Surah Al-’Asr

One of the earliest surahs of the Qur-an

One of the shortest surahs of the Qur-an

It is very simple and easy to understand

Four fundamental points about this Surah

سُوۡرَۃُ الۡعَصَرِ وَ الۡعَصۡرِ (By the passage of time) اِنَّ ا لۡاِنۡسَانَ لَفِیۡ خُسۡر(Indeed man is in loss) اِلَّا (Except) 1.الَّذِیۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا (Those who believed) 2.وَ عَمِلُوۡا الصّٰلِحٰتِ ( And they did righteous deeds ) 3.وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالْحَقِّ(And they directed each other with truth) 4.وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالصَّبْرِ (And they directed each other with patience)

This surah alone is enough for man’s guidance Those who believed And they did righteous deeds And they directed each other with truth And they directed each other with patience

We all have a criterion of success and failure

worldly criterion of success & failure &

wealth

property

status

honour

fame

power

All but few run after it

But Surah Al-’Asr tells us something different

Criterion of man’s success & failure is:

His belief

Is a righteous deed indeed

Directing each other with truth

Directing each other with patience

A person who doesn’t possess the above qualities is unsuccessful

Though he might be A billionaire and have: high status Position Power Kingship

A successful person might be Penniless Homeless Friendless Unknown Dishonoured Starving And may be not

(By the passage of time) وَ الۡعَصۡرِ

Al-’Asr Time Period that passes quickly

Time bears witness that…. Meaning

اِنَّ ا لۡاِنۡسَانَ لَفِیۡ خُسۡر (Indeed man is in loss)

Not a monetary loss of a few millions Complete destruction

What is Complete Destruction?

Problems in this world

And Hell in the Hereafter

Exception Ones who Have belief Do righteous deeds Direct each other with truth Direct each other with patience

Even one thing missing in your life can cause destruction.

اِلَّا الَّذِیۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا (Except those who believed)

belief in: Allah (swt) Prophets Books Life after death Day of Judgement Reward and punishment Hell and Jannah

وَ عَمِلُوۡا الصّٰلِحٰتِ ( And they did righteous deeds )

righteous deeds belief

Can you guess his belief?

hers ?

theirs?

And What about yours?

There are two types of Muslims Muslims by deeds Practicing Muslims True Muslims in Allah (swt)’s book Muslims by name Non practicing Muslims Disbeleivers in Allah (swt)’s book

Your deeds indicate your identity

Allah (swt) exists? He is All-Seeing, All-Hearing, All- Knowing? He will take full account of all our deeds? He will punish us and reward us? Do you believe that

A Muslim just in name

What does it mean?

And they direct each other with truth وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالْحَقِّ

Meaning Teaching good & stopping people from sins

They direct each other with patience وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالصَّبْرِ

patience truth

Advice is usually disliked by people

They frown

They can be curt

This is a real test of your patience

We get influenced by our environment

And influence it too

But how can I change it alone?

Remember

Interpretation of Hadith “If any one of you observes a vice, it is his duty to change it by force. If he is not able to do so, he should protest against it verbally. If he does not posses even this much of courage, his heart should regard it as bad, and he should regret that he could not stop it, and this is the weakest degree of faith. ”

At least repel it !

Are your ways different from the norm? If yes

Two things can happen

They tell you Allah (swt) tells you When in Rome, do as the Romans do Even in Rome, do as the Muslims do They tell you

Doing righteous deeds Directing each other to truth Directing each other to patience Faith

The minimum conditions for salvation

This is just Passing Grade

Anything less would be failure

False notions in society Just saying the kalimah is enough for salvation Spreading the word of Allah (swt) is not an obligation Religion is a personal matter We must mind our own business

Surah Al-’Asr are The words of Allah (swt)

It’s time to