What Does “Loss” Mean in the Quranic Verse “Surely Humanity Is in (Grave) Loss”?
Answered by Shaykh Anas al-Musa
Question
What is the interpretation of “loss” in the verse “Surely humanity is in (grave) loss.” [Quran, 103:2]?
Answer
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
All praise is due to Allah, Lord of all worlds. Peace and blessings be upon the Messenger sent as a mercy to the worlds, our Master and Prophet, Muhammad, and his Family and Companions.
The Verse in Context: Surat al-‘Asr
This verse appears in Surat al-‘Asr, where Allah (Most High) says:
“By the (passage of) time! Surely humanity is in (grave) loss, except those who have faith, do good, and urge each other to the truth, and urge each other to perseverance.” [Quran, 103:1-3]
Humanity
“Surely humanity is in (grave) loss”: The term “humanity” here refers to the entire human race. However, an exception is made for a specific group: “Except those who have faith, do good.”
Understanding “Loss” in the Verse
“By the (passage of) time! Surely humanity is in (grave) loss”: Our Lord swears by “al-‘Asr” (time or the passing of time), which encompasses all that people experience—day and night, the changing of events, circumstances, and interests.
Through all these changes, Allah (Most High) emphasizes that humanity is in a state of loss, destruction, and deviation from the truth in their dealings, endeavors, and worldly pursuits, except for those whom Allah (Most High) excludes from this loss.
The Exception: Faith, Good Deeds, and Truth
“Except those who have faith, do good, and urge each other to the truth, and urge each other to perseverance.” This means that mankind is indeed in a state of loss, deprivation, and destruction, except for those who combine faith in Allah with righteous deeds. These individuals are in profit, not in loss, because the worldly life did not distract them from the Hereafter.
Additionally, those who advise one another to uphold the well-established truth that cannot be denied, and those who encourage one another to be patient in performing Allah’s obligations, avoiding disobedience to Him, and enduring His decrees and trials, are also among those who are not in loss.
Conclusion
In conclusion, a Muslim who is preoccupied with worldly matters, allowing them to dominate his life, should remember that Allah (Most High) has decreed loss for all people, except for those who possess four qualities: faith, righteous deeds, advising each other to truth, and advising each other to patience. May Allah help us and you to uphold these qualities.
May Allah bless the Prophet Muhammad and give him peace, and his Family and Companions.
[Shaykh] Anas al-Musa
Shaykh Anas al-Musa, born in Hama, Syria, in 1974, is an erudite scholar of notable repute. He graduated from the Engineering Institute in Damascus, where he specialized in General Construction, and Al-Azhar University, Faculty of Usul al-Din, where he specialized in Hadith.
He studied under prominent scholars in Damascus, including Shaykh Abdul Rahman al-Shaghouri and Shaykh Adib al-Kallas, among others. Shaykh Anas has memorized the Quran and is proficient in the ten Mutawatir recitations, having studied under Shaykh Bakri al-Tarabishi and Shaykh Mowfaq ‘Ayun. He also graduated from the Iraqi Hadith School.
He has taught numerous Islamic subjects at Shari‘a institutes in Syria and Turkey. Shaykh Anas has served as an Imam and preacher for over 15 years and is a teacher of the Quran in its various readings and narrations.
Currently, he works as a teacher at SeekersGuidance and is responsible for academic guidance there. He has completed his Master’s degree in Hadith and is now pursuing his Ph.D. in the same field. Shaykh Anas al-Musa is married and resides in Istanbul.
