By: Ayatullah al-Uzma Nasir Makarim Shirazi in Tafsir Namuneh
Translated from Farsi into English by: Fatima Zabeth Beenesh
Sura e Tabbat(The Palm Fiber, Flame) - تَبَّتْ سورة
This sura descended at Mecca and it is consist of five ayaat
The virtues and contents of sura e Tabbat
The sura e Tabbat (Masad) descended almost in the initial stage of the apparent invitation of the great prophet peace be upon him (calling the people toward Islam). It is the only sura which attacked strongly by calling the name of an enemy of the messenger peace be upon him and Islam, of that period that was Abu Lahab. Its contents illustrates that he had a feeling of severe enmity towards the prophet of Islam. He and his wife were not always hesitated to obstruct and abuse the prophet peace be upon.
Quran evidently expresses: Both of them are the dwellers of hell and there is no way of salvation for them. And this term turned out to be true and both of husband and wife left this mortal world without bringing faith and it was the perfect prediction of the noble Quran.
It is mentioned in a narration by the prophet of Islam peace be upon him: One who recites the sura e Tabbat, I am hopeful that the Mighty God will not gather them both in one house (it means that he will be the dweller of the heaven and the Abu Lahab is the inhabitant of the hell).
Unstated it is evident that this virtue is for the person who by reading this sura separates his line by the line of Abu Lahab and not similar to the people who just read it by mouth but practice like Abu Lahab.
All about the descent of the sura
Ibn abbas related when the ayat stated below descended.
Ash-Shu'ara (The Poets)
Translated from Farsi into English by: Fatima Zabeth Beenesh
Sura e Tabbat(The Palm Fiber, Flame) - تَبَّتْ سورة
This sura descended at Mecca and it is consist of five ayaat
The virtues and contents of sura e Tabbat
The sura e Tabbat (Masad) descended almost in the initial stage of the apparent invitation of the great prophet peace be upon him (calling the people toward Islam). It is the only sura which attacked strongly by calling the name of an enemy of the messenger peace be upon him and Islam, of that period that was Abu Lahab. Its contents illustrates that he had a feeling of severe enmity towards the prophet of Islam. He and his wife were not always hesitated to obstruct and abuse the prophet peace be upon.
Quran evidently expresses: Both of them are the dwellers of hell and there is no way of salvation for them. And this term turned out to be true and both of husband and wife left this mortal world without bringing faith and it was the perfect prediction of the noble Quran.
It is mentioned in a narration by the prophet of Islam peace be upon him: One who recites the sura e Tabbat, I am hopeful that the Mighty God will not gather them both in one house (it means that he will be the dweller of the heaven and the Abu Lahab is the inhabitant of the hell).
Unstated it is evident that this virtue is for the person who by reading this sura separates his line by the line of Abu Lahab and not similar to the people who just read it by mouth but practice like Abu Lahab.
All about the descent of the sura
Ibn abbas related when the ayat stated below descended.
Ash-Shu'ara (The Poets)
وَأَنذِرْ عَشِيرَتَكَ الْأَقْرَبِينَ 
(26:214)
And warn your nearest relations,
The prophet of Islam peace be upon him got the duty to warn his close relatives and invite them towards the Islam (perform the call towards Islam in apparent manner). The great prophet peace be upon him came upon the mountain of Safa and declared:
ياصباحاه
Ya Sabahah ( the Arabs announce this term when they get trapped unexpectedly by the enemy, to inform the others and make them ready to confront and challenge the enemy . They selected the term Sabah for the reason that the unexpected attacks were mostly occurred on the early hours of morning.
When the peopl of Mecca heard this slogan they said: who is that person shouting in these early hours?
It was answered: he is Muhammad (peace be upon him) and the people went towards him. He called the Arab tribe by their names, they gathered by his calling. He said: tell me, if I inform you that the riders of enemy are going to attack you from the nearby mountain, will you agree me?
In the reply, they said: we never heard any untruth from you.
He said: I warn you in advance, the severe divine punishment (and invite you towards the monotheism and departing from the idol worshiping).
When Abu Lahab heard these words he said: Be death and loss for you! Did you gather us all for this only.
At these moments the sura e Tabbat or Masad descended:
And warn your nearest relations,
The prophet of Islam peace be upon him got the duty to warn his close relatives and invite them towards the Islam (perform the call towards Islam in apparent manner). The great prophet peace be upon him came upon the mountain of Safa and declared:
ياصباحاه
Ya Sabahah ( the Arabs announce this term when they get trapped unexpectedly by the enemy, to inform the others and make them ready to confront and challenge the enemy . They selected the term Sabah for the reason that the unexpected attacks were mostly occurred on the early hours of morning.
