Benefits from Surah al-'Asr

⦁ Benefits from Surah al-'Asr

All Praises are due to Allah, and may the Peace and Blessings of Allaah be showered upon the Noble Messenger.
To Proceed: Allah says in Surah al-'Asr:
"By the 'Asr, Indeed all of mankind is in a state of loss, Except those who have eemaan, Conduct righteous actions, Call each other to the Truth, And call each other to having patience."
'Asr here means time. So there are three opinions as to what it is:

1 - The time from the creation of the world till the Day of Judgement
2 - The duration of the Prophethood of Muhammad SAW
3 - Salat-ul-'Asr
When Allah says 'By the `Asr', He is making an oath. So Allaah is swearing by al-'Asr. Allah can swear by anything He wants, as He can use anything to be His witness. However, we as Muslims, are not allowed to swear by anything or anyone except by Allah, His Names or His Attributes. The Prophet SAW said: "Whoever swears by other than Allaah has indeed committed kufr [disbelief] or shirk [polytheism]."
So this is a prohibition for us to swear by anything or anyone except Allah. Then Allah says: "Inna al-insana la fee khusr" [Indeed mankind is in loss] Here Allaah could have said: "Al-Insanu fee khusr" [mankind is in loss] But, rather, He emphasised this sentence by the addition of 'inna' and 'la'. This is only done if this there is some doubt or rejection of the sentence. In the Arabic language one would not use 'inna' or 'la' except if someone may have doubt in what is being said. So one would emphasise what he is saying by adding these two words. Likewise, it is not necessary to use the 'la', as Allaah could also have just used 'inna': "Inna al-insana fee khusr" So He added the 'la' for extra emphasis. So Allaah emphasised the fact that mankind - the human race as a whole - are in loss, in three ways:
1 - Using an oath
2 - Using 'Inna'
3 - Using 'la'
He did this due to the fact that the kuffar [disbelievers] rejected the fact that they would be in loss unless they possessed the four qualities mentioned later in the soorah. So the emphasis means that we pay special attention to what is coming next. We should want to know how we can be excluded from the general rule of being in a state of loss. So Allaah then says:
"Except those who have eemaan"
Eemaan can be loosely translated as faith. However, a definition of eemaan, as stated by Shaykh-ul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, would be: "Eemaan is statement and action - statement of the heart and the tongue, and action of the heart, the tongue, and the limbs. It increases with obedience [of Allah] and decreases with disobedience." So we can see that eemaan consists of five parts:

1. STATEMENT OF THE HEART
This is known as tasdeeq, or the firm beliefs that a person holds, which admits no doubt, whatsoever. E.g.: with respect to Allah, His Angels, Books, Messengers, Qadr [Predestination], the Last Day etc.

2. STATEMENT OF THE TONGUE
This is when a person proclaims his belief, eg when he says: 'I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah'.

3 - ACTION OF THE HEART
This refers to the different states and feelings of the heart. Things like love, hope, fear, reliance and trust in Allah, etc.

4 - ACTION OF THE TONGUE
Things like making dhikr of the tongue, such as saying subhan Allah. Or like giving da'wah - enjoining the good and forbidding the evil, etc..

5 - ACTION OF THE LIMBS
Things like salaah, zakaah, sawm, hajj etc. As eemaan consists of these different parts, we should see that it would not remain constant. One's strength of belief increases and decreases, his love, hope, fear, etc increase and decrease. Therefore, we should see that eemaan increases with obedience to Allah, and decreases with disobedience.
Next Allah says: "And do righteous actions"
So here Allaah has separated eemaan from righteous actions by saying:
"Except those who have eemaan and do righteous actions."
Does this mean that eemaan is separate from actions. Does this not mean that actions are not part of eemaan as mentioned above? The answer is no. Here Allah is emphasising action. So He mentions a general point [eemaan] followed by a specific [actions]. This can be shown by the next aayah:
"And enjoin each other to the Truth."
Enjoining each other to the Truth is da'wah. Giving da'wah is from the 'righteous actions'. So Allah mentioned da'wah to emphasise it from the many 'righteous actions'. In a similar way, Allah says:
"Say, whoever is an enemy to Allah, the Angels, the Prophets, Jibreel and Mikaa`el; then Allaah is an enemy of the disbelievers" [Surah Baqarah].
Here, Allah mentions the angels and then later on mentions Jibreel and Mikaa`eel. But Jibreel and Mikaa`eel are both angels. So why did Allah mention them? This is, as we mentioned, in order to emphasise Jibreel and Mikaa`eel, as some people did indeed hate these two angels. So likewise, Allah mentions actions after eemaan - even though actions are part of eemaan - due to the fact that some people would reject the fact that they must do righteous actions, and that belief is enough! As we often hear from some people who make excuses for their neglecting compulsory good deeds: "But God knows what's in my heart" or "It is what's in my heart that counts".... As for the righteous action, then it has two conditions:
1 - It must be founded upon a CORRECT INTENTION.
That is: it must be done sincerely for the sake of Allah. It must not be done to show off, or for the purpose of any saint, or other individual. The proof of this is the statement of the Prophet SAW: "Indeed actions are but by intention, and every man shall get what he intends."

