Transcript 1st Thing First… • I am not a scholar. This presentation is basically what I’ve gathered in my research regarding Surah Al-’Asr.

1st Thing
First…
• I am not a scholar. This presentation is basically what I’ve gathered in my research
regarding Surah Al-’Asr. I am also certain that some of what I’d share are things that
you already know.
• With that said, I’d appreciate if you would bear with me for going along about things
that you already know.
• There are many things that I do not know for sure because of my lack of understanding
or knowledge. Thus, I’d like to apologize if I’d accidentally share erroneous personal
opinion.
• Should there be some benefits for us, it would most definitely comes from God (Allah,
the True Sustainer,) not me.
• I’ve designed this presentation so I can learn this surah by reminding myself first and
foremost, more importantly to learn more from participants’ wisdoms. Therefore, I’d
highly appreciate your inputs and insights.
• Feel free to share your insight during presentation.
• Surah (chapter) # 103.
• The title is taken from the 1st verse: Al ‘Asr
• It can be translated into simple English as: By the Time! The Epoch, or
Passing of Time.!
• Some would also translated it as:
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By The Declining Day – Martin Lings & Marmaduke Pickthall
(I, Allah, swear) by the Time – Mufti M. Taqi Uthmani
By the Afternoon – Arthur J Arberry
By (the Token of) Time (thourgh the ages) – A. Yusuf Ali
• According to some Tafsirs:
– “By the Lord of Time (Lord of the absolute infinite time (Rabb al-dahr)”, or ‘By the
Afternoon Prayer” – Tafsi al-Tustari (“Sufi Tafsirs”)
– “The ‘Asr prayer”, and it’s also said “by the hardship of time” – Tanwir al-Miqbas min Tafsir Ibn
’Abbas:
– “By Time.! (or it can mean ‘Asr period) from declining of the sun to sunset, thus it
may denote the Afternoon prayer. – Tafsir al-Jalalayn:
• It was revealed in Mecca, thus it’s considered as a Makkiyah surahs. Like
common Makkiyah surahs, it highlighted Beliefs, Faith, Afterlife, etc.
• Imam Shafi’i commented (in summary) that if one would ponder Surah al-’Asr
carefully, it would be enough for their guidance; It would be enough guidance
for going through one’s lifetime.
• The benefit for reflecting deeply this Surah would be equal to the whole Qur’an.
Thus, if the whole qur’an only has this Surah, it might be sufficient.
• It is a concise but a comprehensive Surah, in which, in three verses it outlined a
complete way of life based on the Islamic worldview for a believer. In order to
attain success in afterlife and present life (assuming that he/she does
consistently implemented what Surah al-’Asr advises human being to do.)
• In verse 1:
– “Allah SWT testify/swear, By the Time.!”
– Allah also occasionally swore by His creations in Qur’an such as in verse 1-6 of Surah AshShams, or verse 1 of Ad-Dhuha
• When Allah swear by one of his many creations in Qur’an it automatically implies a
significant key to ponder about it.
– Due to the mere fact that Lord of Worlds testify by it. Thus it raised the object (creation) to a
noble/lofty status to Allah. In this case, is the Time.
• Whenever Allah testify by His creation, it usually shows:
1. Benefit / blessing comes from that thing i.e. time.
2. It reminds believer of the Precision of it.
3. It reminds believer the Enormity of it, i.e. time.
• Perhaps, one could use the faculty of thinking (one of many God given wealth for
everyone)
in pondering/reflecting deeply about the Benefit, Precision, and Enormity in Time.
• Discussion point: What is Time, beyond its uses as a “measuring stick.”
• Time : A secular observation by Philip Zimbardo (Professor Emeritus of Psychology at
Stanford University
– More info about why people devalue time, and spend time less wisely than money, etc. in his book
“The Time Paradox“
– Short video regarding the effects of Time according to one’s perception of it.
• Please use the link below in order to watch it on youtube.com (simple copy+paste it on
web browser:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3oIiH7BLmg
• The short video is a summary that human perspective about Time will shape one’s
behavior, which in macro scale would shape culture in turns shape a nation. Perhaps,
this would somewhat proof the Enormity of Time, as one of Allah swt great creation.
