The surah Al-Masad (“The Palm Fiber” or “Twisted Rope”), also known as Tabbat, is a Meccan surah consisting of 5 verses. It was revealed in Makkah to condemn Abū Lahab, the Prophet’s ﷺ uncle, and his wife Umm Jamīl, for their relentless hostility toward Islam and the Prophet’s message.
According to Ibn Kathīr, this surah is one of the few that explicitly names an opponent of the Prophet ﷺ. It was revealed after Abū Lahab insulted the Prophet publicly on Mount Ṣafā when he called his people to Islam, saying: “May you perish! Is this why you gathered us?” — to which Allah responded: Perish the hands of Abū Lahab!
Main Teachings and Key Insights
Al-Masad illustrates the downfall of arrogance and defiance against divine truth. It emphasizes that neither wealth nor social rank can protect against God’s justice. Its core teachings are:
- Condemnation of Abū Lahab: a symbol of rejecting truth despite close family ties. (verse 1)
- Powerlessness of wealth: his fortune will not save him on Judgment Day. (verse 2)
- Announcement of punishment: he will burn in a blazing fire. (verse 3)
- Condemnation of his wife: a partner in slander and malice, punished for her complicity. (verses 4–5)
The surah teaches that lineage and wealth offer no salvation, and that divine truth stands above all tribal or worldly bonds.
Structure and Main Themes
- Verse 1: Declaration of Abū Lahab’s destruction and divine curse.
- Verse 2: His wealth and efforts against Islam prove useless.
- Verse 3: Prophecy of his torment in a blazing fire.
- Verses 4–5: Description of Umm Jamīl’s punishment — a rope of twisted fiber around her neck.
The tone of the surah is decisive and judicial: it represents God’s verdict against arrogance, mockery, and opposition to the Prophet ﷺ.
Key Verse
The key verse of the surah is verse 1:
تَبَّتْ يَدَا أَبِي لَهَبٍ وَتَبَّ
Perish the hands of Abū Lahab, and perish he himself!
Why is this verse key?
- It opens with an explicit divine condemnation that was later fulfilled — Abū Lahab died shortly after, disgraced and afflicted by disease.
- It confirms the prophetic truth of the Qur’an: Abū Lahab never accepted Islam, thereby fulfilling the revelation’s prediction.
- It exemplifies the principle that persistent rejection of truth leads to ultimate ruin, regardless of lineage or power.
In summary, Al-Masad is an exemplary condemnation of pride and enmity toward revelation. It demonstrates that salvation depends on sincere faith — not wealth or status — and that no worldly power can prevail against the truth revealed by Allah.