☪️ Quran: Chapter 111 The Palm Fiber – Al Masaed سورة المسد

Revelation place: Mecca

Revelation order: 6

Number of verses: 5

Theme: Condemnation of Abu Lahab and his wife, their arrogance and hostility toward the Prophet, and the certainty of divine justice.

Subjects: Opposition to Prophethood · Divine Justice · Arrogance · Accountability · History

Summary:Surah Al-Masad was revealed as a direct response to Abu Lahab one of the Prophet’s  most vicious opponents and his own uncle. When the Prophet first stood on Mount Ṣafā to call his people to Islam, Abu Lahab publicly insulted him and rejected the message.

“May the hands of Abu Lahab be ruined, and ruined is he. His wealth will not avail him or that which he gained.” (111:1–2)

• Abu Lahab’s wealth, status, and influence which he used to oppose Islam would bring him no benefit.

• His powerful social standing could not save him from Allah’s decree.

“He will [enter to] burn in a Fire of [blazing] flame, and his wife [as well] the carrier of firewood. Around her neck is a rope of palm fiber.” (111:3–5)

• Abu Lahab is condemned to Hellfire, and so is his wife, Umm Jamīl, who also spread slander, placed thorns on the Prophet’s path, and mocked him.

• “Carrier of firewood” is both literal (her acts of harm) and metaphorical (she fuels hatred and earns Hellfire).

• The “rope of palm fiber” symbolizes her humiliation and punishment.

This surah was revealed years before Abu Lahab’s death, and its fulfillment was witnessed by the very people who heard it a clear sign of the truth of revelation.

Key Embedded Themes:

• Opposition to Truth: Wealth and power cannot protect one who rejects Allah.

• Divine Justice: Abu Lahab and his wife faced judgment in this world and the next.

• Historical Fulfillment: A prophecy that came true within the Prophet’s lifetime.

• Moral Warning: Enemies of truth may appear powerful but end in loss.

• Honor of the Prophet: His enemies are disgraced; his message endures.

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Essence:Al-Masad is a surah of divine justice and prophetic vindication. It shows how those who fight truth with arrogance even close relatives cannot escape Allah’s punishment. It’s a reminder that faith, not status or wealth, determines one’s ultimate fate. Those who oppose the Messenger perish, but the message of Allah remains eternal.

This Surah directly addresses and condemns Abu Lahab, the Prophet’s uncle, who became one of his fiercest enemies. Despite their blood relation, he opposed the message of Islam with hostility, mockery, and aggression. The Surah reveals that lineage, power, or wealth cannot save one from Allah’s punishment if they oppose His Messenger. It illustrates the Quranic principle that each person is responsible for their own deeds, regardless of family ties.

I seek refuge with Allah from Satan, the condemned.

With the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful.

(Acknowledge and declare that Allah is the author of the Quran)

1- Perished the hands (deeds) of Abu Lahab, and perished he

2- Will not avail him what is for him (wealth, child), or what he earned

3- Will spark (roast) with fire of blazing flames

4- And his woman (wife also), the carrier of the firewood (To feed the fire for Abu Lahab)

5- Upon her neck a twisted rope of palm (or fire, that will drag her to hellfire, for inciting against the prophet and attempting to harm him)