Surah #111 Consisting of 5 Ayahs

     He shouted: "Perish you, is that what you called us for?"

     Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was painfully startled, and he stopped talking.  He felt extremely hurt.  Everyone was also startled, turned around looking at the Prophet in sudden silence, expecting a response.  It was at this crucial moment that the Prophet was revealed Surah Masad by Angel Jibreel.

     While receiving the Revelation, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) became motionless, breathing heavily and sweating, the sweat running down his forehead and cheeks.  These changes happened to the Prophet (pbuh) every time he received a Revelation.

     Allah answered Abu Lahab in a tough, emphatic way, specifying him by name.  He said: "Nay, it is none but Abu Lahab himself who will perish and be damned".  Allah mentioned the word "perish" not once, but twice, to show His displeasure and anger with Abu Lahab. 

مَا أَغْنَى عَنْهُ مَالُهُ وَمَا كَسَبَ

His wealth and his earnings will save him not! 

     Allah emphasized too that neither the wealth of Abu Lahab nor his prestige would ever save him.  Abu Lahab is damned in Allah's eyes, and he will receive a severe punish­ment.  And be it Abu Lahab rich or not, and whether other people respected him or not, it made no difference in the eyes of God.  Abu Lahab would suffer severely and deservedly so.

سَيَصْلَى نَارًا ذَاتَ لَهَبٍ

He will suffer in a fire of blazing flame,

     LAHAB means flame.  Abu Lahab, the man, will be tormented in "Lahab", burning fire.  Allah promised that Abu Lahab would not be saved.  He promised that Abu Lahab would suffer a great deal in Hell fire, since Abu Lahab was such a terrible enemy of Islam, wanting to hurt and destroy it.

     Abu Lahab, the evil one will deserve Hell fire and he is promised such an end by Allah. 

وَامْرَأَتُهُ حَمَّالَةَ الْحَطَبِ

and so will his wife, the wood‑carrier,

     The wife of Abu Lahab was just as evil as her husband.  She was also full of hate towards Muslims, especially Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).  Here she is called "The wood-carrier" because she used to put bundles of thorns and excrements in the path which the Prophet used to take in order to hurt him.  Also she used to use foul language and carry bad tales about the Prophet (pbuh) to discredit him and the message of Islam. 

فِي جِيدِهَا حَبْلٌ مِّن مَّسَدٍ

around whose neck is a rope (of palm fiber). 

     Allah promised to punish this woman too, since she tried to hurt the Prophet so much.  She will find punishment in the form of a painful masad rope  around her neck.  Allah promised that she would suffer just as much as her husband because both hurt the Muslims and the Prophet (pbuh) immensely and they tried to destroy Islam.  They earned their place in Hell deservedly, for Allah (swt) is All-Knowing.

 THROUGH SURAH AL-MASAD ALLAH WANTS US TO:  

1. know that He will protect His Prophet and the Muslims,

2. know that however rich a person is, he will be the same in Allah's eyes as any other person,

3. know that however respected and influential a person is, he will still be the same in the eyes of Allah (God) as any other person,

4. know that we earn the Hereafter by what we do on earth.  If a person is a good Muslim he will deserve to be in Heaven.  If a person is bad, such as Abu Lahab, he will surely find torment in Hell.  A person will get what he deserves,

5. know that Allah is just and He will judge us justly, and

6. know that Allah's punishment is severe, and Abu Lahab along with his wife will suffer a great deal.

QUESTIONS 

 1.     Who is   أَبِي لَهَبٍ?

 2.     What did Abu Lahab use to do to the Prophet (pbuh)?

 3.     Did Abu Lahab's wealth protect him?

 4.     What did Allah (swt) promise to do to Abu Lahab?

 5.     Which fire will Abu Lahab suffer from?

 6.     What did Abu Lahab's wife use to do?

 7.     Was Abu Lahab's wife a bad woman?

 8.     What did God promise to do to Abu Lahab's wife?

 9.     What is meant by   حَبْلٌ مِّن مَّسَدٍ?

10.    Will a wealthy man be guaranteed Paradise?

11.    Will an influential man be guaranteed Paradise?

12.    Will a poor man be guaranteed to be in Paradise?

13.    Who will deserve Paradise?

14.    Who will deserve Hell-fire?

15.    Why do you think a person would want to damage Islam?

16.    How do you think we can fight the evil within us?

17.    Recite the second Ayah of Surah Al-Masad.

18.    Recite the third Ayah of Surah Al-Masad.

19.    What is the meaning of the second Ayah of Surah Al-Masad?

20.    What is the meaning of the last Ayah of Surah Al-Masad?

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