Solace, Consolation, Relief, The Expansion — Verse 2

94:2 · al-Inshirah

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وَوَضَعْنَا عَنكَ وِزْرَكَ
WawadaAAna AAanka wizraka
Solace, Consolation, Relief, The Expansion / al-Inshirah (94:2)
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Abdel Haleem

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and remove the burde
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Tafsir Commentary

Tafsir al-Jalalayn
and relieve you of your burden
Kashani Tafsir
Did We not expand for thee thy breast, and lift from thee thy burden that weighed down upon thy back, and raise up for thee thy mention? Know that when God brought the creatures from the concealment of nonexistence to the confines of existence with the command “Be!” and when He scattered over them the treasuries of mercy and the gardens of blessings, He showed largesse to that master of the world, that greatest child of Adam, through exalted bounties, generous gifts, and various sorts of favor. From the begin- ning of the cosmos to the annihilation of the children of Adam, all creatures are his followers. The first thing desired by the beginningless gentleness was he. He is the king, and the rest of the creatures are his army and horse. He is the dear guest, and the dear ones are all his followers and hangers-on. Look carefully at the edict of his splendor and the book of his good fortune to see if the specification and explicit statement of this announcement of generosity and elevation was given to any other prophet. Did We not expand for thee thy breast? “O paragon of the universe! O honored chosen one! O foremost messenger! O ennobled eminent one! Did We not brighten your heart with the light of recognition, give it courtesy and rectification with the subtleties of contemplation and unveiling, give it goodliness and proximity with the generous gifts of exaltedness and elevation, and give your clay the cape of adornment and the robe of elevation? “O master! The goal of creation was to unveil the sign of your perfection, the flag of your majesty, and the form of your beauty. 'But for thee, I would not have created the spheres. But for thee, the world would have neither bottom nor top.' “O master! You were the first in prophethood and the last to be sent out. You are the manifest in union and the nonmanifest in blessings. You are the first of all creatures in nearness and famil- iarity and the last in judgment and felicity. You are the manifest in sinlessness and greatness and the nonmanifest in the majesty of state.” In the reports about the miʿrāj it has come that MuṣṬafā said, “The All-Compeller said to me, 'Ask, O MuḤammad!' “I said, 'My Lord, You took Abraham as a bosom friend, You gave David a tremendous king- dom [4:54] and forgave him his slip, You bestowed on Solomon a kingdom such as no one after me will have [38:35], You spoke to Moses directly [4:164], You raised Idris to a high place [19:57], You taught Jesus the Torah and the Gospel [3:48] and You made him heal the blind and the leper and give life to the dead with Your permission [3:49].
Kashani Tafsir
Did We not expand for thee thy breast, and lift from thee thy burden that weighed down upon thy back, and raise up for thee thy mention? Know that when God brought the creatures from the concealment of nonexistence to the confines of existence with the command “Be!” and when He scattered over them the treasuries of mercy and the gardens of blessings, He showed largesse to that master of the world, that greatest child of Adam, through exalted bounties, generous gifts, and various sorts of favor. From the begin- ning of the cosmos to the annihilation of the children of Adam, all creatures are his followers. The first thing desired by the beginningless gentleness was he. He is the king, and the rest of the creatures are his army and horse. He is the dear guest, and the dear ones are all his followers and hangers-on. Look carefully at the edict of his splendor and the book of his good fortune to see if the specification and explicit statement of this announcement of generosity and elevation was given to any other prophet. Did We not expand for thee thy breast? “O paragon of the universe! O honored chosen one! O foremost messenger! O ennobled eminent one! Did We not brighten your heart with the light of recognition, give it courtesy and rectification with the subtleties of contemplation and unveiling, give it goodliness and proximity with the generous gifts of exaltedness and elevation, and give your clay the cape of adornment and the robe of elevation? “O master! The goal of creation was to unveil the sign of your perfection, the flag of your majesty, and the form of your beauty. 'But for thee, I would not have created the spheres. But for thee, the world would have neither bottom nor top.' “O master! You were the first in prophethood and the last to be sent out. You are the manifest in union and the nonmanifest in blessings. You are the first of all creatures in nearness and famil- iarity and the last in judgment and felicity. You are the manifest in sinlessness and greatness and the nonmanifest in the majesty of state.” In the reports about the miʿrāj it has come that MuṣṬafā said, “The All-Compeller said to me, 'Ask, O MuḤammad!' “I said, 'My Lord, You took Abraham as a bosom friend, You gave David a tremendous king- dom [4:54] and forgave him his slip, You bestowed on Solomon a kingdom such as no one after me will have [38:35], You spoke to Moses directly [4:164], You raised Idris to a high place [19:57], You taught Jesus the Torah and the Gospel [3:48] and You made him heal the blind and the leper and give life to the dead with Your permission [3:49].
