Al-Masadd - Interpretation and Context of Revelation

Interpretation and Context of Revelation

Introduction:
Surat Lahab:
• Surah no. 111
• One of the shortest surahs in the Quran
• It is dedicated to Abu Lahab and his Wife
• Allah has never dedicated a particular Surah to a particular enemy anywhere else in the Quran
• Other enemy’s such as Abu Jahl, and others were mentioned a few times but never by name

Question to be considered is:
• Why is there this special emphasis given to this enemy of Islam ?

Historical Background of Abu Lahab:
• He was one of the most famous and wealthiest people in Makkah (even before Islam)
• He was the treasure secretary at that time
• His original name is Abd-al-Uzza
• His nickname is Abu Lahab.
• Lahab is a red flame that flickers and gives of light
• Abu doesn’t literally mean father necessarily. When someone is affiliated or associated with something you can put Abu in front of their name.
• Example: When Ali bin Abi Taleb was sleeping on the dust, the Prophet called him Ya Aba Turaab. Meaning he was covered in dust
• Example: Abu Hurayrah was called that because he had a cat that he loved.
• Abu Lahab was given this nickname because he had a reddish complexion in his skin. And this was considered as good looking
• He had a powerful lineage. He was the grandson of Hashim.
• He was the Uncle of the Prophet, and his daughters’ father-in-law.

History of Urwah (wife of Abu Lahab):
• She was the granddaughter of Ummayyah
• She use to flaunt her status and family background
• Her nickname was Umm Jamil (beautiful)
• The city use to look up to this couple because of their good looks and high status

Negative side of Abu Lahab:
• He was the next door neighbor of the Prophet and he would throw filth into the house of the Prophet whenever the Prophet use to read Quran
• He ordered his sons to divorce the daughters of the Prophet
• When the Prophet’s son Qasim passed away, Abu Lahab came out of his house screaming and dancing. And he says Batara Muhammadun – Muhammed has had his lineage cut off
o This was the death of a child in his own family and yet he celebrates
o Even enemy’s in battle do not do anything like this
o This kind of hatred is not shared by any other enemy of Islam
o This is one of the reasons why he was given this special dedication
o He curses Islam by saying Taban li Hadha Ad-Deen he was invited to become Muslim
o When the Prophet stood on the mountain and called everyone, he told them that he was a Prophet and a warner. Abu Lahab said to him, Taban Lak!

Ayah 1: تَبَّتْ يَدَا أَبِي لَهَبٍ وَتَبَّ
May the hands of Abu Lahab be ruined, and ruined is he.
• Because Abu Lahab said Taban to the Prophet twice, it is said to him twice.
• When this Ayah was sent down, Abu Lahab use to make fun of it. He would go into public gatherings and he would take out his hands (because Allah said may his hands by destroyed) and he would
sarcastically say Taban Lakuma May you be destroyed. Then he would say I don’t see in you any signs from what Muhammed said.
• One reason why both hands of Abu Lahab are mentioned is because it is narrated that he once picked up a rock and tried to throw it at the Prophet Muhammed peace be upon him.
Tabat Yadahu: May both his hands be destroyed also includes his deen, dunya, the things he does, and their outcomes.
Tabat Yadahu: Your right hand is used to attack, and your left hand is used to defend. When Allah says may both his hands be destroyed this means that he won’t be able to attack anyone. And he won’t be able to defend himself either.

Abu Lahab’s name:
• His real name is Abdul Uzzah, who was an idol/false god. So Allah does not dignify him by mentioning the false god that he worshiped. Also nobody is the slave of Uzzah so his name is a lie so Allah does not mention his name.
• Because he is of the people of the Fire and Allah is going to put him in a flame that is flickering red, why not call him by his nickname because his nickname has now been given a new meaning. Now when he is called Abu Lahab, he’s not called that because he has reddish skin or he looks good, but because he’s going to be in a Lahab forever.
• Wa Tab means that it is bound to happen. i.e. it is guaranteed to happen
• Abu Lahab developed a very serious disease and he started developing a swelling in his body
• His sons, servants, family, and friends all stayed away from his because they were afraid to catch the diseases from him
• He’s dying painfully and slowly and no one is there for him
• His corpse was lying there and no one wanted to touch it so his sons finally hire some Abyssinians who use logs to drag him into a pit and then throw stones at him to fill up his grave. They didn’t even want to touch him either.

