This alongside all the other articles on the stories of the prophets has been taken from Ṣaḥīḥ Qiṣaṣ al Anbiyāʾ (Authentic Stories of the Prophets) by Salim ibn ʿId al Hilali who revised Ibn Kathir’s (Qiṣas al Anbiyāʾ) Stories of the Prophets by removing weak, fabricated, repeated reports and unreliable Isra’ili reports, he only kept the Quran verses, sound hadiths and reports from the Salaf.
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The Story of Nuh
The Story of Nuh in the Qur’an
Praise of Nuh and the Criticism of Those Who Opposed Him
The Deviation of the Descendants of Adam and Their Worship of Idols
Nuh as the First Messenger to the People of the Earth
The Despair of Nuh Regarding His People’s Faith
Nuh Builds the Ark
Nuh and the Flood
Refuting Those Who Deny the Flood
The Ending of the Story and the Descent from the Ark
Refuting the Deniers Again
Some Reports about Nuh Himself
His Will to His Son
Summary
The Birth of Nuh and the Generations between Adam and Nuh
Nuh عليه السلام was born after the death of Adam عليه السلام, with ten generations between them. Authentic reports mention that these ten generations were upon Islam, and that “generation” may mean either a span of time or a group of people, which allows for a very long period between Adam and Nuh. In any case, Allah sent Nuh when shirk and misguidance had spread among humanity.
The Deviation of the Descendants of Adam and the Beginning of Idolatry
The people began idol worship when righteous men from the people of Nuh died and Shaytan inspired their people to make statues of them in their gatherings and name the statues after them. At first they were only reminders, but when that generation died and knowledge was lost, later people started to worship them. These same idols later appeared among the Arabs. The Prophet ﷺ also warned that building places of prayer over graves and making images of the righteous leads to the worst forms of shirk.
Nuh as the First Messenger to the People of the Earth
When corruption and idol worship became widespread, Allah sent Nuh as His servant and messenger, calling to worship Allah alone and to abandon all false gods. On the Day of Resurrection, people will go to Nuh after Adam, and they will say to him that he was the first messenger to the people of the earth and that Allah named him a grateful servant. After him, all prophets were from his descendants, and all called to the same tawhid.
The Story of Nuh in the Qur’an
The Qur’an relates the story of Nuh in many surahs, showing his clear call to tawhid, his long patience and the fate of those who denied him.
He told his people, “Worship Allah, you have no god other than Him, I fear for you a painful and great day,” while the chiefs said he was only a man like them, that only the lowest had followed him, that he sought status and that he was mad or misguided.
He replied that he was upon a clear proof, that he conveyed the messages of his Lord, that he gave sincere advice, and that he did not ask for any payment.
He refused to drive away the weak believers, did not claim to possess the treasures of Allah, did not claim knowledge of the unseen and did not claim to be an angel.
In Surah Nuh it’s mentioned that he called them night and day, openly and secretly, inviting them to seek forgiveness so that Allah would give them rain, wealth, children, gardens and rivers, and he argued with them through the signs of creation, yet they only increased in flight and arrogance.
Praise of Nuh and Condemnation of His Opponents
Allah praises Nuh as a guided prophet, a grateful servant and an ancestor from whose descendants prophethood and scripture were placed.
He mentions him with the noble prophets and says that their sending leaves no proof for people against Allah. His people, however, are described as unjust, defiantly disobedient, evil and blind. Even the wife of Nuh is given as an example of disbelief in Surah At Tahrim, showing that closeness to a prophet does not benefit someone who betrays the message.
The Despair of Nuh Regarding His People’s Faith
Nuh stayed among his people for nine hundred and fifty years, calling them in every possible manner. Only a small group believed in him. Each generation passed on hatred of his call to the next, and fathers would secretly instruct their sons never to follow him.
Nuh’s finally said of them that they would not give birth to anyone but a wicked disbeliever. When they became tired of his dawah they said, “You have argued with us a great deal, so bring us what you promise us,” and he answered that only Allah would bring the punishment if He willed and that they could not escape Him.
