Introduction to Tafsir of Surah Al-Asr

1. Tafhim-ul-Quran — Abul A’la Maududi

Name

The Surah takes its name from the word al-`asr occurring in the first verse.

Period of Revelation

Although Mujahid, Qatadah and Muqatil regard it as a Madani Surah, yet a great majority of the commentators opine that it is Makki; its subject matter also testifies that it must have been sent down in the earliest stage at Makkah, when the message of Islam was being presented in brief but highly impressive sentences so that the listeners who heard them once could not forget them even if they wanted to, for they were automatically committed to memory.

Theme and Subject Matter

This Surah is a matchless specimen of comprehensiveness and brevity. A whole world of meaning has been compressed into its few brief words, which is too vast in content to be fully expressed even in a book. In it, in a clear and plain way it has been stated what is the way to true success for man and what is the way to ruin and destruction for him. Imam Shafi has very rightly said that if the people only considered this Surah well, it alone would suffice them for their guidance. How important this Surah was in the sight of the Companions can be judged from the tradition cited from Hadrat Abdullah bin Hisn ad-Darimi Abu Madinah, according to which whenever any two of them met they would not part company until they had recited Surah Al-Asr to each other. (Tabarani)

2. The Study Quran- Seyyed Hossein Nasr

“A Makkan sūrah, al-ʿAṣr most likely follows Sūrah 94, al-Sharḥ, in the chronological order of revelation. It takes its title from the first word, al-ʿaṣr, which can be understood to mean the late afternoon (hence the translation declining day), the last hour of the afternoon, the entire afternoon, the later afternoon prayer, or a period of time in the sense of an epoch. It is said that whenever two Companions of the Prophet would meet they would not part company until one of them had recited al-ʿAṣr in its entirety and one of them had given greetings of peace to the other (IK). When viewed in relation to the previous sūrah, ʿaṣr can be understood as a reference to time in general, meaning that vying for increase (102:1) prevents people from spending their time in the most beneficial manner and that the blessing of time is that for which people will be questioned (102:8). From one perspective, these three short verses contain the entire message of the Quran, namely, that human beings are in loss unless they turn to God. In this vein, the famous legal scholar al-Shāfiʿī is reported to have said “Were the people to ponder this sūrah, it would suffice them” (IK).”

3. The Qur’an by Ali Ünal

This sūrah of three verses, revealed in Makkah, takes its name from the word al-’asr (time heavy with events) in the f irst verse. As pointed out by all interpreters of the Qur’ān and linguists, this short sūrah contains the basic teachings of the Qur’ān in a compacted form. It is because of this that Imam Shāfi’ī said: “If no other sūrahs had been revealed, this short one would have been enough for the happiness of people in both worlds” ( Yazır). When the Companions joined in a gathering, they did not usually leave there without reciting this sūrah (al-Bayhaqī, “Shu’ab al-Īmān,” 6: 501). This shows their deep understanding of the Qur’ān.

4. The Quran — M.A.S Abdel Haleem

A Meccan sura showing the way to salvation. The image of a declining day suggests the stage in the day, or in life, when only a short while is left for those wishing to make up for lost time.

5. In the Shade of the Quran — Seyyd Qutb

This very short surah outlines a complete system for human life based on the Islamic viewpoint. It defines, in the clearest and most concise form, the basic concept of faith in the context of its comprehensive reality. In a few words the whole Islamic constitution is covered and in fact, the Muslim community is described in its essential qualities and message in one verse only, the last. Such is the clear and most expressive style of which only God is capable.

The great fact which this s rah affirms is simply that throughout the history of mankind there has been one worthwhile and trustworthy path, which is, specifically, the one the s rah describes. All other ways lead only to loss and ruin. As it says in outline, this way means first the adoption of faith, followed by good deeds and exhortation to follow the truth and to persevere in the face of adversity.