This is a translation from Dr Fadhel Saleh Al-Samarra’i’s لَمَسات بَيانِيَّة لِسُوَر القُرْآن الكَرِيم ‘Rhetorical Perceptions in the Surahs of the Holy Qur’an.’ Dr Fadhel (b.1933) is a former Professor of Literature at the College of Arabic Language at the University of Sharjah. His full biography can be read here.

Surah Al-‘Asr

وَٱلْعَصْرِ

By the ˹passage of˺ time!

إِنَّ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ لَفِى خُسْرٍ

Surely humanity is in ˹grave˺ loss,

إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ وَتَوَاصَوْا۟ بِٱلْحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوْا۟ بِٱلصَّبْرِ

except those who have faith, do good, and urge each other to the truth, and urge each other to perseverance.

The Purpose of the Surah

This Meccan surah is remarkably concise in wording yet profound in meaning. Imam al-Shafi’i said of this surah: “If Allah Almighty had revealed nothing else in the Quran but Surah al-‘Asr, it would have sufficed for humanity.” This is because Islam ultimately rests on four pillars: iman, righteous deeds, mutual exhortation to truth (التواصي بالحق) for the sake of upholding the deen on earth, and mutual exhortation to patience (التواصي بالصبر), since upholding the deen exposes one to hardship and difficulty, requiring patience (الصبر) to endure it in the pursuit of its victory (نصرة) and the call to Allah.

Those who do not follow the path approved by Allah Almighty are among the losers, (إن الإنسان لفي خسر) “Surely humanity is in ˹grave˺ loss”.

This surah corresponds to Surah al-Fatihah, with the phrase (اهدنا الصراط المستقيم) “Guide us to the straight path” corresponding to the verses (وتواصوا بالحق وتواصوا بالصبر) “and urge each other to the truth, and urge each other to perseverance.”

This surah contains all the essential elements of civilization, including the importance of time and work. Time is a fundamental factor in the rise of nations and civilizations, and thus, the importance of time, work, mutual exhortation to truth, and patience are among the most important pillars of human civilization. The oath in this surah is sworn by one of Allah Almighty’s creations, (والعصر) “By time” which refers to eternity and time, as mentioned in many verses within this section (الجزء).

The Rhetorical Perceptions in the surah

The position of the surah within its context in the Holy Quran

This surah falls between two losses. The first loss (الخُسْر) is that of those who were distracted by worldly gain before it; these people are in loss until they visit the graves i.e. Surah Al-Takathur. The second loss is in Surah Al-Humazah, concerning those who amassed wealth and counted it until they were cast into the crusher (Al-Humazah).

The first loss is the vision of Hell (لَتَرَوُنَّ ٱلْجَحِيمَ) “You will surely see Hellfire”, and the other loss is the casting into the crusher (كَلَّا ۖ لَيُنۢبَذَنَّ فِى ٱلْحُطَمَةِ) “No! He will surely be cast into the crusher”. So this surah falls between two losses. I swear that humankind is in loss except for those whom our Lord has exempted.

This is the natural order according to precedence, meaning seeing Hell before entering it. They see it, then they enter it. So, the vision of Hell is mentioned in Surah At-Takathur, then their casting into the crusher is mentioned in Surah Al-Humazah. So, first they saw it, then they were cast into it, and this is the natural order according to precedence.

Interestingly, Surah At-Takathur, in which they see Hell, is preceded by Surah Al-Qari’ah, in which “people are like scattered moths” (يَكُونُ ٱلنَّاسُ كَٱلْفَرَاشِ ٱلْمَبْثُوثِ). This precedes the vision of Hell, so the order is: they were like scattered moths, then they saw Hell, then they were cast into the Crusher. In Al-Qari’ah, people are like scattered moths, then they see Hell, then they are cast into the Crusher. Thus, it is arranged according to precedence.

Surah Al-‘Asr therefore falls between two losses: the aforementioned loss and a loss before and after it, and the suitability and appropriateness of this order is amazing.

What is the significance of the oath by time (‘asr) in this surah?

One of the linguistic meanings of (العَصْر) is time (الدَهْر) i.e. (العُصُور) which means ages or eras. Our Lord swore by time because it is a witness to what He swore upon: (إِنَّ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ لَفِى خُسْرٍ) “Surely humanity is in ˹grave˺ loss.”

Time (الدَهْر) is the greatest witness, and (العَصْر) is the greatest witness to what He swore upon, which is that humanity is in loss, some of whom perished, some were killed and some were punished. Whoever gave life to a living person who did not believe was a loser in all aspects of life, except for these four qualities (belief, good deeds, encouraging truth and encouraging patience). So if you wish to know this, ask time, for it is the best witness to what He swore upon. Time is the witness that humanity is in loss, except for these categories. There is no doubt that time, history, and the ages are precise witnesses to what befell the unbelieving human beings.