Translation:
“Verily, man is bound to lose himself (in a state of ruinous loss)”– M. Asad
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By the Declining Day – Martin Lings & M. Pickthall
Verily Man is in loss, – A. Yusuf Ali
Surely Man is in the way of loss – Arthur J. Arberry
Man is in a state of loss indeed , – Mufti M. Taqi Uthmani
Verily man is in (a state of) loss, – Royal al-Bayt Institute
Indeed, mankind is in loss, – Ibrahim Walk
No doubt that every human being indeed is immersed in considerable Loss. – rough translation by Nouman Ali Khan,
Tafsir:
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Verily mankind [generic of al-insaan] is in (a state of) loss, in all his bargaining, – Tafsir al-Jalalayn
Lo! Man, (i.e. the disbelieving man) is in a state of loss and torment (because of losing his
family and position in Paradise; it’s also said this means: he is in a state of loss because of
decrease in his works in old age and its cessation after death, – Tanwir al-Miqbas Tafsir Ibn ‘Abbaas
Verily man is in (a state of) loss. This means: all the days of Abu Lahab were wasted. – Tafsir alTustari (Sufi Tafsir)
• The words: inna, lafiii, & tanwin (in the word khusr) makes the meaning of Loss
to the most superlative term in Arabic. The term “khusr-in” is the ultimate loss
and no other life experience can exceed it.
• The word ‘insaaan’ in the verse above refers to all men & women; an entire
category of humankind.
– For example, it’s a common misconception when I read the ayat above and I
am thinking that the word ‘insaan’ only apllies to my neighbour, my cousin
that likes to get high and go clubbing once a month, or my good atheist
friend.
– But, it never applies to me because in reality I am reading a verse in the
Holy Qur‘an, and I always claim that I’m a muslim.
• The ultimate worst kind of Loss: a significantly substantial loss through illusion.
– For example, an employee/entrepreneur who have invested significant effort, time, and
money capital by working in “something” for aiming profitable returns (what ever that
‘returns’ might be.)
– But, in the end, he/she realized that “something” conned him/her in a fraudulent work by
means of deceptive manipulation, being done by himself or herself.
– Therefore, he/she did not get any profit nor income, and lost all him/her essential capital
in addition to all invested money, and time spent.
– Moreover, he/she must also pay the price for one’s own decisions.
– The term Loss (khusr) is the antonym of Profit (Nafa’). It’s similar to the term Profit/Loss
in a business transaction /accounting ledger.
•
The concept of
Time = Asset
(given in abundance by Allah SWT, yet a finite invaluable capital)
•
Every human is like a person who possesses great capital and, without his/her permission, a portion of that
capital is always taken away consistently everyday and every minute. Therefore, it’s certainly a Minus Sum Game.
(IMO)
– Allah granted this invaluable capital of life (time), so that he/she perhaps invest it in a profitable business
venture.
– Consequently, when one invests his/her capital of life sensibly, in good works, there will be unlimited profitable
returns (∞ ROI %) for his/her decision in committing good deeds, if done with correct intention (for God).
– Similarly, if he/she decides to invest time unwisely in evil works, then he/she will most definitely lose his/her
capital, thus, no profit would materialize in return. In fact, one will incur the dreadful retribution for committing
numerous sins.
•
In my opinion, the very important term of “cut losses short” in trading the capital markets, is akin to repent in religious term, then redo it with a good deeds
instead.
– On the other hand, if he/she decides not to invest in good deeds nor in evil deeds (neutral), then at the least
he/she one will lose both the potential profit & the capital of life (time), because it’s a Minus Sum Game.
– Furthermore, Qur’an itself has used the word ‘tijarah’ in relation to ‘Faith’ and ‘Righteous Deed’ in Q.S. 61:10.
‫جي ُكم منْ َع َذا أ أَل أِيم‬
َ ‫َيا أَ ُّي َها الَّذ‬
َ ‫ِين آ َم ُنوا َه ْل أَ ُدلُّ ُك ْم َعلَ ٰى ت َِج‬
ِ ‫ارةٍ ُتن‬
“O ye who believe! Shall I show you a commerce that will save you from a painful
doom ?”