Al-Qushairi Tafsir
Did We not expand for thee thy breast, and lift from thee thy burden that weighed down upon thy back, and raise up for thee thy mention? Know that when God brought the creatures from the concealment of nonexistence to the confines of existence with the command “Be!” and when He scattered over them the treasuries of mercy and the gardens of blessings, He showed largesse to that master of the world, that greatest child of Adam, through exalted bounties, generous gifts, and various sorts of favor. From the begin- ning of the cosmos to the annihilation of the children of Adam, all creatures are his followers. The first thing desired by the beginningless gentleness was he. He is the king, and the rest of the creatures are his army and horse. He is the dear guest, and the dear ones are all his followers and hangers-on. Look carefully at the edict of his splendor and the book of his good fortune to see if the specification and explicit statement of this announcement of generosity and elevation was given to any other prophet. Did We not expand for thee thy breast? “O paragon of the universe! O honored chosen one! O foremost messenger! O ennobled eminent one! Did We not brighten your heart with the light of recognition, give it courtesy and rectification with the subtleties of contemplation and unveiling, give it goodliness and proximity with the generous gifts of exaltedness and elevation, and give your clay the cape of adornment and the robe of elevation? “O master! The goal of creation was to unveil the sign of your perfection, the flag of your majesty, and the form of your beauty. 'But for thee, I would not have created the spheres. But for thee, the world would have neither bottom nor top.' “O master! You were the first in prophethood and the last to be sent out. You are the manifest in union and the nonmanifest in blessings. You are the first of all creatures in nearness and famil- iarity and the last in judgment and felicity. You are the manifest in sinlessness and greatness and the nonmanifest in the majesty of state.” In the reports about the miʿrāj it has come that MuṣṬafā said, “The All-Compeller said to me, 'Ask, O MuḤammad!' “I said, 'My Lord, You took Abraham as a bosom friend, You gave David a tremendous king- dom [4:54] and forgave him his slip, You bestowed on Solomon a kingdom such as no one after me will have [38:35], You spoke to Moses directly [4:164], You raised Idris to a high place [19:57], You taught Jesus the Torah and the Gospel [3:48] and You made him heal the blind and the leper and give life to the dead with Your permission [3:49].
Al-Qushairi Tafsir
Did We not expand for thee thy breast, and lift from thee thy burden that weighed down upon thy back, and raise up for thee thy mention? Know that when God brought the creatures from the concealment of nonexistence to the confines of existence with the command “Be!” and when He scattered over them the treasuries of mercy and the gardens of blessings, He showed largesse to that master of the world, that greatest child of Adam, through exalted bounties, generous gifts, and various sorts of favor. From the begin- ning of the cosmos to the annihilation of the children of Adam, all creatures are his followers. The first thing desired by the beginningless gentleness was he. He is the king, and the rest of the creatures are his army and horse. He is the dear guest, and the dear ones are all his followers and hangers-on. Look carefully at the edict of his splendor and the book of his good fortune to see if the specification and explicit statement of this announcement of generosity and elevation was given to any other prophet. Did We not expand for thee thy breast? “O paragon of the universe! O honored chosen one! O foremost messenger! O ennobled eminent one! Did We not brighten your heart with the light of recognition, give it courtesy and rectification with the subtleties of contemplation and unveiling, give it goodliness and proximity with the generous gifts of exaltedness and elevation, and give your clay the cape of adornment and the robe of elevation? “O master! The goal of creation was to unveil the sign of your perfection, the flag of your majesty, and the form of your beauty. 'But for thee, I would not have created the spheres. But for thee, the world would have neither bottom nor top.' “O master! You were the first in prophethood and the last to be sent out. You are the manifest in union and the nonmanifest in blessings. You are the first of all creatures in nearness and famil- iarity and the last in judgment and felicity. You are the manifest in sinlessness and greatness and the nonmanifest in the majesty of state.” In the reports about the miʿrāj it has come that MuṣṬafā said, “The All-Compeller said to me, 'Ask, O MuḤammad!' “I said, 'My Lord, You took Abraham as a bosom friend, You gave David a tremendous king- dom [4:54] and forgave him his slip, You bestowed on Solomon a kingdom such as no one after me will have [38:35], You spoke to Moses directly [4:164], You raised Idris to a high place [19:57], You taught Jesus the Torah and the Gospel [3:48] and You made him heal the blind and the leper and give life to the dead with Your permission [3:49].
