Al-Asr, (, The Declining Day, Eventide, The Epoch, Time) is the 103rd chapter (sūrah) of the Qur’ān, the Muslim holy book. It contains three āyāt or verses. Surat al-‘Asr is the third shortest chapter after Al-Kawthar and Al-Nasr, being shorter than Al-Nasr by only two words in the 3rd verse.۝ By the afternoon; ۝ verily man employeth himself in that which will prove of loss: ۝ except those who believe, and do that which is right; and who mutually recommend the truth, and mutually recommend perseverance unto each other. Summary 1-2 Men generally seek for gain and find loss 3 The righteous, however, are the exception to this rule Text and meaning Text and transliteration Hafs from Aasim ibn Abi al-Najud ¹ ² ³ Warsh from Nafiʽ al-Madani ¹ ² ³ Meaning By Al-'Asr (the time). Verily! Man is in loss, Except those who believe (in Islamic Monotheism) and do righteous good deeds, and recommend one another to the truth (i.e. order one another to perform all kinds of good deeds (Al-Ma'ruf) which Allah has ordained, and abstain from all kinds of sins and evil deeds (Al-Munkar) which Allah has forbidden), and recommend one another to patience (for the sufferings, harms, and injuries which one may encounter in Allah's Cause during preaching His religion of Islamic Monotheism or Jihad, etc.). 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. By (the Token of) Time (through the ages), Verily Man is in loss, Except such as have Faith, and do righteous deeds, and (join together) in the mutual teaching of Truth, and of Patience and Constancy. By the declining day, Lo! man is a state of loss, Save those who believe and do good works, and exhort one another to truth and exhort one another to endurance. Timing and contextual background of revelation Regarding the timing and contextual background of the revelation (asbāb al-nuzūl''), it is an earlier "Meccan surah", which means it is believed to have been revealed in Mecca, instead of later in Medina. According to some, it follows sūrah 94 in the chronological order of the Quran. Theme and subject matter This sura teaches that all human beings are in loss, except those who have iman (faith in Islam), do righteous deeds and remind others of the Haqq