CHAPTER 103: AL-'ASR (THE TIME)

It was revealed in the Mecca period. It consists of three verses. It takes its name from the same word in the first verse. (H. T. FEYIZLI, 1/601)

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

103/1-3 THOSE WHO ARE SAVED FROM LOSS

Translation

1- 2- By time [Al-Asr], indeed, the [disbelieving and rebellious] man is in a state of certain loss.

3- Except for those who believe and do righteous deeds [and actions], and recommend one another to the truth [Faith, Islam, obedience to Allah] and recommend one another to patience [in continuing obedience and against harams and calamities]; they are excluded [they are saved from loss].

Commentary

(1, 2) ‘By time (Al-Asr) indeed, the (disbelieving and rebellious) man is in a state of certain loss.’

Commentators have interpreted the word Asr mentioned here in different ways, such as the afternoon time, the afternoon prayer, absolute time, the era of Prophet Muhammad, and the end of times. In our view, the meaning of absolute time is the most suitable for the content and message of the surah. Accordingly, by swearing an oath by time at the beginning of the surah, attention is drawn to its place and importance in human life. (QUR’AN WAY 5/682)

Because time is the foundation of human life. Man performs all his actions within time. Every passing moment reduces human life and brings one closer to death. Man is tested to see how he evaluates the time granted to him. He obtains a result according to whether he evaluates it or not. (O. CELIK, 5/585)

However, to the extent that a person can fulfill the following four points shown as the way to salvation from loss in a perfect sense, they will find the opportunity to be saved from harm and loss:

(3) (I). ‘Except for those who believe and do righteous deeds’

Believing in a perfect sense in Allah, the hereafter, the Holy Qur’an, and all the principles reported by our Prophet (pbuh). Not carrying even an atom's weight of doubt or hesitation about these. (O. CELIK, 5/586)

(II). Second, doing righteous deeds: All beautiful and beneficial actions regarding worship, transactions (mu'amalat), and ethics are righteous deeds. Therefore, just as worshiping Allah the Almighty is a righteous deed, being kind to the needy, helping, conveying Islam (tabligh), Jihad in the way of Allah, struggling against oppression and the oppressor; cooperating in truth, justice, righteousness, trust, goodness, and taqwa; earning halals, and fulfilling duties toward one's family, relatives, neighbors, and society; being beneficial to people and treating them well are all righteous deeds. (O. CELIK, 5/586)

(III) and (IV). ‘and recommend one another to the truth and patience are excluded’

Almighty Allah says: "What has been sent down to you from your Lord is the truth." (Ar-Ra'd 13/1). Accordingly, truth (haqq) is the Qur’an and the Sunnah. Successful people who will reach salvation recommend the Book and the Sunnah to each other in terms of understanding and acting upon them. (S. HAWWA 16/363)

The word Haqq is the "opposite of falsehood" (batil). It is generally used in these two meanings: First, it is a word that is true, consistent with justice, and factual. This is the same whether it is regarding creedal matters (related to faith) or worldly matters. Second, it is the right that is obligatory for a person to fulfill. It can be the right of Allah, the rights of people, or the right of one's own soul. The meaning of recommending the word of truth is that the society consisting of the people of faith is sensitive enough not to remain a spectator to the spread of falsehood against the truth. Whenever and wherever falsehood rebels in such societies, those who speak the word of truth must raise their voices. (MAWDUDI 7/225)

Recommending truth and patience is a comprehensive duty that includes all moral duties brought by social life and living together. The opposite of truth is falsehood; falsehood is a concept that includes groundlessness and error in belief and knowledge, and evil in morality. Furthermore, truth is closely related to justice. From this perspective, the verse also explains that people must be just and contribute to the establishment of a social order based on justice—that is, a social order where everyone is content with their right and everyone's right is protected. Consequently, through the four principles listed in the surah, the servant pays the right of Allah by means of faith and righteous deeds, and pays the rights of servants by recommending truth and patience. (QUR’AN WAY, 5/683)

‘those who recommend patience’

Recommending patience is also mandatory. Standing up for faith and righteous deeds, and acting as the guardian of truth and justice, is one of the greatest difficulties that the individual and society, the person and the community, will face. For this reason, it is necessary to be patient. Patience for Jihad against the nafs (self) and Jihad against others; patience against difficulties and torments; patience against the arrogance of falsehood and the attacks of evil; patience against the length of the road, the delay of stages, the blurring of road signs, and the distance of the end is required. (S. KUTUB 10/556)

They should instill steadfastness in each other against all difficulties, calamities, hardships, harms, and deprivations they encounter for the sake of the truth and protecting it. Each individual should give courage to the other to remain steadfast against these conditions. (MAWDUDI, 7/225)

The noble companions would not separate from each other without reading this surah. In recommending the truth, there is the recommendation of the good, the correct, and monotheism (tawhid); in recommending patience, there is the recommendation of continuing in worship, not following the nafs, and enduring divine tests. Imam Shafi'i says: "If no other surah had been revealed in the Qur’an, even this short surah would have been enough to ensure the worldly and otherworldly happiness of people." (H. T. FEYIZLI, 1/601)