In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Yusr, Yusra or Yaseer means ease or relief and ‘Usr, ‘Usra or ‘Aseer means hardship or difficulty.
Both are part and parcel of human life.
Everybody wants to make his or her life free of hardship and difficulties.
Islam guides people as to what leads to ease and comfort and what brings misery, distress and difficulties.
Difficulties are not permanent:
“For indeed, with hardship [will be] ease. Indeed, with hardship [will be] ease.” (Surah Ash-Sharh 94: 5, 6)
After difficulty, there is ease. Always!
Fearing Allah brings relief and ease:
وَمَن يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّهُ مِنْ أَمْرِهِ يُسْرًا
“….And whoever fears Allah – He will make for him of his matter ease.”(Surah At-Talaaq 64: 4)
Belief in the oneness of Allah is in fact the springboard to peace as it relieves from man falsehood and anxieties.
Belief in many ‘gods’ is a cause of tension and confusion. A confused mind cannot be at ease!
Iman/Faith leads to Generosity and Generosity leads to Ease:
“As for he who gives and fears Allah.
And believes in the best [reward],
We will ease him toward ease.” (Surah al Layl 92: 5 to 7)
Kufr/Disbelief leads to Miserliness and Miserliness leads to Hardship:
“But as for he who withholds and considers himself free of need,
And denies the best [reward],
We will ease him toward difficulty.”(Surah al Layl 92: 8 to 10)
Allah intends ease, not hardship:
يُرِيدُ اللَّـهُ بِكُمُ الْيُسْرَ وَلَا يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ الْعُسْرَ
“…Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship…” (Surah al Baqarah 2: 185)
As this ayah is mentioned in relation to the command of Fasting in Ramadhaan, it is needless here to mention that Islam is an easy religion which never imposes any kind of hardship upon its believers.
Islam spread through hardship:
“Allah has already forgiven the Prophet and the Muhajireen and the Ansar who followed him in the hour of difficulty after the hearts of a party of them had almost inclined [to doubt], and then He forgave them. Indeed, He was to them Kind and Merciful.” (Surah at tawbah 9: 117)
This ayah recalls the hardships undergone by the Messenger of Allah and his companions during the expedition to Tabook.
Undergoing hardships for the sake of Allah is sunnah.
Spending in the way of Allah changes difficulty into ease:
“Let a man of wealth spend from his wealth, and he whose provision is restricted – let him spend from what Allah has given him. Allah does not charge a soul except [according to] what He has given it. Allah will bring about, after hardship, ease.” (Surah At-Talaq 65: 7)
Spending in the way of Allah both in prosperity and adversity brings rich dividends in the form of ease and comfort.
Being generous while in adversity is no doubt a difficult task but then it also paves way to relief. The point is: If you are generous, Allah will turn your hardship into ease.
Always make du’aa to Allah for making things easy for you:
“[Moses] said, “My Lord, expand for me my breast [with assurance]
And ease for me my task
And untie the knot from my tongue,
That they may understand my speech.” (Surah Taha 20: 25 to 28)