When the peopl of Mecca heard this slogan they said: who is that person shouting in these early hours?
It was answered: he is Muhammad (peace be upon him) and the people went towards him. He called the Arab tribe by their names, they gathered by his calling. He said: tell me, if I inform you that the riders of enemy are going to attack you from the nearby mountain, will you agree me?
In the reply, they said: we never heard any untruth from you.
He said: I warn you in advance, the severe divine punishment (and invite you towards the monotheism and departing from the idol worshiping).
When Abu Lahab heard these words he said: Be death and loss for you! Did you gather us all for this only.
At these moments the sura e Tabbat or Masad descended:
تَبَّتْ يَدَا أَبِي لَهَبٍ وَتَبَّ
(111:1)
May the hands of Abu Lahab be ruined, he will perish.
Some added here when the wife of Abu Lahab named Umme Jameel was informed that this sura was descended about her and her husband, she came to great prophet peace be upon him a stone was in her hand and said: I have heard that Muhammad( peace be upon him) made a mockery of me. By God if I come across him I will hit upon his mouth by this stone. I am a poet too and began to recite some verses of poetry in the abuse of prophet Muhammad peace be upon him and Islam.
The danger of Abu Lahab and his wife was not only for Islam and their enmity was not concerned to Islam. And if we understand that the noble Quran pointed the sharp edge of attack towards these husband and wife and clearly criticized them, by the will of Allah Taala we will define it later.
May the hands of Abu Lahab be ruined, he will perish.
Some added here when the wife of Abu Lahab named Umme Jameel was informed that this sura was descended about her and her husband, she came to great prophet peace be upon him a stone was in her hand and said: I have heard that Muhammad( peace be upon him) made a mockery of me. By God if I come across him I will hit upon his mouth by this stone. I am a poet too and began to recite some verses of poetry in the abuse of prophet Muhammad peace be upon him and Islam.
The danger of Abu Lahab and his wife was not only for Islam and their enmity was not concerned to Islam. And if we understand that the noble Quran pointed the sharp edge of attack towards these husband and wife and clearly criticized them, by the will of Allah Taala we will define it later.
بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيمِ Al-Masad (The Palm Fiber)
تَبَّتْ يَدَا أَبِي لَهَبٍ وَتَبَّ
(111:1)
May the hands of Abu Lahab be ruined, he will perish.
May the hands of Abu Lahab be ruined, he will perish.
مَا أَغْنَى عَنْهُ مَالُهُ وَمَا كَسَبَ
(111:2)
His wealth and his children will not benefit him!
His wealth and his children will not benefit him!
سَيَصْلَى نَارًا ذَاتَ لَهَبٍ
(111:3)
He shall soon burn in fire that flames,
He shall soon burn in fire that flames,
وَامْرَأَتُهُ حَمَّالَةَ الْحَطَبِ
(111:4)
And his wife, the bearer of fuel,
And his wife, the bearer of fuel,
فِي جِيدِهَا حَبْلٌ مِّن مَّسَدٍ
(111:5)
In her neck is a twisted rope of Masad (palm fibre).
In her neck is a twisted rope of Masad (palm fibre).
Definition:
Be cut off the hands of Abu Lahab!
As it is told in the Shan-e-Nuzul (Background of an ayat or Surah of the Qur'an that was revealed) in fact it is answer to the ugly words of the Abu Lahab, paternal uncle of prophet peace be upon him and the son of Abdul Muttalibwho was the staunch enemy of Islam and while hearing the apparent invitation of the prophet peace be upon him for the common man of Mecca, he uttered: Be death and harm inflict upon you. Did you call us here to convey these words?
The noble Quran in the reply of this filthy tongued man said: be cut off both the hands of Abu Lahab as well as death and harm be upon him.
Be cut off the hands of Abu Lahab!
As it is told in the Shan-e-Nuzul (Background of an ayat or Surah of the Qur'an that was revealed) in fact it is answer to the ugly words of the Abu Lahab, paternal uncle of prophet peace be upon him and the son of Abdul Muttalibwho was the staunch enemy of Islam and while hearing the apparent invitation of the prophet peace be upon him for the common man of Mecca, he uttered: Be death and harm inflict upon you. Did you call us here to convey these words?
The noble Quran in the reply of this filthy tongued man said: be cut off both the hands of Abu Lahab as well as death and harm be upon him.
