Abū Lahab

ʿAbd al-ʿUzzā ibn ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib, better known as Abū Lahab was the Islamic prophet Muhammad's half paternal uncle. He was one of the Meccan Qurayshi leaders who opposed Muhammad and was condemned in surah Al-Masad of the Quran. Early life and family He was born in Mecca 549 CE, the son of Abdul Muttalib, chief of the Hashim clan, and the paternal uncle of Muhammad. He was thus a paternal half-brother of Abdullah, father of Muhammad. His mother, Lubna bint Hajar, was from the Banu Khuza'ah. People from the Banu Khuza'ah were the caretakers of the Kaaba for several centuries before the Quraysh took over the responsibility through their ancestor Qusayy ibn Kilab. Abu Lahab was also related to Muhammad as half-uncle in another way, since Muḥammad's grandmother was Fāṭimah bint ‘Amr of the Banu Makhzūm. They lived next door to Muhammad and shared walls with his house. His original name was 'Abd al-'Uzzā, meaning slave/devotee of the goddess al-ʿUzzā. But his father called him Abū Lahab "Father of Flame" "because of his beauty and charm" due to his red (inflamed) cheeks. He is described as "an artful spruce fellow with two locks of hair, wearing an Aden cloak" and as "very generous".