Al-Asr
Encyclopedia
Sūrat al-‘Aṣr (The Declining Day, Eventide, The Epoch, Time) is the 103
rd sūrah
of the Qur’ān
. It contains three āyāt, and is believed to be an early Meccan sura
(although a few commentators consider it Madinan
). Surat al-‘Asr is the second shortest sura
, after al-Kawthar. It teaches that all human beings are in loss, except those who have Iman (concept)
, do righteous deeds and remind others of the Haqq
(truth
, rights
, reality
) and remind others of Sabr (patience
).
Beginning is with Allah's personal name
Ar-Rahman
Who is The Fountain of Infinite Mercy.
[Note]It should be remembered that it is not the written text/part/Ayah
of سُورة [Chapter 103] and hence it is never numbered. For convenience of those readers who are already believers, this is traditionally printed since it is commanded in the Qur'an to read/recite with the Name of Sustainer Lord, The Creator with the exception of the ninth Sura
.
Translation:
1. By the essence of all time.
2. Verily, all humankind is in deep loss.
3. Except those who believed (in the oneness of Allah) and performed good work and reminded each others of the truth and reminded each others to be patient.
(103:1) وَالعَصرِِ
Abdul Majid Daryabadi
:By the time
Muhammad Muhsin Khan
:By Al-'Asr (the time).
Marmaduke Pickthall
:By the declining day,
Abdullah Yusuf Ali
:By (the Token of) time (through the Ages),
(103:2) إِنَّ الإِنسٰنَ لَفى خُسرٍ
Abdul Majid Daryabadi : Verily man is in loss.
Dr. Mohsin : Verily, man is in loss,
Marmaduke Pickthall : Lo! man is a state of loss,
Abdullah Yusuf Ali : Verily Man is in loss,
(103:3) إِلَّا الَّذينَ ءامَنوا وَعَمِلُوا الصّٰلِحٰتِ وَتَواصَوا بِالحَقِّ وَتَواصَوا بِالصَّبرِ ِ
Abdul Majid Daryabadi : But not those who believe and work righteous deeds, and enjoin upon each other the truth
and enjoin upon each other steadfastness.
Dr. Mohsin : Except those who believe (in Islâmic Monotheism
) and do righteous good deeds, and recommend one another to the truth (i.e. order one another to perform all kinds of good deeds (Al-Ma'ruf
) which Allâh
has ordained, and abstain from all kinds of sins and evil
deeds (Al-Munkar) which Allâh has forbidden), and recommend one another to patience
(for the sufferings, harms, and injuries which one may encounter in Allâh's Cause during preaching His religion of Islâmic Monotheism or Jihad
).
Marmaduke Pickthall : Save those who believe and do good works, and exhort one another to truth and exhort one another to endurance.
Abdullah Yusuf Ali : Except such as have Faith
, and do righteous deeds, and (join together) in the mutual teaching of Truth, and of Patience
and Constancy.
, Dr.Zakir Naik
, Dr.Israr Ahmed
and Dr.Farhat Hashmi
.
All These exegetes offer a terse reminder of the importance of time and care in its utilization.
It is said to have sparked the conversion of ‘Amr ibn al-‘Āṣ after he recited it to the self-proclaimed prophet
Musaylimah
and he responded with a "surah" about the hyrax
, which ‘Amr ibn al-‘As rejected as absurd.
Humanity is kept from accepting the truth of Islam by 2 obstacles;
1 - Shubuhaat (Doubts)
2 - Shahawaat (Temptations)
Either one of these lead people astray.
It is an intellectual problem (people feel answers by callers to Islam are not satisfactory).
It is a psychological problem (people want to follow forbidden desires).
Even visiting the ancient sites and ruins is a reminder of; wal 'Asr (by the time) innal insaana la fee khusr (surely man is in loss).
103 (number)
103 is the natural number following 102 and preceding 104.-In mathematics:One hundred [and] three is the 27th prime number. The previous prime is 101, making them both twin primes...
rd sūrah
Sura
A sura is a division of the Qur'an, often referred to as a chapter. The term chapter is sometimes avoided, as the suras are of unequal length; the shortest sura has only three ayat while the longest contains 286 ayat...
of the Qur’ān
Qur'an
The Quran , also transliterated Qur'an, Koran, Alcoran, Qur’ān, Coran, Kuran, and al-Qur’ān, is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God . It is regarded widely as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language...
