Page:Maulana Muhammad Ali Quran.djvu/1349

This page needs to be proofread.

CHAPTER CXII

THE Flame

(Al-Lahab)

Revealed at Mecca

(5 verses)

	In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.	بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ ۝
	1 Perdition overtake both hands of the father of the flame, and he will perish.^[1]	تَبَّتْ يَدَآ أَبِى لَهَبٍۢ وَتَبَّ
	2 His wealth and what he earns will not avail him.	مَآ أَغْنَىٰ عَنْهُ مَالُهُۥ وَمَا كَسَبَ
	3 He shall soon burn in fire that flames,^[2]	سَيَصْلَىٰ نَارًۭا ذَاتَ لَهَبٍۢ

General remarks.

While the last chapter speaks of the peaceful end of a righteous man, because he attains the great object of his life, the present chapter shows that the fiery-tempered opponents of truth led their lives in heart-burning, which assumes the palpable shape of flames of fire in another life. It is therefore entitled the Flame. The chapter is one of the earliest revelations, according to all authorities.

↑ A man of a fiery temper may be called abú-lahab or father of flame, as a sharir or a mischievous man may be called abush-sharr or father of mischief, and a good man may be called abul-khair, i.e. father of goodness (Rz, AH). Abdul 'Uzza, an uncle of the Holy Prophet, being a cousin of his grandfather Abdul Muttalab, was known by this name, perhaps on account of his severe opposition to the Holy Prophet. It is related that the Holy Prophet, being commanded to warn his near relatives, called them together and delivered the Divine message, at which Abdul 'Uzza cried out: "May you perish! was it for this that you summoned us?" (Bkh). It is also related that he followed the Prophet when he went forth to preach, saying to the people that the Prophet was a mad relative of his. He is related to have died seven days after hearing of the defeat of the Meccans at Badr. By both hands is meant, according to some, al-jumlah, i.e. Abu Lahab himself, as is stated elsewhere in the Holy Qur-án: "This is due to what your two hands have sent before" (22:10), meaning, of course, what you have sent before. Others, however, say that both hands mean his religion and his worldly hopes (Rz).
↑ The fire that flames is fittingly described as the punishment of the father of the flame, being a punishment corresponding to the sin, as is indicated in 78:26.

[1] A man of a fiery temper may be called abú-lahab or father of flame, as a sharir or a mischievous man may be called abush-sharr or father of mischief, and a good man may be called abul-khair, i.e. father of goodness (Rz, AH). Abdul 'Uzza, an uncle of the Holy Prophet, being a cousin of his grandfather Abdul Muttalab, was known by this name, perhaps on account of his severe opposition to the Holy Prophet. It is related that the Holy Prophet, being commanded to warn his near relatives, called them together and delivered the Divine message, at which Abdul 'Uzza cried out: "May you perish! was it for this that you summoned us?" (Bkh). It is also related that he followed the Prophet when he went forth to preach, saying to the people that the Prophet was a mad relative of his. He is related to have died seven days after hearing of the defeat of the Meccans at Badr. By both hands is meant, according to some, al-jumlah, i.e. Abu Lahab himself, as is stated elsewhere in the Holy Qur-án: "This is due to what your two hands have sent before" (22:10), meaning, of course, what you have sent before. Others, however, say that both hands mean his religion and his worldly hopes (Rz).

[2] The fire that flames is fittingly described as the punishment of the father of the flame, being a punishment corresponding to the sin, as is indicated in 78:26.

[1]

[2]