تَبَّتْ يَدَا أَبِي لَهَبٍ وَتَبَّ تَبَّتْ
Regarding the above term Ragib said in mafridat, Tabbat means the perpetual and unending harm which ends up in the death of man. But Allama tabrisi expressed: it may be the worldly loss or the spiritualistic loss or the both.
Here a question arises that how the honourable Quran going against its moral and character, mentioned the name of person and severely condemned and targeted him.
But by making clear the condition of Abu Lahab the definition of this will be get cleared.
The name of Abu lahab was Abdul Uzza (the slave of the Idol Uzza) and his kunniya (patronymic Name)Kuniyyats were given to children when they were very young. Surname or agnomen consists of abu or umm followed by the name of the son). The selection of this Kunniya was because perhaps for the reason that he was possessing a red and blazing face as Lahab in the language of the Arabic is a flame & furious fire.
He and his wife Umme Jameel who was the sister of Abu Sufyan and they were the most constant and hard-core enemies of Prophet peace be upon him.
It is mentioned in a description that a person named ‘Tariq Maharibi’ said: I was in the market of Zilmajaz ( This placed is near the Arafat, a short distance from Mecca city). Suddenly I saw a young man calling “O people say “La iIlaha illallah” so that you can flourish.
He saw a man behind him was hitting his foot by a stone in such a manner that the feet of young man was bleeding. That man (Abu Lahab) was shouting against that young man and yelling: O People this young man is liar, you do not believe him.
I asked them: who is that young man? They replied: He is Muhammad who is supposing that he is a messenger of God and this old man is Abu Lahab his paternal uncle who is telling him liar.
In another information it is defined that “Rabiya bin Imaad” said: I was with my father, there I saw the prophet of Allah peace be upon him who was going towards the tribes of Arab and calling them and calling each of them and telling: I am the prophet of God towards you, do not worship except the one and only God and do not bring any equal and peer for Him.
When he was finishing his words, a squint and fine-looking man behind him was shouting: O the people of so and so tribe! This man wants you to leave the idols of Laat and Uzza and your companions from the genies. And go vigorously towards the Bid’at (innovation- origination- revolution), deviation and straying, do not pay any heed to his words and do not follow him.
I enquired: who is that man? They replied: He is his paternal uncle Abu Lahab.
In a information we read: Whenever a group of Arabs were entering from outside in the city of Mecca and going to Abu Lahab because of his relation to the prophet of Islam peace be upon him as he was older then prophet in age. And they were enquiring from him about the prophet of Allah peace be upon him. And he was expressing to them: Muhammad is a magician and they too were returning back without meeting him. In this phase a group of people came and said: We will not return from Mecca till we meet the prophet. Abu Lahab said: we too are incessantly trying to heal his insanity. Death be to him. (mazallah)
From these narrations it is quite evident that he was accompanying the prophet peace be upon him like a shadow and he was not leaving any chance to torment he prophet peace be upon him, Specifically with the foul and abusive tongue he used to say indecent and disgusting terms. And may be for this reason he was counted as the prominent enemy of Islam. For this motive the ayat under discussion clearly and angrily criticised him and his wife Umme Jameel.
He was a single person who was the one who did not take the signature of the protection of Bani hashim from the prophet peace be upon him and stood at the side of the enemies and joined the agreements with the enemies. Keeping in the mind these facts, the exceptional condition of this sura is clear.
Then it adds: The wealth, affluence and whatever the worldly gain he acquired never provided him any benefit and protect him from the divine punishment.
مَا أَغْنَى عَنْهُ مَالُهُ وَمَا كَسَبَ By this term it is assumed that he was a rich and proud man who was relying upon his anti-Islamic methods of accumulating wealth.
In the next ayat it adds: he will soon enter the fire that has blazing flames.
سَيَصْلَى نَارًا ذَاتَ لَهَبٍ If his name is Abu Lahab, the fire of his punishment is also Abu Lahab which has excessive flames. (It is to be noted that here the term Lahab is used to prove the immensity of the fire).
Not only the Abu Lahab but none of the unbelievers and evil doer’s wealth, property and social status can relief them from the hell fire. For instance in the ayat 88, 89 of sura e Shuara, we read:
Ash-Shu'ara (The Poets)
يَوْمَ لَا يَنفَعُ مَالٌ وَلَا بَنُونَ
(26:88)
The Day on which neither wealth will be of any use, nor children, -
The Day on which neither wealth will be of any use, nor children, -
إِلَّا مَنْ أَتَى اللَّهَ بِقَلْبٍ سَلِيمٍ
(26:89)
Except him who brings to Allah a clean and pure heart.