Tafsir Muyassar
ألم نوسع -أيها النبي- لك صدرك لشرائع الدين، والدعوة إلى الله، والاتصاف بمكارم الأخلاق، وحططنا عنك بذلك حِمْلك الذي أثقل ظهرك، وجعلناك -بما أنعمنا عليك من المكارم- في منزلة رفيعة عالية؟
Tafsir Ibn Kathir
بمعنى "ليغفر لك الله ما تقدم من ذنبك وما تأخر".
Tafsir Al Wasit
وقوله - سبحانه - : ( وَوَضَعْنَا عَنكَ وِزْرَكَ . الذي أَنقَضَ ظَهْرَكَ ) بيان لنعمة أخرى من النعم التى أنعم بها - سبحانه - على نبيه صلى الله عليه وسلم .والمراد بالوضع هنا : الإِزالة والحط ، لأن هذا اللفظ إذا عدى بعن كان للحط والتخفيف ، وإذا عدى بعلى كان للحمل والتثقيل .تقول : وضعت عن فلان قيده : إذا أزلته عنه ، ووضعته عليه : إذا حملته إياه .والوزر : الحِمْل الثقيل .
Tafsir al-Tabari
( وَوَضَعْنَا عَنْكَ وِزْرَكَ ) يقول: وغفرنا لك ما سلف من ذنوبك، وحططنا عنك ثقل أيام الجاهلية التي كنت فيها، وهي في قراءة عبد الله فيما ذُكر: ( وَحَلَلْنا عَنْكَ وِقْرَكَ الَّذِي أَنْقَض ظَهْرَكَ ) يقول: الذي أثقل ظهرك فأوهنه، وهو من قولهم للبعير إذا كان رجيع سفر قد أوهنه السفر، وأذهب لحمه: هو نِقْضُ سَفَر.وبنحو الذي قلنا في ذلك قال أهل التأويل.* ذكر من قال ذلك:حدثني محمد بن عمرو، قال: ثنا أبو عاصم، قال: ثنا عيسى؛ وحدثني الحارث، قال: ثنا الحسن، قال: ثنا ورقاء، جميعا عن ابن أبي نجيح، عن مجاهد في قول الله: ( وَوَضَعْنَا عَنْكَ وِزْرَكَ ) قال: ذنبك.
Tafseer Al-Baghawi
( ووضعنا عنك وزرك ) قال الحسن ، ومجاهد ، وقتادة ، والضحاك : وحططنا عنك الذي سلف منك في الجاهلية ، وهو كقوله : " ليغفر لك الله ما تقدم من ذنبك وما تأخر " ( الفتح - 2 ) .وقال الحسين بن الفضل : يعني الخطأ والسهو . وقيل : ذنوب أمتك [ فأضافه ] إليه لاشتغال قلبه بهم ، وقال عبد العزيز بن يحيى وأبو عبيدة : يعني خففنا عنك أعباء النبوة والقيام بأمرها .
Tafseer Tanwir al-Miqbas
وَوَضَعْنَا عَنْكَ وِزْرَكَ (2) والوِزر : الحَرج ، ووضْعه : حطَّه عن حامله ، والكلام تمثيل لحال إزالة الشدائد والكروب بحال من يحط ثقلاً عن حامله ليريحه من عناء الثقل .والمعنى : أن الله أزال عنه كل ما كان يتحرج منه من عادات أهل الجاهلية التي لا تلائم ما فَطر الله عليه نفسه من الزكاة والسمو ولا يجد بداً من مسايرتهم عليه فوضع عنه ذلك حين أوحى إليه بالرسالة ، وكذلك ما كان يجده في أول بعثته من ثقل الوحي فيسَّره الله عليه بقوله : { سنقرئك فلا تنسى } إلى قوله : { ونيسرك لليسرى } [ الأعلى : 6 8 ] .
