📢The Verdict is In: “Indeed, Mankind is in Loss”
After Allah swears by the fading light of Time, He delivers a sentence that should make every heart tremble. He doesn’t offer a “maybe” or a “perhaps.” He uses a linguistic structure that is emphasis upon emphasis.
“Innal-insāna la fī khusr”
“Indeed, mankind is surely in loss” (Qur’an 103:2)
👤Why “Insan”? A Personal Tap on the Shoulder
Allah didn’t use the word Nas (people) or Bashar (humanity as a biological group). He used Insan. When a teacher tells a whole class to be quiet, nobody listens. But when the teacher looks you in the eye and calls your name, you freeze. Insan points to you—individually and personally. By placing “Al-“ before Insan, Allah makes the statement more definite and absolute..
⚠️ A Heavy Weight: Emphasis Upon Emphasis
Why so much linguistic force? From the very start, Allah is stacking layers of certainty:
- The Oath: He begins by swearing by Time.
- Inna: He strengthens the statement with “Indeed.”
- La: He adds the “La” in la fī khusr for extra power.
- Fī: He places us inside the loss.
This much emphasis is given because human nature is rooted in forgetfulness. Allah uses this linguistic weight to remind us of the covenant we made before we were even born:
“ And (remember) when your Lord brought forth from the loins of the children of Adam their descendants and had them testify regarding themselves. ˹Allah asked,˺ “Am I not your Lord?” They replied, “Yes, You are! We testify.” ˹He cautioned,˺ “Now you have no right to say on Judgment Day, ‘We were not aware of this.’ “ (Qur’an 7:172)
We are prone to slipping, just as our father Adam (AS) did:
“ And indeed, We once made a covenant with Adam, but he forgot, and [so] We did not find determination in him.” (Qur’an 20:115)
We need this “shouting” because our nature is Nisyan (forgetfulness). We forget our purpose while scrolling, we forget our meeting with Allah while shopping. We are asleep, and this Ayah is the alarm clock.
🛠️Amal & Saleh: Small Deeds, Big Impact
We often think we need to move mountains to please Allah. But look at the word choice in the third Ayah:
- ‘Amal vs. Fi’l: ‘Amal is a conscious, intentional act. On the other hand, Fi’l is the type of act that is unintentional, like a reflex. We aren’t judged for a reflex, but for what we choose to do.
- Salihat: Saliha is a male-plural word, which implies large amount of good deeds. But Allah used the word Salihat, which is a feminine-plural word. This plural form implies a small amount. Allah is only asking for a few good deeds, yet we often fail even that.
True Iman is the engine; ‘Amal is the movement. If there is no movement, we must check the engine. Allah challenges our complacency:
“O you who believe, why do you say what you do not do?” (Qur’an 61:2)
“O believers! What is the matter with you that when you are asked to march forth in the cause of Allah, you cling firmly to the earth?”
(Qur’an 9:38)
🤝Tawasa: The Art of the Final Will
The word Tawasa comes from Wasiyyah—a dying person’s last will. When time is running out, you only say what is vital. This carries a sense of urgency: “I may die at any moment, so I must give you the right advice now.”
- It’s not a lecture: It’s “beautiful advice” that comes from a place of genuine care. It feels good to both the giver and the receiver.
- The Mirror Effect: When we advise others, we should stay humble. If they remind us of our past mistakes, we shouldn’t take it personally. We should use it to remember who we used to be and ensure we never return to that state.
⚖️Truth First, Then Patience
Allah links Haqq (Truth) and Sabr (Patience) in a specific order.
- Tawasa bil-Haqq: The word ḥaqq here, in its essence, refers to the Qur’an itself—reminding one another of what Allah has revealed. Even speaking about good deeds and encouraging others toward them is, in itself, a righteous deed.
