Oaths · a Light

A three verse chapter swears by time itself

Surah al-Asr has three verses. It swears by al-asr, which carries the age, or time, or the late part of the afternoon, and then states that mankind is in loss, except those who believe and do right and counsel one another to truth and counsel one another to patience. That is the entire chapter. A remark attributed to al-Shafi'i and quoted by Ibn Kathir in his commentary says that if people weighed only this chapter it would be enough for them. Companions are reported to have recited it to each other on parting. The exception clause is the shortest complete account of what the Qur'an asks: belief, action, truth between people, endurance.

Surah al-Asr, three verses

Source · Qur'an 103:1-3