Tafseer Al Saddi
{ وَوَضَعْنَا عَنْكَ وِزْرَكَ } أي: ذنبك،
Tafseer Al Qurtubi
قوله تعالى : ووضعنا عنك وزرك أي حططنا عنك ذنبك . وقرأ أنس ( وحللنا ، وحططنا ) . وقرأ ابن مسعود : ( وحللنا عنك وقرك ) . هذه الآية مثل قوله تعالى : ليغفر لك الله ما تقدم من ذنبك وما تأخر . قيل : الجميع كان قبل النبوة . والوزر : الذنب أي وضعنا عنك ما كنت فيه من أمر الجاهلية ; لأنه كان - صلى الله عليه وسلم - في كثير من مذاهب قومه ، وإن لم يكن عبد صنما ولا وثنا . قال قتادة والحسن والضحاك : كانت للنبي - صلى الله عليه وسلم - ذنوب أثقلته فغفرها الله له الذي أنقض ظهرك أي أثقله حتى سمع نقيضه أي صوته . وأهل اللغة يقولون : أنقض الحمل ظهر الناقة : إذا سمعت له صريرا من شدة الحمل . وكذلك سمعت نقيض الرحل أي صريره . قال جميل :وحتى تداعت بالنقيض حباله وهمت بواني زوره أن تحطما[ ص: 94 ] بواني زوره : أي أصول صدره . فالوزر : الحمل الثقيل . قال المحاسبي : يعني ثقل الوزر لو لم يعف الله عنه - الذي أنقض ظهرك أي أثقله وأوهنه . قال : وإنما وصفت ذنوب ، الأنبياء بهذا الثقل ، مع كونها مغفورة ، لشدة اهتمامهم بها ، وندمهم منها ، وتحسرهم عليها .وقال السدي : ووضعنا عنك وزرك أي وحططنا عنك ثقلك . وهي في قراءة عبد الله بن مسعود ( وحططنا عنك وقرك ) . وقيل : أي حططنا عنك ثقل آثام الجاهلية . قال الحسين بن المفضل : يعني الخطأ والسهو . وقيل : ذنوب أمتك ، أضافها إليه لاشتغال قلبه . بها . وقال عبد العزيز بن يحيى وأبو عبيدة : خففنا عنك أعباء النبوة والقيام بها ، حتى لا تثقل عليك . وقيل : كان في الابتداء يثقل عليه الوحي ، حتى كاد يرمي نفسه من شاهق الجبل ، إلى أن جاءه جبريل وأراه نفسه وأزيل عنه ما كان يخاف من تغير العقل . وقيل : عصمناك عن احتمال الوزر ، وحفظناك قبل النبوة في الأربعين من الأدناس حتى نزل عليك الوحي وأنت مطهر من الأدناس .
Tazkirul Quran
The Prophet Muhammad went tirelessly in the quest of knowledge about reality and Truth. God blessed him with this knowledge, which opened his heart to the deep realisation of Truth (ma‘rifah). Then he started preaching the oneness of God in Makkah, where he had to face stiff opposition, but it was thanks to this opposition, that he became known throughout the country. This is God’s law in the present world. Hence, a man has to face difficult conditions (‘usr) in the beginning, but if he perseveres with patience, this ‘usr or hardship becomes a stepping stone to new and easy circumstances (yusr). Therefore, a man should always look towards God and continue to struggle according to his capacity.
Ma'arif-ul-Quran
وَوَضَعْنَا عَنكَ وِزْرَ‌كَ الَّذِي أَنقَضَ ظَهْرَ‌كَ (And We removed from you your burden that had [ almost ] broken your back...94:2-3). The word wizr literally denotes 'burden' and the phrase naqd-uz-zahr means 'to break one's back as for instance when a heavy load is put on one's back, it bends'. This verse signifies that Allah had relieved him of his burden that was breaking his back. What was that burden or heavy load? One answer to this question is that now and then the Holy Prophet ﷺ did certain permissible deeds, thinking that they were of benefit and in the interest [ of spiritual development ]. Later on he discovered that they were not in keeping with wisdom, or they were undesirable. The Holy Prophet was conscious of his high status and close proximity to Allah. He regarded even such things as serious infractions. This was naturally a very heavy load that made him grieved. But Allah relieved him of his burden in that a blanket pardon was granted to him and it was declared that he would not be held accountable for such things. Some commentators say that wizr (burden) refers to the effect of revelation. It weighed heavily on him in the initial stages of the Prophethood. He was saddled with a nerve-racking and back-breaking task of raising [ a morally degenerated people ], through propagation of Tauhid and elimination of kufr and shirk, [ from the depths of moral turpitude to the peaks of spiritual excellence, and then through them to cleanse and purify the whole of mankind of the dross of iniquity, ignorance and superstition ]. The task enjoined: فَاسْتَقِمْ كَمَا أُمِرْ‌تَ 'So, stand firm - as you have been commanded [ 11:112] ' The Holy Prophet ﷺ used to feel the heavy weight of this task and responsibility. Some narration report that a few strands of his beard had turned grey as a result of this command. The Holy Prophet ﷺ is reported to have said that the following verse has made me old: فَاسْتَقِمْ كَمَا أُمِرْ‌تَ 'So, stand firm - as you have been commanded [ 11:112] ' Verses [ 2-3] give the cheerful news that Allah will remove from him the load which was weighing down his back. The following verses show how the back-breaking load will be removed, and every difficulty will be followed by ease and relief. By means of expansion of bosom, Allah gave the Holy Prophet so much of courage that no instance of hardship seemed hardship, and no burden of any magnitude seemed a burden. And Allah knows best!
