Tayseer al-Kareem ar-Rahman

Surah al-'Asr
(Meccan surah)
/ (1) < (2) (4) <

day. "By the declining day. Lo! man is in a state of loss , Save those who believe and do good works , and exhort one another to truth and exhort one another to endurance .." "

By Shaykh 'Abdur Rahman as-Sa'di [died 1376 after hijrah] Translated by Abu Sulaymaan Muhammad Ibn Baker www.abusuliyman.multiply.com

Tayseer al-Kareem ar-Rahman

Tafsir
Sheikh 'Abdurrahman as-Sa'di  concerning this surah said: Allah swore by time (itself); by definition it consists of the night, the day, the places where servants (perform) their activities and deeds. Allah swears that every human being (and jinn) is ruined. Its counterpart by definition (of ruin/loss) is gain/success. Ruin can be categorized in a variety of ways. Indeed the unrestricted loss is that state of whoever has forfeited the worldly life and the hereafter; the demise of his happiness resulting in him deserving the Jaheem [i.e. hellfire]. And indeed the person is ruined in some aspects less than others. For this reason Allah has generalized that lost for every person except for whoever is distinguished with these four characteristics: Emaan (Belief) in what Allah has commanded along with believing in Allah. Belief does not occur without acquiring religious knowledge (first). Emaan is a branch that stems from religious knowledge and Emaan is incomplete unless it is accompanied by religious knowledge. Righteous deeds, this encompasses all acts of good in totality, outwardly and inwardly related to the rights of Allah (over the creation) and the rights of His servants (towards one another) those acts that are obligatory as well as highly recommended. Mutually advising to the truth, having faith in it and performing righteous deeds. That is advising each other upon that, urging one another in that fashion and calling/inviting to it (the truth). Mutually advising to have patience in obeying Allah, abstaining from disobeying Him and bearing His decree that is distressing.

By Shaykh 'Abdur Rahman as-Sa'di [died 1376 after hijrah] Translated by Abu Sulaymaan Muhammad Ibn Baker www.abusuliyman.multiply.com

Tayseer al-Kareem ar-Rahman

So perfecting the first two characteristics (Belief & Righteous deeds) the person is able to achieve completeness within his soul. And with the last two characteristics (Mutually advising upon the truth and patience) the person causes others to become more complete. So with the perfection of these four matters the person becomes secure from destruction and is able to accomplish an enormous benefit.

By Shaykh 'Abdur Rahman as-Sa'di [died 1376 after hijrah] Translated by Abu Sulaymaan Muhammad Ibn Baker www.abusuliyman.multiply.com