بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
المسد
Al-Masad
The Palm Fiber • 5 Ayahs
Meccanتَبَّتۡ يَدَآ أَبِي لَهَبٖ وَتَبَّ
تباہ ہوجائیں ابولہب کے دونوں ہاتھ اور وہ تباہ ہوہی گیا
مَآ أَغۡنَىٰ عَنۡهُ مَالُهُۥ وَمَا كَسَبَ
اسے کچھ کام نہ آیا اس کا مال اور نہ جو کمایا
سَيَصۡلَىٰ نَارٗا ذَاتَ لَهَبٖ
اب دھنستا ہے لپٹ مارتی آگ میں وہ،
وَٱمۡرَأَتُهُۥ حَمَّالَةَ ٱلۡحَطَبِ
اور اس کی جُورو لکڑیوں کا گٹھا سر پر اٹھاتی،
فِي جِيدِهَا حَبۡلٞ مِّن مَّسَدِۭ
اس کے گلے میں کھجور کی چھال کا رسّا،
About Surah Al-Masad
Surah Al-Masad (المسد) is the 111th chapter of the Holy Quran. It contains 5 verses and is a Meccan Surah.
Read with Urdu translation (Kanz ul Iman) and English translation (Sahih International). Listen to audio recitation by multiple world-renowned reciters including Mishary Alafasy, Sudais, Shuraim, Husary, and more.
About Surah Al-Masad
Al-Masad (also called Al-Lahab) is a five-verse Meccan surah condemning the Prophet ﷺ's uncle Abu Lahab and his wife by name, revealed after Abu Lahab publicly mocked the Prophet's ﷺ message.
Number
111th surah
Verses
5
Revelation
Meccan
Meaning
The Palm Fiber
Why read it
One of the few surahs naming specific individuals — notable as a stated prediction Abu Lahab never disproved despite living years afterward with every incentive to.
Key point
111:1 — "May the hands of Abu Lahab be ruined, and ruined is he."
Historical Context
Revealed after a specific, recorded incident: the Prophet ﷺ gathered his clan on Mount Safa to publicly declare his prophethood and warn them, as instructed by an earlier revelation to "warn your closest kindred" (26:214). Abu Lahab, his own paternal uncle, responded with open mockery — reportedly saying "May you perish for the rest of the day! Is this why you gathered us?" This surah was revealed condemning him and his wife directly and by name.
Main Themes
Direct, named condemnation
Almost uniquely in the Quran, this surah names specific living individuals — Abu Lahab and his wife — rather than addressing disbelief in general terms.
A stated, falsifiable prediction
The surah declares Abu Lahab's ruin in terms that implied he would never embrace Islam — a claim that remained open to disproof for years, since he lived on after this revelation and had every incentive to convert and discredit it, but never did.
The wife's role named specifically
Verse 4 describes his wife as a "carrier of firewood" — understood by commentators as a reference to her spreading malicious gossip and slander (thorns/firewood on the Prophet ﷺ's path), with a rope of palm fiber around her neck in the Hereafter as described in verse 5.
Important Verses
111:1-2
The condemnation
"May the hands of Abu Lahab be ruined, and ruined is he. His wealth will not avail him or that which he gained" — a direct statement that his status and resources would not protect him.
111:3
The fire named directly
"He will [enter to] burn in a Fire of [blazing] flame" — among the most direct statements in the Quran regarding a specific named individual's fate.
Hadith & Popular Descriptions
We include authenticity grading for each narration below — not every widely-repeated description of a surah comes from an equally strong source.
The Safa gathering
Reports describe the Prophet ﷺ climbing Mount Safa, calling his clan together, and warning them of Allah's punishment — met with Abu Lahab's open mockery, the incident that prompted this surah.
Recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari (the gathering and warning), with the specific surrounding details found across classical tafsir and sirah literature.
Frequently Asked Questions about Surah Al-Masad
What is Surah Al-Masad about?
Al-Masad (also called Al-Lahab) is a five-verse Meccan surah condemning the Prophet ﷺ's uncle Abu Lahab and his wife by name, revealed after Abu Lahab publicly mocked the Prophet's ﷺ message.
How many verses are in Surah Al-Masad?
Surah Al-Masad contains 5 verses (The Palm Fiber). It is the 111th surah of the Holy Quran.
Is Surah Al-Masad Makki or Madani?
Surah Al-Masad is a Makki surah — it was revealed in Makkah before the Hijrah.
What are the benefits of reading Surah Al-Masad?
One of the few surahs naming specific individuals — notable as a stated prediction Abu Lahab never disproved despite living years afterward with every incentive to.
Where can I read Surah Al-Masad with Urdu translation?
You can read Surah Al-Masad above with the full Arabic text, Urdu translation (Kanz ul Iman), and English translation (Sahih International), plus audio recitation.
Why does the Quran name specific people in this surah?
It's genuinely unusual — most Quranic condemnation of disbelief is general. This surah directly names the Prophet ﷺ's own uncle Abu Lahab and his wife, following a specific incident where he publicly mocked the Prophet's ﷺ warning to his own clan.
Did Abu Lahab ever try to disprove this surah by converting?
No — he lived for years after this revelation with clear motive to discredit it by simply converting, and never did. This is commonly cited in Islamic apologetic literature as a feature of the prophecy's strength, though it's presented as a notable historical fact rather than something that can be independently re-verified today.