What does « Difficulty / Poor » mean in the Quran?

Discover the meaning of the word Difficulty / Poor (عسر) in the Quran, with 12 verses in which it appears, and a detailed explanation from Al-Raghib al-Asfahani's Mufradat fi gharib al-Qur'an.

عسر

Difficulty / Poor

Root: ع - س - ر

Jurisprudence (fiqh) 12 verses

Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM

📖 3 min read

Definition of Difficulty / Poor

Al-'usr: the opposite of ease (al-yusr).

The Almighty says: 'With hardship comes ease' (Ash-Sharh 5-6).

God promises that every difficulty is accompanied by ease.

Patience in trial leads to relief.

Difficulty / Poor in the Quran (12)

Meccan: 7 Medinan: 5

Distribution of verses by surah

Al-Baqara 2

At-Talaq 2

Ash-Sharh 2

At-Tawba 1

Al-Kahf 1

Al-Furqan 1

Al-Qamar 1

Al-Muddaththir 1

Al-Layl 1

Surah Al-Baqara : 185 Medinan

﴿شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أُنزِلَ فِيهِ ٱلْقُرْءَانُ هُدًى لِّلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَٰتٍ مِّنَ ٱلْهُدَىٰ وَٱلْفُرْقَانِ فَمَن شَهِدَ مِنكُمُ ٱلشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُ وَمَن كَانَ مَرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِّنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ بِكُمُ ٱلْيُسْرَ وَلَا يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ ٱلْعُسْرَ وَلِتُكْمِلُوا۟ ٱلْعِدَّةَ وَلِتُكَبِّرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ مَا هَدَىٰكُمْ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ﴾

The month of Ramadhan [is that] in which was revealed the Qur'an, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion. So whoever sights [the new moon of] the month, let him fast it; and whoever is ill or on a journey - then an equal number of other days. Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship and [wants] for you to complete the period and to glorify Allah for that [to] which He has guided you; and perhaps you will be grateful.

Surah Al-Baqara : 280 Medinan

﴿وَإِن كَانَ ذُو عُسْرَةٍ فَنَظِرَةٌ إِلَىٰ مَيْسَرَةٍ وَأَن تَصَدَّقُوا۟ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ﴾

And if someone is in hardship, then [let there be] postponement until [a time of] ease. But if you give [from your right as] charity, then it is better for you, if you only knew.

Surah At-Tawba : 117 Medinan

﴿لَّقَد تَّابَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَى ٱلنَّبِىِّ وَٱلْمُهَٰجِرِينَ وَٱلْأَنصَارِ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّبَعُوهُ فِى سَاعَةِ ٱلْعُسْرَةِ مِنۢ بَعْدِ مَا كَادَ يَزِيغُ قُلُوبُ فَرِيقٍ مِّنْهُمْ ثُمَّ تَابَ عَلَيْهِمْ إِنَّهُۥ بِهِمْ رَءُوفٌ رَّحِيمٌ﴾

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 Al-Kahf : 73 Meccan

﴿قَالَ لَا تُؤَاخِذْنِى بِمَا نَسِيتُ وَلَا تُرْهِقْنِى مِنْ أَمْرِى عُسْرًا﴾

[Moses] said, "Do not blame me for what I forgot and do not cover me in my matter with difficulty."

Surah Al-Furqan : 26 Meccan

﴿ٱلْمُلْكُ يَوْمَئِذٍ ٱلْحَقُّ لِلرَّحْمَٰنِ وَكَانَ يَوْمًا عَلَى ٱلْكَٰفِرِينَ عَسِيرًا﴾

True sovereignty, that Day, is for the Most Merciful. And it will be upon the disbelievers a difficult Day.

Surah Al-Qamar : 8 Meccan

﴿مُّهْطِعِينَ إِلَى ٱلدَّاعِ يَقُولُ ٱلْكَٰفِرُونَ هَٰذَا يَوْمٌ عَسِرٌ﴾

Racing ahead toward the Caller. The disbelievers will say, "This is a difficult Day."

Surah At-Talaq : 6 Medinan

﴿أَسْكِنُوهُنَّ مِنْ حَيْثُ سَكَنتُم مِّن وُجْدِكُمْ وَلَا تُضَآرُّوهُنَّ لِتُضَيِّقُوا۟ عَلَيْهِنَّ وَإِن كُنَّ أُو۟لَٰتِ حَمْلٍ فَأَنفِقُوا۟ عَلَيْهِنَّ حَتَّىٰ يَضَعْنَ حَمْلَهُنَّ فَإِنْ أَرْضَعْنَ لَكُمْ فَـَٔاتُوهُنَّ أُجُورَهُنَّ وَأْتَمِرُوا۟ بَيْنَكُم بِمَعْرُوفٍ وَإِن تَعَاسَرْتُمْ فَسَتُرْضِعُ لَهُۥٓ أُخْرَىٰ﴾

Lodge them [in a section] of where you dwell out of your means and do not harm them in order to oppress them. And if they should be pregnant, then spend on them until they give birth. And if they breastfeed for you, then give them their payment and confer among yourselves in the acceptable way; but if you are in discord, then there may breastfeed for the father another woman.

Surah At-Talaq : 7 Medinan

﴿لِيُنفِقْ ذُو سَعَةٍ مِّن سَعَتِهِۦ وَمَن قُدِرَ عَلَيْهِ رِزْقُهُۥ فَلْيُنفِقْ مِمَّآ ءَاتَىٰهُ ٱللَّهُ لَا يُكَلِّفُ ٱللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا مَآ ءَاتَىٰهَا سَيَجْعَلُ ٱللَّهُ بَعْدَ عُسْرٍ يُسْرًا﴾

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 Al-Muddaththir : 9 Meccan

﴿فَذَٰلِكَ يَوْمَئِذٍ يَوْمٌ عَسِيرٌ﴾

That Day will be a difficult day

Surah Al-Layl : 10 Meccan

﴿فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُۥ لِلْعُسْرَىٰ﴾

We will ease him toward difficulty.

Surah Ash-Sharh : 5 Meccan

﴿فَإِنَّ مَعَ ٱلْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا﴾

For indeed, with hardship [will be] ease.

Surah Ash-Sharh : 6 Meccan

﴿إِنَّ مَعَ ٱلْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا﴾

Indeed, with hardship [will be] ease.