Al-'Asr العصر
The Declining Day
Al-'Asr swears by time itself — al-'asr, the declining day, the stretch as it runs out — to make a claim that applies to everyone without exception: humanity is in loss. The exception is narrow and specific: those who believe, do righteous deeds, and urge one another toward truth and toward steadfastness. Imam al-Shafi'i is reported to have said that if people reflected on nothing but this surah, it would be enough for them — its three verses compress belief, action, and a communal obligation (calling others to truth and patience, not just holding them privately) into a single argument about what makes a life not wasted. Its brevity makes it one of the first surahs taught to new memorizers, but its claim — that time is the one resource being spent whether or not it's noticed — is not a beginner's point.
وَٱلْعَصْرِ
By the declining day,
إِنَّ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ لَفِى خُسْرٍ
man is [deep] in loss,
إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ وَتَوَاصَوْا۟ بِٱلْحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوْا۟ بِٱلصَّبْرِ
except for those who believe, do good deeds, urge one another to the truth, and urge one another to steadfastness.
Arabic text and translation (M.A.S. Abdel Haleem) via the Quran.Foundation API.
Frequently asked
Three verses.
Meccan, revealed in Makkah.
"The declining day" or "time" — the surah opens by swearing an oath on time as it passes.
Belief, righteous deeds, urging one another to truth, and urging one another to patience (steadfastness) — verse 3 names all four as necessary together.