Except him who brings to Allah a clean and pure heart.
سَيَصْلَى نَارًا ذَاتَ لَهَبٍ Certainly the meaning of the above ayat is the hell fire and some believe that it is the fire of this world too.
In several descriptions, it is supposed that after the battle of Badr and the severe defeat which was the destiny of the polytheists of Quraish. Abu Lahab who personally did not participated in the battle field of Badr, after the return of Abu Sufyan, he enquired about the entire event. Abu Sufyan defined to Abu Lahab how the army of Quraish were knocked down and defeated and further added: By God in this battle we had viewed the riders arrived in between the sky and earth to fight there in the support of Prophet Muhammad peace be upon.
Here one of the slaves of Abbas, Abu Raf’e said: I was sitting there too and I raised my hands and said, there were the angels of heaven.
Abu Lahab got severely embarrassed and slapped me (Abu Raf’e) firmly and in high delirium and rage he was continuously beating me. Here the wife of Abbas (paternal uncle of prophet peace be upon him), Ummul Fazl was present there, lifted a rod and hit the head of Abu Lahab and said: why did you trapped a weak and lonely man?
Abu Lahab’s head got wounded and blood began to run down. And after seven days his body infected and blisters like plague appeared on his skin and he dies with the same ailment.
The infection of his body was spread to such extent that the people were not daring to go near him. They carried him outside the Mecca and from a distance threw water upon him and then pelted stones upon him so that his body was buried under the stones and sand.
The succeeding ayat discussed about his wife Umme Jameel and indicated: His wife too will enter the Hell fire, Carrying the firewood upon her shoulder.
وَامْرَأَتُهُ حَمَّالَةَ الْحَطَبِ In such a manner that in her neck she is adorned with the ropes made of date leaves.
Wife of Abu Lahab was sister of Abu Sufyan and paternal aunt of Muavia and she was accompanying her husband in the enmity and disruption against Islam. Why the noble Quran described her as
حَمَّالَةَ الْحَطَبِ
The woman who is carrying firewood on her shoulder? They are many interpretations.
Some defined; this is for the reason that she was carrying the bushes of thorns on her shoulders and spreading in the pathway of the prophet of Islam so that his holy feet get wounded.
And several supposed: it means that it is her gossiping and tale bearing nature as it is told in the Farsi literature too the same term about the gossiping is indicated: The fight between the two persons is like fire The abhorrent gossiper is the carrier of the firewood.
Some believe, it is indicating about his severe thriftiness. In spite of being highly rich, Abu Lahab was not ready to help the poor and needy, for that reason he was compared to the poor carrier of fire wood.
Some expressed that on the judgement day he will carry the burden of the sins of a large group of people.
Among all these the first meaning is suitable, though all of them are true.
جِيدِ
The above term means neck
مسد
The above term means rope woven with fibres, a few mentioned that it is the rope which will be tied around the neck in the hell with the harshness of hay, temperature of fire and heaviness of iron.
Some defined as well that the aristocrat ladies of that time were used to believe in adorning their personality specifically with the precious necklace jewelleries and the Majestic God to insult this egoistic aristocratic woman will adorn her neck with the necklace of straw or just to scorn her.
Some said this term ‘masad’ means, as the Umme Jameel was the owner of the necklaces of precious jewels and she swore that she will spend the cost of the jewellery in the cause of her enmity with the Prophet of Islam peace be upon him. Hence the Mighty God ascertained this punishment for such kind of a sin.
Points:
1- Once again the another target of the miracles of Quran
We are aware that these ayat are descended at Mecca and the noble Quran determinedly informed the Abu Lahab and his wife that they will reside in the hell fire, it means they will never bring faith in Islam. At last this happened and most of the polytheist of Mecca did not brought faith in Islam truly. Both these husband and wife were among those people who did not bring faith truthfully not even just in appearance before the people. And it was the unseen information of the honourable Quran. The righteous Quran possess such information in other ayaat too and specified a phase under the title of the unseen evidences of the noble Quran miracles.
2- reply to a question
Here a question arises that according to this prediction of noble Quran when it got impossible for Abu Lahab and his wife to bring faith else this information would prove untrue and invalid.
This issue is of divine knowledge as we know, the Majestic God is well aware of everything right from eternity, the sins of sinners and the submission of the obedient. Therefore if the criminal did not commit evil then the divine knowledge will become ignorance.
