سُوْرَةُ المَسَدِ
Surah Al-Masad (111) — Ayah 1
تَبَّتْ يَدَآ أَبِى لَهَبٍ وَتَبَّ ﴿1﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Perish the two hands of Abû Lahab (an uncle of the Prophet) and perish he!
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
تَبَّتْ
tabbat
Perish
يَدَآ
yadā
(the) hands
أَبِى
abī
(of) Abu
لَهَبٍۢ
lahabin
Lahab
وَتَبَّ
watabba
and perish he
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
1. May the hands of Abu Lahab [1] be ruined, and ruined is he.
[1]
Introduction of Abu Lahab:
The real name of Abu Lahab was ‘Abd al-‘Uzza, and he was the eldest real uncle of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He was extremely handsome and beautiful; his complexion glowed like an apple. For this reason, he was given the nickname Abu Lahab (“Father of Flame”). He was wealthy but naturally miserly. When the news of the birth of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ reached him through his slave-girl Thuwaibah, he freed Thuwaibah out of happiness. [بخاری۔ کتاب النکاح۔ باب امھاتکم الٰتی ارضعنکم]
The Prophet's ﷺ father had passed away before your ﷺ birth. Being the eldest uncle, he considered himself to be the substitute for your father, and so, against his nature, he expressed happiness, or perhaps he was compelled to do so. This was also a result of his miserliness, for when his grandfather ‘Abd al-Muttalib was about to die, he entrusted your ﷺ guardianship (at that time you ﷺ were eight years old) not to Abu Lahab, but to Abu Talib, who was financially much weaker than Abu Lahab. After your ﷺ prophethood, for three years the work of preaching and spreading Islam continued in utmost secrecy. Then, when this command was revealed: ﴿وَاَنْذِرْ عَشِيْرَتَكَ الْاَقْرَبِيْنَ﴾ “Warn your close relatives (of Allah’s punishment),” you ﷺ, in compliance with this command, invited Banu Hashim and Banu ‘Abd al-Muttalib to a meal at your house. A total of 45 people gathered.
The Opposition of Abu Lahab:
He ﷺ presented to them the invitation of ﴿لا الٰه الا اللّٰه﴾, so Abu Lahab immediately spoke up: “Look! All these gentlemen are your uncles or cousins. Give up this foolishness and understand that your family cannot withstand the whole of Arabia. And I am the most entitled to seize you. So, your father’s family is enough for you. And if you persist in your matter and all the tribes of Arabia attack you, then who could be a greater cause of evil and destruction for his family than you?” After hearing these harsh and bitter words of Abu Lahab, you ﷺ remained silent, and the others also got up and went to their homes.
The Support of Abu Talib:
A few days later, you ﷺ again invited your relatives and presented your invitation more openly. As a result, your younger uncle Abu Talib openly announced his support for you ﷺ, but at the same time said that personally, he was not ready to leave the religion of ‘Abd al-Muttalib. In response to Abu Talib’s zeal, Abu Lahab said: “By God! This (i.e., the invitation to monotheism) is an evil thing. Therefore, you yourselves should seize Muhammad ﷺ before others do.” In reply, Abu Talib said: “By Allah! As long as there is life in me, we will continue to protect him.” The benefit of this second invitation was that you ﷺ became certain that among the nobles of Banu Hashim, at least one person (i.e., Abu Talib) was such that his support could be relied upon.
The Enemies’ Admission on Mount Safa:
After this, you ﷺ took a third courageous step. One day, you climbed Mount Safa and, like a petitioner, called out “Wa Sabahah!” and called out the name of each tribe of Quraysh: “O Banu Fihr, O Banu ‘Adi, O Banu Ka‘b,” and so on. Until all the notable persons of the tribes gathered before you ﷺ, and those who could not come sent their representatives. You ﷺ stood on a high place and asked the people: “If I were to tell you that an army is gathering behind this hill to attack you, would you believe me?” All replied in unison: “Yes!” because our experience with you ﷺ has always been of truthfulness. He ﷺ said: “Well then, know that I have been sent to warn you of a severe punishment, so save yourselves from Hell. I have no power to save you from Allah.”