Tanwir al-Miqbas min Tafsir Ibn 'Abbas
He said again: (And eased thee of the burden) We lifted your sins from you
Tafsir al-Tustari
[and did We not] relieve you of the burden?He said:This means: �We removed from you any acquiescence (sukūn) in other than Us, [that might arise] from the desire (himma) of the natural self, and We have made you peacefully reliant on Us, receiving [all] from Us, through Us.�His words, Exalted is He:
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged)
Which was revealed in Makkah بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. The Meaning of opening the Breast Allah says, أَلَمْ نَشْرَحْ لَكَ صَدْرَكَ (Have We not opened your breast for you) meaning, `have We not opened your chest for you.' This means, `We illuminated it, and We made it spacious, vast and wide.' This is as Allah says, فَمَن يُرِدِ اللَّهُ أَن يَهْدِيَهُ يَشْرَحْ صَدْرَهُ لِلإِسْلَـمِ (And whomsoever Allah wills to guide, He opens his breast to Islam.) (6:125) And just as Allah expanded his chest, He also made His Law vast, wide, accommodating and easy, containing no difficulty, hardship or burden. A Discussion of Allah's Favor upon His Messenger Concerning Allah's statement, وَوَضَعْنَا عَنكَ وِزْرَكَ (And removed from you your burden.) This means لِّيَغْفِرَ لَكَ اللَّهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِن ذَنبِكَ وَمَا تَأَخَّرَ (That Allah may forgive you your sins of the past and the future.) (48:2) الَّذِى أَنقَضَ ظَهْرَكَ (Which weighed down your back) Al-Inqad means the sound. And more than one of the Salaf has said concerning Allah's saying, الَّذِى أَنقَضَ ظَهْرَكَ (Which weighed down your back) meaning, `its burden weighed heavy upon you.' The Meaning of raising the Fame of the Prophet (Peace be upon him) وَرَفَعۡنَا لَكَ ذِكۡرَكَ (And have We not raised high your fame?) Mujahid said, "I (Allah) am not remembered except that you are remembered with Me: I bear witness that there is no God worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad ﷺ is the Messenger of Allah." Qatadah said , "Allah raised his fame in this life and in the Hereafter. There is no one who gives a sermon, declares the Testimony of Faith (Shahadah), or prays a prayer (Salah) except that he proclaims it: I bear witness that there is no God worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad ﷺ is the Messenger of Allah. Ease after Difficulty إِنَّ مَعَ ٱلۡعُسۡرِ يُسۡرً۬ا • فَإِنَّ مَعَ ٱلۡعُسۡرِ يُسۡرًا (Verily along with every hardship is relief. Veriliy along with every hardship is relief) Allah informs that with difficulty there is ease, and then He reaffirms this information (by repeating it) The Command to remember Allah during Spare Time فَإِذَا فَرَغۡتَ فَٱنصَبۡ • وَإِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ فَٱرۡغَب ( So when you have finished, devote yourself to Allah's worship. And to your Lord turn intentions and hopes. ) Meaning, 'when you have completed your worldly affairs and its tasks, and you have broken away from its routine, then get up to perform the worship, and stand for it with zeal, complete devotion and purify your intention and desire for your lord.' Similar to this is the Prophet's statement in a hadith that is agreed-upon to be authentic, لَا صَلَاةَ بِحَضْرَةِ الطَّعَامِ, وَلَا هُوَ يُدَافِعُهُ الأَخْبَثَانِ There is no prayer when the food is served, nor when the two foul things (excrement and urine) are pressing a person. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) also said, إِذَا أُقِيمَتِ الصَّلَاةُ وَحَضَرَ الْعَشَاءُ فَبْدَأُوا بِااْلْعَشَاءِ When the prayer has started and the dinner has been served, then begin with dinner. Mujahid said concerning this Ayah, "When you are free from the worldly affairs, and you have stood to pray, then stand up for your Lord."
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