Nuh Builds the Ark
Allah then revealed to Nuh that none of his people would believe except those who had already believed, and that he should not grieve over what they did. He commanded him to build the Ark by His revelation under His watch, and forbade him from pleading for those who wronged themselves because they were sure to be drowned.
Nuh supplicated against them, asking Allah not to leave any disbelievers on earth, because they would only mislead His servants and give birth to wicked disbelievers.
Early reports describe the Ark as a huge three level ship made of planks and nails, prepared to carry people, animals and birds, sailing under the care of Allah. While Nuh built it, the chiefs mocked him, but he warned them that they would soon know upon whom a humiliating and lasting punishment would fall.
Nuh and the Flood
Allah informed Nuh that when His command came and the oven gushed forth, he should board the Ark with a pair of every type, his family except those already decreed to be destroyed and the believers with him. Only a few believed.
Nuh boarded saying, “In the name of Allah is its sailing and its anchoring,” and the Ark sailed in waves like mountains while the sky poured with rain and the earth burst with springs until the water covered all the land and no soul remained alive on earth.
Nuh called his son to join him, but his son trusted the mountain instead of the command of Allah. Nuh replied that on that day there was no protector from Allah’s command except the one He had mercy on, then a wave came between them and his son drowned.
When the decree was complete, Allah ordered the earth to swallow its water and the sky to stop raining, the water subsided, the Ark came to rest on the mountain of Al Judi, and it was said, “Away with the wrongdoing people.” Nuh and those with him were saved in the laden ship, which Allah left as a sign.
Why the Punishment of Nuh’s People Was Decreed and Just
The destruction of Nuh’s people was the result of long proof and complete conveyance, not a sudden act. Nuh spent centuries calling them to tawhid in every form, asking for no reward, refusing to compromise by driving away the weak believers and explaining clearly that he was only a messenger. In return they insulted him, mocked his followers, denied his message, accused him of madness and demanded the punishment.
Allah, who knows the unseen, informed Nuh that no more people would believe and that their offspring would also be wicked disbelievers who would only mislead His servants.
On this basis Nuh supplicated that none of the disbelievers be left on earth, and Allah answered his supplication completely. The qur’an states that they were drowned because of their sins and then made to enter the Fire, and that they had no helpers besides Allah.
It also refutes those who claim that some giant tyrant survived the Flood or that the Flood was only local, because Allah repeatedly says that He drowned the others, that Nuh asked Him not to leave any disbelievers dwelling on earth, and that all later humanity descends from Nuh. False tales from some people of the Book and heretical Magians contradict both clear revelation and sound reports.
The Ending of the Story and the Descent from the Ark
After his son drowned, Nuh asked Allah about him, based on his earlier understanding that his family would be saved. Allah informed him that his son was not of the family promised salvation, because his action was not righteous and he was among those already decreed to be drowned.
Nuh immediately sought refuge in Allah from asking about what he did not know and admitted that without Allah’s forgiveness and mercy he would be among the losers.
When the earth dried and could be lived on again, Allah said, “O Nuh, descend with peace from Us and blessings upon you and upon nations from those with you,” promising that many nations from his descendants would be blessed, while others would be given enjoyment in this life and then face a painful punishment.
Allah made all remaining offspring among the children of Adam come from Nuh, through his three sons Sam, Ham and Yafith, and He said, “We made his descendants the ones who remain.”
Some Reports about Nuh Himself
Allah describes Nuh as a grateful servant. He used to praise Allah for his food, drink, clothing and all his affairs. This aligns with the hadith that Allah is pleased with a servant who eats a morsel (small amount of food) or drinks a drink and praises Him for it. Gratitude in his case joined the heart, tongue and limbs in obedience.
The Advice of Nuh to His Son
When death approached Nuh, he advised his son to hold firmly to two matters and to avoid two matters. He commanded him with “La ilaha illa Allah,” explaining that if the seven heavens and earths were placed in one pan of a scale and this word in the other, it would outweigh them, and that if they were a solid ring this word would break it.
He commanded him with “Subhan Allah wa bi hamdih,” saying it is the prayer of all things and that sustenance comes by it. He forbade him from shirk and from pride.