. It contains three āyāt, and is believed to be an early Meccan sura
Meccan sura
The Meccan suras are the chronologically earlier suras of the Qur'an that were, according to Islamic tradition, revealed anytime before the Hijrah . The other type of sura is the Madinan sura....
(although a few commentators consider it Madinan
Madinan sura
The Medinan suras or Medinan chapters of the Qur'an are those later suras which, according to Islamic tradition, were revealed at Medina, after Muhammad's hijra from Mecca. These suras appeared when the Muslims were in larger numbers, rather than being an oppressed minority as in Mecca.They are...
). Surat al-‘Asr is the second shortest sura
Sura
A sura is a division of the Qur'an, often referred to as a chapter. The term chapter is sometimes avoided, as the suras are of unequal length; the shortest sura has only three ayat while the longest contains 286 ayat...
, after al-Kawthar. It teaches that all human beings are in loss, except those who have Iman (concept)
Iman (concept)
Iman is an Arabic term which denotes certitude or adherence to an idea. In Islamic theology, it refers to the inner aspect of the religion, and denotes a believer's faith in the metaphysical realities of Islam. The term Iman has been delineated in both the Quran as well as the famous Hadith of...
, do righteous deeds and remind others of the Haqq
Haqq
Haqq is the Arabic word for truth. In Islamic context, it is also interpreted as right and reality. Al-Haqq, the truth, is one of the names of God in the Qur'an. It is often used to refer to God as the Ultimate Reality in Sufism....
(truth
Truth
Truth has a variety of meanings, such as the state of being in accord with fact or reality. It can also mean having fidelity to an original or to a standard or ideal. In a common usage, it also means constancy or sincerity in action or character...
, rights
Rights
Rights are legal, social, or ethical principles of freedom or entitlement; that is, rights are the fundamental normative rules about what is allowed of people or owed to people, according to some legal system, social convention, or ethical theory...
, reality
Reality
In philosophy, reality is the state of things as they actually exist, rather than as they may appear or might be imagined. In a wider definition, reality includes everything that is and has been, whether or not it is observable or comprehensible...
) and remind others of Sabr (patience
Patience
Patience is the state of endurance under difficult circumstances, which can mean persevering in the face of delay or provocation without acting on annoyance/anger in a negative way; or exhibiting forbearance when under strain, especially when faced with longer-term difficulties. Patience is the...
).
Translation
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِِBeginning is with Allah's personal name
Name
A name is a word or term used for identification. Names can identify a class or category of things, or a single thing, either uniquely, or within a given context. A personal name identifies a specific unique and identifiable individual person, and may or may not include a middle name...
Ar-Rahman
Ar-Rahman
Surat ar-Rahman is the 55th sura of the Qur'an with 78 ayats.It has the refrain: "Then which of the favours of your Lord will you deny?"- Verse :Ar-Rahman is often regarded as the 'beauty of the Quran', in accordance with a hadith:...
Who is The Fountain of Infinite Mercy.
[Note]It should be remembered that it is not the written text/part/Ayah
Ayah
Ayah or Aayah is the Arabic word for sign or proof:"These are the Ayat of Allah, which We recite to you with truth...
of سُورة [Chapter 103] and hence it is never numbered. For convenience of those readers who are already believers, this is traditionally printed since it is commanded in the Qur'an to read/recite with the Name of Sustainer Lord, The Creator with the exception of the ninth Sura
At-Tawba
Surah At-Tawbah also known as al-Bara'ah "the Ultimatum" in many hadith is the ninth chapter of the Qur'an, with 129 verses. It is one of the last Madinan Suras. It is the only Sura of the Qur'an that does not begin with the bismillah...
.
Translation:
1. By the essence of all time.
2. Verily, all humankind is in deep loss.
3. Except those who believed (in the oneness of Allah) and performed good work and reminded each others of the truth and reminded each others to be patient.
(103:1) وَالعَصرِِ
Abdul Majid Daryabadi
Abdul Majid Daryabadi
Abdul Majid Daryabadi was an Indian Muslim writer and exegete of the Qur'an. He obtained his BA in Philosophy from Canning College, Lucknow in 1912. In his academic career, he edited the Urdu weekly Sach and then Sidq . Amin Ahsan Islahi, another Indo-Pak Muslim scholar, also worked with him on...
