Surah 111. Al-Masad

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Verses [Section]: 1-5[1]

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Quran Text of Verse 1-5111. Al-Masadبِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِتَبَّتْPerishیَدَاۤ(the) handsاَبِیْ(of) AbuلَهَبٍLahabوَّ تَبَّؕand perish he مَاۤNotاَغْنٰی(will) availعَنْهُhimمَالُهٗhis wealthوَ مَاand whatكَسَبَؕhe earned سَیَصْلٰیHe will be burntنَارًا(in) a FireذَاتَofلَهَبٍۚۖBlazing Flames وَّ امْرَاَتُهٗ ؕAnd his wifeحَمَّالَةَ(the) carrierالْحَطَبِۚ(of) firewood فِیْAroundجِیْدِهَاher neckحَبْلٌ(will be) a ropeمِّنْofمَّسَدٍ۠palm-fiber

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Translation of Verse 1-5In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

(111:1) Destroyed were the hands of Abu Lahab, and he lay utterly doomed.¹

(111:2) His wealth did not avail him, nor his acquisitions.²

(111:3) Surely, he will be cast into a Flaming Fire

(111:4) along with his wife,³ that carrier of slanderous tales;⁴

(111:5) upon her neck shall be a rope of palm-fibre.⁵

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Commentary

1. Abu Lahab’s real name was ‘Abd al-’Uzza. He was known as Abu Lahab (literally father of flame) in view of his red hot complexion. His title, rather his name, is mentioned here for these reasons: (i) He was commonly known so. (ii) His name, ‘Abd al-’Uzza (servant of the idol, al-’Uzza) with its polytheistic connotations was not considered suitable for inclusion in the Qur'an. (iii) His fate, as described in this Surah, corresponds to flame and fire, being part of his title as well.

“Destroyed were the hands of Abu Lahab” is not some curse it is a prediction foretold as the imminent truth which is bound to happen. Within a few years of this revelation exactly the same event did happen. Of course, his hands were not literally broken. The reference is rather to the total failure of his attempts to thwart the spread of the Prophet's mission, notwithstanding his utmost exertion to achieve the same. Within seven to eight years of the revelation of this Surah, most of the Quraysh chiefs were slain in the Battle of Badr. They were Abu Lahab’s close associates in opposing Islam. When the news of the debacle at Badr reached him in Makkah, he was so upset that he survived barely a week. Furthermore, he met with a very painful, gruesome death. He was struck by malignant pustules and was abandoned by his family. Since it was an infectious disease, they had to avoid all contact with him. Indeed, no one drew near him even three days after his death. As his corpse rotted, giving off an unbearable stench and as neighbors reproached his sons, some Abyssinians were hired to carry and dump his body in a pit. Another report states, that they carried his body with sticks and threw it into a pit covered with dust and stone. His total rout also consisted in his children’s acceptance of Islam, which he had tried his best to exterminate. First of all, his daughter, Darrah, migrated to Madinah and embraced Islam. On the day of the conquest of Makkah, his two surviving sons ‘Utbah and Mu’attab - were presented by Ibn ‘Abbas before the Prophet (peace be upon him), who let them pledge their oath to him after their acceptance of Islam.

2. Abu Lahab was an extremely niggardly person given to worshipping wealth. Ibn Athir states that during the Jahiliyah period, he was once accused of having stolen two deers of gold from the treasure inside the Ka‘bah. These deers were, however, later recovered from another person. However, this accusation speaks volumes about the bad reputation he had in Makkah. As to his riches, Qadi Rashid ibn Zubayr in his al-Dhakha’ir wa al-Tuhaf informs us: “He was one of the four Quraysh members who had more than one qintar of gold (equivalent to 200 awqiyah, with each awqiyah equal to around 40 grams). His lust for riches is illustrated by the following incident. During the Battle of Badr, in which the future of his ancestral faith was at stake, and in which all the Quraysh chiefs actively participated, he deputed ‘As ibn Hisham in his stead in lieu of four thousand dirhams which he owed him. He thus recovered his loan, as ‘As had become bankrupt. Ma kasab is, thus, interpreted as his acquisitions. Some Qur’anic scholars, however, equate it with his offspring. For the Prophet (peace be upon him) is on record as having used the expression kasab for one’s offspring, (Abu Dawud and Ibn Abi Hatim). In both senses, his acquisitions did not avail him. When he was afflicted with malignant pustules, his wealth was of no avail. Even his children abandoned him to die helplessly alone. They did not even bury him properly. Thus, the prediction made in this verse about him came true within just a few years.

3. Her name was Arwah, while Umm Jamil was her title. She was Abu Sufyan’s sister and was no less severe than her husband in her hatred of the Prophet (peace be upon him). Asma’, Abu Bakr’s daughter, reports that on the revelation of this Surah, the enraged Umm Jamil went out looking for the Prophet (peace be upon him). She had been carrying stones in her hands and chanting couplets in condemnation of the Prophet (peace be upon him). Inside the Ka’bah, the Prophet (peace be upon him) was ‘seated along with Abu Bakr. On seeing her Abu Bakr said: “O Messenger of Allah! I see her coming and apprehend some affront on her part.” The Prophet (peace be upon him), however, told him that she would not be able to see him. And the same happened, as she could not spot him. She told Abu Bakr: “I have heard that your friend has satirized me.” Abu Bakr replied: “By the Lord of this house, he has not satirized you.” Then she returned home, (Ibn Abi Hatim and Ibn Hisham). ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Abbas has also recorded a similar report. What Abi Bakr meant was that it was Allah, not the Prophet (peace be upon him), Who had condemned her in this Surah.

4. Abu Lahab’s wife is introduced as hammalata’l-hatab. This appellation has been variously explained by Qur’anic scholars. ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Abbas, Ibn Zayd, Dahhak and Rabi’ ibn Anas hold the view that at night she placed thorny bushes at the Prophet's door. This is-why she is called ‘the carrier of wood’. According to Qatadah, ‘Ikrimah, Hasan Basri, Mujahid and Sufyan Thawri, however, it refers to her trait of carrying tales for causing discord. Figuratively, such a person is called a carrier of wood. Sa‘id ibn Jubayr maintains: “One who adds to his heap of sins is called, in Arabic idiom a carrier of wood. Some Quranic scholars relate this appellation to her end in the Hereafter: She will place wood in the fire in which Abu Lahab will be burning.

5. Jid is used of a neck around which jewellery is worn. Sa‘id ibn al-Musayyib, Hasan Basri and Qatadah inform that she wore an expensive necklace and used to swear by Lat and al-’Uzza that she - would sell her necklace and use the money to oppose the Prophet (peace be upon him). Jid is thus ironically mentioned in this verse, as her neck will be tied in Hellfire.

As to the rope to be placed around her neck, different materials including palm fiber, iron wire etc., have been suggested by Quranic scholars.