Summary of Qur'an Chapter 111 Surah Al-Masad The Palm Fibre

Summary of Qur'an Chapter 111 Surah Al-Masad The Palm Fibre 

Surah Al-Masad (Chapter 111 of the Qur'an) consists of 5 verses. It is a short Meccan surah revealed to condemn the hostility of Abu Lahab, an uncle of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Despite its brevity, the surah delivers a powerful message about the consequences of arrogance and opposition to the truth. 

After his prophethood, Muhammad (peace be upon him) spent approximately three years primarily fulfilling the duty of preaching and inviting others (da'wah) through personal, individual meetings (PP calls). During this period, he invited his clan, the Banu Hashim, twice to meals to convey his message. Some Orientalists have labeled these early missionary contacts as 'underground' activities, which is completely contrary to the truth. However, they can be described as a 'low-key' form of da'wah. 

Nevertheless, when the verse from Surah Al-Hijr (The Rocky Tract) — 'So proclaim what you have been commanded, and turn away from the polytheists. (15:94)' — was revealed, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) was instructed to make his call to Islam public and clear. In response, he decided to openly invite the Quraysh of Makkah. Following the social customs of that time, he stood on Mount Safa one day and raised the call 'Wa Sabahah!' (The Arabic phrase "وَا صَبَاحَاه" (wa ṣabāḥāh) — sometimes written as وَا صَبَاحَا — is a classical Arabic cry for help or alarm, especially used to alert others of an imminent danger, particularly in times of war or sudden attack.)

In that era, it was customary that if someone wanted to alert the people to an important or urgent message, they would stand on an elevated place—sometimes unclothed—and cry out ‘Wa Sabahah!’ (But God forbid, the Prophet Muhammad [peace be upon him and his family] was the embodiment of modesty and decency, and was exceedingly dignified.) In Arab culture, this phrase was considered an alarm signal indicating danger. Whoever heard or saw such a call would immediately rush to hear what was being said. 

Back then, most alerts were related to attacks from rival tribes. So, the phrase 'Wa Sabahah!' implied: ‘Tomorrow you are going to face a dreadful morning.’ (In modern terms, this could be likened to holding an emergency press conference.) Hence, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family), while fully clothed and in a state of utmost modesty, adopted this customary method partially to draw the people's attention. 

It was as if he, too, was warning the people of an impending dreadful morning, though this was not a reference to the following day’s ordinary dawn, but rather to the approaching dawn of the Day of Judgment. 

In any case, when the people of Quraysh gathered, the Prophet (peace be upon him) addressed them and delivered a well-reasoned and impactful sermon about the warning of the Hereafter. Abu Lahab had already heard these words during an earlier meal invitation at the Prophet’s house. On this occasion, he responded in an extremely disrespectful manner, saying: ‘May your hands perish! Is this why you gathered us?’ (God forbid! These words were used by the Prophet's Uncle, the Lahab. 

As a result of his attitude and this insolent remark, Surah Al-Masad (Lahab) was revealed in response, giving him a fitting answer: that in fact, his hands are the ones that are perished, and that he—along with his wife—will fall into a blazing pit of fire. 

In terms of its theme, the tone of this Surah is similar to the last verse of Surah Al-Kauthar: ‘Indeed, it is your enemy who is cut off.’ In that verse as well, Allah Almighty Himself responded to the disrespectful remarks of the enemies of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family), clearly declaring that it is they who are truly 'cut off'—and that after them, no one in the world will remember or uphold their name. 

Explanation 

Hadith: 

Sahih Bukhari Volume 6, Book 60, Hadith Number 495. 