:By the time
Muhammad Muhsin Khan
Muhammad Muhsin Khan
Muhammad Muhsin Khan born 1345 Al-Hijri is a contemporary Islamic scholar of ethnic Afghan origin, most notable for his renowned English translations of Sahih Bukhari and the Qur'an, entitled The Noble Qur'an, which he completed along with Muhammad Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali.-Biography:Muhammad Muhsin...
:By Al-'Asr (the time).
Marmaduke Pickthall
Marmaduke Pickthall
Marmaduke Pickthall was a Western Islamic scholar, noted as an English translator of the Qur'an into English. A convert from Christianity, Pickthall was a novelist, esteemed by D. H. Lawrence, H. G. Wells, and E. M. Forster, as well as a journalist, headmaster, and political and religious leader...
:By the declining day,
Abdullah Yusuf Ali
Abdullah Yusuf Ali
Hafiz Abdullah Yusuf Ali, CBE, FRSL was an Indian Islamic scholar who translated the Qur'an into English. His translation of the Qur'an is one of the most widely-known and used in the English-speaking world....
:By (the Token of) time (through the Ages),
(103:2) إِنَّ الإِنسٰنَ لَفى خُسرٍ
Abdul Majid Daryabadi : Verily man is in loss.
Dr. Mohsin : Verily, man is in loss,
Marmaduke Pickthall : Lo! man is a state of loss,
Abdullah Yusuf Ali : Verily Man is in loss,
(103:3) إِلَّا الَّذينَ ءامَنوا وَعَمِلُوا الصّٰلِحٰتِ وَتَواصَوا بِالحَقِّ وَتَواصَوا بِالصَّبرِ ِ
Abdul Majid Daryabadi : But not those who believe and work righteous deeds, and enjoin upon each other the truth
Truth
Truth has a variety of meanings, such as the state of being in accord with fact or reality. It can also mean having fidelity to an original or to a standard or ideal. In a common usage, it also means constancy or sincerity in action or character...
and enjoin upon each other steadfastness.
Dr. Mohsin : Except those who believe (in Islâmic Monotheism
Monotheism
Monotheism is the belief in the existence of one and only one god. Monotheism is characteristic of the Baha'i Faith, Christianity, Druzism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Samaritanism, Sikhism and Zoroastrianism.While they profess the existence of only one deity, monotheistic religions may still...
) and do righteous good deeds, and recommend one another to the truth (i.e. order one another to perform all kinds of good deeds (Al-Ma'ruf
Ma'ruf
Ma'ruf is an Islamic term meaning that which is commonly:*known*understood*recognized*acknowledged*acceptedThe word is most often found in the Qur'anic exhortation, "Amr bil Ma'ruf wa Nahy an al Munkar ." This is often translated as "Command the good and forbid the evil," but this translation...
) which Allâh
Allah
Allah is a word for God used in the context of Islam. In Arabic, the word means simply "God". It is used primarily by Muslims and Bahá'ís, and often, albeit not exclusively, used by Arabic-speaking Eastern Catholic Christians, Maltese Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox Christians, Mizrahi Jews and...
has ordained, and abstain from all kinds of sins and evil
Evil
Evil is the violation of, or intent to violate, some moral code. Evil is usually seen as the dualistic opposite of good. Definitions of evil vary along with analysis of its root motive causes, however general actions commonly considered evil include: conscious and deliberate wrongdoing,...
deeds (Al-Munkar) which Allâh has forbidden), and recommend one another to patience
Patience
Patience is the state of endurance under difficult circumstances, which can mean persevering in the face of delay or provocation without acting on annoyance/anger in a negative way; or exhibiting forbearance when under strain, especially when faced with longer-term difficulties. Patience is the...
(for the sufferings, harms, and injuries which one may encounter in Allâh's Cause during preaching His religion of Islâmic Monotheism or Jihad
Jihad
Jihad , an Islamic term, is a religious duty of Muslims. In Arabic, the word jihād translates as a noun meaning "struggle". Jihad appears 41 times in the Quran and frequently in the idiomatic expression "striving in the way of God ". A person engaged in jihad is called a mujahid; the plural is...
).
Marmaduke Pickthall : Save those who believe and do good works, and exhort one another to truth and exhort one another to endurance.
Abdullah Yusuf Ali : Except such as have Faith
Faith
Faith is confidence or trust in a person or thing, or a belief that is not based on proof. In religion, faith is a belief in a transcendent reality, a religious teacher, a set of teachings or a Supreme Being. Generally speaking, it is offered as a means by which the truth of the proposition,...