• ‘tijarah’ = a commerce, a trade, a bargain, a transaction, or a profitable business
• Since ‘Time’ is everyone’s capital in life, Then, the man/woman himself/herself is the
trader.
– Under normal circumstances his/her capital in life is not a frozen asset, which may be kept and used it
later as the need arise.
– The nature of time is very liquid to the point that it’s flowing all the time within each minute and every
second in everyone’s life. Thus, Time is an extremely liquid asset capital.
– Therefore, one who trades his/her Time capital need to be very wise in making intelligent and agile trade
decisions, in trading one’s allotted Time.
– As a result he/she is able to rapidly, readily, and regularly reap profits from a continuously diminishing
capital.
• Key actionable items for success in this present life, in setting up a victorious future,
has been set-forth by Allah in verse 3
– Interestingly the keys are not what the big majority of people that lives in 20 th century onward, would
define it as a successful present life, by muslims & non-muslims alike such as: career, education,
relationship, wealth, family, health, establishment, etc.
– Nevertheless, at the same time, these same keys could serve as the supportive basic principles in realizing
the definition of successful pesent life.
– For example, Bill Gates/Warren Buffet once said on Columbia Business School event that “Patience is one
of key elements for Success.”
– The 4 activities could actually be “Path that is less traveled” by majority of people on planet earth,
are highlighted in the Q.S. 103:3
• Imam as-Shawkani mentioned that the Loss means that every human being is in the act of
constantly selling & trading; Human are Lost in a “vicious (no tranquility)” consistent effort in
competing to make more income/sales with fellow human being, in order to get ahead.
• Loss could also means that One is Lost by being preoccupied by his/her life;
– One is immersed in one’s own problems to the point he/she blows it out of proportions, thus, one overlook
the fact that many people on earth are actually facing problems bigger in their life.
– As a result, he/she fails to see the fact that one is in debt to Allah (swt), that leads to the failure for being
in gratitude to Allah swt.
• If one is very preoccupied with his/her own life/problem, they failed to see the lessons in three
things:
1.
2.
3.
Fail to see the lessons in creations (signs) of Allah. – One does not see the creations of Allah as “Signs” thus
neglecting the true purpose of his/her life.
Fail to see the lessons in history – which is parts of what Surah al-Asr emphasized.
Fail to see the revelations, or legacy of Prophet saw, for guidance in life
– Granted that Qur’an does not give guidance in how to get a career advise, or how to program Artificial
Intelligence algorithm, or to answer if the Moon is made of Blue cheese.?
– Nevertheless, it gives many guidance such as, in regards to how should I spend my money, how should I be to
my neighbour, why do I owe my parents, etc.
• Many present scholars borrowed Imam Razi (a great mufassir in the past)
explanation, in which he quoted a scholar as saying:
– “I understood the meaning of Surah al-’Asr from an ice-seller, who was calling aloud for
attention of people repeatedly in the bazaar: ‘Have mercy on one whose wealth is melting
away.!’ Upon hearing what he was crying for, I said to myself: “This is the meaning of ‘(al’Asr innal-insana la-fi Khusr-in) The age-limit that one has been allotted is passing quickly.
• ‘Asr = The Afternoon Prayer
– I couldn’t find any thing in my research in preparation for this meetup; however, I found a
narration of the prophet that has said:
“Compared to the human communities that have passed away, your individual life in the world is
equal for the same time, which is between the prayer of ‘Asr and the prayer of Maghrib.”
(Ruhul Ma’ani vol X. Pg 292 with reference to Bukhari)
“Except those who believe, and perform righteous deeds, and enjoin one another to (follow) the
truth, and enjoin one another to (commit to persevere in) patience” -M. Asad & Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute
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Except they that believe and do good works, and exhort one another unto truth, and unto patience – Martin Lings
Save those who believe and do good works, and exhort one another to truth, and exhort one another to endurance – M. Pickthall
Except such as have Faith, and do righteous deeds, and (join together) in the mutual teaching of Truth, and of Patience and
constantcy, – A. Yusuf Ali
Save those who believe, and do righteous deeds, and counsel each other unto the truth, and counsel each other to be steadfast –
Arthur J. Arberry
Except those who believed and did righteous deeds, and exhorted each other to follow truth, and exhorted each other to observe
patience – Mufti M. Taqi Uthmani
Except those who have believed and done righteouss deeds, and advised each other to truth, and advised each other to patience,
– Ibrahim Walk
– Tafsir Ibn-Kathir (summary) :
–
Allah swears an oath by the’Time’ and says that mankind is in a state of loss, however, with the exception is
made of people who are characterized by 4 qualities: Faith (truly believe with the heart), Righteous deeds (do
good deeds with their limbs; after the heart submitted to Allah wills the action of limbs follow through
accordingly), Advising each other for Truth (executing all acts of obedience and abandoning all acts of Haram),
and Advising each other to patience (in all kinds of situations and conditions, and being patience even if they’re
in torture for spreading the truth in enjoining the good and forbiding evil.)
