Surah Asr, or the ‘Declining Day’, is the 103rd chapter of the Holy Quran and appears in the 30th juz. It was revealed in Makkah before the migration and has 3 verses which make it one of the shortest surahs in the Quran.
It is the last chapter in the Quran that Allah swears by something (Time) at the beginning.
Surah | |
| Name | Al-Asr |
| Meaning | Time, or Declining Day |
| Number of Verses | 3 |
| Place of Revelation | Makkah |
| Chapter Number | 103 |
Listen to surah Asr
Surah Asr Arabic Text
Transliteration of Surah Asr
- Wal ‘asr
- Innal insaana lafee khusr
- Illal lazeena aamanoo wa ‘amilus saalihaati wa tawaasaw bilhaqqi wa tawaasaw bissabr
Surah Asr Translation
- By (the Token of) Time (through the ages),
- Verily Man is in loss,
- Except such as have Faith, and do righteous deeds, and (join together) in the mutual teaching of Truth and of Patience and Constancy.
Meaning of the surah
Mankind is being reminded that it is in a constant state of loss in terms of time. Man is forgetful of why he is here and has forgotten the love of Allah that should be in his heart. He has filled his heart with love for other than Allah – wealth and power etc.
Surah Asr talks about time that is being lost continuously, and what will save you from being in a state of loss. The previous surahs talked about the earthquake of the Final Hour, the resurrection and those that will be thrown in hell. This surah reminds us that we are still alive, so we have the chance to save ourselves from Jahannam by doing good deeds.
Even though the surah is so short, it encompasses all aspects of the religion. The surah is enough for the one who is seeking guidance and steadfastness in his faith. A person will have enough by holding on to the meanings of this surah. Surah Asr is basically a summary of Islam.
It follows on from Surah Takathur which ends with the verse about how we will be asked about the blessings given to us. Surely, one of the greatest blessings is that of time, and along with good health, people don’t realize how much they constantly lose.
As per a hadith of the Prophet (SAW): Anas ibn Malik (RA) reported: The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said, “The Hour will not be established until time passes rapidly, such that a year is like a month, a month is like a week, a week is like a day, a day is like an hour, and an hour is like the flicker of a flame.” (Tirmidhi)
The Sahabah (RA) used to recite this surah to each other before they parted ways after meeting. The best advice you can give to anyone is this surah advising of the need to believe, do good works, call to the truth and call to patience.
Surah Asr hadith
Abu Madinah reported: Whenever two men among the companions of the Prophet (SAW) would meet, they would not part until one of them recited to the other, “By the time, surely mankind is in loss,” (No.103) and the other would bid him farewell with peace. (al-Mu’jam al-Awsaṭ)
Ibn Kathir reported: Al-Shafi’i said, “If the people were to reflect upon Surat al-‘Asr, it would be enough for them.” (Tafsir ibn Kathir)
‘Uthman ibn Za’idah reported: Luqman (RA) said to his son, “O my son, do not delay repentance, for death can come to you suddenly.”
Lessons from the surah
You should sit and ponder over this beautiful surah. Think of the time that has passed you by, what have you done with it? Think of what remains of this time and what do you plan to do with it? Ramadan, Zhul Hijjah, Muharram and other auspicious times come and go, how have you planned for these?
Remember that time will never come back, are you ready to meet Allah with what you have done so far? What is your greatest achievement in deen that you can show proudly to your Creator?