, and do righteous deeds, and (join together) in the mutual teaching of Truth, and of Patience
Patience
Patience is the state of endurance under difficult circumstances, which can mean persevering in the face of delay or provocation without acting on annoyance/anger in a negative way; or exhibiting forbearance when under strain, especially when faced with longer-term difficulties. Patience is the...
and Constancy.
Importance
This sura is considered the Summary of whole Quran by almost all notable classical and modern islamic scholars including Imam Shafi, Ibn KathirIbn Kathir
Ismail ibn Kathir was a Muslim muhaddith, Faqih, historian, and commentator.-Biography:His full name was Abu Al-Fida, 'Imad Ad-Din, Isma'il bin 'Umar bin Kathir, Al-Qurashi, Al-Busrawi...
, Dr.Zakir Naik
Zakir Naik
Zakir Abdul Karim Naik is an Indian public speaker on the subject of Islam and comparative religion. He is the founder and president of the Islamic Research Foundation , a non-profit organization that owns the Peace TV channel based in Dubai, UAE. He is sometimes referred to as a televangelist...
, Dr.Israr Ahmed
Israr Ahmed
Israr Ahmed was a Pakistani Islamic theologian followed particularly in South Asia and also among the South Asian diaspora in the Middle East, Western Europe, and North America. Born in Hissar, in India, the second son of a government servant, he is the founder of the Tanzeem-e-islami, an...
and Dr.Farhat Hashmi
Farhat Hashmi
Farhat Hashmi is a Islamic scholar from Pakistan, with a degree in Arabic and a PhD in Hadith Sciences. She was formerly a lecturer and assistant professor at the Faculty of Usul-al-Din at International Islamic University, Islamabad...
.
- Ibn KathirIbn KathirIsmail ibn Kathir was a Muslim muhaddith, Faqih, historian, and commentator.-Biography:His full name was Abu Al-Fida, 'Imad Ad-Din, Isma'il bin 'Umar bin Kathir, Al-Qurashi, Al-Busrawi...
, a traditional exegete holds that this suraSuraA sura is a division of the Qur'an, often referred to as a chapter. The term chapter is sometimes avoided, as the suras are of unequal length; the shortest sura has only three ayat while the longest contains 286 ayat...
, as a warning to believers not to waste time or they we could be humiliated or even ruined. (IbnKathir, 2010).
- T. B. IrvingT. B. IrvingThomas Ballantyne Irving , also known as Al-Hajj Ta'lim Ali Abu Nasr, was an American Muslim author, professor, and scholar, who produced the first American English translation of the Qur'an.-Early life and education:...
, a contemporary exegete, says that the surah offers a consoling prayer, since it brings home to believers how all things change, and to strengthen one to learn patiently to face the inevitable. (Irving, 1985, p. 389).
- Imam Shafi , a jurist and traditional scholar of Islam, held-that if God had only revealed this surah it would have been sufficient for the guidance of all humankind. (IbnKathir, 2010). It summarized the very essence of the Qur'anic message. Thus, Imam Shafi’i asserts that if one followed its counsel, it was enough for humankind to achieve success in life.(Imam Shafi’i d. 820)
- Sayyid QutbSayyid QutbSayyid Qutb was an Egyptian author, educator, Islamist theorist, poet, and the leading member of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood in the 1950s and '60s....
, a modern exegete of the Qur'an, asserts that this surah outlines a complete system for human life based on an Islamic viewpoint. He says that it defines, in the clearest and most concise form, the basic concept of faith in the context of its comprehensive reality (1979, p. 274). He further says that he is gravely shocked to see the loss and ruin in which humanity finds itself. He is critical of Muslims and non-Muslims and particularly witnessing that humankind is turning away from the goodness that God has bestowed upon it. He is confident that the guidance of this surah is what made the early Muslim great as it can do for those that follow it in the long history of humanity. He says that once the early Arabs were aroused by such surahs, they quickly burst the bounds of Arabia and zealously worked toward the salvation of humanity (Qutb (d. 1966), 1979, p. 280).
- Toshihiko IzutsuToshihiko Izutsuwas a university professor and author of many books on Islam and other religions. He taught at the Institute of Cultural and Linguistic studies at Keio University in Tokyo, the Imperial Iranian Academy of Philosophy in Tehran, and McGill University in Montreal....
: The surah is significant in that an entire practical code of conduct was binding upon the believer the moment he/she truly believed in the oneness of God and the truth of the Prophetic conduct (Isutzu, 2007, p. 106).
