What was Abu Lahab's objection to the Messenger?

TL;DR: Abu Lahab's main objection to the Messenger (Prophet Muhammad) was that his call to Islam went against the traditional beliefs and practices of their people (the Quraysh tribe). Abu Lahab feared that Muhammad's preaching would anger the broader Arab nation and lead to violence and persecution against their own clan. He urged Muhammad to abandon his "apostasy" and revert to the religion of their forefathers to avoid the potential consequences. Introduction: The early years of Prophet Muhammad's mission to call people to Islam were marked by fierce opposition from his own kinsmen, particularly his uncle Abu Lahab. As one of the prominent leaders of the Quraysh tribe, Abu Lahab voiced his strong disapproval of Muhammad's prophetic claims and the new religion he was propagating. Abu Lahab's Objections: At the start of the call to Islam, the Messenger (saw) targeted his immediate clan, inviting over 40 of his uncles, cousins and second or third cousins to a banquet. When they had finished eating, Abu Lahab summarised his opposition to the call: "These are your uncles and cousins. You may speak to them, but you have to leave off apostasy. Do not turn away from the deen of your people, and do not expose them to the anger of the Arabs. Your qawm cannot face up to opposition by the whole of the Arab nation, and they cannot be expected to face them all in war. Your qawm are aware of what you intend to invent in their deen. They have not been heedless of what you are doing and what you advocate: rebellion against the deen and against the traditions inherited from our forefathers. Take care, then, of yourself and your father’s offspring. To be certain, the Arabs will not leave you alone, and it will not be difficult for them to kill you. It is better for you that you revert to the deen of your fathers and grandfathers. Otherwise, we will have to put you in confinement until you are cured of the illness you are suffering so that we can spare you an attack by the Arabs. It is better that we deal with you until you have regained your mind and recovered from your illness. It is certainly better that your father’s offspring take you to task and put you in confinement if you persist with what you are doing. This is easier for you and them than an attack by other clans of Quraysh supported by other Arabs. I have never heard of anyone who caused his father’s offspring anything worse than you have done." (Amin Duwaydar, Suwar Min Hayat al-Rasul) According to the historical accounts, when Muhammad gathered his close relatives for a banquet and invited them to accept Islam, Abu Lahab summarized his main objections as follows: Preserving the Traditional Religion: Abu Lahab urged Muhammad to "leave off apostasy" and not "turn away from the deen (religion) of your people." He saw Muhammad's call to Islam as a rejection of the traditional beliefs and practices inherited from their ancestors. Avoiding Arab Opposition: Abu Lahab feared that Muhammad's preaching would anger the broader Arab nation, who would then turn against their own Quraysh clan. He argued that the Quraysh "cannot face up to opposition by the whole of the Arab nation" and would be unable to withstand a potential attack. Preserving Clan Unity: Abu Lahab warned Muhammad that his actions were causing discord and "rebellion against the deen and against the traditions inherited from our forefathers." He advised Muhammad to "take care of yourself and your father's offspring" to avoid internal conflict within the clan. Threats of Confinement: Perceiving Muhammad's call as a form of "illness," Abu Lahab threatened to put him in confinement "until you are cured of the illness you are suffering" in order to protect him from the consequences of his preaching. Conclusion: In essence, Abu Lahab's primary objection to the Messenger was that Muhammad's prophetic mission and invitation to Islam threatened to undermine the traditional religious and tribal allegiances of the Quraysh people. Abu Lahab feared the potential for violence and persecution against their own clan if Muhammad persisted in his call, and he urged him to abandon his "apostasy" and revert to the religion of their forefathers. References: Duwaydar, Amin. Suwar Min Hayat al-Rasul. Lings, Martin. Muhammad: His Life Based on the Earliest Sources. Inner Traditions, 2006. Ramadan, Tariq. In the Footsteps of the Prophet: Lessons from the Life of Muhammad. Oxford University Press, 2007. Haykal, Muhammad Husayn. The Life of Muhammad. North American Trust Publications, 1976.