بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
العصر
Al-Asr
The Declining Day • 3 Ayahs
Meccanوَٱلۡعَصۡرِ
اس زمانہ محبوب کی قسم
إِنَّ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ لَفِي خُسۡرٍ
بیشک آدمی ضرور نقصان میں ہے
إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَٰتِ وَتَوَاصَوۡاْ بِٱلۡحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوۡاْ بِٱلصَّبۡرِ
مگر جو ایمان لائے اور اچھے کام کیے اور ایک دورے کو حق کی تاکید کی اور ایک دوسرے کو صبر کی وصیت کی
About Surah Al-Asr
Surah Al-Asr (العصر) is the 103rd chapter of the Holy Quran. It contains 3 verses and is a Meccan Surah.
Read with Urdu translation (Kanz ul Iman) and English translation (Sahih International). Listen to audio recitation by multiple world-renowned reciters including Mishary Alafasy, Sudais, Shuraim, Husary, and more.
About Surah Al-Asr
Al-Asr is one of the shortest surahs in the Quran — just three verses — arguing that all of humanity is in loss except those who have faith, do righteous deeds, and mutually encourage truth and patience.
Number
103rd surah
Verses
3
Revelation
Meccan
Meaning
The Declining Day
Why read it
Its brevity and completeness make it one of the most quoted surahs for reflection on how one spends their life.
Key point
Imam al-Shafi'i: "If people were to reflect upon this surah, it would be sufficient for them" (Tafsir Ibn Kathir)
Historical Context
A short Meccan surah, among the most concise complete arguments in the Quran — three verses constructing a full case about human loss and its exceptions, without narrative or extended legal detail.
Main Themes
The default state: loss
Verse 2 opens with a stark claim — humanity, by default and across time, is in loss (khusr) — before immediately naming the way out.
Four conditions that reverse it
Verse 3 lists exactly four things that exempt a person: faith (iman), righteous deeds ('amal salih), mutually enjoining truth, and mutually enjoining patience — the last two framed as communal, not solitary, obligations.
Important Verses
103:1-3
The full argument
"By time. Indeed, mankind is in loss, except for those who have believed and done righteous deeds and advised each other to truth and advised each other to patience." Three verses, a complete thesis — among the reasons it's so frequently quoted for its density.
Hadith & Popular Descriptions
We include authenticity grading for each narration below — not every widely-repeated description of a surah comes from an equally strong source.
Imam al-Shafi'i's reflection
"If the people were to reflect upon Surat al-'Asr, it would be enough for them."
This is a statement from Imam al-Shafi'i, a scholar, reported in Tafsir Ibn Kathir (103:1) — it is not a hadith of the Prophet ﷺ, and we label it as a scholarly reflection rather than a prophetic saying.
Frequently Asked Questions about Surah Al-Asr
What is Surah Al-Asr about?
Al-Asr is one of the shortest surahs in the Quran — just three verses — arguing that all of humanity is in loss except those who have faith, do righteous deeds, and mutually encourage truth and patience.
How many verses are in Surah Al-Asr?
Surah Al-Asr contains 3 verses (The Declining Day). It is the 103rd surah of the Holy Quran.
Is Surah Al-Asr Makki or Madani?
Surah Al-Asr is a Makki surah — it was revealed in Makkah before the Hijrah.
What are the benefits of reading Surah Al-Asr?
Its brevity and completeness make it one of the most quoted surahs for reflection on how one spends their life.
Where can I read Surah Al-Asr with Urdu translation?
You can read Surah Al-Asr above with the full Arabic text, Urdu translation (Kanz ul Iman), and English translation (Sahih International), plus audio recitation.
Is the famous Imam Shafi'i quote about this surah a hadith?
No — it's a statement from Imam al-Shafi'i himself, a major scholar, reported in Tafsir Ibn Kathir. It's a scholarly reflection on the surah's weight, not a saying of the Prophet ﷺ.
Why is "advising each other to truth and patience" listed as a condition?
The verse frames these as communal, not just personal — faith and good deeds alone aren't the complete picture; actively encouraging others toward truth and patience is presented as part of avoiding loss, not an optional extra.