- Al-TabaraniAl-TabaraniAbu al-Qasim Sulaiman ibn Ahmad ibn Al-Tabarani was born sometime in 260 AH and lived until 360 AH . He narrated numerous aḥadīth.-Students:...
: Interestingly, when humankind finds itself at a loss; it can revive itself by returning to the formula provided by the third verse and the four principles/conditions, which are adhered to as a foundation. We saw how these four principles operated on both physical and spiritual levels. This is probably the reason why the companions of the Prophet did not want to become heedless of the foundational message of Islam. Consequently, they used to meet one another and only depart until one of them recited surat-Al-Asr to the other and they bid peace upon one another. (Tabrani 2010).
- People may say that all is “loss”, but the Qur'an says, “No, not all”. (Ali, 1961, p. 41). Muslims believe those that practice the four principles/conditions as mentioned in this surah will not be in vain.
- Kenneth CraggKenneth CraggThe Rt Rev Kenneth Cragg is an Anglican priest and scholar who has commented widely on religious topics for over fifty years, most notably Muslim-Christian relations. Born on 8 March 1913 and educated at Blackpool Grammar School and Jesus College, Oxford he was awarded the Grafton Scholarship ...
: It can be emphasized that the Qur'anic injunctions that were urgent in the original pagan setting of the first Muslims, led them to reach a true monotheism. Thus change happens pragmatically and revolutionized each epoch of the qur’anic reception is a bold claim of the Qur'an (Kenneth CraggKenneth CraggThe Rt Rev Kenneth Cragg is an Anglican priest and scholar who has commented widely on religious topics for over fifty years, most notably Muslim-Christian relations. Born on 8 March 1913 and educated at Blackpool Grammar School and Jesus College, Oxford he was awarded the Grafton Scholarship ...
1973, p. 189).
- From these renowned exegetes of the Qur'an and their handling of this vital surah, we may take such honest stock as space allows and take their analysis even further. Can the modern reader within Islam or outside it hope to know the Qur'an in its essential reality in a truly religious reading? We are ready to judge by literary criteria and with evident reverence and discipline, but yet with a liberty of mind that reads for itself (Cragg, 1973, p. 74).
All These exegetes offer a terse reminder of the importance of time and care in its utilization.
It is said to have sparked the conversion of ‘Amr ibn al-‘Āṣ after he recited it to the self-proclaimed prophet
Prophet
In religion, a prophet, from the Greek word προφήτης profitis meaning "foreteller", is an individual who is claimed to have been contacted by the supernatural or the divine, and serves as an intermediary with humanity, delivering this newfound knowledge from the supernatural entity to other people...
Musaylimah
Musaylimah
Musaylimah or Maslamah bin Ḥabīb was one of a series of men who claimed to be a prophet around the same time as Muhammad. He is viewed as a false prophet by traditional accounts, and frequently referred to by the epithet "the Liar" .-Biography:...
and he responded with a "surah" about the hyrax
Hyrax
A hyrax is any of four species of fairly small, thickset, herbivorous mammals in the order Hyracoidea. The rock hyrax Procavia capensis, the yellow-spotted rock hyrax Heterohyrax brucei, the western tree hyrax Dendrohyrax dorsalis, and the southern tree hyrax, Dendrohyrax arboreus live in Africa...
, which ‘Amr ibn al-‘As rejected as absurd.
Commentary
- Abul Ala MaududiAbul Ala MaududiSyed Abul A'ala Maududi , also known as Molana or Shaikh Syed Abul A'ala Mawdudi, was a Sunni Pakistani journalist, theologian, Muslim revivalist leader and political philosopher, and a major 20th century Islamist thinker. He was also a prominent political figure in Pakistan and was the first...
: This Surah is a matchless specimen of comprehensiveness and brevity. A whole world of meaning has been compressed into its few brief words, which is too vast in content to be fully expressed even in a book. In it, in a clear and plain way it has been stated what is the way to true success for man and what is the way to ruin and destruction for him. Imam Shafe has very rightly said that if the people only considered this Surah well, it alone would suffice them for their guidance.
- Al-TabaraniAl-TabaraniAbu al-Qasim Sulaiman ibn Ahmad ibn Al-Tabarani was born sometime in 260 AH and lived until 360 AH . He narrated numerous aḥadīth.-Students:...