The Anger of Abu Lahab:
You ﷺ had barely said this much when Abu Lahab suddenly flared up and said: ﴿تبا لك سائر اليوم الهٰذا جمعتنا﴾ (“May you perish all day! Is it for this that you gathered us?”) [بخاري۔ كتاب التفسير]
Although, due to Abu Lahab’s rudeness, this gathering did not prove fruitful, it did have the benefit that you ﷺ, as commanded by Allah, conveyed your invitation to your entire tribe, and your ﷺ call reached every individual in Makkah. In response to Abu Lahab’s ill-nature and insolence, Allah Almighty revealed this Surah. Why did the Quran mention only Abu Lahab by name? Here, the question arises that he had many other enemies, even greater than Abu Lahab. So, among all these enemies, why was only Abu Lahab mentioned by name in the Quran? The answer is that for the following two reasons, Abu Lahab’s crime was indeed so severe that the Quran mentioned him by name in condemnation. The first reason is that there was no formal government in Arabia where one could seek justice. The only thing that worked in such times was tribal solidarity. The oppressed person would immediately call upon his tribe for help, and the whole tribe would rise in his support. Therefore, they were compelled, even if reluctantly, to observe the ties of kinship. Abu Lahab was the only wretched person who broke this respected law of the time and, against his own tribe, stubbornly opposed him. Furthermore, when Banu Hashim and Banu Muttalib were besieged in the valley of Abu Talib due to the social boycott, even then Abu Lahab did not support his tribe. And it is clear that among those besieged in the valley of Abu Talib, there were many who had not believed in him ﷺ, yet, due to tribal solidarity, they endured everything and fulfilled the right of respecting this law. To the extent that your younger uncle Abu Talib took upon himself the opposition of the Quraysh of Makkah for your protection throughout his life, even though he did not believe until his last breath. [بخاری، کتاب التفسیر زیر آیت : __QUR_3__]
And the second reason is that in that tribal society, an uncle was also regarded as a father, especially in the case where the real father had passed away. In this respect, Abu Lahab should have fulfilled the duty of protecting you ﷺ in the best possible manner, whether he believed or not. But instead of protecting him, he went so far in his malice and enmity that he was counted among your ﷺ foremost enemies. The reason you ﷺ remained silent at his ill-nature and insolence on Mount Safa was also that, on a social level, Abu Lahab held the position of your father, and the etiquette of fatherhood demanded that you remain silent. Therefore, Allah Almighty Himself responded to his insolence by mentioning his name. Note that: ﴿تَبَّتْ يَدَا اَبِيْ لَهبٍ﴾ does not mean that Abu Lahab’s hands would literally break; rather, these are words of curse, uttered in anger and displeasure. And such expressions are not only found in Arabic, but in every language.
[1]
Introduction of Abu Lahab:
The real name of Abu Lahab was ‘Abd al-‘Uzza, and he was the eldest real uncle of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He was extremely handsome and beautiful; his complexion glowed like an apple. For this reason, he was given the nickname Abu Lahab (“Father of Flame”). He was wealthy but naturally miserly. When the news of the birth of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ reached him through his slave-girl Thuwaibah, he freed Thuwaibah out of happiness. [بخاری۔ کتاب النکاح۔ باب امھاتکم الٰتی ارضعنکم]
The Prophet's ﷺ father had passed away before your ﷺ birth. Being the eldest uncle, he considered himself to be the substitute for your father, and so, against his nature, he expressed happiness, or perhaps he was compelled to do so. This was also a result of his miserliness, for when his grandfather ‘Abd al-Muttalib was about to die, he entrusted your ﷺ guardianship (at that time you ﷺ were eight years old) not to Abu Lahab, but to Abu Talib, who was financially much weaker than Abu Lahab. After your ﷺ prophethood, for three years the work of preaching and spreading Islam continued in utmost secrecy. Then, when this command was revealed: ﴿وَاَنْذِرْ عَشِيْرَتَكَ الْاَقْرَبِيْنَ﴾ “Warn your close relatives (of Allah’s punishment),” you ﷺ, in compliance with this command, invited Banu Hashim and Banu ‘Abd al-Muttalib to a meal at your house. A total of 45 people gathered.
The Opposition of Abu Lahab:
He ﷺ presented to them the invitation of ﴿لا الٰه الا اللّٰه﴾, so Abu Lahab immediately spoke up: “Look! All these gentlemen are your uncles or cousins. Give up this foolishness and understand that your family cannot withstand the whole of Arabia. And I am the most entitled to seize you. So, your father’s family is enough for you. And if you persist in your matter and all the tribes of Arabia attack you, then who could be a greater cause of evil and destruction for his family than you?” After hearing these harsh and bitter words of Abu Lahab, you ﷺ remained silent, and the others also got up and went to their homes.
