{بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ }

In the Name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

{تَبَّتْ يَدَآ أَبِى لَهَبٍ وَتَبَّ * مَآ أَغْنَى عَنْهُ مَالُهُ وَمَا كَسَبَ * سَيَصْلَى نَاراً ذَاتَ لَهَبٍ * وَامْرَأَتُهُ حَمَّالَةَ الْحَطَبِ * فِى جِيدِهَا حَبْلٌ مِّن مَّسَدٍ }

(1. Perish the two hands of Abū Lahab and perish he!) (2. His wealth and his children will not benefit him!) (3. He will enter a Fire full of flames!) (4. And his wife too, who carries wood.) (5. In her neck is a twisted rope of Masad.)

The Reason for the Revelation of this Sūrah and the Arrogance of Abu Lahab toward the Messenger of Allāh Al-Bukhāri recorded from Ibn `Abbās that the Prophet went out to the valley of Al-Batha and he ascended the mountain. Then he cried out,

 «يَا صَبَاحَاهْ»

(O people, come at once!) So the Quraysh gathered around him. Then he said,

«أَرَأَيْتُمْ إِنْ حَدَّثْتُكُمْ أَنَّ الْعَدُوَّ مُصَبِّحُكُمْ، أَوْ مُمَسِّيكُمْ أَكُنْتُمْ تُصَدِّقُونِّي»؟

(If I told you all that the enemy was going to attack you in the morning, or in the evening, would you all believe me) They replied, ``Yes.'' Then he said,

«فَإِنِّي نَذِيرٌ لَكُمْ بَيْنَ يَدَيْ عَذَابٍ شَدِيدٍ»

(Verily, I am a warner (sent) to you all before the coming of a severe torment.) Then Abu Lahab said, ``Have you gathered us for this May you perish!'' Thus, Allāh revealed,

{تَبَّتْ يَدَآ أَبِى لَهَبٍ وَتَبَّ }

(Perish the two hands of Abu Lahab and perish he!) to the end of the Sūrah.

In another narration it states that he stood up dusting of his hands and said, ``Perish you for the rest of this day! Have you gathered us for this'' Then Allāh revealed,

{تَبَّتْ يَدَآ أَبِى لَهَبٍ وَتَبَّ }

(Perish the two hands of Abu Lahab and perish he!) The first part is a supplication against him and the second is information about him. This man Abu Lahab was one of the uncles of the Messenger of Allāh.

The Destiny of Umm Jamīl, the Wife of Abu Lahab

{وَامْرَأَتُهُ حَمَّالَةَ الْحَطَبِ }

(And his wife too, who carries wood.) His wife was among the leading women of the Quraysh and she was known as Umm Jamīl. Her name was `Arwah bint Harb bin Umayyah and she was the sister of Abu Sufyān. She was supportive of her husband in his disbelief, rejection and obstinacy. Therefore, she will be helping to administer his punishment in the fire of Hell on the Day of Judgement. Thus, Allāh says,

{وَامْرَأَتُهُ حَمَّالَةَ الْحَطَبِ * فِى جِيدِهَا حَبْلٌ مِّن مَّسَدٍ }

(Who carries wood. In her neck is a twisted rope of Masad.) meaning, she will carry the firewood and throw it upon her husband to increase that which he is in (of torment), and she will be ready and prepared to do so.

{فِى جِيدِهَا حَبْلٌ مِّن مَّسَدٍ }

(In her neck is a twisted rope of Masad.) Mujāhid and `Urwah both said, ``From the palm fiber of the Fire.''

Al-`Awfi narrated from Ibn `Abbās, `Ātiyah Al-Jadali, Ad-Dahhāk and Ibn Zayd that she used to place thorns in the path of the Messenger of Allāh . Al-Jawhari said, ``Al-Masad refers to fibers, it is also a rope made from fibers or palm leaves.

A Story of Abu Lahab's Wife harming the Messenger of Allāh Ibn Abi Hātim said that his father and Abu Zur`ah both said that `Abdullāh bin Az-Zubayr Al-Humaydi told them that Sufyān informed them that Al-Walīd bin Kathīr related from Ibn Tadrus who reported that Asmā' bint Abi Bakr said, ``When

{تَبَّتْ يَدَآ أَبِى لَهَبٍ}

(Perish the two hands of Abu Lahab and perish he)!) was revealed, the one-eyed Umm Jamīl bint Harb came out wailing, and she had a stone in her hand. She was saying, `He criticizes our father, and his religion is our scorn, and his command is to disobey us.' The Messenger of Allāh was sitting in the Masjid (of the Ka`bah) and Abu Bakr was with him. When Abu Bakr saw her he said, `O Messenger of Allāh! She is coming and I fear that she will see you.' The Messenger of Allāh replied,

«إِنَّهَا لَنْ تَرَانِي»

(Verily, she will not see me.) Then he recited some of the Qur'ān as a protection for himself. This is as Allāh says,

{وَإِذَا قَرَأْتَ الْقُرءَانَ جَعَلْنَا بَيْنَكَ وَبَيْنَ الَّذِينَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالاٌّخِرَةِ حِجَابًا مَّسْتُورًا }

(And when you recite the Qur'ān, We put between you and those who believe not in the Hereafter, an invisible veil.) (17:45) So she advanced until she was standing in front of Abu Bakr and she did not see the Messenger of Allāh . She then said, `O Abu Bakr! Verily, I have been informed that your friend is making defamatory poetry about me.' Abu Bakr replied,