1299 – ʿĀʾishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “O Allah, whoever is put in charge of any affair of my community and then makes it difficult for them, make things difficult for him.” Recorded by Muslim (1).

Lexical Notes
• Allāhumma: equivalent to “O Allah”; the vocative particle yā has been omitted and replaced by the final mīm.
• shaqqa ʿalayhim: to impose hardship upon them, to make matters onerous.
• fa-shquq ʿalayh: an imprecatory clause—“so burden him”—matching his oppressive conduct.

Points Derived from the ḥadith

1. The ḥadith carries a stern warning for governors, commanders, administrators and employees who make life hard for petitioners and people seeking their services. The Prophet ﷺ invoked calamity upon anyone to whom Allah has entrusted the people’s needs yet who burdens them; he asked that Allah burden them just as they burdened the populace, the applicants and those in need.
2. Regrettably—may Allah protect us—many employees have dead hearts and diseased souls; they delight in harming others by making matters difficult. They waste time in idle chatter, show no concern for people’s affairs—whether their paperwork drags on or not—and dismiss clients with empty promises.
3. Among the ways hardship is imposed on people is enforcing what is called “office routine and regulations,” which only complicates