المسد
Surah Al-Masad (المسد) - Transliteration, Translation and Audio
Chapter 111 of the Quran, 5 verses, "The Palm Fiber"
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
Surah Al-Masad Transliteration and English Translation
- 1
تَبَّتْ يَدَآ أَبِى لَهَبٍۢ وَتَبَّ
Tab bat yadaa abee Lahabinw-wa tabb
May the hands of Abu Lahab be ruined, and ruined is he.
- 2
مَآ أَغْنَىٰ عَنْهُ مَالُهُۥ وَمَا كَسَبَ
Maa aghna 'anhu maaluhu wa ma kasab
His wealth will not avail him or that which he gained.
- 3
سَيَصْلَىٰ نَارًۭا ذَاتَ لَهَبٍۢ
Sa yas laa naran zaata lahab
He will [enter to] burn in a Fire of [blazing] flame
- 4
وَٱمْرَأَتُهُۥ حَمَّالَةَ ٱلْحَطَبِ
Wam ra-atuh hamma latal-hatab
And his wife [as well] - the carrier of firewood.
- 5
فِى جِيدِهَا حَبْلٌۭ مِّن مَّسَدٍۭ
Fee jeediha hab lum mim-masad
Around her neck is a rope of [twisted] fiber.
About Surah Al-Masad
Surah Al-Masad (Arabic: المسد), meaning "The Palm Fiber", is the 111th chapter of the Quran and has 5 verses. It is also known as Surah Al-Lahab. It was revealed in Makkah early in the mission of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), after he began calling his clan openly to Islam. The surah pronounces the fate of Abu Lahab, the Prophet's own uncle, and his wife, who both fought the message.
Sahih al-Bukhari reports that when the Prophet climbed the hill of as-Safa and called the clans of Quraysh to warn them, Abu Lahab replied, "May you perish! Is this what you gathered us for?" The surah answered: may the hands of Abu Lahab perish, and he has perished. His wealth and what he earned will not help him, and he will burn in a Fire of blazing flame. His wife, the carrier of firewood, will have a rope of twisted palm fiber around her neck. Commentators explain the firewood as her spreading of slander against the Prophet, or as thorns she is reported to have placed in his path. It is unusual in naming a living opponent, and Abu Lahab lived for years afterwards yet never accepted Islam.
Main Themes of Surah Al-Masad
- The fate of Abu Lahab, the Prophet's uncle
- Wealth and status cannot save one who opposes the truth
- The wife who carried firewood
- Family ties do not replace faith
Listen to Surah Al-Masad with Audio-Synced Transliteration
Play Surah Al-Masad and follow the Arabic text and Latin transliteration as each verse is recited. You can adjust the speed or loop a verse range for practice.
Frequently Asked Questions About Surah Al-Masad
- Who was Abu Lahab?
- Abu Lahab was an uncle of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and one of his fiercest opponents in Makkah. His name was Abd al-Uzza, and Abu Lahab, meaning "father of flame", was a nickname. He died without accepting Islam.
- Why was Surah Al-Masad revealed?
- Sahih al-Bukhari reports that when the Prophet gathered the clans of Quraysh at as-Safa to warn them, Abu Lahab cursed him and asked whether that was why he had gathered them. The surah was revealed in response, declaring that it is Abu Lahab who will perish.
- Who is the carrier of firewood in Surah Al-Masad?
- It refers to the wife of Abu Lahab, known as Umm Jamil. Commentators explain it either as her spreading of slander and enmity against the Prophet, like someone feeding a fire, or as her reported habit of scattering thorns in his path.