: How important this Surah was in the sight of the Companions can be judged from the tradition cited from Hadrat Abdullah bin Hisn ad-Darimi Abu Madinah, according to which whenever any two of them met they would not part company until they had recited Surah Al-Asr to each other.
- Mufti Muhammad ShafiMufti Muhammad ShafiMaulana Mufti Muhammad Shafi‘ was a Hanafi Islamic scholar from India. During his life he served as the grand Mufti of India and later Pakistan as well.-Biography:...
: the Struggle of the human being is like the one who is trying to sell ice. It is melting away and he needs to sell it quickly and make as much sales before the end of the day comes. Otherwise - all his valuables' and efforts will go to waste. [In the past - there were no Freezers, so your ice would melt into water by the end of the day.]
- Tafsir al-MazhariTafsir al-MazhariTafsir al-Mazhari is a 13th century AH tafsir of the Qur'an, written by Qadi Thanaullah Panipati.A Sunni site, quranicstudies.com, explains:-External links:*...
: The taNween ن at the end of KhusriN makes it an INCREDIBLE Loss. Al Insaan - (lil Jins - to all human beings) - there is no exception - the entire category. A universal statement. The statement directly targets you.
- Al-ZamakhshariAl-ZamakhshariAbu al-Qasim Mahmud ibn Umar al-Zamakhshari. Known widely as al-Zamakhshari . Also called Jar Allah was a medieval Muslim scholar of Chorasmian-Iranian origin, who subscribed to the Muʿtazilite theological doctrine, who was born in Khwarezmia, but lived most of his life in Bukhara, Samarkand, and...
: People are in tremendous loss because of that which they buy and sell in life (of good and bad), except for the Saaliheen (righteous). O Allah, make us of the Saliheen (righteous), ameen. Because the Saliheen buy for the next life instead of for the pleasures of this life. And then they were profitable and happy on Judgment Day, and whoever was an enemy to their buying - then he was in loss and deaspair.
- Muhammad ash-ShawkaniMuhammad ash-ShawkaniMuhammad ash-Shawkani was a Yemeni scholar of Islam, jurisprudent, and reformer.-Name:His full name was Muhammad Ibn Ali ibn Muhammad ibn Abdullah al-Shawkani...
: Every human is in a state of buying and selling than others. He exhausts his ages (youth, middle age, seniority etc.) in purchasing Allah's pleasure. Rushing in gathering Allah's reward. Also refer to tafsirTafsirTafseer is the Arabic word for exegesis or commentary, usually of the Qur'an. Ta'wīl is a subset of tafsir and refers to esoteric or mystical interpretation. An author of tafsir is a mufassir .- Etymology :...
suraSuraA sura is a division of the Qur'an, often referred to as a chapter. The term chapter is sometimes avoided, as the suras are of unequal length; the shortest sura has only three ayat while the longest contains 286 ayat...
at-TakathurAt-TakathurSūrat al-Takāthur is the 102nd sura of the Qur'an with 8 ayat.-Overview:After the bismillah, this sura is concerned with factionalism and schism amongst people. Disagreements between individuals and groups follows us "even until you visit the tombs"...
.
- Al-Akhfash al-AkbarAl-Akhfash al-AkbarAbu al-Khaṭṭāb ʻAbd al-Ḥamīd ibn ʻAbd al-Majīd , commonly known as Al-Akhfash al-Akbar was a notable Arab grammarian. He was born in Hajar, Bahrain but lived in Basra....
said: - Khusr [loss] means Halaka حالك [violent death]. Mawt موت - general death. So the disbeliever is setting himself up for a violent death by being in this loss.
- al Farraa': A terrible ending ('uqooba عقوبة - ones end which is scary so people take warning from it [i.e. So the people say; 'I don't want to die like that'])
- Ibn Zayd: La fee Khusr (surely in Loss) means La fee Sharr (surely in Evil deeds).
- Muhammad Ash-ShanqeetiMuhammad Ash-ShanqeetiMuhammad Al-Ameen Ibn Muhammad Al-Mukhtaar Ibn 'Abdil-Qaadir Al-Jaknee Ash-Shanqeetee was a Muslim scholar from Mauritania. His compound name was Muhammad Al-Ameen, just like the name of his father Muhammad Al-Ameen Ibn Muhammad Al-Mukhtaar Ibn 'Abdil-Qaadir Al-Jaknee Ash-Shanqeetee (1907–1973)...
: Insaan is singular but it refers to all mankind.
