The Time

We are nearing the end of Ramadaan and during this month this short chapter of the Qur’an has made quite an impact on me. My Arabic is very basic but just before Ramadaan started I was reading this surah and ‘bang’ it hit me…The Time…. This post is going to sound very ‘out there’ and ‘spiritual’ but I had an epiphany of sorts. Not a life changing one , I wish it could have been, I admire people who have those and then turn their whole lives around. They stop procrastinating, they start exercising, they volunteer for good causes, they become experts at their work, you know the ones…you’ve probably met a few. Anyway, I digress, back to sura Al ‘Asr. Its so simple yet it contains the most difficult of all things to achieve: abstain from all kinds of sins and evil deeds…, and recommend one another to patience….Like now for instance, I should be standing in Qiyam al layl, not writing in my blog, which is a self serving activity.

Surat Al-‘Asr

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

By Al-‘Asr (the time).

Verily! Man is in loss,

Except those who believe and do righteous good deeds, and recommend one another to the truth (i.e. order one another to perform all kinds of good deeds which Allah has ordained, and abstain from all kinds of sins and evil deeds which Allah has forbidden), and recommend one another to patience (for the sufferings, harms, and injuries which one may encounter in Allah’s cause).

Surat Al-‘Asr (The Time) is the 103rd chapter of the Qur’an. The surah teaches that all mankind are in loss, except those who believe in God, do good deeds, remind others of the truth, with patience and steadfastness. This is the second shortest surah, after surat Al-Kawthar.