To answer these questions the scholars and Islamic philosophers had been stated from the old times that the All-knowing God is well aware of every person according to his intention and free will. He is able to practice any kind of act. For example in the ayat under discussion the All-powerful God is well aware from the beginning that Abu Lahab and his wife with their own intention and desire they will never bring faith and not even by imposing compulsion and obligation.
In other words the fundamentals of freedom of will and choice are the part of the divine knowledge and the sovereign Lord knows that the human being is acting by the appeal of his will.
Certainly such a knowledge, informing about a certain past emphasise the matter of free will it is not giving any prove of compulsion.
2- Always the visionless near ones are far and away
Once again this sura emphasise upon the fact that the relative who is not connected and following your same school, he has no value. The divinely people were never expressing any inclination before the deviated, cruel and ruthless people though they were their close relatives.
However Abu Lahab was paternal uncle of Prophet peace be upon him, one of his closest relative, when he separated his school of believe and practice from the prophet peace be upon him like all the other deviators and perverted came under his severe storms of reproach and accusation.
On the contrary the people who were very much far away but they were among the relatives of the prophet they were not even belonged to the race and language of the prophet peace be upon him but because of their connection with the ideology and practise they got so much close that according to the a narration as the prophet peace be upon him said: “Salman is my relative” as if he was the part of his family.
No doubt the ayat of this sura are illustrating about the Abu Lahab and his wife but it is evident that they are criticised severely. Therefore a person or a group who possess such a character will be going to face such a fate.
O Sympathetic and Compassionate God! Cleanse our heart from every type of enmity and stubbornness.
O Protector Forgiver God! We all are afraid of our deeds, you bestow us peace and tranquillity.
O Exalted and Dominant God! We are aware, in that court of justice neither wealth and nor the relatives provide us any profit, only your kindness is beneficial. Bestow us that kindness.
Ameen! O God the Provider of the whole universe
1- Once again the another target of the miracles of Quran
We are aware that these ayat are descended at Mecca and the noble Quran determinedly informed the Abu Lahab and his wife that they will reside in the hell fire, it means they will never bring faith in Islam. At last this happened and most of the polytheist of Mecca did not brought faith in Islam truly. Both these husband and wife were among those people who did not bring faith truthfully not even just in appearance before the people. And it was the unseen information of the honourable Quran. The righteous Quran possess such information in other ayaat too and specified a phase under the title of the unseen evidences of the noble Quran miracles.
2- reply to a question
Here a question arises that according to this prediction of noble Quran when it got impossible for Abu Lahab and his wife to bring faith else this information would prove untrue and invalid.
This issue is of divine knowledge as we know, the Majestic God is well aware of everything right from eternity, the sins of sinners and the submission of the obedient. Therefore if the criminal did not commit evil then the divine knowledge will become ignorance.
To answer these questions the scholars and Islamic philosophers had been stated from the old times that the All-knowing God is well aware of every person according to his intention and free will. He is able to practice any kind of act. For example in the ayat under discussion the All-powerful God is well aware from the beginning that Abu Lahab and his wife with their own intention and desire they will never bring faith and not even by imposing compulsion and obligation.
In other words the fundamentals of freedom of will and choice are the part of the divine knowledge and the sovereign Lord knows that the human being is acting by the appeal of his will.
Certainly such a knowledge, informing about a certain past emphasise the matter of free will it is not giving any prove of compulsion.
2- Always the visionless near ones are far and away
Once again this sura emphasise upon the fact that the relative who is not connected and following your same school, he has no value. The divinely people were never expressing any inclination before the deviated, cruel and ruthless people though they were their close relatives.
However Abu Lahab was paternal uncle of Prophet peace be upon him, one of his closest relative, when he separated his school of believe and practice from the prophet peace be upon him like all the other deviators and perverted came under his severe storms of reproach and accusation.
On the contrary the people who were very much far away but they were among the relatives of the prophet they were not even belonged to the race and language of the prophet peace be upon him but because of their connection with the ideology and practise they got so much close that according to the a narration as the prophet peace be upon him said: “Salman is my relative” as if he was the part of his family.
No doubt the ayat of this sura are illustrating about the Abu Lahab and his wife but it is evident that they are criticised severely. Therefore a person or a group who possess such a character will be going to face such a fate.
O Sympathetic and Compassionate God! Cleanse our heart from every type of enmity and stubbornness.
O Protector Forgiver God! We all are afraid of our deeds, you bestow us peace and tranquillity.
O Exalted and Dominant God! We are aware, in that court of justice neither wealth and nor the relatives provide us any profit, only your kindness is beneficial. Bestow us that kindness.
Ameen! O God the Provider of the whole universe