When asked, the Prophet ﷺ explained that pride is not good sandals, clothes, animals or companions, but is rejecting the truth and belittling people. This will gathers the core of tawhid, remembrance and gratitude, and warns against the two great destructions of shirk and kibr (arrogance) in the story of Nuh عليه السلام.
Full Article
The Story of Nuh
The birth of Nuh came after the death of Adam, and there were ten generations between them. It is narrated from Abu Umamah that a man said, “O Messenger of Allah, was Adam a prophet?” He said, “Yes, one who was spoken to.” The man said, “So how long was there between him and Nuh?” He said, “Ten generations.” (Authentic. Reported by Ibn Hibban 6190, al Tabarani in al Kabir 7545, al Awsat 405, al Hakim 2/262, and Ibn Asakir in Tarikh Dimashq 7/445–446. It was declared authentic by al Hakim, al Dhahabi, al Haythami and al Albani)
This chain meets the conditions of Muslim, but he did not include it.
It is narrated from Ibn Abbas that he said, “There were ten generations between Adam and Nuh, all of them upon Islam.” (Reported by Ibn Jarir in Jami al Bayan 2/194 and al Hakim 2/546 with a chain that meets the conditions of al Bukhari, as al Hakim said, and al Dhahabi and al Albani, may Allah have mercy on them, agreed.)
If what is meant by “generation” is one hundred years, as many people commonly understand, then between them is a thousand years without doubt.
However this does not prevent it being more than that if we consider the restriction that Ibn Abbas mentioned, which is “upon Islam,” because there could have been later generations between them who were not upon Islam.
But the hadith of Abu Umamah indicates that the number is restricted to ten generations, and Ibn Abbas added for us that they were upon Islam.
This refutes the claim of those among the historians and others from the People of the Book who said that Qabil and his descendants worshipped the fire. Allah knows best.
If what is meant by “generation” is a group of people, as in His saying
ذُرِّيَّةَ مَنْ حَمَلْنَا مَعَ نُوحٍ إِنَّهُ كَانَ عَبْدًا شَكُورًا
“Descendants of those whom We carried with Nuh. He was indeed a grateful servant.” (Al Isra 17: 3)
and His saying
وَكَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا مِنَ الْقُرُونِ مِنْ بَعْدِ نُوحٍ
“How many generations We destroyed after Nuh.” (Al Isra 17: 17)
and His saying
ثُمَّ أَنشَأْنَا مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ قَرْنًا آخَرِينَ
“Then after them We raised another generation.” (Al Muminun 23: 31)
and His saying
وَقُرُونًا بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ كَثِيرًا
“and many generations between them.” (Al Furqan 25: 38)
and His saying
وَكَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا قَبْلَهُم مِّن قَرْنٍ
“How many a generation We destroyed before them.” (Maryam 19: 74)
then the people before Nuh used to live for very long ages. On this understanding there would be many thousands of years between Adam and Nuh. Allah knows best.
In any case, Allah sent Nuh when idols and false gods began to be worshipped, and when people began to fall into misguidance and disbelief. Allah sent him as a mercy to His servants. He was the first messenger sent to the people of the earth, as the people at the standing on the Day of Resurrection will say.
The Story of Nuh in the Qur’an
Allah mentioned his story, what occurred between him and his people, and the punishment of the flood that came upon those who disbelieved in him, and how He saved him and those on the ship, in many places in His noble Book.
His story appears in Al A’raf, Yunus, Hud, Al Anbiya, Al Muminun, Al Shuara, Al Ankabut, As Saffat, Al Qamar, and in a complete surah named after him.
