Quran / Surah 103
سورة العَصر
103. Al-Asr
The Declining Day, Epoch · 3 ayat · Meccan
Verified Quran text · Tanzil Uthmani, Hafs from 'Asim · checked at every updateScholar review: awaiting
- Source
- The Tanzil Project Uthmani text, version 1.1, produced from the Madinah Mushaf (King Fahd Complex).
- How we got it
- Downloaded directly from tanzil.net on 29 September 2026. It is never edited or retyped.
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- Human review
- This surah has not yet been checked by our scholars against the printed Madinah Mushaf. That review is in progress.
Guidance for this surahDraft · awaiting review
Time. Three ayat that sum up how to live: faith, good deeds, and encouraging each other to truth and patience.
- Using time well
- Faith and action
- Community
What it’s about
God swears by time, then says that every human being is at a loss, except those who (1) believe, (2) do good, (3) encourage each other to the truth, and (4) encourage each other to patience.
Why it matters for you
Imam ash-Shafi’i is reported to have said that if people reflected on this surah alone, it would be enough for them. Notice that two of the four qualities are about others: faith isn’t only a private thing.
Key ayat
وَٱلْعَصْرِ ١
وَالۡعَصۡرِۙ ١
103:1 (I swear) by the Time,
إِنَّ ٱلْإِنسَٰنَ لَفِى خُسْرٍ ٢
اِنَّ الۡاِنۡسَانَ لَفِىۡ خُسۡرٍۙ ٢
103:2 man is in a state of loss indeed,
إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ وَتَوَاصَوْا۟ بِٱلْحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوْا۟ بِٱلصَّبْرِ ٣
اِلَّا الَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا وَ عَمِلُوا الصّٰلِحٰتِ وَتَوَاصَوۡا بِالۡحَقِّ ۙ وَتَوَاصَوۡا بِالصَّبۡرِ ٣
103:3 except those who believed and did righteous deeds, and exhorted each other to follow truth, and exhorted each other to observe patience.
The whole surah: people are in loss, except those with four qualities.
Themes with ayat from this surah: Patience
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
بِسۡمِ اللهِ الرَّحۡمٰنِ الرَّحِيۡمِ
وَٱلْعَصْرِ ١
وَالۡعَصۡرِۙ ١
103:1 (I swear) by the Time,
إِنَّ ٱلْإِنسَٰنَ لَفِى خُسْرٍ ٢
اِنَّ الۡاِنۡسَانَ لَفِىۡ خُسۡرٍۙ ٢
103:2 man is in a state of loss indeed,
إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ وَتَوَاصَوْا۟ بِٱلْحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوْا۟ بِٱلصَّبْرِ ٣
اِلَّا الَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا وَ عَمِلُوا الصّٰلِحٰتِ وَتَوَاصَوۡا بِالۡحَقِّ ۙ وَتَوَاصَوۡا بِالصَّبۡرِ ٣
103:3 except those who believed and did righteous deeds, and exhorted each other to follow truth, and exhorted each other to observe patience.
Arabic text: Tanzil Project (tanzil.net), verified at every build, and cross-checked against Quran.com. Translations: Mufti Taqi Usmani and Shaykh al-Hind Mahmud al-Hasan (via Quran Foundation, Quran.com), and Marmaduke Pickthall. Word meanings: Quran Foundation. Recitation: Mishary Rashid Alafasy. About our sources.