The Support of Abu Talib:
A few days later, you ﷺ again invited your relatives and presented your invitation more openly. As a result, your younger uncle Abu Talib openly announced his support for you ﷺ, but at the same time said that personally, he was not ready to leave the religion of ‘Abd al-Muttalib. In response to Abu Talib’s zeal, Abu Lahab said: “By God! This (i.e., the invitation to monotheism) is an evil thing. Therefore, you yourselves should seize Muhammad ﷺ before others do.” In reply, Abu Talib said: “By Allah! As long as there is life in me, we will continue to protect him.” The benefit of this second invitation was that you ﷺ became certain that among the nobles of Banu Hashim, at least one person (i.e., Abu Talib) was such that his support could be relied upon.
The Enemies’ Admission on Mount Safa:
After this, you ﷺ took a third courageous step. One day, you climbed Mount Safa and, like a petitioner, called out “Wa Sabahah!” and called out the name of each tribe of Quraysh: “O Banu Fihr, O Banu ‘Adi, O Banu Ka‘b,” and so on. Until all the notable persons of the tribes gathered before you ﷺ, and those who could not come sent their representatives. You ﷺ stood on a high place and asked the people: “If I were to tell you that an army is gathering behind this hill to attack you, would you believe me?” All replied in unison: “Yes!” because our experience with you ﷺ has always been of truthfulness. He ﷺ said: “Well then, know that I have been sent to warn you of a severe punishment, so save yourselves from Hell. I have no power to save you from Allah.”
The Anger of Abu Lahab:
You ﷺ had barely said this much when Abu Lahab suddenly flared up and said: ﴿تبا لك سائر اليوم الهٰذا جمعتنا﴾ (“May you perish all day! Is it for this that you gathered us?”) [بخاري۔ كتاب التفسير]
Although, due to Abu Lahab’s rudeness, this gathering did not prove fruitful, it did have the benefit that you ﷺ, as commanded by Allah, conveyed your invitation to your entire tribe, and your ﷺ call reached every individual in Makkah. In response to Abu Lahab’s ill-nature and insolence, Allah Almighty revealed this Surah. Why did the Quran mention only Abu Lahab by name? Here, the question arises that he had many other enemies, even greater than Abu Lahab. So, among all these enemies, why was only Abu Lahab mentioned by name in the Quran? The answer is that for the following two reasons, Abu Lahab’s crime was indeed so severe that the Quran mentioned him by name in condemnation. The first reason is that there was no formal government in Arabia where one could seek justice. The only thing that worked in such times was tribal solidarity. The oppressed person would immediately call upon his tribe for help, and the whole tribe would rise in his support. Therefore, they were compelled, even if reluctantly, to observe the ties of kinship. Abu Lahab was the only wretched person who broke this respected law of the time and, against his own tribe, stubbornly opposed him. Furthermore, when Banu Hashim and Banu Muttalib were besieged in the valley of Abu Talib due to the social boycott, even then Abu Lahab did not support his tribe. And it is clear that among those besieged in the valley of Abu Talib, there were many who had not believed in him ﷺ, yet, due to tribal solidarity, they endured everything and fulfilled the right of respecting this law. To the extent that your younger uncle Abu Talib took upon himself the opposition of the Quraysh of Makkah for your protection throughout his life, even though he did not believe until his last breath. [بخاری، کتاب التفسیر زیر آیت : __QUR_3__]
And the second reason is that in that tribal society, an uncle was also regarded as a father, especially in the case where the real father had passed away. In this respect, Abu Lahab should have fulfilled the duty of protecting you ﷺ in the best possible manner, whether he believed or not. But instead of protecting him, he went so far in his malice and enmity that he was counted among your ﷺ foremost enemies. The reason you ﷺ remained silent at his ill-nature and insolence on Mount Safa was also that, on a social level, Abu Lahab held the position of your father, and the etiquette of fatherhood demanded that you remain silent. Therefore, Allah Almighty Himself responded to his insolence by mentioning his name. Note that: ﴿تَبَّتْ يَدَا اَبِيْ لَهبٍ﴾ does not mean that Abu Lahab’s hands would literally break; rather, these are words of curse, uttered in anger and displeasure. And such expressions are not only found in Arabic, but in every language.