This is the only path to salvation in this world, as well as in the next world. Qur’anic prescription comprises of
four elements. The first two of them related to one’s own betterment, and the last two relate to other people’s
guidance and reform
–
http://www.altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=0&tTafsirNo=93&tSoraNo=103&tAyahNo=3&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0&LanguageId=2 for Tafsir
al-Tustari (Sufi Tafsir)
• Grammatically speaking, verse 2 is in singular form, but in verse 3 Allah speaks in
plural form.
• According to Nouman Khan’s commentary: it implies that the Loss in verse 2 are
Loss that is experience by individual when it happens. For example, if one would
“have to pay the price for one’s own mistake(s)” no other person, even good
muslims, would readily take the negative consequence of other person’s bad
actions in present life, even more so in the afterlife.
• Therefore, Verse 3 implies that in order to do God’s advise in this verse (4
activities) involves more than 1 person, such as Iman, Doing good deeds (which
corrects oneself and the other person), enjoining and advising other (necessitates
at least another person) to Truth, and enjoining and advising other to constantly
committed in perseverance to/in patience.
• Another grammatical point is the fact that all four key activities mentioned by God
are in past tense.
• According to Nouman Khan’s commentary: it implies that these four activities are a
litmus test regarding one’s deeds in hindsight. It’s a test for his/her personal
records, which proofs if he/she consistently did the four things in his/her entire
life until the moment of death. For example, would it be a personal record (audited
on Day of Judgement) which reported that he/she fulfilled the rights of Iman,
implemented Godly righteous deeds, enjoined & advised other truthfully to Truth
and with Truth (i.e. evidence), and enjoined and advised other to commit to
Persevere in Patience, to Patience executed with Patience as well.
• Therefore, these four principle would be key activities for a believer that will fulfill
the admonition of God in Q.S. 3:102:
“O you who have attained to Faith.! Be conscious of God with all the consciousness that is due to Him,
and do not allow death to overtake you before you’ve surrendered yourselves unto Him (in a state of
Muslim)”
Tafsir:
T.Miqbas min T.ibn ‘Abbas: “Save those who believes” = those who believes in Muhammad and the Qur’an…
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Imam Hasan al-Basri mentioned that Iman is something that lodge in one’s heart (faith in God & Messengers of
God, revelation/verse of Qur’an, remembrance of Allah) and proven by conscious efforts in actions.
Thus, the Shahadah (being Muslim) does not guarantees heaven. But consistent Iman attached with Good deeds,
executed with sincere good intention for God, could guaranty heaven if God willing.
IMO, Iman necessitates conscious actions as a result of true reflections of one’s heart in true sincerity (for
Allah’s sake).
• 2 common roots that shakes, and becomes an obstacle in having Iman and acting good actions
for a person, that kept one from saving one selves:
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Doubt(s)
For example, Having doubts in the existence of life after death in this life (the afterlife) even though they believed Qur’an verses are Divine
Guidance.
Having doubts that those who “Bent on denying the Truth (Kafir)” will go to hell in the afterlife,even though they doing good a lot of times in
this life.?
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Temptation(s)
When one is asked to accept Islam as the deen, Islam asked to really give up many things. For example, give up eating pork, give up the life
of partying (women/men, alcohol, drugs, etc.)
This is the common major problems for many people including muslims (people who believes that whatever the Qur’an advises are right
and correct.)