- Ibn Taymiyyah: (as quoted by Muhammad Shafee' in Ma'arif al Qur'an):
Humanity is kept from accepting the truth of Islam by 2 obstacles;
1 - Shubuhaat (Doubts)
2 - Shahawaat (Temptations)
Either one of these lead people astray.
It is an intellectual problem (people feel answers by callers to Islam are not satisfactory).
It is a psychological problem (people want to follow forbidden desires).
- Shah WaliullahShah WaliullahShah Waliullah Muhaddith Dehlvi was an Islamic scholar and reformer. He was born during the reign of Aurangzeb. He worked for the revival of Muslim rule and intellectual learning in South Asia, during a time of waning Muslim power...
: in At-Tadhkeer bi ayyaamillah - Remembrance of the Days of Allah. By Allah saying; Wa-al 'Asr - We will remember the special Days of Allah. The Days when; Allah created the human being (Adam), the Day He revealed the Qur'an to Prophet Muhammad, the Day Allah drowned the disbelievers of Prophet Nuh, the Day Allah destroyed Pharaoh and saved Moses, the Day of Badr, the Day when Allah spoke to Musa/Moses. The Day of Judgment, the Day the believers will see Allah. By saying al 'Asr - we will remember these Days so we will not want to be in loss.
- Hamiduddin FarahiHamiduddin FarahiHamiduddin Farahi was a celebrated Islamic scholar of Indian subcontinent known for his groundbreaking work on the concept of Nazm, or Coherence, in the Quran...
: One of the lessons of this surah is that a lot of people see historical sites, which are a sign of destroyed nations.So when we see the legacies; the Pyramids, the Mountain homes of ThamudThamudThe Thamūd were a people of ancient Arabia who were known from the 1st millennium BC to near the time of Muhammad. Although they are thought to have originated in southern Arabia, Arabic tradition has them moving north to settle on the slopes of Mount Athlab near Mada'in Saleh...
, and the great buildings and nations of power who have died - we realise that Allah destroyed them through time.This is a reminder of; Inna al insaana la fee Khusrin - surely man is in loss.Allah replies to such people;
أَوَلَمْ تَكُونُوا أَقْسَمْتُم مِّن قَبْلُ مَا لَكُم مِّن زَوَالٍ
Were you not of those who would swear before that your time of downfall will not come? (Ibrahim (sura)Ibrahim (sura)Sura Ibrahim is the 14th sura of the Qur'an with 52 ayat. It is a Makkan sura....
14:44)
Even visiting the ancient sites and ruins is a reminder of; wal 'Asr (by the time) innal insaana la fee khusr (surely man is in loss).
- Muhammad ash-ShawkaniMuhammad ash-ShawkaniMuhammad ash-Shawkani was a Yemeni scholar of Islam, jurisprudent, and reformer.-Name:His full name was Muhammad Ibn Ali ibn Muhammad ibn Abdullah al-Shawkani...
: These people gather and combine between Emaan and good action. ImanIman (concept)Iman is an Arabic term which denotes certitude or adherence to an idea. In Islamic theology, it refers to the inner aspect of the religion, and denotes a believer's faith in the metaphysical realities of Islam. The term Iman has been delineated in both the Quran as well as the famous Hadith of...
and good deeds work together. They Both strengthen each other.When you fulfill all the 4 attributes - then you have stronger Emaan (belief, good deeds, enjoining truth and patience.)If you have none - you probably don't have Emaan.
قَالَتِ الْأَعْرَابُ آمَنَّا ۖ قُل لَّمْ تُؤْمِنُوا وَلَٰكِن قُولُوا أَسْلَمْنَا وَلَمَّا يَدْخُلِ الْإِيمَانُ فِي قُلُوبِكُمْ ۖ وَإِن تُطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ لَا يَلِتْكُم مِّنْ أَعْمَالِكُمْ شَيْئًا ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
The Bedouins say, "We have believed." Say, "You have not [yet] believed; but say [instead], 'We have submitted,' for faith has not yet entered your hearts. And if you obey Allah and His Messenger, He will not deprive you from your deeds of anything. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful." (Surat al-Hujurat 49:14)
- Al-ZamakhshariAl-ZamakhshariAbu al-Qasim Mahmud ibn Umar al-Zamakhshari. Known widely as al-Zamakhshari . Also called Jar Allah was a medieval Muslim scholar of Chorasmian-Iranian origin, who subscribed to the Muʿtazilite theological doctrine, who was born in Khwarezmia, but lived most of his life in Bukhara, Samarkand, and...
