ما أَغنىٰ عَنهُ مالُهُ وَما كَسَبَ

Neither his wealth availed him, nor what he had earned.

EXEGESIS

Mā kasab (what he earned) is from the infinitive kasb, which means to earn and acquire anything including wealth, honour, or even good or evil acts. According to Rāghib, whatever an individual acquires for himself is referred to as kasb.^{‎[1]Raghib, p. 709.} Others have translated mā kasab to mean authority, fame, and power, none of which benefitted or saved Abū Lahab.^{‎[2]Ahsan al-Hadith, 12/395.} It is also said that mā kasab may refer to the children of Abū Lahab because children are what a human acquires in life.^{‎[3]Tabrisi, 10/852.} Tabatabai prefers the general meaning of mā kasab, which is whatever has been acquired, and relates it to the actions of Abū Lahab.

The mā (what) in mā kasab (what he had earned) is a conjunctive, which refers to all that Abū Lahab had gained, and can have a wide scope which could include his wealth, his children, his fame, as well as his actions. And mā in mā aghnā (did not avail) is for negation, which negates the benefit of all that Abū Lahab had acquired in life.^{‎[4]Ahsan al-Hadith, 12/539.}

EXPOSITION

This verse indicates that Abū Lahab was a wealthy person and that the wealth he had was used to oppose the Prophet and his call. However, the Quran responds by stating that whatever Abū Lahab had acquired did not benefit him nor his mission against Islam, and it did not save him from God’s punishment.^{‎[5]Tabrisi, 10/852.}

The various meanings presented for mā kasab under the Exegesis can be combined together, because all of its instances, including children, actions, wealth, position, fame, and power, are examples of what a human being acquires in this world.

Not only did the power, wealth, and children of Abū Lahab not have any benefit for him, but this is a principle that applies to everyone. Only a sound heart can benefit a person on the Day of Judgement: The day when neither wealth nor children will avail, except him who comes to Allah with a sound heart (26:88-89).

INSIGHTS FROM OTHER TRADITIONS

1. Those who trust in their wealth and boast of their great riches? No one can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for them, the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough.^{‎[6]Psalms 49:6-8.}
2. People, despite their wealth, do not endure; they are like the beasts that perish.^{‎[7]Psalms 49:12.}
3. Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to save them on the day of the Lord’s wrath. In the fire of his jealousy the whole earth will be consumed for he will make a sudden end of all who live on the earth.^{‎[8]Zephaniah 1:18.}

[1] Raghib, p. 709.
[2] Ahsan al-Hadith, 12/395.
[3] Tabrisi, 10/852.
[4] Ahsan al-Hadith, 12/539.
[5] Tabrisi, 10/852.
[6] Psalms 49:6-8.
[7] Psalms 49:12.
[8] Zephaniah 1:18.