. Bringing into account the ‘Salawat’ or the salutation, every Muslim is obliged to recite it at least in each of the five times daily prayer. There is none in the world to be compared to the Holy Prophet in this regard for the name of no other apostle of God, is mentioned in such abundance. This prophecy was made when the Prophet was a solitary figure, not much recognised even by the people of his own place and when most of the people in his environment were hostile to him.

None can correctly enumerate the number of times the Holy Prophet along with his holy Ahl Al-Bayt, is remembered even in a single day of the year.

Verse 5

The whole life of the Holy Prophet was of persecution, difficulties and toil, dangers and worries. The repeated statement here is to give emphasis to the promise and its assurance of the ultimate triumph of the cause even though in the earlier stages the situation was utterly hopeless and the survival of the Holy Prophet, the Muslims and the very name of the faith, Islam, seemed to be an impossibility.

By making his name to be mentioned in the ‘Azan’ the Call for prayer - in the ‘Tashah’hud’ in the prayer itself and in the form of ‘Salawat’, i.e., the Salutation - on him and his Ahl Al-Bayt wherever his name is mentioned20. (A.P.).

Verse 6

This is in conformity with the first and second verses of the previous chapter. (A.P.).

Verse 7

This refers to the instruction to the Holy Prophet, to fix up the one already notified by him at the ‘Dawat al-Asheera’, (i.e., Ali Ibn Abu Talib). See note on verse 2 above and 5:67, in his place. By the time and wording of the verse 5:67 it gets evident that it was the instruction through this verse, i.e., about appointing Ali as his successor that the Holy Prophet was waiting to execute. The verse 5:67 clearly states ‘‘Convey that which has already been sent down to thee”, i.e., appointment of Ali the instructions for which had already been received.

The concluding words and the tone of the same verse 5:67 show that the matter was of vital importance to the faith and no further delay in executing the will of the Lord was desirable even under the apprehension of any mischief, for God, in the same verse 5:67 promises to save the Holy Prophet from mischief. The matter was so important and essential to be enacted that at its enactment was declared the completion or the perfection of Islam as the religion and the perfection of God’s bounties see 5:3. See note in 5:67 which gives the details about the revelation of the verse when the Holy Prophet was at Ghadir Khumm along with the huge number of the pilgrims, on his return from Mecca after performing the last Haj of his life on earth.

This verse is a clear instruction to the Holy Prophet, i.e., to say, when he has completed the work of his ministry, to appoint Ali in his place as the Commander or the Master of the Faithful.

This is the most appropriate literal translation of this verse, but the other commentators have given various interpretations, none is appropriate with the context of these two chapters. The Holy Prophet has been burdened with the task of conveying the Last Word of the Lord or the Last Divine Message to mankind.

Here in this early Meccan chapter the Holy Prophet is commanded to prepare himself for another task more vital than the mere preaching, i.e., the establishment, and the perpetuation of the chain of the words of God (28:51), the last link of which he was entrusted with - by nominating the person who would succeed him as a guardian and the exponent of all that he had preached. It was the same duty which the Holy Prophet was commanded to execute. In the last Chapter revealed to him, in the closing days of his ministry 5:3, 67, after the execution of which, verse 5:3 was revealed, after finishing all the tasks referred to in verses 5 and 6, the Holy Prophet has been commanded to return unto the Lord. One should realise how this small chapter of the early Meccan period deals with the most important stages and the different functions which the Holy Prophet had to undergo and to performing of which, is in complete conformity with the Last Madanite Chapter of the Qur’an. (A.P.).

Verse 8

‘Farghab’, i.e., get inclined - This was the instruction to the Holy Prophet - When he had finished his work as God’s apostle, i.e., completed the duties of his ministry, to fix up Ali in his place and then get ready to return. Note the sublime words in which God expresses His will that the Holy Prophet should retire from this world. There is no mention of death. The instructions are to incline himself, i.e., to return to Him at his own choice and pleasure for it is quite evident from this, that death to the Holy Prophet is not as it is to any other mortal, but it is a willing return for which he was eagerly waiting to do. The fact is that those who fear the retribution for their life deeds, naturally dread death and for those who are always in communion maintaining their original purity, would naturally long to return to enjoy the bliss, of which, they are sure.

• 1. Refer to: 20:25.
• 2. Ar. ‘Vizr, the burden of apostleship - The ministry.
• 3. Refer to: 73:5.
• 4. Eminence Remembrance.
• 5. Refer to: 5:3, 5:67.
• 6. While concluding the task of the apostleship establish or perpetuate.
• 7. Refer to: 28:51.
• 8. The guidance to mankind by appointing the successor ‘Imam’ (guide) and the Maula (guardian) of the people in thy place - which the Holy Prophet did at Ghadir Khumm. Refer to: 5:3, 5:67.
• 9. See 20:25.
• 10. Deut. 18/18.
• 11. John 16/7-8, 14/16, 16/15-25.
• 12. John 16/12.
• 13. John 16/13.
• 14. John 14/26.
• 15. John 16/7.
• 16. See 20:25.
• 17. Gibbon by W. Smith, Tabari - Ibne Athir, Abul Fida and EHI.
• 18. Dent. 18/15 and 18.
• 19. Refer to: 73:5.
• 20. Refer to: 33:56.