Ayah Study
Surah Al-Asr (سُورَةُ العَصۡرِ), Verse 2
Ayah 6178 of 6236 • Meccan
إِنَّ ٱلْإِنسَٰنَ لَفِى خُسْرٍ
Translations
The Noble Quran
EnglishVerily, man is in loss,
Muhammad Asad
EnglishVerily, man is bound to lose himself
Fatah Muhammad Jalandhari
Urduکہ انسان نقصان میں ہے
Tafsir (Commentary)
Tafsir al-Sa'di
Salafi Approvedأن كل إنسان خاسر، والخاسر ضد الرابح.والخسار مراتب متعددة متفاوتة:قد يكون خسارًا مطلقًا، كحال من خسر الدنيا والآخرة، وفاته النعيم، واستحق الجحيم.
Tafsir al-Muyassar
Salafi Approvedأقسم الله بالدهر على أن بني آدم لفي هلكة ونقصان. ولا يجوز للعبد أن يقسم إلا بالله، فإن القسم بغير الله شرك.
Tafsir Ibn Kathir
Salafi Approvedفأقسم تعالى بذلك على أن الإنسان لفي خسر أي في خسارة وهلاك.
Tafsir Ibn Kathir
Which was revealed in Makkah How `Amr bin Al-`As was aware of the Qur'an's Miracle due to this Surah They have mentioned that `Amr bin Al-`As went to visit Musaylimah Al-Kadhdhab after the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was commissioned (as a Prophet) and before `Amr had accepted Islam. Upon his arrival, Musaylimah said to him, "What has been revealed to your friend (Muhammad ﷺ ) during this time" `Amr said, "A short and concise Surah has been revealed to him." Musaylimah then said, "What is it" `Amr replied; وَالْعَصْرِ - إِنَّ الإِنسَـنَ لَفِى خُسْرٍ - إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ الصَّـلِحَـتِ وَتَوَاصَوْاْ بِالْحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوْاْ بِالصَّبْرِ (By Al-`Asr. Verily, man is in loss. Except those who believe and do righteous deeds, and recommend one another to the truth, and recommend one another to patience.) So Musaylimah thought for a while. Then he said, "Indeed something similar has also been revealed to me." `Amr asked him, "What is it" He replied, "O Wabr (a small, furry mammal; hyrax), O Wabr! You are only two ears and a chest, and the rest of you is digging and burrowing." Then he said, "What do you think, O `Amr" So `Amr said to him, "By Allah! Verily, you know that I know you are lying." I saw that Abu Bakr Al-Khara'iti mentioned a chain of narration for part of this story, or what was close to its meaning, in volume two of his famous book Masawi' ul-Akhlaq. The Wabr is a small animal that resembles a cat, and the largest thing on it is its ears and its torso, while the rest of it is ugly. Musayli- mah intended by the composition of these nonsensical verses to produce something which would oppose the Qur'an. Yet, it was not even convin- cing to the idol wor- shipper of that time. At-Tabarani recorded from `Abdullah bin Hisn Abi Madinah that he said, "Whenever two men from the Companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to meet, they would not part until one of them had recited Surat Al-`Asr in its entirety to the other, and one of them had given the greetings of peace to the other." Ash-Shafi`i said, "If the people were to ponder on this Surah, it would be sufficient for them." بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Al-`Asr is the time in which the movements of the Children of Adam occur, whether good or evil. Malik narrated from Zayd bin Aslam that he said, "It is the evening." However, the first view is the popular opinion. Thus, Allah swears by this, that man is in Khusr, which means in loss and destruction. إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ الصَّـلِحَـتِ (Except those who believe and do righteous good deeds) So Allah makes an exception, among the species of man being in loss, for those who believe in their hearts and work righteous deeds with their limbs. وَتَوَاصَوْاْ بِالْحَقِّ (And recommend one another to the truth,) This is to perform acts of obedience and avoid the forbidden things. وَتَوَاصَوْاْ بِالصَّبْرِ (And recommend one another to patience.) meaning, with the plots, the evils, and the harms of those who harm people due to their commanding them to do good and forbidding them from evil. This is the end of the Tafsir of Surat Al-`Asr, and all praise and thanks are due to Allah.
Tafsir Ibn Kathir
Salafi Approvedمختصر نقصان اور اصحاب فلاح و نجات :عصر سے مراد زمانہ ہے جس میں انسان نیکی بدی کے کام کرتا ہے، حضرت زید بن اسلم نے اس سے مراد عصر کی نماز یا عصر کی نماز کا وقت بیان کیا ہے لیکن مشہور پہلا قول ہی ہے اس قسم کے بعد بیان فرماتا ہے کہ انسان نقصان میں ٹوٹے میں اور ہلاکت میں ہے ہاں اس نقصان سے بچنے والے وہ لوگ ہیں جن کے دلوں میں ایمان ہو اعمال میں نیکیاں ہوں حق کی وصیتیں کرنے والے ہوں یعنی نیکی کے کام کرنے کی حرام کاموں سے رکنے کی دوسرے کو تاکید کرتے ہوں قسمت کے لکھے پر مصیبتوں کی برداشت پر صبر کرتے ہوں اور دوسروں کو بھی اسی کی تلقین کرتے ہوں ساتھ ہی بھلی باتوں کا حکم کرنے اور بری باتوں سے روکنے میں لوگوں کی طرف سے جو بلائیں اور تکلیفیں پہنچیں تو ان کو بھی برداشت کرتے ہوں اور اسی کی تلقین اپنے ساتھیوں کو بھی کرتے ہوں یہ ہیں جو اس صریح نقصان سے مستثنیٰ ہیں۔ سورة والعصر کی تفسیر بحمدللہ ختم ہوئی۔
Additional Authentic Tafsir Resources
Access comprehensive classical Tafsir works recommended by scholars, available online for free
Tafsir Ibn Kathir
The greatest of tafseers - interprets Quran with Quran, Sunnah, Salaf statements, and Arabic
Tafsir As-Sa'di
Excellent tafsir by Shaykh Abdur-Rahman As-Sa'di - simple expressions with tremendous knowledge
Tafsir At-Tabari
Comprehensive and all-inclusive tafsir by Ibn Jarir At-Tabari - earliest major running commentary
Tafsir Al-Baghawi
Trustworthy classical tafsir - Ma'alim al-Tanzil by Al-Husayn ibn Mas'ud al-Baghawi
Scholarly Recommendation: These four tafseers are highly recommended by scholars. Tafsir Ibn Kathir is considered the greatest for its methodology of interpreting Quran with Quran, then Sunnah, then Salaf statements, and finally Arabic language. Tafsir As-Sa'di is excellent for its clarity and simple expressions. All sources are authentic and freely accessible.
Hadith References
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Additional Tafsir Resources (Altafsir.com)
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Related Hadiths
Sunan Abu Dawud - Hadith 4859
Narrated AbuBarzah al-Aslami: When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) intended to get up from the assembly he used to say in the last. Glory be to Thee. O Allah, and I begin with praise of Thee, I testify that there is no god but Thou; I ask Thy pardon, and return to Thee in repentance. The man asked: Messenger of Allah! you utter the words now which you did not do in the past? He replied: (This is an) atonement for what takes place in the assembly