He said in Surah Al A’raf:
لَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا نُوحًا إِلَىٰ قَوْمِهِ فَقَالَ يَا قَوْمِ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنْ إِلَهٍ غَيْرُهُ إِنِّي أَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍ قَالَ الْمَلَأُ مِن قَوْمِهِ إِنَّا لَنَرَاكَ فِي ضَلَالٍ مُّبِينٍ قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ لَيْسَ بِي ضَلَالَةٌ وَلَكِنِّي رَسُولٌ مِّن رَّبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ أُبَلِّغُكُمْ رِسَالَاتِ رَبِّي وَأَنصَحُ لَكُمْ وَأَعْلَمُ مِنَ اللَّهِ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ أَوَعَجِبْتُمْ أَن جَاءَكُمْ ذِكْرٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ عَلَىٰ رَجُلٍ مِّنكُمْ لِيُنذِرَكُمْ وَلِتَتَّقُوا وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ فَكَذَّبُوهُ فَأَنجَيْنَاهُ وَالَّذِينَ مَعَهُ فِي الْفُلْكِ وَأَغْرَقْنَا الَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِنَا إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا قَوْمًا عَمِينَ
“Indeed We sent Nuh to his people, and he said, ‘O my people, worship Allah. You have no god other than Him. I fear for you the punishment of a great day.’ The chiefs of his people said, ‘We truly see you in clear misguidance.’
He said, ‘O my people, there is no misguidance in me, but I am a messenger from the Lord of the worlds. I convey to you the messages of my Lord, and I give you sincere counsel, and I know from Allah that which you do not know.
Do you find it strange that a reminder should come to you from your Lord through a man from yourselves, to warn you, so that you may have taqwa and so that you may receive mercy?’
But they denied him, so We saved him and those who were with him on the ship and We drowned those who denied Our signs. They were indeed a blind people.” (Al A’raf 7: 59–64)
He said in Surah Yunus:
وَاتْلُ عَلَيْهِمْ نَبَأَ نُوحٍ إِذْ قَالَ لِقَوْمِهِ يَا قَوْمِ إِن كَانَ كَبُرَ عَلَيْكُم مَّقَامِي وَتَذْكِيرِي بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ فَعَلَى اللَّهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ فَأَجْمِعُوا أَمْرَكُمْ وَشُرَكَاءَكُمْ ثُمَّ لَا يَكُنْ أَمْرُكُمْ عَلَيْكُمْ غُمَّةً ثُمَّ اقْضُوا إِلَيَّ وَلَا تُنظِرُونِ فَإِن تَوَلَّيْتُمْ فَمَا سَأَلْتُكُم مِّنْ أَجْرٍ إِنْ أَجْرِيَ إِلَّا عَلَى اللَّهِ وَأُمِرْتُ أَنْ أَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ فَكَذَّبُوهُ فَنَجَّيْنَاهُ وَمَن مَّعَهُ فِي الْفُلْكِ وَجَعَلْنَاهُمْ خَلَائِفَ وَأَغْرَقْنَا الَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِنَا فَانظُرْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الْمُنذَرِينَ
“Recite to them the news of Nuh, when he said to his people, ‘O my people, if my standing among you and my reminding you of the signs of Allah is burdensome for you, then in Allah I have placed my trust. So gather your plan and your partners, then let your plan not be obscured to you, then carry it out against me and give me no respite.
But if you turn away, then I have not asked you for any reward. My reward is only with Allah, and I have been commanded to be of the Muslims.’
