Surah Al-Asr, one of the shortest chapters but no less consequential, is named after the afternoon prayer that takes place once the sun has declined sufficiently from noontime, Asr being one of the five daily prayers required of a faithful Muslim. Asr is a time that clearly shows that the day is on the decline. This symbolism is then blended in the chapter with life, which after its prime, is also in a decline. Such parallelism is then used to draw attention to the fundamental purpose in life – faith and good work, as shown below in my English rendering of the 103rd chapter of the Arabic Qur’an
In the Name of God, the God of Mercy and the Endower of Mercy!
By the declining Day (asr)
Human beings are, indeed, in a state of loss
Unless they believe (iman)
And do good (swaliha)
And exhort one another to truth (haqq)
And exhort one another for patience (sabr)
The implication is that only way to stop this decline in life, which cannot be stopped physically since every human will taste death sooner or later, but life’s true worth is based on faith in God and good work such that the inevitable loss can not only be reversed but instead filled with continued increase if we deepen our faith and accumulate good work over a lifetime. Faith and good work are the only currency with can be exchanged in the afterlife while all our material currencies stay back in the world that we leave behind when we die.
What is equally important is the way one exercise faith and goodness – it is through seeking and adhering to truth and exercising patience to deliver good work. Chapter 90 in verse 17 adds a third dimension which is empathy as shown below in my English rendering
Those who respond with faith (iman)
Inspire one another for patience (sabr)
Inspire one another for compassion (marhama)
In other words, the foundation of faith and goodness can only be built on the pillars of truth, patience and empathy -somethings we can all pay attention to in this time of chaos, falsehood and arrogance.
