The content for this presentation on the Tafseer of Surah Al-Lahab is taken from the book 'An Enlightening Commentary into the Holy Quran' which is a translation of Tafsir e Namuna.
Please recite a Fateha for my late father, Syed Abbas Mosavi. JazakAllah.
2. • Revealed at the beginning of the open invitation to the
holy Prophet (S), contains the name of one of the
enemies of Islam and the holy Prophet (S), at that
time, Abu Lahab, for whom a strong warning is given.
• The content of the Surah shows that he harbored a
special enmity toward the Apostle and both he and his
wife committed whatever vice they could against him.
• The Qur'an clearly says that they both will enter Hell
from which they cannot escape.
3. • It is cited in a tradition, that the holy Prophet
(S) said:
"He who recites it (Surah Lahab), I hope that Allah
will not gather him and Abu Lahab in the same
abode".
• It is obvious that this virtue is of the person
who, with reciting it, goes another way diverse
from Abu Lahab's, not of the one who recites it
with the tongue, but, acts like Abu Lahab.
4. • It is narrated from Ibn Abbas that when
the verse:
"And admonish the nearest kinsmen,”
was revealed, the holy Prophet was
commanded by Allah to gather his close
relatives and announce, openly, the
invitation of Islam for the first time,
and that he was the apostle of Allah.
Then, he climbed to the top of Mount Safa
and called: /ya sabaha/.
7. 1. “May the hands of Abu Lahab perish, may he
(himself) perish ".
2. “His wealth avails him not, neither what he had
earned".
3. “Soon will he roast in a flaming fire",
4. “And his wife, the bearer of the firewood,”
5. “Upon her neck a rope of twisted palm-fibre.”
8. 1. "May the hands of Abu Lahab perish,
may he (himself) perish.”
• /tab/ and /tabab/: 'the constant
loss‘, ‘a loss which leads to
perdition’.
• Why does the Holy Qur'an, inspite of
its common style, mention Abu Lahab,
so strongly scorned, by name?
10. 2. "His wealth avails him not, neither
what he has earned".
• Abu Lahab was a rich, proud man who
boasted about his wealth and used it
against Islam.
3. "Soon will he roast in a flaming fire".
• It is certain that the fire mentioned in
this verse is the fire of Hell, but some
believe that it can involve the fire of
this world, too
11. 4. "And his wife, the bearer of the firewood,”
• She cooperated with Abu Lahab in hostilities and
hindrances against Islam
• Qur'an describes her as 'the bearer of the firewood‘.
• She used to tie bundles of thorny branches with ropes of
twisted palm leaf fibre, carrying them and scattering
them about on dark nights along the paths, which the
Prophet (S) was expected to take, with the expressed
intention of wounding his feet and causing him bodily
injury.
• may also be symbolic for carrying tales between people
to embroil them (in the web of backbiting).
• she will carry the heavy load of the sins of others on
the Day of Judgment.
12. 5. "Upon her neck a rope of twisted
palm-fibre".
• The term /masad/ is a rope made of
palm leaf fibre. Some have said
that it is a rope with the
harshness of palm fibre and the
heat and heaviness of iron which
will be put on her neck in Hell.
• Some have also said that Umm-i-
Jamil had a very precious
necklace. She had sworn that she
would spend it against the holy
Prophet (S). For this behaviour,
perhaps, Allah has appointed for
her such a punishment.
13. 1. Prophecy: A sign of the Miracle of the Quran
We know that these verses were revealed in Mecca, and it
was announced that Abu Lahab and his wife will roast in
the fire of Hell, i.e. they will not believe in the
Truth.
2. Relationship is not a reason for faith
Abu Lahab and his wife being specifically mentioned as
the cursed ones, among the enemies of Islam, is just to
emphasize that no relationship whatsoever, even with the
holy Prophet (S), can be of any benefit when the person
lacks in Faith.
14. • O Lord! Clear our hearts from any grudge.
• O Lord! We are all afraid of the final result.
Give us security and ease and arrange our destiny
in a good condition.
• O Lord! We know that in that Great Court neither
wealth nor relationship will avail us but by Your
Grace.