But they denied him, so We saved him and those who were with him on the ship, and We made them successors, and We drowned those who denied Our signs. So see how was the end of those who were warned.” (Yunus 10: 71–73)
He said in Surah Hud:
وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا نُوحًا إِلَىٰ قَوْمِهِ إِنِّي لَكُمْ نَذِيرٌ مُّبِينٌ أَن لَّا تَعْبُدُوا إِلَّا اللَّهَ إِنِّي أَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ أَلِيمٍ فَقَالَ الْمَلَأُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِن قَوْمِهِ مَا نَرَاكَ إِلَّا بَشَرًا مِّثْلَنَا وَمَا نَرَىٰكَ اتَّبَعَكَ إِلَّا الَّذِينَ هُمْ أَرَاذِلُنَا بَادِيَ الرَّأْيِ وَمَا نَرَىٰ لَكُمْ عَلَيْنَا مِن فَضْلٍ بَلْ نَظُنُّكُمْ كَاذِبِينَ قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ أَرَأَيْتُمْ إِن كُنتُ عَلَىٰ بَيِّنَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّي وَآتَانِي رَحْمَةً مِّنْ عِندِهِ فَعُمِّيَتْ عَلَيْكُمْ أَنُلْزِمُكُمُوهَا وَأَنتُمْ لَهَا كَارِهُونَ وَيَا قَوْمِ لَا أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ مَالًا إِنْ أَجْرِيَ إِلَّا عَلَى اللَّهِ وَمَا أَنَا بِطَارِدِ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِنَّهُم مُّلَاقُو رَبِّهِمْ وَلَكِنِّي أَرَاكُمْ قَوْمًا تَجْهَلُونَ وَيَا قَوْمِ مَن يَنصُرُنِي مِنَ اللَّهِ إِن طَرَدتُّهُمْ أَفَلَا تَذَكَّرُونَ وَلَا أَقُولُ لَكُمْ عِندِي خَزَائِنُ اللَّهِ وَلَا أَعْلَمُ الْغَيْبَ وَلَا أَقُولُ إِنِّي مَلَكٌ وَلَا أَقُولُ لِلَّذِينَ تَزْدَرِي أَعْيُنُكُمْ لَن يُؤْتِيَهُمُ اللَّهُ خَيْرًا اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا فِي أَنفُسِهِمْ إِنِّي إِذًا لَّمِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ
“Indeed We sent Nuh to his people, ‘I am to you a clear warner, that you should worship none but Allah. I fear for you the punishment of a painful day.’ The chiefs who disbelieved among his people said, ‘We see you only as a man like ourselves, and we do not see that any follow you except the lowest of us, in rash judgement, and we see no merit in you over us.
Rather, we think you are liars.’ He said, ‘O my people, tell me, if I am upon a clear proof from my Lord and He has granted me mercy from Himself, but it has been made obscure to you, shall we force it on you while you dislike it? O my people, I do not ask you for any wealth for this.
My reward is only with Allah. And I am not one to drive away those who have believed.
They will surely meet their Lord. But I see you as a people who are ignorant. O my people, who would help me against Allah if I drove them away?
Will you not take heed? And I do not say to you that I possess the treasuries of Allah, nor that I know the unseen, nor do I say that I am an angel, nor do I say about those whom your eyes look down upon that Allah will never give them any good.
Allah knows best what is in their souls. Surely then I would be among the wrongdoers.’” (Hud 11: 25–31)
He mentioned the rest of the verses of this section, including the building of the Ark, the coming of the flood, the drowning of the people, and the salvation of Nuh and those with him, and we will gather their meanings shortly when we present the story as a whole.
He said in Surah Al Anbiya:
وَنُوحًا إِذْ نَادَىٰ مِن قَبْلُ فَاسْتَجَبْنَا لَهُ فَنَجَّيْنَاهُ وَأَهْلَهُ مِنَ الْكَرْبِ الْعَظِيمِ وَنَصَرْنَاهُ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِنَا إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا قَوْمَ سَوْءٍ فَأَغْرَقْنَاهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ
“And remember Nuh, when he called upon Us before, and We responded to him, and We saved him and his family from the great distress. And We supported him against the people who denied Our signs. They were indeed an evil people, so We drowned them all together.” (Al Anbiya 21: 76–77)
He said in Surah Al Muminun:
وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا نُوحًا إِلَىٰ قَوْمِهِ فَقَالَ يَا قَوْمِ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنْ إِلَهٍ غَيْرُهُ أَفَلَا تَتَّقُونَ فَقَالَ الْمَلَأُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِن قَوْمِهِ مَا هَٰذَا إِلَّا بَشَرٌ مِّثْلُكُمْ يُرِيدُ أَن يَتَفَضَّلَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَلَوْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ لَأَنزَلَ مَلَائِكَةً مَّا سَمِعْنَا بِهَٰذَا فِي آبَائِنَا الْأَوَّلِينَ إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا رَجُلٌ بِهِ جِنَّةٌ فَتَرَبَّصُوا بِهِ حَتَّىٰ حِينٍ قَالَ رَبِّ انصُرْنِي بِمَا كَذَّبُونِ
“Indeed We sent Nuh to his people, and he said, ‘O my people, worship Allah. You have no god other than Him. Will you not have taqwa?’ The chiefs who disbelieved among his people said, ‘This is nothing but a man like yourselves.
