Quran by topic

Quran verses about hardship

The Quran does not treat hardship as a sign that a person has been abandoned. It speaks of testing, of limits, and of ease that comes with hardship rather than only after it.

The passages below are a short selection. Each is given in Arabic with an English translation and its place in the Quran. Two are prayers from prophets inside their own distress; the rest speak directly to the reader.

With hardship comes ease

فَإِنَّ مَعَ ٱلْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا

But lo! with hardship goeth ease,

Ash-Sharh 94:5

إِنَّ مَعَ ٱلْعُسْرِ يُسْرًۭا

Lo! with hardship goeth ease;

Ash-Sharh 94:6

Surah Ash-Sharh (The Consolation) · Meccan · ayahs 5–6 of 8

No soul is tasked beyond its scope

لَا يُكَلِّفُ ٱللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا ۚ لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ وَعَلَيْهَا مَا ٱكْتَسَبَتْ ۗ رَبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذْنَآ إِن نَّسِينَآ أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْنَآ إِصْرًۭا كَمَا حَمَلْتَهُۥ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِنَا ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تُحَمِّلْنَا مَا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِۦ ۖ وَٱعْفُ عَنَّا وَٱغْفِرْ لَنَا وَٱرْحَمْنَآ ۚ أَنتَ مَوْلَىٰنَا فَٱنصُرْنَا عَلَى ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلْكَٰفِرِينَ

Allah tasketh not a soul beyond its scope. For it (is only) that which it hath earned, and against it (only) that which it hath deserved. Our Lord! Condemn us not if we forget, or miss the mark! Our Lord! Lay not on us such a burden as thou didst lay on those before us! Our Lord! Impose not on us that which we have not the strength to bear! Pardon us, absolve us and have mercy on us, Thou, our Protector, and give us victory over the disbelieving folk.

Al-Baqara 2:286

Surah Al-Baqara (The Cow) · Medinan · ayah 286 of 286

After hardship, ease

لِيُنفِقْ ذُو سَعَةٍۢ مِّن سَعَتِهِۦ ۖ وَمَن قُدِرَ عَلَيْهِ رِزْقُهُۥ فَلْيُنفِقْ مِمَّآ ءَاتَىٰهُ ٱللَّهُ ۚ لَا يُكَلِّفُ ٱللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا مَآ ءَاتَىٰهَا ۚ سَيَجْعَلُ ٱللَّهُ بَعْدَ عُسْرٍۢ يُسْرًۭا

Let him who hath abundance spend of his abundance, and he whose provision is measured, let him spend of that which Allah hath given him. Allah asketh naught of any soul save that which He hath given it. Allah will vouchsafe, after hardship, ease.

At-Talaaq 65:7

Surah At-Talaaq (Divorce) · Medinan · ayah 7 of 12

If God touches you with affliction

وَإِن يَمْسَسْكَ ٱللَّهُ بِضُرٍّۢ فَلَا كَاشِفَ لَهُۥٓ إِلَّا هُوَ ۖ وَإِن يَمْسَسْكَ بِخَيْرٍۢ فَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍۢ قَدِيرٌۭ

If Allah touch thee with affliction, there is none that can relieve therefrom save Him, and if He touch thee with good fortune (there is none that can impair it); for He is Able to do all things.

Al-An'aam 6:17

Surah Al-An'aam (The Cattle) · Meccan · ayah 17 of 165

You may hate a thing that is good for you

كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلْقِتَالُ وَهُوَ كُرْهٌۭ لَّكُمْ ۖ وَعَسَىٰٓ أَن تَكْرَهُوا۟ شَيْـًۭٔا وَهُوَ خَيْرٌۭ لَّكُمْ ۖ وَعَسَىٰٓ أَن تُحِبُّوا۟ شَيْـًۭٔا وَهُوَ شَرٌّۭ لَّكُمْ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ

Warfare is ordained for you, though it is hateful unto you; but it may happen that ye hate a thing which is good for you, and it may happen that ye love a thing which is bad for you. Allah knoweth, ye know not.

Al-Baqara 2:216

Surah Al-Baqara (The Cow) · Medinan · ayah 216 of 286

Job's affliction and its removal

۞ وَأَيُّوبَ إِذْ نَادَىٰ رَبَّهُۥٓ أَنِّى مَسَّنِىَ ٱلضُّرُّ وَأَنتَ أَرْحَمُ ٱلرَّٰحِمِينَ

And Job, when he cried unto his Lord, (saying): Lo! adversity afflicteth me, and Thou art Most Merciful of all who show mercy.

Al-Anbiyaa 21:83

فَٱسْتَجَبْنَا لَهُۥ فَكَشَفْنَا مَا بِهِۦ مِن ضُرٍّۢ ۖ وَءَاتَيْنَٰهُ أَهْلَهُۥ وَمِثْلَهُم مَّعَهُمْ رَحْمَةًۭ مِّنْ عِندِنَا وَذِكْرَىٰ لِلْعَٰبِدِينَ

Then We heard his prayer and removed that adversity from which he suffered, and We gave him his household (that he had lost) and the like thereof along with them, a mercy from Our store, and a remembrance for the worshippers;

Al-Anbiyaa 21:84

Surah Al-Anbiyaa (The Prophets) · Meccan · ayahs 83–84 of 112

Jonah in the darkness

وَذَا ٱلنُّونِ إِذ ذَّهَبَ مُغَٰضِبًۭا فَظَنَّ أَن لَّن نَّقْدِرَ عَلَيْهِ فَنَادَىٰ فِى ٱلظُّلُمَٰتِ أَن لَّآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّآ أَنتَ سُبْحَٰنَكَ إِنِّى كُنتُ مِنَ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ

And (mention) Dhu'n-Nun, when he went off in anger and deemed that We had no power over him, but he cried out in the darkness, saying: There is no Allah save Thee. Be Thou Glorified! Lo! I have been a wrong-doer.

Al-Anbiyaa 21:87

فَٱسْتَجَبْنَا لَهُۥ وَنَجَّيْنَٰهُ مِنَ ٱلْغَمِّ ۚ وَكَذَٰلِكَ نُۨجِى ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ

Then we heard his prayer and saved him from the anguish. Thus we save believers.

Al-Anbiyaa 21:88

Surah Al-Anbiyaa (The Prophets) · Meccan · ayahs 87–88 of 112

Context

Four of these passages are Meccan — ash-Sharh, al-An'aam and the two from al-Anbiyaa — and three are Medinan, from al-Baqarah and at-Talaaq.

Surah 2:286 is the closing verse of al-Baqarah. It is reported in Sahih Muslim that when the verse before it was revealed, the companions found it hard to bear, and that this verse followed, asking no more of a soul than it can carry.

Surah 94 is Meccan and addresses the Prophet directly. It recalls that his burden has been lifted before, then states the promise of ease twice. The two passages from al-Anbiyaa are narrative: Job's prayer and its answer, and Jonah's call from the darkness.

No specific occasion is reported for the remaining passages. They are general statements, and are read as such.

Questions for reflection

Which of these passages speaks to the kind of hardship you are in now?
Surah 2:216 says you may hate a thing that is good for you. When has that been true in your life, and when is it too soon to say?
Job asks and his affliction is removed; Jonah calls from the darkness. What is the difference between the two prayers?
The promise of ease is repeated twice in the same short surah. Why repeat it?