One might ask why Allah did not swear by another time, such as dawn (الفَجْر) or forenoon (الضُحَى), in this surah, even though He swore by them in other places? This is because if He had sworn by them, it would not have been a phase for bearing witness. Dawn is not a phase for bearing witness, as people are still in the beginning of time so there is no witness. As for the afternoon (العصر), a long period has passed, and it has been said that it is the time of the afternoon prayer (صلاة العصر), and this is one of its meanings. Among its meanings are time and the time of the afternoon prayer, and both meanings are intended in the surah.

The afternoon prayer itself—that is, a person now, from morning until evening—has enough time to know the truth about people from the beginning of time until the afternoon. The Prophet ﷺ, as mentioned in the hadith, was sent from the afternoon until sunset. So this is a sufficient period for bearing witness, and many events occurred during it.

As for dawn, when people have not yet awakened, how can it be a witness, and how can it be evidence of their being in loss? This is not a sufficient period for indicating bearing witness. If Allah had said forenoon, the same would be true; there would not have been enough period of time for bearing witness. Dawn is the beginning of the day, and forenoon is its beginning, and likewise sunset (المغرب).

Sunset is the setting of the sun, so the setting of life and the end of the world. What would be the benefit of bearing witness? The world has passed away, and people have gone to their reckoning, so what is the point of citing evidence?

Therefore, the most appropriate time for oaths and proofs is the afternoon, a sufficient period from the beginning of the day until just before sunset. Enough time to provide evidence and indication of what a person does in this long life.

It is noteworthy that when peoples (القَوْم) are mentioned after oaths by times, there is a connection between the people and what is being sworn by. For example, when He said, (والفجر) “By the dawn,” and after mentioning the dawn, He said, (ألم تر كيف فعل ربك بعاد) “Have you not seen how your Lord dealt with ‘Ad?” and ‘Ad was among the first peoples after Noah.

When He swore by the forenoon, (والشمس وضحاها) “By the sun and its brightness,” He said, (كذبت ثمود بطغواها) “Thamud denied [the truth] through their transgression,” because Thamud came after ‘Ad, and the forenoon comes after the dawn.

Hence, there is a connection between oaths by time and peoples; when peoples are mentioned, it is a connection to the time by which the oath is sworn, as a milestone in the history of all humanity.

So, the word ‘Asr’ means both ‘time’ and ‘the time of the afternoon prayer,’ and both are intended because ‘Asr’ is the best witness to man and the loss he has caused.

What is the significance of the pattern (خُسْر)?

Allah Almighty said: إِنَّ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ لَفِى خُسْر “Surely humanity is in ˹grave˺ loss.” Sometimes He uses “loss,” (خُسْر) sometimes (خُسْران) and sometimes (خَسَار), so what is the significance of (خُسْر) here?

Firstly, it doesn’t say that man is a loser (خاسِر), it says that humanity is in loss (خُسْر), meaning he is falling into loss, except for those whom Allah has exempted. So, throughout his life, he is falling into loss, not just in a business transaction, but throughout his entire life, except for those whom Allah has exempted.

The term “loss” (الخُسْر) is used to denote general (عُمُوم) or absolute (مُطْلَق) loss (الخَسارَة). Every person is in a state of loss, whether small or large, except for those who possess four qualities (belief, good deeds, encouraging truth and encouraging patience). Whoever falls short in these qualities will suffer loss to the extent of that deficiency.

That is, whoever falls short in good deeds (عمل صالح) will suffer loss to the extent of that deficiency. Therefore, on the Day of Resurrection, every person will blame himself, for he could have done more of something but did not. Every believer will see that he lost something he could have done more of but did not. This is loss (خُسْر).

As for (الخَسَار), the Qur’an only used it to indicate an increase in loss (الخَسارَة). If someone is a loser and increases in loss, he is called a loser (خَسَار).

If someone is already losing and their loss increase, that’s called a (خَسَار). Therefore, the Quran uses this term for an increase (زِيادَة) in loss, meaning anything added to the loss beyond the initial loss.

Allah says,

وَنُنَزِّلُ مِنَ ٱلْقُرْءَانِ مَا هُوَ شِفَآءٌۭ وَرَحْمَةٌۭ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ۙ وَلَا يَزِيدُ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ إِلَّا خَسَارًۭا

We send down the Quran as a healing and mercy for the believers, but it only increases the wrongdoers in loss.[1]

The wrongdoers (الظالِمِينَ) are in loss, so the Qur’an increases their loss. The wrongdoer is a loser and increases his loss.