He wants to stand above you. If Allah had willed, He would surely have sent down angels. We have never heard of this among our forefathers of old.
He is nothing but a man who is possessed, so wait for him for a while.’ He said, ‘My Lord, help me, because they have denied me.’” (Al Muminun 23: 23–26)
Then He mentioned the revelation to him to build the Ark, the sign of the oven gushing forth, and the command to carry in it from every pair two, and his family except the one against whom the word had gone forth, and the end of the story, which we will also gather later.
He said in Surah Al Shuara:
كَذَّبَتْ قَوْمُ نُوحٍ الْمُرْسَلِينَ إِذْ قَالَ لَهُمْ أَخُوهُمْ نُوحٌ أَلَا تَتَّقُونَ إِنِّي لَكُمْ رَسُولٌ أَمِينٌ فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُونِ وَمَا أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ أَجْرٍ إِنْ أَجْرِيَ إِلَّا عَلَىٰ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُونِ قَالُوا أَنُؤْمِنُ لَكَ وَاتَّبَعَكَ الْأَرْذَلُونَ قَالَ وَمَا عِلْمِي بِمَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ إِنْ حِسَابُهُمْ إِلَّا عَلَىٰ رَبِّي لَوْ تَشْعُرُونَ وَمَا أَنَا بِطَارِدِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِنْ أَنَا إِلَّا نَذِيرٌ مُّبِينٌ
“The people of Nuh denied the messengers, when their brother Nuh said to them, ‘Will you not have taqwa? I am to you a trustworthy messenger. So have taqwa of Allah and obey me. I do not ask you for any reward for it.
My reward is only with the Lord of the worlds. So have taqwa of Allah and obey me.’ They said, ‘Shall we believe in you when the lowest people follow you?’
He said, ‘What knowledge have I of what they used to do? Their reckoning is only upon my Lord, if you could but perceive.
I am not one to drive away the believers. I am only a clear warner.’” (Al Shuara 26: 105–115)
Then He mentioned the supplication of Nuh against his people, the salvation of him and those with him on the full ship, and the drowning of the rest.
He said in Surah Al Ankabut:
وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا نُوحًا إِلَىٰ قَوْمِهِ فَلَبِثَ فِيهِمْ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ إِلَّا خَمْسِينَ عَامًا فَأَخَذَهُمُ الطُّوفَانُ وَهُمْ ظَالِمُونَ فَأَنجَيْنَاهُ وَأَصْحَابَ السَّفِينَةِ وَجَعَلْنَاهَا آيَةً لِّلْعَالَمِينَ
“Indeed We sent Nuh to his people, and he remained among them a thousand years minus fifty years. Then the flood seized them while they were wrongdoers. So We saved him and the people of the ship, and We made it a sign for all peoples.” (Al Ankabut 29: 14–15)
He said in Surah As Saffat:
وَلَقَدْ نَادَانَا نُوحٌ فَلَنِعْمَ الْمُجِيبُونَ وَنَجَّيْنَاهُ وَأَهْلَهُ مِنَ الْكَرْبِ الْعَظِيمِ وَجَعَلْنَا ذُرِّيَّتَهُ هُمُ الْبَاقِينَ وَتَرَكْنَا عَلَيْهِ فِي الْآخِرِينَ سَلَامٌ عَلَىٰ نُوحٍ فِي الْعَالَمِينَ
“Nuh called upon Us, and how excellent are We as Responders. We saved him and his family from the great distress.
