This is a VERY IMPORTANT surah; Imam Shafi'e said that if people thought carefully about it, it would be enough for their guidance. It is reported that when the Sahabah met, they would recite it before parting each other's company.(Hadith al-Tabrani)
What makes this surah so special? It summarizes in a few words some main themes of the Quran, namely, that those who do not believe in God or do good deeds, or who spend their lives in lies and hypocrisy will one day lose all that they have worked for, their entire lives will have been wasted and it will be too late to do anything about it. In it we also see that those who do not struggle to establish the truth in their lives and societies, or who give up their hopes and struggles too easily will end up being losers. In every aspect of life, it is necessary to have faith and always to try to do one's best; we must encourage each other- our family, friends and fellow men- to strive for what is good and true and to have patience even with things we dislike in order to be successful.
The original Arabic word used here is sabr. In absence of any other word, it has been translated as 'patience'. In the Quranic terminology, however, it has much wider scope than 'patience'. It comprises of 3 elements; one, to remain steadfast in performing one's obligations, two,to prevent one's own self from committing sins, and three, to endure hardships with patience.
Allah begins the surah by swearing by 'the passing time', and there is a very interesting story which makes clear the connection between time and the topic of this surah (reported story from Imam Razi, by Mawdudi in The Meaning of the Quran, vol. XVI, Islamic Publications, Lahore, 1988). Before the age of refrigerators and freezers, storing ice for use in the summer was a difficult and delicate affair. A thousand years ago, residents of warm Muslim lands would transport huge blocks of snow and ice from neigbouring mountain peaks or bring them by camel and ship from special 'ice houses' where ice had been saved and insulated with salt and straw for use in the summer.
Eventually this ice, would find its place in the market, along with other goods for sale. One scholar reported that he understood the meaning of 'wal-'asri innal-insana lafi khusr' when he heard and ice-seller in the market place calling out ,"Have mercy on a man whose wealth is melting away!" meaning," Please buy my ice before it melts, or I will lose all my investment and have no money with which to feed my family!". Of course, on a very hot day, even with the best of insulation the ice would melt with every passing second.
The scholar thought about this. Our lives are like the block of ice: they are passing away with each second, never to return. Just as the ice-seller is a loser if he does not sell his merchandise before it melts, so are we losers if we do not make the most of our time by filling it with good deeds which will pay off in the life of the Hereafter.
TRANSLATION:
Surah al-Asr (103: The Time/ The Passing Time)
In the name of Allah, the Kindest and Most Merciful One..
1. By the passing time:
2. People are definitely losers -
3. except those who believe and do good, and encourage each other to the truth, and encourage each other to endurance.
References:
ii)http://www.quranexplorer.com/quran/ , go to Surah al-Asr
iv)The Meanings of the Noble Quran with explanatory notes by Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani (Maktaba Ma'ariful Quran - Quranic Studies Publishers, Karachi, Pakistan)
Video recitation by Ahmad Saud (www.1dawah.co.uk) at --> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00r7T7Fcm9A
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