Essence of the Holy Qur’an — Page 167
167 Chapter 111 Al-Lahab ^ 2T (Revealed before Hijrah) Date of Revelation and Context There is complete unanimity of opinion among Muslim scholars and Commentators of the Qur’ a n that this S u rah was revealed at Mecca during the early years of the Call. Noldeke and Muir also subscribe to this view. Some scholars, however, are of the opinion that the S u rah was the fifth to be revealed, the four S u rahs Al-‘Alaq, Al-Qalam, Al-Muzzammil and Al-Muddaththir preceding it. It seems to deal with the people having red-faces and fiery tempers; hence its title. In S u rah Al-Kauthar the Holy Prophet was given a twofold promise about the great and rapid increase of his followers and about the failure of the machinations of his enemies against Islam. In the immediately preceding S u rah —An-Na s r—reference was made to the first part of the promise, the present S u rah refers to its second part.