Demi Waktu (By The Time)

1. By the time,

2. Behold, the man was actually being at a disadvantage,

3. Except those who believe and do righteous deeds and advised counsel to abide by the truth well-advised counsel to remain in patience.

In this letter, Allah swears by the phrase "By the time!". The goal gave the lesson that time is neutral, there is no specific time that causes harm or good fortune. The value of time is determined by how we fill it. If filled with a variety of good, would be a good time. However, if filled with things that are not meaningful, the time will cause harm.

As luck we get, we should be grateful to say Praise rabbil 'alamiin. Even when a failure, no need to curse the time. What should be done is to do introspection, so that they can fix the error. Rasulullah SAW said, "Do not revile the time, because God is the owner of the time!" (Narrated by Ahmad).

Al 'Asr is the time in which the events took place and activity. In this verse Allah swears by time. The goal that we watched carefully. Remember, we are bound real time. The dynamic nature of the time, move on. Our circumstances had changed in accordance with the passage of time. The problem, in which direction that change happen? According to a history, there are three possibilities. "Who are the quality and quantity of good deeds is the same today as yesterday, that people who were deceived time. Who are the quality and quantity of good deeds much worse today than yesterday, that the losers. Who are the quality and quantity of good works today better than yesterday that people who obtain mercy ".

Allah Almighty says, people will realize how expensive the time when the angel of death to pick up. His Word:

"And spend of what We have given you before death comes to one among you, and then he said," Oh my God, why have you not put off death until the time of close, which caused me to give charity and I am among those the righteous "(Surat al Munaafiquun 63: 10).

This verse confirms that there are people who just realized that he did not have picked up supplies hereafter as the angel of death. He then pleaded, "O Allah, death tangguhkanlah moment that I had a chance to do good works". Regret does not mean, because if the quota has been age, a second can not be extended. Death is mysterious but surely. No one knows except God, how many hours, days, months, or years from now the rest of our age, all mysterious.

Therefore, in surat Al 'Asr is God Almighty warned, "Behold, the man was actually being at a disadvantage". Said to be at a disadvantage if we do not fill the time with things that are useful. This verse is similar to Prophet Muhammad's warning that history is recorded in Bukhari, "There are two kinds of pleasure which human beings are often neglected, namely health and opportunity (time off)".

Imam Ali RA has mentioned, rizki which can not be obtained today can still be expected to be obtained tomorrow, but the time that passed today, could not be expected to return tomorrow. There are four ways that we do not become the people who neglect the time, fill it with:

1. Believe

Abstract nature of faith, inner dimension. Therefore, the most knowing whether one's faith is strong or weak is God Almighty. Faith is also volatile, meaning sometimes increased and sometimes decreased. In a history, mentioned that Al immanu yaziidu wa yanqushu (Faith was able to grow and can be reduced). Therefore, we must take care to remain vibrant faith that does not fall into those losers.

2. Doeth

The second point that can save people from harm is the good works. Good deeds is the activity undertaken with full awareness that the job benefits for himself or for another person. In addition, work is in accordance with the rules that have been determined. Thus, any work or creativity that we do with full awareness for the benefit of themselves, their families, or society, can be called good deeds. It must be remembered, that good works must be accompanied by the first points of faith, because it is based on good deeds without faith in God Almighty will be in vain.

3. Mutual intestate in truth

Haq Watawaashaubil advise each other means to hold fast to the truth. Al-haq said here means that truth is certain, namely Islam. So the human condition to avoid the loss is to know the nature of the truth of Islam, mengamalkanya, and pass it on to someone else. Anyone who does not want to invite other people to stick to the truth of Islam after he found out, he was included in the losers group.

Invite other people in the path of truth is not only the duties of the kiai, scholars, ustadz, or missionary institutions, but it is the duty of every individual. This obligation is addressed to every individual Muslim, when and where was seen kemungkaran, we must change it according to our ability levels. Advise each other to hold fast to the truth to do with science, full of wisdom, and use words that polite.

4. Mutual intestate in patience

Patience is a mental strength that makes people become resilient to face the exam. Wait so important for us to have. Allah calls wait as much as 103 times in the Qur'an in various contexts. Our souls must have patience because the test will always color our lives. At the very least, we should be able to wait in the face of five kinds of exams.

First, wait for exams such as the fear of life, poverty, hunger, disease, disappointment, or left to die by the people we love.

Second, patient desire for exams. Every time we have to fight subdue negative impulses that have on us. In us there are two kinds of lust. First, the passion of anger, the urge to perform a variety of violations. Second, lust muthmainnah, namely the urge to do the good.

Third, the patient in good works. In the good works we should be able to maintain sincerity at the time, as he did, or thereafter.

Fourth, the patient in telling the truth. When we invite others in the path of truth, we should really be patient because not every person we are going to receive.

Fifth, the patient with a variety of character. Every human being is unique, there is no exact same character. Allah SWT always recommend that we can control your emotions, have a forgiving spirit, friendly, generous, even ideally, we are able to repay evil with good people. Other people stingy, get even with generosity. Other people vindictive, get even with a forgiving spirit. It's easy to say but the implementation was not senudah we speak. To do this, it takes patience high. That's five tests that must go through with the patient.

In fact, we are given the same time by God, 60 seconds in one minute, 60 minutes in an hour, and 7 days a week. The issue is, will be filled with what time? Really great content meaning of surah Al 'Asr this. Imam Shafi'i said, if Muslims think about the content of this letter, undoubtedly the instructions they provide. May Allah give us strength to be able to fill the time with things that are meaningful. 

Aamen.