Narrated By Ibn Abbas: When the Verse: ‘And warn your tribe of near kindred.’ (26.214) was revealed. Allah’s Apostle went out, and when he had ascended As-Safa mountain, he shouted, “O Sabahah!” The people said, “Who is that?” “Then they gathered around him, whereupon he said, “Do you see? If I inform you that cavalrymen are proceeding up the side of this mountain, will you believe me?” They said, “We have never heard you telling a lie.” Then he said, “I am a plain warner to you of a coming severe punishment.” Abu Lahab said, “May you perish! You gathered us only for this reason? ” Then Abu Lahab went away. So the “Surat Al-Lahab” ‘Perish the hands of Abu Lahab!’ (111.1) was revealed. 

The word Lahab means flames of fire and burning embers. In this verse, the use of this word about the nickname (Abu Lahab) is an excellent example of literary craftsmanship. His real name was Abd al-‘Uzza, but due to his reddish-white complexion, he was famously known by the nickname Abu Lahab (father of flames). Outwardly, Abu Lahab was a handsome man. In this context, the words of the verse seem to convey the message that it was We who granted him his fair complexion and beautiful appearance, and it is We who will cast him into the blazing Fire of Hell. 

This is the only place in the Qur'an where an enemy of Islam is condemned by name, even though there was no shortage of enemies and ill-wishers of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) in Makkah, Madinah, and other Arab tribes. The reason for this is that Abu Lahab, despite being the Prophet’s real uncle and closest neighbor, was at the forefront of opposition to him. In his enmity toward Islam and love for disbelief, this man showed no regard for kinship ties or the Arab traditions of family honor and loyalty. 

His wife, too, was always at the forefront in her enmity towards Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). Her name was Arwah, and her nickname was Umm Jameel. Her heart was filled with intense hatred for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Considering the accounts of their hostility toward the Prophet, it becomes difficult to determine which of the two — the husband or the wife — was the greater enemy of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). 

Earlier, in the last section of Surah At-Tahrim, we studied three examples related to the conduct of women. The first example mentioned the disbelieving wives of Prophet Lut (Lut, peace be upon him) and Prophet Noah (Nuh, peace be upon him). This is an example of the worst wives living in the homes of the best husbands. Then comes the mention of Pharaoh’s wife, Asiyah (may Allah be pleased with her), which serves as an example of the best wife living with the worst husband. After that, the example of Maryam (Mary, peace be upon her) is presented — a woman who was inherently pure and righteous, and who, under the guardianship of Prophet Zechariah (Zakariya, peace be upon him), was raised in an environment uniquely rich in piety and purity. 

Thus, in Surah At-Tahrim, we have already been presented with three possible scenarios regarding women. The fourth possible scenario is mentioned here in this Surah, where both the husband and the wife are the worst in character. 

Since narrations mention that this husband and wife were very miserly, some people have interpreted the verse to mean that the woman used to collect firewood from the forest. However, this idea is contrary to logic and reason. Abu Lahab was not only very wealthy but also held a high social position in his time. He was in charge of the financial affairs of the Haram (Sacred Mosque), and in that capacity, he was even accused of stealing two golden deer from the treasury of the Haram. Thus, both husband and wife belonged to the elite class of their society. 

In this context, it is highly improbable to imagine that a VIP woman — the wife of a chief of Banu Hashim, who held a status equivalent to that of a 'First Lady' — would collect firewood from the forest and carry it on her head. Therefore, the true meaning of this verse in this Surah is that her actions were like gathering fuel for the Fire of Hell and further inflaming her husband's fire. When she is thrown into Hell along with her husband, her condition will be like that of a criminal who carries the fuel of their burning. 

"Today, the beautiful necklace this woman wears around her neck will, in the Hereafter, turn into a strong, twisted rope — the kind worn around the necks of slave girls who gather firewood. With this rope, she will carry the fuel of her evil deeds into Hell, further intensifying the fire for herself and her husband. Maulana Shabbir Ahmad Usmani has written that perhaps she will be seen there carrying the wood of Zaqqum and Daree' — the thorny trees of Hell — and through them, she will continue to stoke the flames of Allah’s torment upon her husband." 

Source: Dr. Israr Ahmed, Book--- Bayan-ul-Qur'an.