In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

The Messenger [peace and blessings of Allah be upon him] said, “Verily ahead of you is the era of patience during which (one’s firm) adherence (to the religion) will be the reward of fifty men”. [1]

Imam Muhammad Ibn Abdil Wahhaab [may Allah have mercy upon him] said: Know, may Allah have mercy upon you, that it is obligatory upon you to have knowledge of the four matters: (i) Knowledge (al – ‘ilm), which is knowledge and awareness of Allah, and knowledge of His Prophet, and knowledge of the religion of Islam with the proofs. (ii) Action upon that. (iii) Calling to that. (iv) Patiently persevering and bearing any harm encountered upon that way. The proof is the saying of Allah [The Most High]:

وَٱلۡعَصۡرِ
إِنَّ ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنَ لَفِى خُسۡرٍ
إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ وَتَوَاصَوۡاْ بِٱلۡحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوۡاْ بِٱلصَّبۡرِ

By time, mankind is in loss, except for those who truly believe and worship Allah alone, and do righteous deeds, performing that which is obligatory upon them and avoiding that which they are forbidden and enjoin one another with patient perseverance upon obedience to Allah and in facing harm and trials. [Surah Al ‘Asr]

Ash Shaafi’ee [may Allah have mercy upon him] said, “If Allah had sent down to His creation no other proof besides this Surah, it would have been sufficient for them”. [2]

Imam Ibn Qayyim [may Allah have mercy upon him] said: Imam Ash-Shaafi’ee [may Allah have mercy upon him] said, “If all the people pondered upon this Surah, it would have sufficed them”. [3]

The majority of the Qur’aan commentators hold that Al-Asr (Time) is Ad-Dahr (the time period in this world) and this is the statement that carries more weight based on the sound evidences. Allah made an oath by Al-Asr (Time) due to it being the period in which moral lessons and signs occur, for indeed the passing of night and day is under the Decree of the All-Mighty, the All-Knowing (Allah)- organised to serve the welfare of the universe (and its inhabitants) based on the most perfect order and organization; alternating with one another, sometimes not much difference between them and at other times one takes from the hours of the other; the difference between the light, the darkness, the heat and the cold; the different time periods divided into generations, years, months, days, hours and what is lesser than that! These are all signs (creations) of the Lord [The Exalted] and a Burhaan [i.e. proof that clarify and distinguish between truth and falsehood in everything] from the Baraaheen [proofs] regarding Allah’s All-Encompassing Perfect Ability and Wisdom (free from all imperfections, faults, deficiencies, shortcomings).

Allah made an oath by Time and that is the period within which human beings perform deeds for which one will either receive punishment or a good recompense. He gave a notification about Time, which is the Mab’da [i.e. the beginning within which humans perform deeds] and notified the performers of deeds about the Ma’aad [the Hereafter], and that just as He was not unable to initiate the beginning, likewise He is not unable to establish the Hereafter; and that His Wisdom, which necessitated the creation of Time, the performers of deeds and their deeds, and categorized them into good and bad deeds, (i.e. deeds chosen by the person after being given free will and shown guidance through the Messengers) establishes the fact that the people are not equal, and it cannot be that the good doer will not receive a good recompense and that the evil doer will not be recompensed for his evil, and it cannot be that there will not be two groups- the gainers and the losers; but rather the human being in essence is a loser, except the one whom Allah shows mercy, guides, blesses him with Iman, the ability to perform righteous deeds himself and the ability to command others. The opposite of this person is the other one who is reduced to the lowest of the low, except those who believe (in Islamic Monotheism) and do righteous deeds, then they shall have a reward without end (Paradise). [4]

[1] Saheeh al-Jaami 2234

[2] Translation of the “Explanation of the Three Fundamental Principles” By Shaikh Abu Talhah [may Allah have mercy upon him and his wife]

[3] An Excerpt from Miftaah Daarus Sa’aadah page 61. slightly paraphrased

[4] An Excerpt from At-Tibyaan Fee Aqsaam Al-Qur’aan 83-88. slightly paraphrased]