وَلَا يَزِيدُ الْكَافِرِينَ كُفْرُهُمْ إِلَّا خَسَارًا

And the disbelievers’ disbelief only increases their loss.[2]

The verb “increases” (يَزِيد) here is used only to indicate further loss (خَسَار).

وَٱتَّبَعُوا۟ مَن لَّمْ يَزِدْهُ مَالُهُۥ وَوَلَدُهُۥٓ إِلَّا خَسَارًۭا

and they followed ˹instead˺ those ˹elite˺ whose ˹abundant˺ wealth and children only increase them in loss[3]

The word (خَسَار) here is used to indicate further loss.

As for the ultimate loss (الخُسْران), it is the greatest and most severe loss.

خَسِرَ الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةَ ذَلِكَ هُوَ الْخُسْرَانُ الْمُبِينُ

He has lost both this world and the Hereafter. That is the manifest loss.[4]

He has not lost anything minor or insignificant, but rather he has lost both this world and the Hereafter.

قُلْ إِنَّ الْخَاسِرِينَ الَّذِينَ خَسِرُوا أَنفُسَهُمْ وَأَهْلِيهِمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ أَلَا ذَلِكَ هُوَ الْخُسْرَانُ الْمُبِينُ

Say, “Indeed, the losers are those who will lose themselves and their families on the Day of Resurrection. Unquestionably, that is the manifest loss.[5]

Therefore, (الخُسْر) is absolute loss, and (الخَسَار) is an increase in loss, and (الخُسْران) is the most severe loss.

The word (الخَسَار) contains an additional “alif” to the word (الخُسْر). When loss increases, the letter “alif” is added i.e. (الخَسَار), and when loss increases further, the letter “alif” and “nun” are added i.e. (الخُسْران).

Therefore, (الخُسْر) is the beginning, and (الخَسَار) is beyond that, and (الخُسْران) is the greatest loss. The masdar (verbal noun) increases in length to indicate an increase in loss. This is a Quranic usage, and that is why Allah challenged them with it.

What are the rhetorical perceptions in the exception (اِسْتَثْنَى)?

Allah Almighty made an exception (اِسْتَثْنَى) in this verse,

إِلَّا الَّذِينَ آَمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالْحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالصَّبْرِ

except those who have faith, do good, and urge each other to the truth, and urge each other to perseverance.

What are the rhetorical perceptions in this verse?

Two types of righteous deeds are mentioned: self-perfection, which is “those who believe and do righteous deeds”, and the perfection of others, which is “they enjoin one another to truth and enjoin one another to patience”. Therefore, there are two types of righteous deeds: perfecting oneself through faith and good deeds, and perfecting others through enjoining one another to truth and enjoining one another to patience.

A person should not only be patient (صابِر), but also enjoin one another (يَتَواصَى) to build a society (المُجْتَمَع). They advise one another not only to be on the truth (الحَقّ) but also to be on the truth and to advise others to be on the truth, and to be patient and to advise others to be patient. They advise one another to be patient after advising one another to be on the truth, because advising one another to be on the truth sometimes creates problems, because the truth is bitter, and the one you advise to be on the truth may become angry, so he needs patience.

The one giving the advice should be patient with the harm others cause. Patience in upholding the truth, patience in abstaining from desires, patience in performing acts of obedience, patience in the harm others cause, and patience in the face of trials are all important.

The verse uses the absolute (مُطْلَق) term “patience” (الصَبْر) and does not specify patience in this particular situation. They enjoin one another to patience in general, but it comes after enjoining one another to truth, because enjoining one another to truth can lead to harm and even destruction. If you advise an oppressor, he may harm you or even kill you, and this requires patience.

Therefore, enjoining one another to truth requires enjoining one another to patience, and enjoining one another to patience is absolute – enjoining one another to be patient in upholding the truth, in obedience, in faith, in righteous deeds, in abstaining from desires and sins, and in enduring calamities and afflictions such as death and illness. All of this requires patience.

Furthermore, enjoining one another to truth implies participation, meaning that they advise one another. This involves participation in building society, each person enjoining what they know, not what they are ignorant of. A discerning person should enjoin what they know, and each person should enjoin what they know to be true and patient.

Then there is the matter of: إِلَّا الَّذِينَ آَمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالْحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالصَّبْرِ “Except those who believe and do righteous deeds and enjoin one another to truth and enjoin one another to patience.” It could have been said, وتواصوا بالحق والصبر “and enjoin one another to truth and patience,” or تواصوا بالحق وبالصبر “enjoin one another to truth and to patience,” but it says, وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالْحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالصَّبْرِ “and enjoin one another to truth and enjoin one another to patience,” repeating the verb and the preposition to emphasize the importance of each. This is the highest level of emphasis. This is more emphatic than تواصوا بالحق والصبر “enjoin one another to truth and patience,” and more emphatic than تواصوا بالحق وبالصبر “enjoin one another to truth and to patience” where the preposition “baa” is mentioned, but the verb is not. The Qur’an’s verse is the most emphatic state. This is not merely repetition in the Quran, but rather it carries a guaranteed (مُؤَكَّدَة) indication.

