Surah Asr an Open Book During Exam

Asr, the Declining Day, is 103^rd and second shortest Surah of Quran after Surah Kauthar. It is completely a Meccan Surah that was revealed on Prophet Muhammad PBUH during His early stay in Mecca. It was the time when people were in great darkness and Islam was presented with brief but highly impressive sentences, which automatically committed to the memory. The particular Quran Suarh contains three verses, in which Allah says, all the mankind is in loss except for those who do righteous deeds and teach other about truth and patience.

By time. Indeed, mankind is in loss. Except for those who have believed and done righteous deeds and advised each other to truth and advised each other to patience.

The word time is used for what is past and what will be future as well as what is passing. The present becomes past and the future becomes present that repeats itself again and again. This world is an examination hall and we all are here to solve our paper in limited time. We mostly listen that the time is money, which is indeed a reality Imam Razi explained the concept of Surah Asar relating with an ice-seller, He said

“I understood the meaning of Surah Al-`Asr from an ice-seller, who was calling aloud for the attention of the people repeatedly in the bazaar: 'Have mercy on the one whose wealth is melting away !' Hearing what he was crying I said to myself: this then is the meaning of Wal- asr-i innal-insana la-fi khusr-in. The age-limit that man has been allotted is passing quickly”

 like the melting away of ice. The time is running with speed and we need to do our best within that period. Imam Shafi explained it perfectly that

“if the people only considered this Surah well, it alone would suffice them for their guidance.”

Now, let us consider some qualities explained in Surah on which success of man depends.

The first quality of a secure person is to have proper Iman the Faith on Allah, on His prophets, His books and the Day of Judgment. To have belief on all of them by heart is not the only requirement but to represent them in your actions is also necessary. There are numerous sources are out there for proper guidance about Islamic beliefs we only need to approach them on right time.

The  second essential quality for good result is to perform good deeds. All such deeds, which are acceptable with the guideline provided to us by our  Lord. Offer salat, pay zakat, perform Hajj if you can afford and many other good deeds that make you practical Muslim.

The third and fourth qualities of a secure person are, they advice each other about truth and patience. These are the great qualities in itself, if we start to say truth and be with them who say truth without worrying about quantity makes you a perfect Muslim. During our stay on earth we go through different hurdles that are to test our faith, we don’t take it positively rather make it bad for us and start to complain. This is time when we should show what we are and whom we are following.

May Allah bless us all with great strength and power to secure good results and fulfill all the requirements being a good human being and practical Muslim.