Verily Man is in a State of Loss

Explanation of Surah Al-`Asr by:

Ash-Shaikh Abdur-Rahman As-Saadee

  (رحمه اللّه)

Allâh The Most High says in Surah Al-`Asr which was revealed in Makkah,

1. By Al-'Asr (the time).

2. Verily! Man is in loss,

3. Except those who believe (in Islâmic Monotheism) and do righteous good deeds, and recommend one another to the truth (i.e. order one another to perform all kinds of good deeds (Al-Ma'rûf) which Allâh has ordained, and abstain from all kinds of sins and evil deeds (Al-Munkar) which Allâh has forbidden), and recommend one another to patience (for the sufferings, harms, and injuries which one may encounter in Allâh's Cause during preaching His religion of Islâmic Monotheism or Jihâd, etc.).

The Most High has sworn by Al-`Asr (the time), which is the night and the day, the place of the servants actions and deeds, that every person is a loser (or is in loss), and the state of loss is the opposite of gaining.

The loser is of various differing degrees.  If could be absolute (un-restricted) loss, like the one who loses this life and the next, losing the bliss of paradise and deserving the hell fire.

It could also be loss from one angle or direction without the others (restricted), and because of this Allâh has generalized this state of loss for every individual person except the one who is characterized with four attributes.

1. Imân (Faith) in what Allâh has ordered to have imân in, and imân does not exist without knowledge, consequently it (knowledge) is a branch from it (imân) which is not completed except with it (knowledge).

2.  Righteous actions: this is inclusive of all good deeds; the apparent, the hidden, those connected to the right of Allâh and the right of the servants, the obligatory (wâjib) and the commendable (mustahab).

3.  Recommending or advising with the truth, which is imân (faith) and righteous actions: meaning advising one another with that, inciting towards and arousing interest in it.

4.  Recommending or advising with patience with the obedience of Allâh and with (abstaining from) disobedience of Him, and with His painful decrees.

With the first 2 affairs the person completes him/herself, with the last 2 affairs he/she completes others, and with the completion of all 4 affairs the individual person has escaped loss and achieved a great gain.

Excerpt taken from:تيسير الكريم الرحمن  

Translated by:  Eesa John Starling

October 5, 2005