2 - It must be done ACCORDING TO THE SUNNAH of the Messenger SAW. The proof of this is the statement of the Prophet SAW: "Whoever introduces something in this affair of ours [ie Islaam], then it will be rejected." Then Allah continues: "And enjoin each other to the Truth." This means da'wah, or calling others to Islam. So it is not enough to have the correct beliefs and righteous actions. One must call to that. The messenger SAW said: "Narrate from me even if it is an aayah." There are a number of conditions of da'wah:

1 - CORRECT INTENTION
As we mentioned earlier, every good deed must be founded upon a correct intention, due to the statement of the Prophet SAW: "Indeed actions are but by intention, and every man shall get what he intends." Da'wah is not excluded from this.

2 - KNOWLEDGE
One must have knowledge of what he is calling to and how to call to it. Allah says: "Say [O Muhammad]: This is my path. I call to it UPON SURE KNOWLEDGE, I and those who follow me."

3 - WISDOM
Allah says: "Call to the way of your Lord with wisdom and a good admonition." So we should be gentle at times, and harsh at other times. We should employ tadarruj [graduation] not giving all of Islaam at once. Da'wah can be of many types: with the pen by writing books, giving advice, giving speeches…

4 - PRACTISING WHAT WE PREACH
Allah says: "O you who believe! Why do you say that which you do not do?" Allah completes the Soorah by saying: "And enjoin others to having patience [Sabr]."

There are three categories of SABR:
1 - Sabr in being obedient to Allah
2 - Sabr against being disobedient to Allah
3 - Sabr against the Qadr [predestination] of Allah, such as when calamities occur etc.
So we ask Allaah ta'aalaa to make us of those who have eemaan, do righteous actions, call to that, and then have patience. And all Praises belong to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds.
Source: Reference Link

⦁ The value of Asr prayer

 

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful Allah the Almighty said: “[Such niches are] in mosques which Allah has ordered to be raised and that His name be mentioned therein; exalting Him within them in the morning and the evenings (36) [Are] men whom neither commerce nor sale distracts from the remembrance of Allah and performance of prayer and giving of zakah. They fear a Day in which the hearts and eyes will [fearfully] turnabout -” [An-Nur 24:36-37]

Transliteration:
Fee buyootin athina Allahu an turfaAAa wayuthkara feeha is-muhu yusabbihu lahu feeha bialghuduwwi waalasali (36) Rijalun la tulheehimtijaratun wala bayAAun AAan thikri Allahi waiqami alssalati waeetai alzzakatiyakhafoona yawman tataqallabu feehi alquloobu waalabsaru

In these two verses Allah the Almighty is praising men who are not diverted
by their business from glorifying Him; glorifying here is the prayer and the
remembrance of Allah.
O Brothers of faith
The Holy Quran has mentioned the Fajr and the 'Asr prayers, and the Messenger of Guidance; Muhammad, peace be upon him, has shown their status in the
Sunnah. Our subject matter in this short pamphlet is about the virtues of Fajr and 'Asr prayers, which Allah has ordered us to perform, so he said:
“and exalt [Allah] with praise of your Lord before the rising of the sun and before its setting, [Qaf 50:39]

Transliteration:
wasabbih bihamdi rabbika qabla tulooAAi alshshamsi waqabla alghuroobi

I will cite what I remember of what is mentioned about them and divide it into three parts:
- What is mentioned about the 'Asr prayer,
- What is mentioned about the Fajr prayer,
- What is mentioned about both of them.
⦁ The value of 'Asr prayer
There is no doubt that the Asr prayer has a prestigious high status so that Allah
has sworn by it in His Book: “By Al-‘Asr (the time)” [Al-'Asr 103:1]

Transliteration:
WaalAAasri

Al-Hasan and Qatada said that: What is meant by it is the nightfall after sunset.
Muqatil said: what is meant by it is the 'Asr prayer which is the middle prayer
which Allah ordered us to maintain.
Mentioning the 'Asr prayer in particular after generalizing all prayers indicates
its distinction, Allah the Almighty said:
“Maintain with care the [obligatory]prayers and [in particular] the middle prayer and stand before Allah, devoutly
obedient.” [Al-Baqarah 2:238]

Transliteration:
Hafithoo AAala alssalawati waalssalati alwusta waqoomoo lil-lahi qaniteena

And it is being selected that the meaning of the middle prayer is the 'Asr prayer,
it is established in the two Sahih (Al-Bukhari and Muslim) through Mohammed bin Sirin through 'Ubeida Al-Salmani through Ali ibn Abi Talib that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said the day (of the Battle) of Ahzab: "they diverted us from the middle prayer: the 'Asr prayer, may Allah fill their hearts and homes with fire". [Authenticated by Ahmad Shaker]
To make false oaths during the time of 'Asr prayer is more punishable than in any other time. The two Sheikhs (Al-Bukhari and Muslim) through Al-A'mash through Abu Salih that Abu Huraira narrated that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said:
"There are three persons whom Allah will not look at on the Day of Resurrection, nor will he purify them and theirs shall be a severe punishment" and he mentioned:
"A man displayed his goods for sale after the 'Asr prayer and he said, 'By Allah, except Whom None has the right to be worshipped, I have been given so much for my goods,' and somebody believes him (and buys them)and he is a liar."

