When the verse "And warn your nearest kindred" [Shuara 26:214] was revealed, along with the words "and your clan among them, the sincere ones," the Messenger of Allah ﷺ went out and climbed Safa, then called out, "Come quickly!"The people asked, "Who is this calling out?"Others said, "Muhammad."So they gathered around him, and he called, "Descendants of so-and-so, descendants of so-and-so, descendants of so-and-so, descendants of Abd Manaf, descendants of Abdul-Muttalib!"They gathered around him, and he asked, "Tell me, if I informed you that cavalry were coming out from the foot of this mountain, would you believe me?"They replied, "We have never known you to lie."He said, "Then I am a warner to you of a severe punishment that lies ahead."At this Abu Lahab said, "May you perish! Did you gather us for nothing but this?" Then he got up and left.So this surah was revealed, "Perish the hands of Abu Lahab, and perish he!" [Masad 111:1] Thus did Amash recite, to the end of the surah.
لما نزلت هذه الآية {وأنذر عشيرتك الأقربين}[الشعراء: ٢١٤] ورهطك منهم المخلصين. خرج رسول الله ﷺ حتى صعد الصفا فهتف: يا صباحاه فقالوا: من هذا الذي يهتف؟ قالوا: محمد فاجتمعوا إليه فقال: يا بني فلان، يا بني فلان، يا بني فلان، يا بني عبد مناف، يا بني عبد المطلب فاجتمعوا إليه فقال: أرأيتكم لو أخبرتكم أن خيلا تخرج بسفح هذا الجبل أكنتم مصدقي؟ قالوا: ما جربنا عليك كذبا قال: فإني نذير لكم بين يدي عذاب شديد قال: فقال أبو لهب: تبا لك، أما جمعتنا إلا لهذا، ثم قام، فنزلت هذه السورة: {تبت يدا أبي لهب وتب} كذا قرأ الأعمش إلى آخر السورة.
Bukhari narrated it in the Tafsir chapter (4971) and Muslim in the Book of Faith (208), both through Abu Usama, who said, "Amash narrated to us, who said, Amr bin Mura narrated to us, from Saeed bin Jubayr, from Ibn Abbas," who said such and such. The wording given is Muslim's, and Bukhari's wording is similar.Regarding the phrase "your clan among them, the sincere believers," it has been said that this is a verse whose recitation was abrogated. "The sincere believers" refers to the believers, and this is a case of joining the specific to the general, since the clan includes both disbelievers and believers. Some scholars have held that this narration is anomalous, because it was not established through continuous transmission and was not written in the Quran. Nawawi's statement in his commentary on Sahih Muslim, that Bukhari did not include this, is not correct, because he said that based on the fact that Bukhari did not mention this sentence in the tafsir of Surah Shuara, but Bukhari did mention it in the tafsir of Surah Masad.Regarding "May the hands of Abu Lahab perish, and may he perish" [Masad 111:1], the first part is a curse against him, meaning may he be ruined and lost, while the second part is a statement about him, that he did in fact perish, meaning his ruin and destruction were confirmed. The perishing was attributed to his hands because it is reported that Abu Lahab had taken a stone in his hand to throw at the Prophet ﷺ.Regarding "His wealth and what he earned did not benefit him" [Masad 111:2], wealth among the Arabs generally referred to camels and sheep. As for "what he earned," it means what he had accumulated of gold, silver, and weapons. It is also reported from Abdullah bin Abbas and others that "what he earned" refers to his children, since a child is counted among what his father has earned. It is reported from Ibn Masud that when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ called his people to faith, Abu Lahab said, "If what my nephew says is true, then I will ransom myself on the Day of Resurrection from the punishment with my wealth and my children." So Allah revealed, "His wealth and what he earned did not benefit him" [Masad 111:2].Regarding "He will burn in a fire of flame" [Masad 111:3], "he will burn" means he will be roasted by it, as the Arabs say "he roasted him with fire" when someone is roasted by it. "A fire of flame" means a fire of sparks and blazing flame, and intense burning. The "will" here expresses certainty, as in the Almighty's words, "He said, I will ask forgiveness for you from my Lord" [Yusuf 12:98]. This verse was revealed during Abu Lahab's lifetime, and he did in fact die a disbeliever, so this verse was an announcement that he would not embrace Islam and would not escape the fire of flame, and it was among the proofs of the prophethood of ﷺ.Regarding "And his wife, the carrier of firewood" [Masad 111:4], this refers to his wife, whose name was Arwa bint Harb bin Umaya, the sister of Abu Sufyan bin Harb. She had supported her husband in his disbelief, denial, and stubborn defiance, so on the Day of Resurrection she will support him in his punishment in the fire of Hell, carrying firewood and throwing it upon her husband so that his suffering increases. It has also been said that she used to place thorns in the path of the Prophet ﷺ as he walked from his house to the Kaaba. "And his wife" is joined to the hidden pronoun in "he will burn," meaning that his wife will also burn in a fire.Regarding "Around her neck is a rope of palm fiber" [Masad 111:5], this is a second description of this wicked woman, meaning a rope will be placed around her neck by which she will carry firewood in Hell to fuel the fire against her husband. "Jayd" means the neck, and it is used specifically for a woman's neck in the place where a necklace would sit, to highlight beauty. This woman was described with these traits as a recompense for what she did in this world. This woman also died in disbelief and shirk, and the proofs of prophethood were confirmed in her case just as they were in her husband's case, for both of them died in disbelief and will enter the fire. This woman was also foul-mouthed, as is mentioned in the hadith.