Brief Info
Sūrat al-‘Asr No. 103. Revealed in Makkah, 3 verses. According to scholars this small sūra encapsulates the message of the Quran. It conveys what is required for the ultimate happiness of the human being.
Merits of reciting the Sūra
Imam al-Sadiq ‘alayhis salaam has said: Whoever recites al-Asr in the nawāfil prayers, Allah will raise him on the Day of Judgment with an illuminated face, laughing and delighted, until he enters Heaven.
Note: This reward will be for those who take heed of the message and implement it in their lives.
Synopsis of contents
1) Oath for the truth of the message to come (verse 1)
2) A warning that the human being is in a loss (verse 2)
3) The exceptions (verse 3)
Some Lessons from the Sūra
1) Time is a precious commodity for the human being.
2) Most people get distracted and use time in ways that do not produce lasting results.
3) The only people who successfully use time are those who believe and do good and help one another in the journey towards Allah.
Select verses for memorization in Arabic and English.
The complete sūra should be memorized.
Activity for self-study
When death comes many people will ask for more time, to have another chance to live more virtuously. For a description of the regret of not using time properly see 23:99-100 and 63:10-11.
Sources
Āyatullāh Nāsir Makārim Shirazi (Ed.) Tafsir Namūne; https://www.al-islam.org/
Past lessons of Sūra Familiarization available at:
www.academyofislam.com/
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