Whoever maintains the 'Asr prayer obtains double the reward as established by Imam Muslim in his Sahih through Khair ibn Na'im Al-Hadhrami through ibn Hubaira through Abu Tamim Al-Jishani through Abu Basra Al-Ghifari who reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, led us in the 'Asr prayer at(the place known as) Mukhammas, and then he said: “This prayer was presented to those gone before you, but they lost it, and he who guards it has two rewards in store for him."
Whoever misses this prayer, it is as if he lost his family and money; as established by the two Sheikhs (Bukhari and Muslim) through Malik through Nafi' through ibn ‘Umar who narrated that the Prophet, peace be upon, him said: "Whoever misses the ‘Asr prayers (intentionally), then it is as if he lost his family and property."

Whoever neglects performing it is due to receive severe threat from Allah; as
established by Imam Al-Bukhari in his Sahih through Yahya ibn Abu Kathir
through Abu Qallaba through Abu Al-Malih through Buraida that the Prophet,
peace be upon him, said: "Whoever omits the ‘Asr prayer, all his good deeds
will be lost."
Source: Reference Link
⦁ Some Virtues of the Asr Prayer and a Warning against Performing It When Its Time Period Elapses Without a Valid Sharia Excuse
In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy
The Prophet [sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam] said, ‘’Whoever misses the Asr prayer [i.e. intentionally] until it’s time elapses, it is as if he has lost his family and his wealth’’. [Ref 1]
Shaikh Muhammad Baazmool [may Allah preserve him] said: Why is the Asr prayer specifically mentioned and not the other prayers? The scholars say that perhaps the wisdom behind this is because the time of Asr is when the people are very busy in trade and roaming about in the markets. At present -سبحان الله – the time of Asr prayer is the hardest time for those engaged in professional occupations and the workers, for they return and relax in their houses and do not wake up until the time of Asr prayer elapses, so they are lackadaisical in this affair..
The Asr Prayer is great in the Sight of Allah. Allaah (The Blessed and Exalted) said:
[حَافِظُوا عَلَى الصَّلَوَاتِ وَالصَّلَاةِ الْوُسْطَىٰ وَقُومُوا لِلَّهِ قَانِتِينَ
– Guard strictly (five obligatory) As-Salawat (the prayers) especially the Salaatul Wustaa (middle Salaah – the best prayer). And stand before Allah with obedience] [Ref 2]
The scholars say that the meaning of Salat ul Wusta is the Asr prayer. It has been reported from the Messenger [sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam] that on the day of Al Ahzab – the day of the battle of Al Khandaq when the Arab tribes gathered to fight the Muslims – he said: ”O Allah! Fill their [i.e. the infidels] houses and graves with fire, as they busied us so much that we did not perform the middle Salat [(prayer)- i.e. Asr prayer] till the sun had set.’’ [Ref 3]
The Asr prayer also has other specific virtues. The scholars say that it is the time in which the angels of the night and the angels of the day get together- the angels who accompany or guard the children of Aadam. There are two time periods in which the angels gather – the angels of the day time get together at the time of Fajr and accompany the children of Adam from Fajr to Asr. And at Asr time, the angels of the night take over and accompany the children of Adam from Maghrib to Isha, and at Fajr they change shifts. The proof of this is the hadith reported by Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah [sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam] said: ‘’Angels come to you in succession by night and day, and all of them get together at the time of Fajr and Asr prayers. Those who have passed the night with you [or stayed with you] ascend [to the heaven] and Allah asks them, though He knows everything about you, ‘’In what state did you leave my slaves?’’ The angels reply: ‘’When we left them, they were offering Salat (prayer) and when we reached them, they were offering Salat.’’ [Ref 4]
Allaah [Glorified Be He and Free is He from all imperfections] said about the Fajr prayer:
[وَقُرْآنَ الْفَجْرِ ۖ إِنَّ قُرْآنَ الْفَجْرِ كَانَ مَشْهُودًا
– And recite the Qur’an in the early dawn (i.e. the morning prayer). Verily, the recitation of the Qur’an in the early dawn is ever witnessed (attended by the angels in charge of mankind of the day and the night). [Ref 5]
The scholars say that the reason behind this is because it (i.e. Fajr time) is the time in which the angels of the night and the angels of the daytime get together and likewise at the time of Asr Salaah, for they are two time periods in which the angels change shifts in order to accompany the children of Aadam. Therefore, a Muslim should be eager to perform the Asr prayer at its correct time and if he is preoccupied (i.e. without a valid shariah excuse) until it’s time elapses, then it is as if he has lost all his family and wealth.
[The End]
Source: Reference Link

Why does Allah make Oaths in the Qur’an