And his wife, the carrier of firewood.
The wife of Abu Lahab was Arwa, the sister of Abu Sufyan, who led the Battle of Uhud from the enemy side. She was known by the nickname Umm Jameel, meaning the mother of beauty. She used to bring firewood and place it on the Messenger’s path at night to harm him; hence, she is described as the carrier of firewood. The term Hammalathul Hathwab also means one who kindles fire, and because she spread slander and defamation to create hatred among people, the description applies to her character as well.
Because of hatred toward the Messenger for spreading the Lord’s Message, she could not even bear to see him. After the revelation of this Surah, she once came searching for the Messenger while reciting verses angrily. At that time, the Messenger and Abu Bakr were sitting near Masjidul Haram. Abu Bakr expressed fear that she might harm the Messenger, but the Messenger replied that she would not be able to see him. As foretold, she addressed Abu Bakr, asking whether his companion had criticized her. She could not see the Messenger even though he was present. Abu Bakr replied, “By the Lord of this House—Ka’ba—he has not criticized you.” By this, Abu Bakr meant that Allah, and not the Messenger, had criticized her through this Surah. For believers who use Adhikr as a Shield and Safeguard, Allah grants protection from those they do not wish to confront. See explanation 17: 45–46; 47: 24; and 83: 15.
As part of warning against hiding and rejecting Adhikr, when believers compare false scholars who hide Adhikr and their followers who reject it to a dog, citing verse 7: 176, some ask whether the Messenger ever called anyone a dog. The answer is that neither the Messenger nor the believers label anyone so; it is Allah who makes such comparisons. As stated in verse 76: 4, such disbelievers will be resurrected in the Fire in the form of dogs. See explanation 14: 28–30; 40: 68–70; and 62: 5.