The biggest trap is the fact that when human being fallen in following Temptations, the devil implemented the infectious “doubt” virus as
well. Thus, the Temptations and Doubt in Islam self-feed another bring one bad habits for a planning and making victorious
afterlife happens.
Tafsir:
T.Miqbas min T.ibn ‘Abbas: “and perform righteous deeds, they’re not (in a state of) Loss,”
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Doing good deeds in the absent of Iman does not count as one’s profit in afterlife, which would save
oneself in the after death realm.
Good deeds are like medicine: It benefits the one who does it, and sometimes it effects others as
well.
Bad deeds are like poison: It harms one who does it, and may affect other i.e. when someone lies, it
harms the perpetrator first and foremost, but may not other (if he/she smart enough to know that
it’s a lie.)
The paradox when one has able to marry Iman + good rightous deeds (answer is in the intention):
– Doing good deeds in the absent proper intention is also not favored, based on hadith:
“The actions will be judged by the intention.”
– Nevertheless, Jannah (paradise) is not a compensation of our deeds. Rather, it’s the Mercy of Allah (swt) that a person
embraced truthfully (with Iman reflected in one’s action) that elevated the returns of one’s small deeds in present life.
Hadith of Prophet mentioned:
Prophet said: “None of you will enter Paradise in afterlife (Jannah) with your actions”,
A listener asked : “Not even you oh Messenger of Allah (saw) .?”
Prophet answered: “Not even me; except that Allah SWT will embrace me with His Mercy.”
Tafsir:
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T.Miqbas min T.ibn ‘Abbas: “and enjoin one another to (follow) the Truth…”
The word tawasi similar to a “last will of a dying loving person to a dear beloved one” it has the
sense of concern and urgency.
The spirit of Tawashi bil haqq = One should not care the intention of one’s action because it’s for
God to judge, but one should take the benefit from someone good actions.” In other words, Don’t
judge a person by he/she looks, but take the “truth” that comes from him/her.
One will not get offended if someone correct one’s bad action because the person seeks truth if
there is Truth in it, for God’s sake. Does Ego does not play overcome one’s heart.
The word Ba in “Bil”: Counsel each other Truthfully (i.e. not shying away from truth nor watering
it down), Counsel each other by means of the Truth (i.e. with Qur’an, revelation, Tawheed,
legacy of Prophet saw, etc.), Counsel each other to the Truth
Word means Haqq:
– Deep down inside conscientiously knows it’s true, That which can be proven true by means of evidence (revelation
of Qur’an as answer of True/False question), i.e. Is it true that human will be resurrected after death.?, or Is it
true that Allah is not a human being.?
– Obligations; reminding each other of their responsibility to fulfill Obligation i.e. obligations to parents, obligations
to Allah swt., obligation to children, obligations to the orphans,
– Rights; reminding other to fulfill the rights i.e. the Rights of a wife that a husband have to fulfill, etc.
Tafsir:
T.Miqbas min T.ibn ‘Abbas: “and enjoin one another to (commit in perseverance in) patience in (maintaining)
obedience and in refraining from (acts of) disobedience.”
• The word shabr in English includes the following word:
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Patience
Persevere (i.e. holding on to patience in the state of patience as well)
Commitments (i.e. not slacking off.)
Consistency; constaantly;
• Ibn Taymiyyah says about Shabr: “having the same obedience to Allah regardless if times are easy or difficult.”
• A human being needs to be reminded to be in “shabr” in doing Patience with Patience. It
applies even to Imam, shaykh, good doer. Thus, no one can consistently execute good
“Shabr” by himself/herself. He/she will need other person to consistently do so in
obedience to Allah.
• Therefore, it implies that Islam is a social religion (car pooling, learning from other, doing
congregation prayer, etc.) due to the fact one is forgetful and needs to be reminded by
other.
Resources:
•Quranic verses: http://tanzil.net/
•Philip Zimbardo’s The Secrets of Time: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3oIiH7BLmg
• Nouman Ali Khan grammatical & commentary analysis: http://bayyinah.com/podcast/
• Time as Asset Capital : from Maarif ul Qur’an : http://islamicstudies.info/maarif/
• Points for Allah’s creations that God testify upon: Muhammad Al-Shareef’s Tafsir Juz Amma