Tafsir Surat al-Asr (The Time)
By: Ayatullah al-Uzma Nasir Makarim Shirazi in Tafsir Namuneh
Translated from Farsi into English by: Fatima Zabeth Beenesh
Surat Al-`Aşr (The Time) - ÓæÑÉ ÇáÚÑ
This sura descended at Mecca and it has 3 ayaat
The contents and the virtues of the Sura e Asr
It is well-known that sura e Asr is descended at Mecca though some defined, it is Madani (descended at Medina).By its short verses and its manner of reasoning proves that it belongs to Mecca.
Any way the universality of this sura is to such an extent that some of the interpreters define it briefly that it has the entire knowledge and the cause of the Quran. In other words, besides being short it has comprehensive and perfect programme designed and presented for the wellbeing of the human beings.
First started with the meaningful vow of the Asr (time) its definition will be mentioned soon. Then spoke about the losers and what is hidden in their manners of gradual life. Subsequently separates a group from the general people. They are following these four elements: Such as belief, virtues deeds, guide each other towards the truth and direct one another to act with patience. These four principles actually includes in the programmes of the faith, the practical, individual and social life.
About the virtues of reading the sura e Asr in a hadis by imam Jafar e Sadiq alaihis salam we read: One who recites the Sura e Asr in the Supererogatory (nafila) namaz, the Dominant God when rouse him up on the judgment day, his eyes are sparkling (by sighting the favours of Allah) while he enters the heaven his face is dazzling with luminous smile.
It is quite evident that these honor, delight and joyfulness are for the person who not only reads it but follows these four principles in his life.
ÇáÑøóÍúãÜóäö ÇáÑøóÍöíãö Çááøåö ÈöÓúãö 
Al-'Asr (The Time)
æóÇáúÚóúÑö (103:1)
I swear by the time,
Åöäøó ÇáúÅöäÓóÇäó áóÝöí ÎõÓúÑò (103:2)
Indeed, mankind is in loss,
ÅöáøóÇ ÇáøóÐöíäó ÂãóäõæÇ æóÚóãöáõæÇ ÇáøóÇáöÍóÇÊö æóÊóæóÇóæúÇ ÈöÇáúÍóÞøö æóÊóæóÇóæúÇ ÈöÇáøóÈúÑö (103:3)
Except for those who have believed and done righteous deeds and advised each other to truth and advised each other to patience.
The definition:
The only way of salvation
In the beginning of the sura e Asr we come across a new vow which said: I swear by the time,
æóÇáúÚóúÑö (103:1)
ÚóúÑö
The meaning of the above term is to extract then it is called the period of evening and here in this sura it is to wind up the daily work and to get wrinkled.
Then this term gives the meaning of the epoch and it is applied to the period of history of man or a part of the period such as, the advent of Islam. Hence in the definition of this vow, the interpreters have different suppositions:
1- Some believe it is the same period of evening as it is defined symmetrically in the other chapters (suras) of Quran such as it is sworn by the time of the day light:
æóÇáÖøõÍóì (93:1)
93:1 Consider the bright morning hours,
æóÇáøõÈúÍö ÅöÐóÇ ÃóÓúÝóÑó (74:34)
74:34 and the morning when it dawns!
This vow is for the importance of those hours of the day as it is a period when the changes take place in the system of the living. The work of the day gets finished. The birds and the animals return to their nest and abode, the sun gets gloomy and the sky becomes gradually dark.
This transformation turns the attention of the man towards the divine power that is ruling over this system. Actually it is one of the sign among the signs of unique creator Allah, worth to swear upon it.
2- Some other interpretations indicated that it is the entire era and the period of the human history, full of awakening and touching happenings, for that reason it has such a greatness that it got worthy of divine, to swear upon it.
3- Some pointed upon the specific part of it, like the period of the advent of prophet of Islam peace be upon him or the period of hazrat imam Mehdi alaihis salam which have its own particular greatness in the human history and this vow administer upon it.
4- Some turned towards literal roots of the term and they believe this vow is a witness of the various pressures and difficulties of human life happened in their entire life and awakened the human beings from the sleep of unawareness and bring him towards the remembrance of God the Sovereign Lord and nurture the spirit of perseverance in them.
5- Various other commentators indicated, this term belongs to the perfect human beings who are the extract in the existence of the divine creation and the human world.
6- Finally numerous others are certain that this term give witness about the evening namaz which has an exceptional importance among the other daily namaz prayers. As the midday prayers is emphasised in the noble Quran, specifically to perform it.
