I don’t know about you but as a working mom, time is very constrained. I find myself too often rushing through my prayers, doing lip service and not getting into my heart what I am trying to accomplish through my prayers. One of my favorite surahs that I recite is Al-asr and not for its contents but because it’s one of the shorter surahs. However, actually sitting down and contemplating this surah, it has a lot of advice on how to be successful in this life and the next. There are many tafseers on the surah that you can find, so I won’t really go into depth. It is also one of the most beloved surahs among the sahaba and they rarely met without reciting this surah.

In the beginning of this surah, Allah is taking an oath by “time” which is a creation of Allah, one that is constantly ticking from the moment we are born. Surely, we cannot gain more time, so we are always in a state of  loss for it. Allah then goes on to explain that the only path to salvation are four things, having belief, doing good and righteous deeds, and helping each other in the quest for truth and patience. These are the only things that will outlast our time on this Earth and travel with us to the next. I pray that I can make even one rakat with khushoo and that we all stand up for the Truth and help each other bear our losses with patience, ameen.