zainab bala
Allah is sufficient.
Assalamu alaikum.
Today I figured I’d give some reflections on what appears to be so many people’s favorite Surah to recite in their salaat. My own reflections aren’t really worth too much, so I’ll make more references to other people’s. Surat al-Asr (Surat #103 in the Holy Quran) is very short, only three verses, and is considered a Makki surah. A translation of the meaning of the Surah is:
Verse 1: By (the token of) time.
Verse 2: Verily! Man is in loss.
Verse 3: Except those who believe and do good works, and enjoin on each other truth, and enjoin on each other patience.
I want to share an awesome analogy Br. Nouman Ali Khan made to this surat when he came to speak at Hopkins. Imagine that you are asleep and yet you are drowning in water. You don’t realize that you are drowning since you are asleep so you cannot save yourself (Verses 1-2). Now, imagine you wake-up and acknowledge and realize you are drowning (Verse 3: except those who believe). Now that you realize you are drowning, you have to try to start swimming for your survival and salvation (Verse 3: and do good works). Nevertheless, consider that you realize when you are drowning, that your family and friends are chained to you. Therefore, they are taking you deeper in the water with them. What do you have to do? You have to try to wake them up so that they realize you and them are both drowning (Verse 3: and enjoin on each other truth). Now, consider this, one of your uncles is a very heavy sleeper. He refuses to wake-up. What are you going to do? Would you give up and let him take you down? No! Of course, you would continously try to keep waking this uncle of yours up until you either survive or die (Verse 3: and enjoin on each other patience).
What an awesome analogy of Surat al-Asr! I love this analogy. Imam Shafii (rahmatullah) had stated that if only people truly considered this Surat well enough, it would suffice enough for their guidance. Abdullah bin Hisn ad-Darimi Abu Madinah narrated that whenever any two of the Companions met they would not part company until they had recited Surah al-Asr to each other (found in Tabarani). Insha’Allah, we all can benefit greatly from this awesome Surah!
Today I figured I’d give some reflections on what appears to be so many people’s favorite Surah to recite in their salaat. My own reflections aren’t really worth too much, so I’ll make more references to other people’s. Surat al-Asr (Surat #103 in the Holy Quran) is very short, only three verses, and is considered a Makki surah. A translation of the meaning of the Surah is:
Verse 1: By (the token of) time.
Verse 2: Verily! Man is in loss.
Verse 3: Except those who believe and do good works, and enjoin on each other truth, and enjoin on each other patience.
I want to share an awesome analogy Br. Nouman Ali Khan made to this surat when he came to speak at Hopkins. Imagine that you are asleep and yet you are drowning in water. You don’t realize that you are drowning since you are asleep so you cannot save yourself (Verses 1-2). Now, imagine you wake-up and acknowledge and realize you are drowning (Verse 3: except those who believe). Now that you realize you are drowning, you have to try to start swimming for your survival and salvation (Verse 3: and do good works). Nevertheless, consider that you realize when you are drowning, that your family and friends are chained to you. Therefore, they are taking you deeper in the water with them. What do you have to do? You have to try to wake them up so that they realize you and them are both drowning (Verse 3: and enjoin on each other truth). Now, consider this, one of your uncles is a very heavy sleeper. He refuses to wake-up. What are you going to do? Would you give up and let him take you down? No! Of course, you would continously try to keep waking this uncle of yours up until you either survive or die (Verse 3: and enjoin on each other patience).
What an awesome analogy of Surat al-Asr! I love this analogy. Imam Shafii (rahmatullah) had stated that if only people truly considered this Surat well enough, it would suffice enough for their guidance. Abdullah bin Hisn ad-Darimi Abu Madinah narrated that whenever any two of the Companions met they would not part company until they had recited Surah al-Asr to each other (found in Tabarani). Insha’Allah, we all can benefit greatly from this awesome Surah!