The above interpreters have no dissimilarity and possibly all of them are assembled in the meaning of the term Asr and the vow is upon all those important affairs but among them all the most appropriate is the era and the history of man. As numerous times we expressed the vows of the noble Quran is always appropriate to the matter which is vowed upon. And it is definite that whatever the man loses it is due to the passing away of his life. Or maybe this term means, the period of the last prophet peace be upon him and these four basic rules came into the practical life in the period of the prophet Muhammad peace be upon him.
As it is told that the greatness of the ayaat of noble Quran is evident that each aayat (verse) of it is meaningful to what extent with various deep definitions.
The next ayat is indicating towards that this important vow that is mentioned and said: certainly the entire human beings are going towards the loss.
Åöäøó ÇáúÅöäÓóÇäó áóÝöí ÎõÓúÑò
The wealth of the existence, they will lose it whether they wish it or not. The hours, days, months and years quickly passes away. The spiritual and material strength dissolves and the muscle power and supremacy decreases.
Yea the human being like the person who possess a great wealth and without willing to give it, every day a part of it is taken back. This is the nature of life a character that loses constantly.
A heart possess a capability of certain amount of beating when that ability ends the heart automatically stops without any defect, ailment and reason. Same way happens in the other mechanisms existing in the human body and the reservoir of his numerous talents.
ÎõÓúÑò
To lessen the wealth sometimes it is compared to man and expressed a certain person who went through the loss. Or it is connected to certain occupation and say: that person is gone through a loss. These term are used in the external properties like the wealth, status and sometimes the internal wealth such as like health, wisdom, believe and good deeds like it is told in the ayat 15 of Sura e Zumar: Az-Zumar (The Groups)
ÝóÇÚúÈõÏõæÇ ãóÇ ÔöÆúÊõã ãøöä Ïõæäöåö Þõáú Åöäøó ÇáúÎóÇÓöÑöíäó ÇáøóÐöíäó ÎóÓöÑõæÇ ÃóäÝõÓóåõãú æóÃóåúáöíåöãú íóæúãó ÇáúÞöíóÇãóÉö ÃóáóÇ Ðóáößó åõæó ÇáúÎõÓúÑóÇäõ ÇáúãõÈöíäõ (39:15
So worship what you like besides Him (Allah). Say (O Muhammad SAW): "The losers are those who will lose themselves and their families on the Day of Resurrection. Verily, that will be an apparent loss!"
Fakhr Razi in the definition of this ayat quoted some words, the outcome of it is likewise: some of the past elders said: the meaning of this sura I had learnt from iceman who was crying in public to sell his product: Have mercy for the person whose capital is dissolving, there I told myself: It is the meaning of the ayat:
Åöäøó ÇáúÅöäÓóÇäó áóÝöí ÎõÓúÑò
The time and the period passes by him and his age reach to an end and he did not earned any good deed, this is the state of the losers.
Any way according to the ideology of Islam this world is the trade market as it is told in a hadis by imam Hadi Ali alaihis salam ibn Muhammad Taqi alaihis salam we read: the world is the market where some people achieve the profit and various other make the loss.
The ayat under discussion defines: Everybody in this huge market face losses but a group which will be discussed later.
Yea there is only one path to prevent this great harm, the damage and loss which is enforced and the imposed upon the man. Only through one way that is mentioned in the last ayat of this sura which said: But those who brought the faith and performed the virtues deeds. And advised each other towards the true path and they follow it and recommend each other to be patient and be persevere.
ÅöáøóÇ ÇáøóÐöíäó ÂãóäõæÇ æóÚóãöáõæÇ ÇáøóÇáöÍóÇÊö æóÊóæóÇóæúÇ ÈöÇáúÍóÞøö æóÊóæóÇóæúÇ ÈöÇáøóÈúÑö (103:3)
In other words the thing which can prevent this great loss and can change it into the great profit and achievement that is in the place of losing this most precious and valuable wealth, not only fill its vacant place but it is hundreds and thousands more better than that.
Every breath that the man inhales he gets nearer to death therefore amirul momineen Ali alaihis salam in his luminous words expressed: every breath of a human being is a step towards the death.
Thus before this definite destruction an effort should be made to fill this vacant base.
A group of people lose their precious wealth of life and at its place they achieve a meagre amount or great wealth, a small house or a beautiful palace.
A group lose all this wealth to reach the high status and prestigious rank
A group miss it in the way, to gain the materialistic transient luxuries, enjoyments, pleasure food, drink and life style.
Undoubtedly none of them can pay the price of that great wealth (the life), its price is only the divine consent and a status of his nearness.
Or as it is stated by amirul mominin Ali alaihis salam: the precious price of your existence is nothing but the heaven, be careful you must not sell yourself lesser than this.
