Apostate prophet incites the flames of hate; Abu lahab, who was it?

In answer to the video "Allah is Merciless"

The Quran has a clear pattern in its storytelling method. It only gives the information necessary in conveying its message. But its eloquence is such that, even if read in a complete vacuum, one can still derive most of the relevant side information, as was shown above and as can be seen in many passages such as the story of the youths in the cave.µ

As to Abu Lahab, the historical records have detailed how he misused his wealth, abused of his position when he was supposed to be in charge of the needy and what was his relation to the prophet.
He was a prominent personality in Meccan society, politically, ethnically and economically. He was in charge of the treasury of the Kaaba as implied in sura maun/107, which was called rifada. A greater part of the money received would go into his own pockets instead of being spent on orphans, the poor and the pilgrims. Especially through 4:2, the people are warned against mismanaging and abusing the property of the orphans under their care, because they would often substitute these orphans' properties for some worthless belongings. 

The calls of the prophet for lofty morals, and spiritual reform, the verses reestablishing the purpose of the Kaaba, reminding its custodians of their momentous responsibilities, all these admonitions directly threatened his interests. He inevitably rose to oppose the prophet in the most vicious way. Sura Humazah and some other suras portray his character. Just like Noah's son, Abraham's father and Lot's wife, Abu Lahab was mentionned to show that God's justice is not bound by race or lineage. Neither his being the prophet's uncle, nor his wealth 111:2 and social status will avail him anything in the Hereafter nor in this life when the prophecied punishement befalls him, as related in sura Lahab 111.

The idolators of Quraysh participated in the wars against the Muslims with great fervour but Abu Lahab's hostility and hatred towards Islam and Muhammad in particular were notoriously fierce. He is reported for example as having sent a man owing him money to confront the prophet in battle in exchange of his debt. However this scheme could not save him from death.

Many of his allies among the leaders of the Quraysh were killed in the battle of Badr, damaging his political influence. Then soon after, he was inflicted with small-pox and neither his associates nor his sons and other relatives would inquire after his health for fear of contagion. It was in this state of helplessness that he died and for many days his dead body rotted in the house. When his sons got tired of the taunts of people, they hired people to rid them of his corpse on Mecca's outskirts, covering it with stones and pebbles which were flung from a distance. Ironically, flinging stones at someone in those times was tantamount to cursing him.

The Quran says that in the Hereafter, every man's actions or sins will be made

17:13"to clinge to their necks".

These sins are pictured elsewhere like chains and shackles hanging by the necks 13:5,40:71 or fettered to the soul 6:70. This powerful image evokes man's sole and entire responsibility for the consequences of his deeds, bearing them with all of his body and soul as one inseperable unit. An interesting parallel can be drawn with similar HB statements, like in

Prov5:22"His iniquities shall trap the wicked man, and he shall be hanged with the ropes of his sin"

or again in

Lam1:14"My sins have been bound into a yoke; by his hands they were woven together. They have been hung on my neck".

Elsewhere the Quran uses the image of the sinner burdened with the heavy weight of his own sins

6:31,35:18"and if one weighed down by burden should cry for (another to carry) its burden, not aught of it shall be carried, even though he be near of kin".

Abu Lahab and his wife will not be spared such faith. The Quran mentions more particularly the case of those who, like Abu Lahab, misuse the wealth Allah granted them out of His grace, neglecting their duties towards the needy. They, like Abu Lahab, will have the weight of such sin to

3:180"clinge to their necks",

and Abu Lahab's wife who is said to be

111:4"the bearer of fuel"

ie the accomplice "fueling" the sin will also have, like her husband and every sinful human being

111:5"upon her neck a halter of strongly twisted rope".

Being the bearer of fuel also hints to the notion that in the hereafter, she will be fueling her own fire and that of her husband, feeding it and maintaining it.