(Revealed at Mecca)

5 Verses in 1 Section

Sections of Surah Al-Lahab

1. Abu-Lahab Cursed.

Al-Lahab - Abu-Lahab Cursed

Abu-Lahab along with his wife cursed.

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

“In the name of God the Beneficent the Merciful”

تَبَّتْ يَدَا أَبِي لَهَبٍ وَتَبَّ

“May perish both the hands of Abu-Lahab, may perish (he himself)” (111:1)

مَا أَغْنَىٰ عَنْهُ مَالُهُ وَمَا كَسَبَ

“Shall avail him not his wealth nor what he earneth” (111:2)

سَيَصْلَىٰ نَارًا ذَاتَ لَهَبٍ

“Soon shall he burn in the flaming fire” (111:3)

وَامْرَأَتُهُ حَمَّالَةَ الْحَطَبِ

“And his wife, the bearer of the firewood” (111:4)

فِي جِيدِهَا حَبْلٌ مِنْ مَسَدٍ

“Upon her neck shall be a halter of twisted rope” (111:5)

Commentary

Verse 1

‘Abu-Lahab’, i.e., the father of the flames whose name was Abd al-Uzza, was a man of a fiery temperament. The Holy Prophet as commanded by God gathered all his relatives to announce for the first time openly, that he was the apostle of God. Abu-Lahab was also in the assembly, for he was the uncle of the Holy Prophet (he was a cousin of Abdul Muttalib, the Holy Prophet’s grandfather). When the Holy Prophet addressing the assembly asked ‘‘If I tell you that there is a huge army of an enemy camping at the foot of this mountain on the other side of it, will ye believe me’” The whole assembly unanimously said ‘‘Certainly we will believe, for thou hast never told a lie.’” ‘‘Then” said the Holy Prophet ‘‘I have come from God as a Warner to preach the Unity of the Lord!” Hearing this Abu-Lahab exclaimed ‘‘Perdition to thee!” Was it for this thou summoned us all?” This verse refers to the heavenly curse invoked on the two hands of Abu-Lahab with which he raised the stone to throw it on the Holy Prophet.

Abu-Lahab was one of the worst enemies of the Holy Prophet for preaching Islam. Once Abu-Lahab was found going behind the Holy Prophet passing through the market-place called ‘Zul Mujaz’ shouting behind, to the people not to listen to the Holy Prophet saying that he was a mad man and pelting stones on him, the Holy Prophet walked with bleeding wounds in his heels.

Abu-Lahab died a week after the defeat of Meccans at Badr with some contagious disease and since his body gave out an unbearable foul smell, was left unburied for three days and at last some slaves were hired to bury it.

The verse prophesies perdition for Abu-Lahab both in this life and in the hereafter.

Abu-Lahab and his wife being specifically mentioned as the cursed ones among the enemies of Islam, is just to emphasise that no relationship whatsoever even with the Holy Prophet can be of any avail when the person lacks in faith. It is well said:

Certainly, did cause fall to Abu-Lahab, the noble Shirk, polytheism.

And certainly, raised Salman al-Farsi - his Islam - to the state of being one of the Holy Ahl Al-Bayt. (A.P.).

Verse 2

When Abu-Lahab was warned against the Hell-fire he said that he would purchase the Hell with his wealth and escape it.

This wise refers to what Abu-Lahab had said, and means to say that all his wealth would be of no avail to him at all on the Day of Judgment. This is a warning to all the wealthy ones who are proud and puffed up of their wealth.

Verse 3

When Abu-Lahab will be in the hell-fire and then he would realise the return for his disbelief and tyranny and know of what value was his wealth.

Verse 4

Umme Jamilah, the sister of Abu-Sofyan was the wife of Abu-Lahab. She was also equally mischievous and grossly wicked. She was a squint-eyed woman of equally bad temperament like her husband. She used to collect thorny sticks the whole day, bundle them up with some rope made of fibre of the date palm, and in the night, she used to spread the collected thorns in the path which the Holy Prophet usually used at night or very early before dawn to go to the Mosque for prayers so that the thorns may wound his feet or get stuck into his clothes. The Holy Prophet used to collect them aside. Hence, she is called the bearer of the wood.

Verse 5

An angel got her strangled by the very rope she used to hang around her neck, and she died. On the Day of Judgment, the wicked woman will be with a rope of the hell-fire hanging around her neck.