the publication of al-asr began in march 1913. its editor was pyare lal shakir maraththi, the former editor of adeeb allahabad, whose ancestral home was in marathwada, and he was buried in the christian cemetery of paharganj, delhi. it was an illustrated magazine, and according to its regulations, it was stated: "this illustrated monthly magazine, which is a high example of the advancement of knowledge and literature, is published from lucknow at the end of every month. the country's renowned writers, well-established scholars, and excellent prose writers actively contribute to making it authentic and engaging. the nature of its articles is such that they are interesting for every class of readers." al-asr used to publish articles and poems related to history, sciences and arts, indian history, religious thoughts, philosophy and science, industry and crafts, prominent urdu personalities, and issues concerning language and dialects. abid raza bedar published a selection from al-asr and wrote about the magazine: "its first issue was released in march 1913, and its last in december 1917. despite being a personal magazine, al-asr maintained its standard. most importantly, the diversity of its articles and the balanced focus on both pure literature and social and scientific subjects remained consistent.