Verses 1–3
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ
In the name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Ever-Merciful
This sūrah was revealed in Mecca and consists of 3 verses. It summarizes all Qur’anic teachings and pieces together all Qur’anic objectives in the most concise way. It could be either Meccan or Medinan, though it resembles the Meccan chapters more.
Commentary
وَالْعَصْرِ ١
(103:1) By the time (al-ʿaṣr)!
This is an oath, swearing by the time. The next two verses describe how human beings are in a state of loss, except for those who follow the truth and are patient upon it—which amounts to the believers who do righteous deeds. Given this context, it is most likely that the time in this verse refers to the era of the Prophet. That is, it is the time in which the sun of Islam rose and started shining over humanity. That is when truth vanquished falsehood.
Other interpretations include:
- The afternoon, which is the latter part of the day. That time demonstrates the power of the Lord because it marks the fading of the day as it gives in to night, and the ending of the reign of the sun.
- The Afternoon Prayer, which is the middle prayer (). That is the best of the obligatory daily prayers.
- Day and night, which are called ʿaṣrān.
- Time or history in general, in the sense that wondrous events occur in it, pointing to the Lord’s omnipotence.
- The time of the Mahdi’s appearance, when truth will completely and finally dominate falsehood. This is mentioned in some narrations.
There is more to the list.
إِنَّ الإِنسَانَ لَفِي خُسْرٍ ٢
(103:2) Indeed man (al-insān) is in loss (khusrin).
Al-insān means humankind as a genus. Khusr, khusrān, khasār and khasārah all refer to “a loss in capital and one’s original asset.” Al-Rāghib says:
When used as a verb, the subject of khasira can be either a person or an act. For instance, when a person experiences loss, it is said: khasira fulān. And when one’s trade venture is not successful, it is said: khasirat tijāratuhu.
The word khusrin is indefinite, which can show either of two things: (1) emphasis and aggrandizement of the loss; (2) a specific type of loss, other than the loss of wealth or status, as God says: Those who have lost (khasirū) themselves and their families on the Day of Resurrection—Look! That is a manifest loss (khusrān) ().
إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالْحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالصَّبْرِ ٣
(103:3) Except those who believe and do righteous deeds, and enjoin one another to [follow] the truth, and enjoin one another to [have] patience.
The last verse implies that humans in general are in loss. This verse qualifies that by exempting those who clothe themselves in faith and righteous deeds; they shall be safe from loss.
The Book of God makes it clear that humans have an eternal life which does not end with death. Death is but a transfer from one abode to another, as was explained in the exegesis of the verse: from replacing you with your likes and recreating you in [a realm] you do not know (). The Qur’an clarifies that there are two halves to human existence. One half is the life of this world, in which humans are tested, and which determines how their life shall be in the other half. It determines whether they will have a happy or wretched eternal life. God says: but compared with the hereafter, the life of this world is but a [trifling] enjoyment (); Every soul shall taste death, and We will test you with good and ill by way of test ().
The Qur’an explains that it is one’s beliefs and deeds in this life which will manifest in the next life. That is how this life is a prelude to the next. True beliefs and righteous deeds are the foundation of happiness in the next life, while disbelief and corruption are the foundation of wretchedness there. God, says: that nothing belongs to man except what he strives for, and that he will soon be shown his endeavor, then he will be rewarded for it with the fullest reward (); Whoever is faithless shall face the consequences of his faithlessness, and those who act righteously only prepare for their own souls (); Whoever acts righteously, it is for his own soul; and whoever does evil, it is to its detriment (32:46). God calls what human beings will encounter in the afterlife jazāʾ and ajr (reward, compensation, payment, profit, remuneration) in many verses.
From all of this, it becomes clear that life is the capital of humans, which they invest to earn an eternal livelihood in the hereafter. If they follow the truth in their beliefs and actions, their investment will multiply, their earnings will be blessed, and they will be safe from future harm. But if they follow falsehood and turn away from faith and righteous deeds, they will lose out on their investment, and will be deprived of good in the hereafter. This is the meaning of: Indeed man is in loss. Except those who believe and do righteous deeds, and enjoin one another to [follow] the truth, and enjoin one another to [have] patience ().
… those who believe…: What is meant by “belief” here is believing in God. Then an implication of believing in God is believing in all of His messengers and the afterlife. Elsewhere God says explicitly that if someone rejects some of God’s messengers or the afterlife, then that person lacks belief in God.
… and do righteous deeds…: Apparently this expression encompasses all good deeds. Therefore, the exception in this verse would not include sinful believers who fall short in performing certain righteous deeds. This means that loss () in this chapter is meant in a general sense: It is not limited to total loss in all aspects, as in the case of a militant atheist who opposes the truth deliberately; but also includes loss in certain aspects, as in the case of a wicked believer who will be sentenced to hell for a temporary period, and will then come out through intercession or other means.
… and enjoin one another to [follow] the truth: What is meant here is advising and recommending each other to follow the truth and to be steadfast on it. After all, that is the meaning of true religion: following the truth in belief and action. Enjoin one another to the truth is more comprehensive than enjoining good and forbidding evil (al-amr bil-maʿrūf wa al-nahy ʿan al-munkar), because it also includes the beliefs, as well as any form of encouragement and urging toward righteous deeds.
Therefore, enjoin one another to [follow] the truth is itself a subset of do righteous deeds. This makes it a case of stating the specific after the general, in order to show emphasis and importance. Similarly, enjoining one another to patience is an application of enjoining the truth. Therefore, the last part of the verse—and enjoin one another to [have] patience— is also a case of stating the specific after the general, meant to show emphasis and importance. This can be confirmed by the repetition of the verb enjoin one another, instead of saying “to truth and patience.”
The order of expression is also significant here. The verse first states their belief and righteous deeds. Then it adds that they also advise each other to the truth and patience. This shows that their hearts have been revived, and their breasts have been opened toward submitting to God. Thus they are particularly attentive to, and fully concerned with, bringing about the complete dominance of the truth, and spreading it among all people, so that it may be followed forever. God, says: Is someone whose breast Allah has opened to submission so that he follows a light from His Lord…? But shame on those whose hearts have been hardened to the remembrance of Allah. They are in manifest error ().
The word patience is mentioned in an unqualified form. Therefore, it would encompass all types of patience, including: (1) patience in the way of God’s obedience; (2) patience in avoiding God’s disobedience; and (3) patience in the face of afflictions and hardships that befall one by God’s decree and destiny.
Examining Narrations
- Regarding Except those who believe… () Imam al-Ṣādiq said: He has excepted His select servants.
Author’s comment: In the continuation of this hadith, the Imam matches “belief” with belief in the wilāyah (divine guardianship, spiritual authority) of Imam ʿAlī. He also matches “enjoining to truth” with enjoining one’s descendants and progeny about this [wilāyah].
- Ibn ʿAbbās said: By the time! Indeed man is in loss (): This refers to Abū Jahl b. Hishām. Except those who believe and do righteous deeds (): This refers to ʿAlī and Salmān.