: Tawaassaw bil haqq - includes tawheed, obedience to Allah and His Messenger, being distant for worldly ambitions, and inclination to the hereafter.
- Muhammad ash-ShawkaniMuhammad ash-ShawkaniMuhammad ash-Shawkani was a Yemeni scholar of Islam, jurisprudent, and reformer.-Name:His full name was Muhammad Ibn Ali ibn Muhammad ibn Abdullah al-Shawkani...
: They enjoin and advise each other with the truth that deserves to be established and implemented.
- Qatada ibn al-Nu'manQatada ibn al-Nu'manQatada ibn al-Nu'man was one of the Sahaba of Muhammad and an Ansar. He had a grandson named Asim ibn Umar ibn Qatada ibn al-Nu`man al-Ansari's .-Battle of Uhud:...
: bil haqq (with truth) refers to advising each other with the Qur'an.Reminding each other through the Qur'an.With tawheed, and most people understand it to be any good and any truth to be lived by.
- Ibn KathirIbn KathirIsmail ibn Kathir was a Muslim muhaddith, Faqih, historian, and commentator.-Biography:His full name was Abu Al-Fida, 'Imad Ad-Din, Isma'il bin 'Umar bin Kathir, Al-Qurashi, Al-Busrawi...
: Aladheena aamanoo (believe - with their hearts), wa 'amilu as-salihaat (do good deeds - with their limbs), and they enjoin each other to the truth by doing and enjoining on others to do acts of obedience and to abandon all that is forbidden, and they enjoin each other to perseverance against all calamities and they held to and advised to Emaan with perseverance whenever they were tortured for enjoining the truth.
- Muhammad Ash-ShanqeetiMuhammad Ash-ShanqeetiMuhammad Al-Ameen Ibn Muhammad Al-Mukhtaar Ibn 'Abdil-Qaadir Al-Jaknee Ash-Shanqeetee was a Muslim scholar from Mauritania. His compound name was Muhammad Al-Ameen, just like the name of his father Muhammad Al-Ameen Ibn Muhammad Al-Mukhtaar Ibn 'Abdil-Qaadir Al-Jaknee Ash-Shanqeetee (1907–1973)...
: Tawwaassaw bil haq - telling each other about the truthTruthTruth has a variety of meanings, such as the state of being in accord with fact or reality. It can also mean having fidelity to an original or to a standard or ideal. In a common usage, it also means constancy or sincerity in action or character...
after doing good deeds. The 'amil as-saalihaat was good deeds - general ('aam), and enjoining the truth was khaas (specific).
- Al-ZamakhshariAl-ZamakhshariAbu al-Qasim Mahmud ibn Umar al-Zamakhshari. Known widely as al-Zamakhshari . Also called Jar Allah was a medieval Muslim scholar of Chorasmian-Iranian origin, who subscribed to the Muʿtazilite theological doctrine, who was born in Khwarezmia, but lived most of his life in Bukhara, Samarkand, and...
: Watawaasaw bis-sabr (enjoin upon each other perseverance) - SabrSabr (Islamic term)Sabr or Sabur is the Islamic virtue of "patience" or "endurance". Sabr is characterized as being one of the two parts of faith . Its practice challenges, and to remain spiritually steadfast.-Etymology:...
over whatever Allah tests His slave with, perseverance in obedience to Allah, and in times of temptation. Allah put Sabr at the end and haqqHaqqHaqq is the Arabic word for truth. In Islamic context, it is also interpreted as right and reality. Al-Haqq, the truth, is one of the names of God in the Qur'an. It is often used to refer to God as the Ultimate Reality in Sufism....
first, and enjoining the haqq as more important. And more noble.
- Muhammad Ash-ShanqeetiMuhammad Ash-ShanqeetiMuhammad Al-Ameen Ibn Muhammad Al-Mukhtaar Ibn 'Abdil-Qaadir Al-Jaknee Ash-Shanqeetee was a Muslim scholar from Mauritania. His compound name was Muhammad Al-Ameen, just like the name of his father Muhammad Al-Ameen Ibn Muhammad Al-Mukhtaar Ibn 'Abdil-Qaadir Al-Jaknee Ash-Shanqeetee (1907–1973)...
: As-Sabireen - whenever a situation of patience is required - this person is patient. Through all circumstances.