One Hardship Cannot Overcome Two Reliefs An Objective Prophetic Tradition Study

Abstract

The study included an introduction, a preface, three chapters, a conclusion, and an index of resources.

The preface: contains the definition of the title’s terminologies.

The first chapter: Narrations attributed (marfoo’ah) to the Prophet concerning that one hardship cannot overcome two reliefs.

The second chapter: Narrations discontinued (mawqoofah) concerning that one hardship cannot overcome two reliefs.

The third chapter: Sayings of the scholars concerning that one hardship cannot overcome two reliefs.

It is not confirmed in the Prophetic Tradition of which I have come across that one hardship cannot overcome two reliefs, but it’s confirmed from ‘Omar ibn Al-Khattaab – may Allah be pleased with him – that he said: (One hardship cannot overcome two reliefs). I hold the opinion that this saying isn’t confirmed from any other of the Companions – may Allah be pleased with them – of which I’ve come across, except that Ibn Hajr said: (‘Abd ibn Humayd has transmitted it from the narration of Ibn Mas’ood in a discontinued sound chain of narrators), but I have neither come across the chain of narrators nor the text. And Allah knows best.

It has been transmitted from a group of scholars and linguists from the Followers (Al-Taabi’oon) and other than them concerning the exegesis of the saying of Allah: “Verily, along with every hardship there is relief. Verily, along with every hardship there is relief.” (QR 94:5-6) That one hardship cannot overcome two reliefs, because the hardship in the two verses is one (hardship), but the two reliefs mentioned in the two verses are – according to many scholars – two different reliefs. However, according to some scholars the second verse is a mere repetition of the first emphasizing its meaning.