ENTITLED, THE DECLARATION OF GOD'S UNITY;n
WHERE IT WAS REVEALED IS DISPUTED.
IN THE NAME OF THE MOST MERCIFUL GOD.
SAY, God is one GOD;
the eternal GOD:
be begetteth not, neither is he begotten:
and there is not any one like unto him.
g Abu Laheb was the surname of Abd'al Uzza, one of the sons of
Abd'almotalleb, and uncle to Mohammed. He was a most bitter enemy to his
nephew, and opposed the establishment of his new religion to the utmost of his
power. When that prophet, in obedience to the command he had received to
admonish his near relations,1 had called them together, and told them he was a
warner sent unto them before a grievous chastisement, Abu Laheb cried out,
Mayest thou perish! Hast thou called us together for this? and took up a
stone to cast at him. Whereupon this passage was revealed.2
By the hands of Abu Laheb some commentators, by a synecdoche, understand
his person; others, by a metonymy, his affairs in general, they being
transacted with those members; or his hopes in this world and the next.
h He died of grief and vexation at the defeat his friends had received
at Bedr, surviving that misfortune but seven days.3 They add, that his corpse
was left aboveground three days, till it stank, and then some negroes were
hired to bury him.4
i And accordingly his great possessions, and the rank and esteem in
which he lived at Mecca, were of no service to him, nor could protect him
against the vengeance of GOD. Al Beidâwi mentions also the loss of his son
Otha, who was torn to pieces by a lion in the way to Syria, though surrounded
by the whole caravan.
k Arab. nâr dhât laheb; alluding to the surname of Abu Laheb, which
signifies the father of flames.
l Her name was Omm Jemîl: she was the daughter of Harb, and sister of
Abu Sofiân.
m For fuel in hell; because she fomented the hatred which her husband
bore to Mohammed; or, bearing a bundle of thorns and brambles, because she
carried such, and strewed them by night in the prophet's way.5
n This chapter is held in particular veneration by the Mohammedans, and
declared, by a tradition of their prophet, to be equal in value to a third
part of the whole Korân. It is said to have been revealed in answer to the
Koreish, who asked Mohammed concerning the distinguishing attributes of the
GOD he invited them to worship.6
1 See the Prelim. Disc. Sect. II. p. 34. 2 Al Beidâwi,
Jallalo'ddin, &c. 3 Abulf. Vit. Moh. p. 57.
4 Al Beidâwi. 5 Idem, Jallalo'ddin. 6 Idem.