Or in the dua (prayers) performed in the month of Rajab, as it is mentioned: Those who approached other than you (Allah) they will get depressed and those who proceeded the path other than you (Allah) they are entirely the losers.
It is not wrong and unduly that one of the names of the judgment day is the Yaum Tagabun:
íóæúãõ ÇáÊøóÛóÇÈõäö
As it is mentioned in the 9th ayat of sura e Tagabun: At-Taghabun (Loss and Gain)
Ðóáößó íóæúãõ ÇáÊøóÛóÇÈõäö
That day it will be informed who is a loser, cheated and deceived.
The best part of the matter is graceful that is at one side the purchaser of the wealth of human existence is the Almighty Allah: It is written in the in the 111 ayat of the sura e Tauba: At-Tauba (The Repentance)
Åöäøó Çááøåó ÇÔúÊóÑóì ãöäó ÇáúãõÄúãöäöíäó ÃóäÝõÓóåõãú
9:111
Verily, Allah has purchased of the believers their lives and their properties; for the price that theirs shall be the Paradise.
On other side he buys the meagre capital of the man too, 7 ayat Sura e Zilzal:
Ýóãóä íóÚúãóáú ãöËúÞóÇáó ÐóÑøóÉò ÎóíúÑðÇ íóÑóåõ (99:7)
So he who has done an atom's weight of good shall see it.
From the other side he (Allah) pays the immense sum for it. Often ten times more, frequently tenfold additional and it go till 700 times further more. In the ayat 261 of Sura e Baqara it is told: Al-Baqara (The Cow)
ãøóËóáõ ÇáøóÐöíäó íõäÝöÞõæäó ÃóãúæóÇáóåõãú Ýöí ÓóÈöíáö Çááøåö ßóãóËóáö ÍóÈøóÉò ÃóäÈóÊóÊú ÓóÈúÚó ÓóäóÇÈöáó Ýöí ßõáøö ÓõäÈõáóÉò ãøöÆóÉõ ÍóÈøóÉò æóÇááøåõ íõÖóÇÚöÝõ áöãóä íóÔóÇÁ æóÇááøåõ æóÇÓöÚñ Úóáöíãñ (2:261
The example of those who spend their wealth in the way of Allah is like a seed [of grain] which grows seven spikes; in each spike is a hundred grains. And Allah multiplies [His reward] for whom He wills. And Allah is All-Sufficient for His creatures' needs, All-Knower.
Like expressed in the dua (prayers): O Merciful God! One who accepts the less virtues of man and forgives the most of human sins.
In spite of possessing all the wealth in his own hands he is so much praiseworthy that he returns and buys the kinds deeds at much higher prize.
The points:
The programme of four principles
Remarkably the honourable Quran compiled, programmed and established four comprehensive principles.
1- This principle is consisted of believe which is the basis of all the human deed. As the entire actions of man is the source and based upon the ideology and judgements of man not like the animals as their entire actions are based upon their instincts.
In other explanations, the deeds of man is the portrait of his belief and thoughts, for this reason all the divine prophets above every act began to rectify the basic belief of the nations specifically they fought with the polytheism which is the source of every misfortune, crime and dispersion.
Interestingly here the believe is defined completely, the faith is included by every sacred dimension that is the believe in Almighty Allah and his qualities , judgment day, the account of deeds, the divine books and the prophets of Beneficent God.
The second base defined and expressed the fruitful tree, full of yield. What a vast and meaningful term, yea the salihat are that same virtues ‘virtues deeds’ not only worshipping and Infaaq “ to spend in way of Allah the great”. Not only gaining knowledge but it is a virtues practice by the help of giving perfection to the real self and training the moral acts to the soul, nearness to Merciful God and to provide advancement to the society in every dimension.
This term contains the trifle acts such as to pick up the troubling stone from road, used by the people as well as to protect the hundreds and millions of people from going astray and to expand the true religion of the Benevolent God and the justice.
Possibly sometimes the virtues deeds practiced by the unbeliever are certainly not vast and boundless without any base as it is not raised from the deep divine resources and it does not possess the universality.
The noble Quran here specifically defined “salihat” in the plural form they are defines with alif lam, it has general meaning and defines the fact to block the natural loss after faith. The result of every act is virtues not only to get contented in one or a handful of deeds. In fact if the faith penetrates in the depth of the soul leaves the deep effects in the society.
Faith is like the luminous lamp which is glowing in the a room it not only illuminates the atmosphere of the room but its rays spread outside the room too and whoever passes by that room he surely feels that in that room a luminous lamp is on.