Ayah 2: مَا أَغْنَىٰ عَنْهُ مَالُهُ وَمَا كَسَبَ
His wealth will not avail him or that which he gained.
• His wealth and assets did not benefit him at all.
• There are different kinds of negations in Arabic. Ex. Lam Yughni
• The word ‘ma’ is strong: emphatic
o It means not at all
o It is always used to negate a countering idea.
o He and Quraish believed that the biggest thing he had in his advantage was his wealth
o This verse negates this belief
o Since the past is used to guarantee something, this verse is not only saying that His wealth and assets did not benefit him at all it is also saying that it will not benefit him
o Kasb: also includes children
• So the ayah is also saying that your children will not benefit you either
• Also Allah uses the third person ‘him’ instead of ‘you’.
• Allah does not dignify him by addressing him.
• This is a tradition of Allah against the worst Kafir

Abu Lahab use to take pride in two things and Allah took both of them away from him in this surah

• His good looks (the disease he got was one of the skin)
• And his wealth (his wealth will never benefit him)

Ayah 3: سَيَصْلَىٰ نَارًا ذَاتَ لَهَبٍ
He will burn in a Fire of flame

• Now the ayah speaks about the future
• When the past tense is used it’s usually used for the immediate future, something that will happen very soon (or something that will happen in this world/dunya)
• Meaning of Verse: Very soon he will be cast into a flame which has the quality of red flame or flicker. This is an attack against him – you like to be called by flames? Then that’s what you’ll get.

Umm Jamil:

• She was the granddaughter of Ummayyah and the sister of Abu Sufyan
• She had very high status and a noble lineage and she would show it off
• She and Abu Lahab were a high class celebrity couple in Makah
She use to grab her necklace when she saw the Prophet and she would swear by Lat and Uzzah that she would spend the necklace to complete her animosity against the Prophet.

Ayah 4: وَامْرَأَتُهُ حَمَّالَةَ الْحَطَبِ
And his wife – the carrier of firewood.
• Now the surah starts talking about his wife Umm Jamil
o There are two words for wife in the Quran. Imra’ah and Zawj
o The two functions of marriage are, one to increase good in society and decrease evil, and number two, children.
o When any of theses things is missing Allah uses Imra’ah.
o And when they’re both there he uses Zawj.
o In this situation, they have harmony and children but They didn’t increase good in society so Allah uses the word Imra’ah
o Because the word Wamra’atuhu is marfoo’ (has dhamma) it is a second khabr. This means the ayah is saying: He will be cast into a flame and so will his wife
• They tag team in this dunya and in the akhira
• The word hamalata is mansoob (has fatha) and There are 16 reasons why a word can have a fatha on it. One of the reasons is shatm – condemnation/curse/anger
o This is a way of Allah mentioning her in disgust and the disgust is captured in the fatha
o Allah uses hamaalah instead of hamilah to indicate that she will keep on carry it
o It’s also used to indicate one’s profession. The slave girls who use to bring in the wood were called hamaalat al-hadab, and Umm Jamil use to think of her self as being way over them but Allah degrade her and brings her down as if to say I don’t care of your status in society. If you mess with the Prophet then you don’t deserve anything like that

Ayah 5: فِي جِيدِهَا حَبْلٌ مِّن مَّسَدٍ
Around her neck is a rope of fiber.
• She use to call the prophet Mudhamam (the one who is condemned)
• She use to also make poetry against the Prophet
o Mudhamaman Qalayna – We are tired of him (mudhamam)
o Wa Deenahu Abayna – And his religion we have rejected
o Wa hukmahu lasayna – And his rule we will always disobey
o The Prophet used to say that they’re making fun of someone called Mudhamam and that his name was Muhammed (someone who is praised and thanked)

Two themes are coming to a conclusion in surah lahab

• One theme has to do with Abu Lahab
• The second has to do with Umm Jamil
When a dog is barking, there’s no wisdom in barking back. When people start talking obnoxiously and ignorantly the worst thing you can do is respond. We have to learn to recognize a bark for a bark and an intellectual criticism as an intellectual criticism.

Four different kinds of disbelievers:
1. A friendly disbeliever
• Mu’tem bin adiyy
• Abu Taleb

2. A noble enemy
• He does show animosity, but if he had become Muslim, he would have been amazing
• Abu Jahl

3.Wretched enemy but nothing personal against the Prophet
• Utbah ibn Rabiah (the great debater)
• Waleed ibn Mugheerah (poet)

4. Hates Islam and hates the Prophet
• Abu Lahab

Four domestic situations for women
1. A wonderful woman with a wonderful wali (guardian)
• Maryam

2. A wonderful woman with a terrible wali (guardian)
• Asiyah – wife of Firown

3. A terrible woman but a wonderful wali (guardian)
• Wives of Lut and Nuh

4. A terrible woman with a terrible wali (guardian)
• Umm Jamil

The worst male enemy and the worst kind of female character are both mentioned in this surah