Allah deliberately places ḥaqq (truth) before ṣabr (patience). Whenever patience is mentioned, people often respond, “I know I should be patient… but my situation is different. I know what the Qur’an and Hadith say, but right now things are not the same.” In reality, such a person is not truly patient—because for them, there is never a moment when patience feels applicable. True patience does not wait for ideal circumstances.
The very structure of the phrase “wa tawāṣaw bil-ḥaqq wa tawāṣaw biṣ-ṣabr” reflects its immense importance. Allah could have said “wa tawāṣaw bil-ḥaqq waṣ-ṣabr,” or “wa tawāṣaw bil-ḥaqq wa biṣ-ṣabr,” both of which would have conveyed meaning. Yet Allah chose a form that reinforces each element independently—highlighting the gravity of both truth and patience.
The expression bil-ḥaqq carries multiple layers of meaning. Here “ba” (ب) is working like a preposition. It means advising towards the truth, and it also means advising with the truth—free from distortion or misinformation—and advising by means of the truth. In other words, sincere advice must be rooted in the Qur’an and Sunnah, for they are the ultimate and unchanging truth.
The use of al-ḥaqq further indicates that this truth is not new. It is something people already know, yet repeatedly forget. Hence, the need for constant reminders.
Moreover, ḥaqq also signifies duty and obligation. It calls upon believers to remind one another of their responsibilities. Even when people are aware of their duties, neglect and forgetfulness set in, making reminders essential.
For instance, if someone is failing to behave properly with their parents, it becomes our responsibility to remind them of their obligation—and fulfilling that reminder is itself part of our duty before Allah. - Tawasa bis-Sabr: The word ṣabr is rich and expansive in meaning. It encompasses patience, perseverance without giving up, continuous and consistent effort, and even a sense of commitment and promise to remain firm.
Ibn Taymiyyah (raḥimahullāh) beautifully defined ṣabr when he said:
“Ṣabr is to maintain the same level of obedience to Allah in times of ease as well as in times of hardship.”
Feeling emotionally heavy or discouraged while practicing tawāṣī bil-ḥaqq is entirely natural. We already feel distressed over worldly matters, so experiencing similar emotions while standing for truth is neither strange nor a sign of failure.
This is precisely why we are commanded to stay together—to strengthen one another, to remind one another of patience, and to carry each other forward. Shayṭān whispers most powerfully when a person is isolated, when there is no supportive voice nearby. Therefore, we must remain connected—especially to our families.
Tawāṣī bil-ḥaqq and tawāṣī biṣ-ṣabr must begin within our own households, even though this is often the hardest place to practice them. And because it is the hardest, it demands the greatest measure of ṣabr.
Moreover, tawāṣī biṣ-ṣabr is needed most for those who have stepped away from tawāṣī bil-ḥaqq. Rather than abandoning them, we must stand beside them—offering support, encouragement, and the strength they need to rise again.
⌛The Past Tense: Life is Already Written
The entire Surah is expressed in the past tense. It is as if the life has already been lived, and the person now stands before us to be judged objectively. The verdict will be simple and final: how did they live, and how did they die?
Allah reminds us with urgency:
“O you who believe, fear Allah as He should be feared, and do not die except while you are Muslims.”
(Qur’an 3:102)
The message is unmistakable: do not let death find you outside of Islam—outside of submission, obedience, and sincerity.
The beginning and the ending of the Surah are perfectly aligned:
- Time stands at the start, and Patience stands at the end.
- Īmān is the heart, and Ṣalāh is its pulse.
So central is Ṣalāh to Īmān that Allah even refers to it as Īmān itself:
“Indeed, Allah will never allow your faith (ṣalāh) to be wasted.”
(Qur’an 2:143)
As Dr. Fāḍil Ṣāliḥ As-Sāmirrāʾī said: “We must change ourselves before our time ends.”
Your ice is melting.
Our juice is being squeezed.
Time is passing—silently, relentlessly.
So rise now, while time still allows.
May Allah grant us the strength to act before it is too late. Ameen.
