LIKE the preceding chapter, this one is addressed to Muhammad himself. It was probably intended to express the encouragement he received from the sense of God's presence with him.

Since this chapter seems to be closely connected with the one preceding, it is obviously of about the same date.

God made Muhammad's mission easy to him . . . 1-4
He is exhorted to labour and pray after the mission is ended... 5-8

(1) Have we not opened thy breast; (2) and eased thee of thy burden, (3) which galled thy back; (4) and

(1) Opened thy breast. "By disposing and enlarging it to receive the truth, and wisdom, and prophecy; or, by freeing thee from uneasiness and ignorance? This passage is thought to intimate, the opening of Muhammad's heart, in his infancy, or when he took his journey to heaven,, by the Angel Gabriel, who, having wrung out the black drop, or seed of original sin, washed and cleansed the same, and filled it with wisdom and faith; but some think it relates to the occasion of the preceding chapter." -Sale, Baidháwi, Yahya.

(2) Thy burden, i.e., "of thy sins committed before thy mission; or of thy ignorance and trouble of mind." - Sale.

raised thy reputation for thee? (5) Verily a difficulty shall be attended with ease. (6) Verily a difficulty shall be attended with ease. (7) When thou shalt have ended thy preaching; labour to serve God in return for his favours; (8) and make thy supplication unto thy LORD.

(7) When thou shalt have ended, or, "When thou shalt have finished thy prayer, labour in preaching the faith."—Sale, Baidháwi.

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