and how is his statement—may Allah have mercy on him—to be understood when hardship is mentioned twice and ease is mentioned twice? Scholars of rhetoric explain his words as follows: hardship is in fact mentioned only once:
“For indeed, with hardship comes ease. Indeed, with hardship comes ease.”
The first “hardship” is repeated in the second verse with the definite article, which here refers back to what was previously mentioned. “Ease,” however, does not appear in the definite form; rather, it is indefinite. The rule is that when a noun is repeated twice in the definite form, the second is the same as the first, apart from rare exceptions. But when a noun is repeated twice in the indefinite form, the second is different from the first, for it too is indefinite. Thus, the two noble verses contain two eases but only one hardship, since “hardship” is repeated twice in the definite form.
“For indeed, with hardship comes ease.” This is a declaration from Allah—Mighty and Majestic—and His declaration is the truest and most perfect of all declarations. His promise never fails. Therefore, whenever something becomes difficult for you, await the ease that will follow.
In matters of Islamic law, this is readily apparent. Regarding prayer: pray standing; if you are unable, then sitting; and if you are unable, then on your side. This is facilitation. If standing is difficult for you, sit; and if sitting is difficult, pray while lying on your side. Regarding fasting, if you are able to fast while resident, then fast; but if you are unable, then break your fast. If you are travelling, you may break your fast. Regarding Hajj, perform it if you are able to undertake the journey; but if you are unable, Hajj is not obligatory for you. Indeed, even if you have begun Hajj but are then prevented from proceeding and cannot complete it, you may leave the state of consecration, discontinue the Hajj, and offer a sacrificial animal, in accordance with the words of Allah Most High:
“Complete Hajj and Umrah for Allah. But if you are prevented, then offer whatever sacrificial animal is readily available” [al-Baqarah: 196].
Thus, whenever a person encounters hardship in worship, he finds facilitation and ease.
The same applies to divine decree and predestination—that is, the calamities, straitened circumstances, distress, and other matters that Allah decrees for a person. He must not despair, for indeed, with hardship comes ease. This ease may be something outward and tangible. A person may, for example, be poor and find his circumstances straitened, whereupon Allah grants him prosperity. Another example is a person who is ill—