سورة المسد / سورة اللهب – مكية – آياتها 5
Surah Al-Lahab (also known as Surah Al-Masad) is one of the most powerful chapters in the Qur’an, revealing the fate of one of Islam’s most hostile enemies, Abu Lahab. This Surah carries a strong message about the consequences of arrogance, disbelief, and hostility towards the message of Allah.
Cause of Revelation
According to authentic narrations recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, when the verse “وَأَنذِرْ عَشِيرَتَكَ الْأَقْرَبِينَ” (Warn your closest relatives – Qur’an 26:214) was revealed, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ climbed Mount Safa and called the people of Quraysh together, warning them of the coming punishment if they rejected Allah’s message.
He asked:
“If I were to tell you that the enemy is about to attack you in the morning or evening, would you believe me?”
They all replied, “Yes.”
The Prophet ﷺ then said:
“I am a warner to you before a severe punishment.”
At this, Abu Lahab, the Prophet’s uncle and one of his fiercest opponents, arrogantly replied:
“May you be ruined! Is this why you called us together?”
He even picked up a stone to throw at the Prophet ﷺ. In response, Allah revealed Surah Al-Lahab, announcing Abu Lahab’s doomed fate.
Who Was Abu Lahab? – Name and Nickname
Abu Lahab’s real name was ‘Abd al-‘Uzza, the son of Abdul-Muttalib. Because of his reddish complexion and glowing face, he was nicknamed Abu Lahab (“Father of Flame”). The Qur’an did not use his real name because it contained a reference to a pagan deity (‘Uzza), and instead used his nickname — which also matched the imagery of the flames of Hell where he would be punished.
Abu Lahab was notorious for his open hostility toward the Prophet ﷺ and Islam. Whenever the Prophet ﷺ invited people to Islam, Abu Lahab would follow him and loudly reject his message, often insulting and spreading lies about him.
Key Lessons from Surah Al-Lahab
Arrogance and enmity towards the truth lead to destruction.
Lineage or social status cannot save a person from Allah’s punishment. Abu Lahab was the Prophet’s uncle, yet his kinship could not protect him.
Opposition to Allah’s message harms no one except the rejecter.
The Qur’an’s prophecies are true. Abu Lahab’s fate was sealed in revelation and fulfilled exactly as foretold.
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِWith the name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Very-Merciful. | |||
تَبَّتْ يَدَا أَبِي لَهَبٍ وَتَبَّ Perish the two hands of Abu Lahab, and perish he! | |||
تَبَّتْ Perish [Quran] | Verb تَبَّتْ is a past tense verb | تَبَّ يَتُبُّ تَبّاٍ | ت ب ب |
يَدَآ
Hand | noun | يَدَانِ loses it’s ن, changing to يَدَآ due to it being a possessed noun | ي د ي |
أَبِي the father of | Noun | الأَبِي loses it’s definite article, becoming أَبِي due to it being a possessed noun | أ ب و |
لَهَبٍ flame, ardour of fire, fiery temper | Noun | ||
وَand, also, but, whilst, at, together, with | Particle | Particle of linking | |
مَا أَغْنَىٰ عَنْهُ مَالُهُ وَمَا كَسَبَNeither his wealth benefited him, nor what he earned. | |||
مَاNot | Particle | Negative particle مَا النَّافِيَةِ | |
أَغْنَىٰ He fulfills the needs, enrich, render one wealthy | Verb Form IV | أَغْنَى يُغْنِي اِغْنَاءٌ | غ ن ي |
عَن | Particle Particle of pulling down | A preposition meaning Off, of, from, about, because, away from, out of, in spite of, concerning, on account of (seperation, compensation, transition, succession, remoteness), instead of, for, after, with, on the authority of | |
هُHim His he | Pronoun | Attached pronoun | |
مَالُ | noun | المَالُ loses it’s definite article, changing to مَالُ due to it being a possessed noun Riches, Wealth, Substance, Possession | م و ل |
مَا المَوْصُوْلِ | مَا المَوْصُوْلِ is a conjunctive, relative pronoun meaning that, which, that which, whatsoever, as, as much, as much as, in such a manner as, as for as, any kind, when, how | ||
كَسَبَHe earned, gained, did, accomplished, acquired | verb | كَسَبَ يَكْسِبُ | ك س ب |
سَيَصْلَىٰ نَارًا ذَاتَ لَهَبٍHe will soon enter a Fire, full of flames, | |||
سَwill | particle | Particle of futurity حَرْفُ اسْتِقْبَالٍ It is considered to be an abbreviation of سَوْفَ and is prefixed to an imperfect verb to denote the meaning of future and is often used in conjunction with other prefixes such as فَ | |
يَصْلَىhe (will) burn in | verb | صَلِيَ Past tense verb فِعْلٌ مَاضٍ يَصْلَى Present and future tense verb فِعْلٌ مُضَارِعٌ | ص ل ي |
نَارًاFire, burning flame, heat, war | noun | ن و ر | |
ذَاتَpossessing | noun | Demonstrative pronoun | |
لَهَبٍflame, ardour of fire, fiery temper | Noun | ||
وَامْرَأَتُهُ حَمَّالَةَ الْحَطَبِand his wife as well, -the wicked carrier of firewood. | |||
امْرَأَتُwife of | possessed noun | الامْرَأَةُ loses it’s definite article, changing to امْرَأَتُ due to it being a possessed noun | م ر أ |
حَمَّالَةَWoman who carries much or frequently, portress | noun | الحَمَّالَةَ loses it’s definite article, becoming حَمَّالَةَ due to it being a possessed noun | ح م ل |
الحَطَبِFire-wood Slander | noun | الجمع : أحطاب | ح ط ب |
فِي جِيدِهَا حَبْلٌ مِّن مَّسَدٍ. Around her neck, there is (a collar of iron, like) a well-twisted rope. | |||
فِي | Particle | in, into, amongst, in company with, during, with, of, for, for the sake of, upon, concerning, after, in comparison, about, among, on account of, respecting, by the side of, on, by, against, according to, in respect of | |
جِيْدِ | noun | جمع أجياد | |
حَبْلٌrope | noun | الجمع : أحبالٌ | |
مَسَدٍTo twist a fibre of a cord strongly | noun | الجمع : أمساد و مِساد | |
