(Revealed before Hijrah)
By general agreement the Surah was revealed in the early years of the Call. Western writers, besides Muslim Commentators of the Qur’an, assign it to that period. The preceding Surah had dealt with man’s strong passion for amassing wealth and worldly goods, and with its evil consequences. In the present Surah we are told that a purposeless life, having no good ideals to pursue goes waste; and that material progress and prosperity cannot save a people if they do not possess faith and do not lead clean and pure lives. This is the unfailing testimony of Time. Drunk with their great material resources and power, prestige and prosperity, disbelievers, especially the Western Christian nations, labour under the misconception that these things will never see decline or diminution. On the other hand, Muslims seem to have despaired of their future. The Surah relates particularly to the present time. It may, however, be taken to relate also to the Holy Prophet’s own time, since by Al-‘Asr is meant his time also.