Same way in the abode of the heart when the lamp of faith is on brightly and its light reflects from the eyes, ears, the hands and the feet of man. Every movement of that person expresses that there is light in his heart which is spreading the rays outside.
For that reason according to the ayaat in the honourable Quran almost every right act is mentioned besides believe they are essential and needed part of each other.
In the ayat 97 of the sura e Nahal we read: any person, man or woman performs a virtues deed as well as he had the right faith we will raise him blessed with pure and clean existence and in the ayat 100 of the sura e Muminoon we read: The state of sorrow upon the evil doers after parting from this world is for what reason they did not performed the virtues deeds? Hence they emphasise and plead to return back to the world to do the meritorious conducts and endeavours.
Al-Mu'minun (The Believers)
áóÚóáøöí ÃóÚúãóáõ óÇáöÍðÇ ÝöíãóÇ ÊóÑóßúÊõ ßóáøóÇ ÅöäøóåóÇ ßóáöãóÉñ åõæó ÞóÇÆöáõåóÇ æóãöä æóÑóÇÆöåöã ÈóÑúÒóÎñ Åöáóì íóæúãö íõÈúÚóËõæäó (23:100)
That I might do righteousness in that which I left behind" No! It is only a word he is saying; and behind them is a barrier until the Day they are resurrected.
In the ayat 51 of sura e mominun it is mentioned: Al-Mu'minun (The Believers)
íóÇ ÃóíøõåóÇ ÇáÑøõÓõáõ ßõáõæÇ ãöäó ÇáØøóíøöÈóÇÊö æóÇÚúãóáõæÇ óÇáöÍðÇ Åöäøöí ÈöãóÇ ÊóÚúãóáõæäó Úóáöíãñ (23:51)
[Allah said], "O messengers, eat from the good foods and work righteousness. Indeed, I know, of what you do.
Where the belief and and the virtues deeds never remains but in the case it must create movement in the society for the invitation towards the truth, to introduce its knowledge from one side, and to call the people towards patience, perseverance in the way of this invitation. after these two basics two other basics are also indicated, in fact it assures the enactment of the two other basics that is believe and the virtues deeds.
The third principle is indicating towards
ÊóæóÇóæúÇ ÈöÇáúÍóÞøö
The abov e term means inviting every common man towards the Merciful God and the truth, so that every body can differentiate, what is the truth and what is falsehood and never forget it. They never forget it nor they go astray from the right path of their life.
ÊóæóÇóæúÇ
The above term means one person recommand and enjoin the other person towards the right path.
ÍÞ
Means the truth or according to the truth. Vajuh Quran defines that term in twelve meanings, the Noble Quran used this word for God, the Noble Quran of Islam,Monotheism and One God, justice, truth, certainty, the essentails and likewise but all that return to the root that mentioned below
ÊóæóÇóæúÇ ÈöÇáúÍóÞøö
The above term have the vast meaning includes amr bin maroof and nahi anil munkar, educating and guiding the ignorant, encouragement, scolding the unaware, propagating the right believe and the right deed.
It is obvious that those who guide each other towards the truth they themselves should be first in the path of truth and be practical in it.
The fourth principle it is instructed about the patience, tolerance and perseverance to one another, as after the knowledge and introduction, they face the difficulties in the way of practice and if they avoid to observe the perseverance and patience, they will never reach the goal of truth through true path and the person is unable to practice the virtues deeds and incapable to protect his belief.
Yea to reach the true settlement and he had to practise upon the truth in his social life, only it is possible with a single, collective movement, public decision, perseverance and endurance to confront the interruptions.
Here the patience has a vast and infinite meaning in which includes the patience in obeying the Almighty Allah and be persistence before the motivations and drives of the sins, patience while facing the mishaps and calamities and losing the powers, fruits and the wealth.
By taking into consideration the above matters about the four principles about the truth is the complete programme of life and wellbeing of the human beings. As it is stated, the companions of the prophet Muhammad peace be upon him while meeting each other and before bidding good bye to one another, they used to recite the Sura e Asr and reminding their companions about the contents of this small sura.
Honestly if the Muslims of today bring into practise these four principles in their social and individual life surely their difficulties, disorders and backwardness will be solved. The weaknesses and the failures will be altered into the success and they will be disconnected from the mischiefs of the evil people.
O Mighty and Strong God! Bestow upon us patience, perseverance and the ability to guide others towards the true path.
O the Great Forgiver God! All of us are the losers on the judgment day and except your kindness we are helpless to amend it.
O Dominant and Perfect Powerful God! We love to follow these four principles which you commanded in this Sura e Asr and practise upon it, grant us capability to be with it in the way of truth.
Ameen O God! The Provider of the entire universe