Surah Al-Asr is a Meccan surah, it consists of three verses, and its rank in the Qur’an is 103, in the thirtieth part. It began with a swear. The word “Allah” was not mentioned in it. It was revealed after Surat Al-Sharh (سورة الشرح in Arabic). Some scholars said: “If the Muslims had read it insightfully, it would have sufficed them.”
This surah was called Al-Asr because its first verse was a swear by the Asr. its verses consist of (14) words or (72) letters. Muslim scholars consider this surah among the detailed surahs since it includes multiple, small verses.
Read more about surah asar translation, transliteration, transfer, and the reasons and place for revelation.
Read surah asr in English translation from Sahih international
والعصر
إِنَّ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ لَفِى خُسْرٍ
2) Indeed, mankind is at loss
إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ وَتَوَاصَوْا۟ بِٱلْحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوْا۟ بِٱلصَّبْرِ
3) Except for those who have believed and done righteous deeds, advised each other to truth, and advised each other to patience.
Read surah al asr roman english
| Verse | Transliteration |
| وَالْعَصْرِ | Wal ‘asr |
| إِنَّ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ لَفِى خُسْرٍ | Innal insaana lafee khusr |
| إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ وَتَوَاصَوْا۟ بِٱلْحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوْا۟ بِٱلصَّبْرِ | Illal lazeena aamanoo wa ‘amilus saalihaati wa tawaasaw bilhaqqi wa tawaasaw bissabr |
Surah al asar has a great significance, as prophet Mohammed said when he advised his people to treat each other well in a hadith.
It was narrated that the Prophet, may God’s prayers and peace be upon him, said: “O people, it has reached me that you fear death for me as if you deny it ?” Am I not mourned nor you? Did a prophet come before I resurrected and immortalized? I would meet my Lord, and you’d follow you.
I recommend you to treat the first immigrants well and urge the immigrants to do that also, for God Almighty said: Wal ‘asr, Innal insaana lafee khusr, Illal lazeena aamanoo wa ‘amilus saalihaati wa tawaasaw bilhaqqi wa tawaasaw bissabr”.
Also, One of the most significant indications of the importance and virtue of Surah Al-Asr is that it was the Surah that every Companion said to his brother when they bid goodbye then great each other.
Read also: Surah Rahman Arabic and English Translation with Full Tafseer
Regarding the date of the revelation of Surat Al-Asr, it was revealed In Mecca during the period when Surat Al-Sharh was shown- between the first years of revelation and the migration to Abyssinia.
The subject of this surah is to keep the Muslims away from the allure of money and children to focus on the righteous deeds that would shape the road to success and paradise.
Noteworthy to say Surah Al-Asr is the surah that Musaylimah, the liar, tried to imitate. It was narrated that Amr ibn al-Aas – may God be pleased with him – before his conversion to Islam- passed by Musaylimah the liar, and this latter asked him: What was revealed to your friend in Mecca. Amr answered him he received eloquent, short surah with elaborate verses.
Then, Omar recited surah al asar. Musaylimah thought: I could come up with a surah similar to it, then he improvised يَا وبْر يَا وبْر، إِنَّمَا أَنْتَ أُذُنَانِ وَصَدْرٌ، وَسَائِرُكَ حَفرٌ نقْرٌ…
Verse1
Allah swears by asr, and if Allah swears by something, it’s great. However, Asr has various meanings that dumbfounded Muslim scholars about the exact meaning Allah denotes to asr in the context of this verse. It can indicate to three meanings.
Era: We say: In this ancient era, which means the previous ages, as the period includes a lot of wanders.
The time between noon and sunset: Allah swears by many ones his creatures like the sun, moon, night, and among them, time. and Asr it the most critical period in the day
Salat asr: for its great segnifance. Allah urged Muslims to pray it in surah al baqarah 238
“Take care of all the prayers, the middle prayer, and stand before Allah in total devotion.”
Verse 2
The human in this verse is preceded by ال which confirms that all humans will lose in everything, including life, money, and the significant loss on the day of judgment when they see all of their deeds turned to dust dispersed.
Verse 3:
God Almighty excluded from the losers, the believers, and the righteous, who believed God and didn’t worship but Him, obeyed His commands, shunned His prohibitions, advised each other to truth, and advised each other to be patient
The truth in this verse was interpreted with many meanings like:
Moreover, patience in this verse has many meanings. Patience is advised when hit by a test, control your desires and appetite, and obey Allah’s deeds, as each obedience requires patience.
See surah as beautiful calligraphy images below.
Although it is short, the purposes of Surat Al-Asr are vast and incredible, indicating the eloquence of the All-Knowing, the Wise, and the greatness and miraculousness.
Allah confirms in the surah a fact. All people will lose. However, it shows the Muslims the pillars for success in life and hereafter: faith, good deeds, truth, and patience. Those two latter pillars are hard to be done alone; Allah wanted people to cooperate and advise each other to have truth and patience.
Noteworthy to say that Advice and cooperation are among the values that compose the Islamic religion. Allah said in surah al Amran:
"You are the best community ever raised for humanity—you encourage good, forbid evil, and believe in Allah. (ayat: 110).
Faith, in the terminology of the Sunnis, is saying action and belief. the saying of the heart is the belief And the act of the heart: sincerity, love, fear, hope, etc. The saying of the tongue pronounces the two testimonies and acts upon them, And the work of the limbs is performing the Islamic rituals like prayer, Hajj, and others.
The righteous deed is an essential part of faith and a part of it, and God has made it a requirement to Paradise and mentioned it in many verses, including the Almighty’s saying.
This is the Paradise you have been made to inherit because of the deeds you used to do (in the world’s life).
Read also: Ayatul Kursi: Translation, Transliteration, Benefits & Meaning
Surah asar implied profound lessons, including
God Almighty swore by the age; this swear is meant to alert the creatures to the greatness and importance of time, and God has previously sworn by the other parts of time, such as dawn” and His saying “and by the night when it covers and And by the morning, as it breathes.
It was narrated from ‘Abdullah bin Sa’eed bin Abu Hind that his father said:“I heard Ibn ‘Abbas saying that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘Two blessings which many people squander: Good health and free time.’
Surah Al-Asr refers to the virtue of faith and its great status, and righteous deeds are not accepted without believing in God Almighty. Also, A person can’t be a believer in his heart only because if he abandons the obligatory duties and commits the forbidden deeds, he will transgress the limits of Allah.
What is meant by the truth in the Almighty’s verse: “And advise each other to the truth,” i.e., belief in God and righteous deeds and avoiding what contradicts them. Calling to God Almighty requires insight and wisdom in order to teach the ignorant and remind the heedless. The goodness of this ummah is that one should reform oneself and work to reform others.
God made patience one of the qualities that can only be won by possessing it, as it requires faith in God and the call to Him to be patient in the face of hardships. Many hadiths indicate the merit of adhering to this virtue.
It was narrated from Ibn ‘Umar that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:“The believer who mixes with people and bears their annoyance with patience will have a greater reward than the believer who does not mix with people and does not put up with their annoyance.
Surah is among the surahs that include profound lessons and meaning, in which God Almighty has sworn that man is a loser, and there is no limit to his loss unless he is guided by faith in God Almighty and righteous deeds and friendship with those he knows among the believers in truth and patience.
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