Surah Al-Masad: (2) What availed him...

Issue 1: The word {ما} (Mā) in {ما أغنى} (Mā aghnā - What availed) can be interpreted in two ways:

1. As an interrogative particle implying denial/reproach. The meaning would be: What effect did his wealth and earnings have in warding off the affliction? (Just as no one richer than Qarun could avert death, nor anyone more powerful than Solomon, neither could his wealth save him.)
2. As a negating particle. This would be a statement affirming that wealth and earnings are of no benefit in that matter.

Issue 2: {وما كسب} (wa mā kasab - and what he earned): The word {ما} here is either relative (meaning "that which") or a verbal noun (masdar), signifying his acquired wealth or his earnings.

It is narrated that Abu Lahab used to say: "If what my nephew [the Prophet] says is true, I will ransom myself from it with my wealth and my children." Then Allah revealed this verse.

Several interpretations exist for the meaning of {ماله وما كسب}:

1. His wealth and what he acquired through it (i.e., the principal capital and the profits).
2. The wealth was his livestock, and what he earned was from their offspring and produce, as he was a master of flocks and herds.
3. {ماله} refers to what he inherited from his father, and {ما كسب} refers to what he earned himself.
4. Ibn Abbas said {ما كسب} refers to his children. The evidence for this is the Prophet's saying: "The purest thing a man eats is from his own earning, and indeed his children are from his earning," and "You and your wealth belong to your father." It is also narrated that the sons of Abu Lahab quarreled, and when he tried to separate them, one of them pushed him, causing him to fall. He became angry and said, "Get away from me, you wicked earnings (al-kasb al-khabīth)!"
5. Al-Dahhak said: His wealth and his wicked deeds (i.e., his scheming against the Messenger of Allah).
6. Qatadah said: {وما كسب} refers to his actions, which he thought would benefit him, similar to the verse: {And We shall attend to the deeds which they have done} (Qur'an 7:19).

Questions concerning the verse:

Question 1: Here the verse states: {ما أغنى عنه ماله وما كسب} (What availed him his wealth and what he earned), whereas in Surah Al-Layl it states: {وَمَا يُغْنِي عَنْهُ مَالُهُ إِذَا تَرَدَّى} (And what will his wealth avail him when he perishes). What is the difference? Answer: Using the past tense (as in aghna - availed) is more emphatic than the present/future tense (yughnī - will avail), similar to the usage in {ما أغنى عني ماليه} (What availed me my wealth) and {أَتَى أَمْرُ اللَّهِ} (The command of Allah has come).

Question 2: What did his wealth and earnings fail to avail him regarding? Answer: Some scholars said it failed to avail him concerning his enmity toward the Prophet, meaning it did not help him overcome that enmity. Others said it failed to avail him in averting the Fire, which is why the verse continues: {He will burn}.

Regarding the Almighty's saying: {سيصلى نارا ذات لهب} (He will burn in a Fire of flaming flames):