The Way to Salvation - The Minimum Conditions and Essential prerequisites of Salvation

The Minimum Conditions and Essential prerequisites of Salvation:

This surah describes only the minimum conditions and the essential prerequisites for salvation, not the highest stages of achievement, nor the lofty ranks of success and accomplishment. 

It explains the minimum demanded of us for our salvation. Anything less would be failure. It does not mention first or second division, grades ‘A’ or ‘B’ of success, but only states the mere passing grade, the minimum requirement for our success.

This second conclusion has very important implications for our actions. The extreme decadence of the moral and practical life of Muslims is a result of their forgetting this injunction of the Glorious Quran. 

The realization that this is the minimum standard of success will necessarily produce the proportionate effort, struggle, and sacrifice for achieving it. People who strive for the lofty ranks and sublime stages of religious excellence are rare. 

Most men only try to fulfil the minimum requirements for salvation in one way or another. This is why in this glorious surah the minimum demands of salvation have been described in simplest terms so that people may dedicate themselves to its achievement according to their capability.

Source: The Way to Salvation (Book by Dr Israr Ahmed)

The Way to Salvation - The Criterion of Success and Failure

The Criterion of Success and Failure

The most important truth flowing forth from this surah is Allah’s presentation of the real criterion of man’s success and failure.

Every person keeps in his mind a criterion of success and failure, of gain and loss. All his endeavours and the whole struggle of his life in this world is directed according to this criterion. An intellectually mature person is rarely found who does not have an appointed goal or an ideal before him. Even small children, specially the more intelligent ones, keep before them a standard of achievement. They concentrate their energies on the attainment of their goals.

If we were to look around in our society as well as to search our hearts and minds, we would find that in this age, the real criterion of success or failure is wealth and property, or status, honour, fame and ostentation, or worldly power. All but a few are running after these things. They expend their energies for these purposes. The minds of most of our students are directed towards obtaining degrees in science or technology, so that they may earn a lot of money or achieve status, position or power. The achievement of these things is their criterion of success or failure.

The paramount truth which comes to our minds by studying Surah Al-’Asr is very different from this. In other words, the criterion of man’s success is neither money or wealth, nor status, position, power, or ostentation. Rather its first condition is ‘Faith’, the second is ‘righteous deeds’, the third is ‘exhortation to truth’, and the fourth is ‘exhortation to patience’.

By this criterion, a person who does not possess the above four qualities is unsuccessful and will never achieve his real goal, and in the end he will be a loser, though he might be a millionaire, even a billionaire like Qarun and __ might__  have highest status, position, and power, even kingship like Pharaoh or Herod. Conversely any one who has these four prerequisites is successful and triumphant, even if he has no worldly wealth or property, and may be penniless, homeless, friendless, unknown, unhonoured and starving.

If you reflect deeply over it, you will find that acknowledging this truth is very easy, but its realization in your heart and soul is very difficult. We are living in a world of cause and effect, and we are bound to be influenced by its external features. When we see that comfort, prosperity, honour and reputation is due to wealth and worldly resources, we involuntarily rush to get these things, so much so that we forget to distinguish between right and wrong, legal and illegal, approved and forbidden. In other words, the reformation of our attitudes and the righteousness of our actions depends upon changing our criteria of our success and failure, gain and loss. This is the real lesson of this unique surah.

With a little contemplation it will become clear that if the simple truth stated in this great surah is engraved on our heart and penetrates our soul, it will revolutionize our point of view, change our values, and transform radically our day to day life. What was thought most important before will appear to be most trivial, and what was insignificant before will become significant.

The great transformation which was brought about in the lives of the Companions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was the result of this deep-rooted change in their point of view. In their sight this world arid whatever is in it seemed insignificant as compared to the achievement of Allah’s pleasure and that of the Prophet. This is the real lesson of this magnificent surah, and everyone should keep it in mind so that it may be infused in his heart and soul.

