What does « Era / Afternoon » mean in the Quran?

Discover the meaning of the word Era / Afternoon (عصر) in the Quran, with 5 verses in which it appears, and a detailed explanation from Al-Raghib al-Asfahani's Mufradat fi gharib al-Qur'an.

عصر

Era / Afternoon

Root: ع - ص - ر

Jurisprudence (fiqh) 5 verses

Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM

📖 3 min read

Definition of Era / Afternoon

Al-'asr: the masdar of 'I pressed'.

Al-ma'sur: the pressed thing.

Al-'asir: the raining cloud.

The Almighty says: 'By time' (Al-'Asr 1).

Al-'asr also refers to time. 'Juice' (Yusuf 36).

Juice comes from pressing.

Era / Afternoon in the Quran (5)

Meccan: 4 Medinan: 1

Distribution of verses by surah

Yusuf 2

Al-Baqara 1

An-Naba 1

Al-'Asr 1

Surah Al-Baqara : 266 Medinan

﴿أَيَوَدُّ أَحَدُكُمْ أَن تَكُونَ لَهُۥ جَنَّةٌ مِّن نَّخِيلٍ وَأَعْنَابٍ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَٰرُ لَهُۥ فِيهَا مِن كُلِّ ٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ وَأَصَابَهُ ٱلْكِبَرُ وَلَهُۥ ذُرِّيَّةٌ ضُعَفَآءُ فَأَصَابَهَآ إِعْصَارٌ فِيهِ نَارٌ فَٱحْتَرَقَتْ كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمُ ٱلْءَايَٰتِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَفَكَّرُونَ﴾

Would one of you like to have a garden of palm trees and grapevines underneath which rivers flow in which he has from every fruit? But he is afflicted with old age and has weak offspring, and it is hit by a whirlwind containing fire and is burned. Thus does Allah make clear to you [His] verses that you might give thought.

Surah Yusuf : 36 Meccan

﴿وَدَخَلَ مَعَهُ ٱلسِّجْنَ فَتَيَانِ قَالَ أَحَدُهُمَآ إِنِّىٓ أَرَىٰنِىٓ أَعْصِرُ خَمْرًا وَقَالَ ٱلْءَاخَرُ إِنِّىٓ أَرَىٰنِىٓ أَحْمِلُ فَوْقَ رَأْسِى خُبْزًا تَأْكُلُ ٱلطَّيْرُ مِنْهُ نَبِّئْنَا بِتَأْوِيلِهِۦٓ إِنَّا نَرَىٰكَ مِنَ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ﴾

And there entered the prison with him two young men. One of them said, "Indeed, I have seen myself [in a dream] pressing wine." The other said, "Indeed, I have seen myself carrying upon my head [some] bread, from which the birds were eating. Inform us of its interpretation; indeed, we see you to be of those who do good."

Surah Yusuf : 49 Meccan

﴿ثُمَّ يَأْتِى مِنۢ بَعْدِ ذَٰلِكَ عَامٌ فِيهِ يُغَاثُ ٱلنَّاسُ وَفِيهِ يَعْصِرُونَ﴾

Then will come after that a year in which the people will be given rain and in which they will press [olives and grapes]."

Surah An-Naba : 14 Meccan

﴿وَأَنزَلْنَا مِنَ ٱلْمُعْصِرَٰتِ مَآءً ثَجَّاجًا﴾

And sent down, from the rain clouds, pouring water

Surah Al-'Asr : 1 Meccan

﴿وَٱلْعَصْرِ﴾

By time,