The difference between the exception in Surah Al-‘Asr and Surah Al-Tin

In Surah Al-‘Asr, mutual exhortation (التواصي) is mentioned, while in Surah At-Tin, mutual exhortation is not mentioned along with إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ “except those who believe and do righteous deeds”. What is the significance of this?

In Surah At-Tin, regarding what saves one from the depths of Hell (النار), it says,

ثُمَّ رَدَدْنَاهُ أَسْفَلَ سَافِلِينَ إِلَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ

“Then We reduced him to the lowest of the low except for those who believe and do righteous deeds.”

This is sufficient to escape the depths of Hell. This is the minimum that will bring him out of the depths of Hell and into Paradise, but it does not save him from loss (خُسر) because he could have attained more. If he neglects something, he certainly loses something. If he neglects enjoining one another to truth or neglects enjoining one another to patience, he loses something. Enjoining one another to truth is a good deed, so neglecting it results in loss.

In Surah At-Tin, the minimum that saves one from Hell and admits him to Paradise is mentioned. What saves one from the lowest of the low? Faith and righteous deeds. Therefore, there is no need for enjoining one another to truth and righteous deeds.

In Surah Al-‘Asr what is وَتَوَاصَوْا۟ بِٱلْحَقِّ connected (معطوفة) to?

This is connected to the relative clause (صِلَة المَوْصُول), and all of these are related to the relative clause ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ وَتَوَاصَوْا۟ بِٱلْحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوْا۟ بِٱلصَّبْرِ “they believed and did righteous deeds and advised one another to truth and advised one another to patience”.

Why did the exception use the plural not the singular in the exception i.e. they believed instead of the one who believed?

The word “humanity” (الإِنْسان) is a generic term, not referring to a single individual. It doesn’t denote one specific person, but rather it is a generic noun (اِسْم جِنْس), and a generic term encompasses many, not just one. It indicates the generality of the species (جِنْس) and does not refer to a particular person.

We have the definite article “al-” (the) of generic meaning (أل الجِنْسِيَّة) and the definite article of a specific meaning (أل العهدية), as in “I bought the book.” Allah says,

وَبَدَأَ خَلْقَ الْإِنسَانِ مِن طِينٍ

And He began the creation of man from clay[6]

“Humanity” (الإِنْسان) here does not refer to one person as it starts with (أل الجِنْسِيَّة). “Humanity” encompasses the entire species and you can select from it whomever you wish. Those who believe are an exception to this category, which is larger than these.

فَمِنْهُمْ شَقِيٌّ وَسَعِيدٌ

Some of them will be miserable, others joyful.[7]

Those who are miserable (شقوا) are a group (jins), not just one. That is why Allah said,

فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ شَقُواْ فَفِي النَّارِ لَهُمْ فِيهَا زَفِيرٌ وَشَهِيقٌ

As for those bound for misery, they will be in the Fire, where they will be sighing and gasping[8]

وَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ سُعِدُواْ فَفِي الْجَنَّةِ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا

And as for those destined to joy, they will be in Paradise, staying there forever[9]

Thus, creation is such that some are miserable and some are joyful. Allah intended the species (الجنس), and the species is more general than the plural. A plural can be a group within the species, so men are a group within the human species. Therefore, the species is broader, and that is why we have the concept of the entire species (استغراق الجنس).

This is why when Allah says, (الذين آمنوا) “Those who believe,” they are a group of the species, and there are others.

He said, (وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالْحَقِّ) “And they enjoin one another to truth”. There is more than one person who advises others, otherwise how could they advise each other? So when He said, (إِلَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا) “Except those who believe,” this is a general term (الجنس), and when He said, (وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالْحَقِّ) “And enjoin one another to truth,” it implies that there is more than one.

Therefore, “Humanity” (الإِنْسان) is a generic noun (اِسْم جِنْس) that denotes plurality (الجَمْع) and is more general. Even in grammar (النَحْو), when you use the negative particle “la” (لا النافية) for the entire category (الجنس), where you say “no man” (لا رَجُل) it negates the entire genus, and is broader than saying “no men” (لا رِجال).

When one says “no men,” (لا رِجال) the plural is negated, but the singular and dual are not negated. But when we say “no man,” (لا رَجُل) the plural, singular, and dual are negated. “No man” negates the entire genus, not one, not two, not more, but is absolute (مُطْلَقَة).