Source: The Way to Salvation (Book by Dr Israr Ahmed)

The Two Levels of Understanding Quran

The Two Levels of Understanding Quran

Before describing the significance of this surah, it is important to state the fundamental principle that the Quran can be comprehended on many levels. The real lesson which is implicit in any surah or verse of the Holy Quran should be made explicit in order that the basic guidance regarding hu-man conduct may be attained. 

The Glorious Quran calls this Tazakkur-bil-Quran, i.e., realizing through the Quran the fundamental truths implicit in human nature. From this point of view, the Glorious Quran is the easiest of books to understand. 

The highest stage of contemplation of Quranic verses has been termed Tadabbur-i-Quran, which means reflecting and pondering over every word deeply, in order to deduce the philosophy and the wisdom of the Holy Book. In this sense the Holy Quran is the most difficult of books as it is not easy to attain the depth of its meaning.

In this paper, I will describe clearly and in detail the basic guidance obtained through the application of Tazakkur-bil Quran to Surah Al-’Asr. I will also include some hints concerning Tadabbur-i-Quran so that those who are interested in the deeper contemplation of the Quran may also benefit.

The English Translation of Surah AI-’Asr:

A simple translation of the surah is as follows:

1. By Time,
2. Verily all human beings are in loss,
3. Except those who have achieved ‘Faith’, have performed Righteous deeds, and have emphasized to each other the teaching of ‘Truth’ and (the value of) ‘Patience’ (perseverance and constancy).

Analysis of the Translation:

The three verses in this surah form one complete sentence. The first verse “Wal-’Asr” is an oath. The second verse describes a general rule. The third verse describes an exception from that general rule. Combined together, all the three verses constitute a single statement.

Please implant this simple statement firmly and clearly in your mind. And by pondering over it, you should deduce four conclusions which are the basic lessons of this surah.

Source: The Way to Salvation (Book by Dr Israr Ahmed)

Four Fundamental Points Regarding Surah Al-’Asr:

 Surah Al-’Asr:

1. The first point is that this is one of the earliest surahs of the Glorious Quran to be revealed. It was revealed to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in the earliest period of his prophet hood in Makkah.
2. The second point is that it is one of the shortest surahs of the Glorious Quran as it has only three verses, the first of which is comprised of only one word “WaI-Asr”.
3. The third point is that it is one of the most comprehensive surahs of the Glorious Quran. The Holy Quran is a book of guidance for all mankind, which has been revealed to guide mankind on the road to success and salvation. This path of salvation towards which the Holy Quran guides us has been described with utmost brevity and comprehensiveness in this short surah.The whole Glorious Quran is like a tree, and this short surah is its seed. And as a seed contains the total potentiality of a whole tree, Surah Al-’Asr contains the essence of the Holy Quran.This is why some reports of the Companions of the Holy Prophet (may Allah be pleased with them) indicate that whenever two of them met and sat together they never parted without reciting Surah Al-’Asr to each other.

And this can be the reason why Imam Al-Sha’feii (may Allah bless him) has said about this surah that if the people were to ponder over this surah alone, it would suffice for their guidance. He has also been reported as saying that if nothing else would have been revealed in this Glorious Quran except this surah then this surah would have been sufficient for man’s guidance.

4. The fourth point is that the wording of this surah is very simple and easy to understand. The masterpieces of literature of every language are sublime in subject matter and meaning but so simple in style and wording that they can be understood by all. This is why such pieces of literature are easily accessible to everyone. The Glorious Quran is the most eminent masterpiece of Arabic literature and in its totality can be understood easily. But this short surah is the best example of the most lucid surahs of the Holy Quran. Though it is very complete and all-embracing, not a single high-sounding or elusive word has been used in it. Its words are familiar even to those who are only acquainted with Urdu or Persian, and do not know Arabic.

Source: The Way to Salvation (Book by Dr Israr Ahmed)