With Hardship Comes Ease
Allah repeats one promise twice in Surah Ash-Sharh. A reflection on why ease is not only after hardship, but with it.
16 Rabi' al-Thani 1448 AH
Surah Ash-Sharh was revealed at a time when the Prophet ﷺ carried a weight that would have broken anyone else. In the middle of it, Allah makes a promise, and then makes it again.
Quran
فَإِنَّ مَعَ ٱلْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا إِنَّ مَعَ ٱلْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا
“For indeed, with hardship comes ease. Indeed, with hardship comes ease.”
The word Allah uses is ma'a, which means with, not after. The ease does not wait at the end of the difficulty. It travels alongside it, even when we cannot yet see it.
One hardship, two eases
Scholars of the Arabic language noticed that al-'usr (the hardship) comes with the definite article both times, pointing to the same hardship. Yusra (ease) comes without it both times, pointing to a new ease each time. One hardship, met by two eases.