We made his descendants the ones who remain. And We left for him a good mention among later generations: peace be upon Nuh in all the worlds.” (As Saffat 37: 75–79)
He said in Surah Al Qamar:
كَذَّبَتْ قَبْلَهُمْ قَوْمُ نُوحٍ فَكَذَّبُوا عَبْدَنَا وَقَالُوا مَجْنُونٌ وَازْدُجِرَ فَدَعَا رَبَّهُ أَنِّي مَغْلُوبٌ فَانتَصِرْ فَفَتَحْنَا أَبْوَابَ السَّمَاءِ بِمَاءٍ مُّنْهَمِرٍ وَفَجَّرْنَا الْأَرْضَ عُيُونًا فَالْتَقَى الْمَاءُ عَلَىٰ أَمْرٍ قَدْ قُدِرَ وَحَمَلْنَاهُ عَلَىٰ ذَاتِ أَلْوَاحٍ وَدُسُرٍ تَجْرِي بِأَعْيُنِنَا جَزَاءً لِّمَن كَانَ كُفِرَ وَلَقَد تَّرَكْنَاهَا آيَةً فَهَلْ مِن مُّدَّكِرٍ فَكَيْفَ كَانَ عَذَابِي وَنُذُرِ وَلَقَدْ يَسَّرْنَا الْقُرْآنَ لِلذِّكْرِ فَهَلْ مِن مُّدَّكِرٍ
“The people of Nuh denied before them, so they denied Our servant and said, ‘Madman,’ and he was rebuked and threatened.
So he called upon his Lord, ‘I am overpowered, so help me.’ Then We opened the gates of the sky with pouring water, and We caused the earth to burst forth with springs, so the waters met according to a decree already set.
We carried him upon a vessel made of planks and nails, sailing under Our eyes, as a recompense for the one who had been rejected.
We left it as a sign, so is there anyone who will take heed? How was My punishment and My warnings? And We have certainly made the Qur’an easy for remembrance, so is there anyone who will take heed?” (Al Qamar 54: 9–17)
He said in Surah Nuh:
إِنَّا أَرْسَلْنَا نُوحًا إِلَىٰ قَوْمِهِ أَن أَنذِرْ قَوْمَكَ مِن قَبْلِ أَن يَأْتِيَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ إِنِّي لَكُمْ نَذِيرٌ مُّبِينٌ أَنِ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ وَاتَّقُوهُ وَأَطِيعُونِ يَغْفِرْ لَكُم مِّن ذُنُوبِكُمْ وَيُؤَخِّرْكُمْ إِلَىٰ أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى إِنَّ أَجَلَ اللَّهِ إِذَا جَاءَ لَا يُؤَخَّرُ لَوْ كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّي دَعَوْتُ قَوْمِي لَيْلًا وَنَهَارًا فَلَمْ يَزِدْهُمْ دُعَائِي إِلَّا فِرَارًا وَإِنِّي كُلَّمَا دَعَوْتُهُمْ لِتَغْفِرَ لَهُمْ جَعَلُوا أَصَابِعَهُمْ فِي آذَانِهِمْ وَاسْتَغْشَوْا ثِيَابَهُمْ وَأَصَرُّوا وَاسْتَكْبَرُوا اسْتِكْبَارًا ثُمَّ إِنِّي دَعَوْتُهُمْ جِهَارًا ثُمَّ إِنِّي أَعْلَنتُ لَهُمْ وَأَسْرَرْتُ لَهُمْ إِسْرَارًا فَقُلْتُ اسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّكُمْ إِنَّهُ كَانَ غَفَّارًا يُرْسِلِ السَّمَاءَ عَلَيْكُم مِّدْرَارًا وَيُمْدِدْكُم بِأَمْوَالٍ وَبَنِينَ وَيَجْعَل لَّكُمْ جَنَّاتٍ وَيَجْعَل لَّكُمْ أَنْهَارًا مَا لَكُمْ لَا تَرْجُونَ لِلَّهِ وَقَارًا وَقَدْ خَلَقَكُمْ أَطْوَارًا
“Indeed We sent Nuh to his people, ‘Warn your people before a painful punishment comes to them.’ He said, ‘O my people, I am to you a clear warner, that you should worship Allah, and have taqwa of Him, and obey me.
He will forgive you some of your sins, and will grant you respite until an appointed time. Indeed, when the time appointed by Allah comes, it is not delayed, if only you knew.’
He said, ‘My Lord, I have called my people night and day, but my calling only increased them in flight. Every time I called them so that You might forgive them, they put their fingers in their ears, covered themselves with their garments, persisted, and grew in great arrogance. Then I called them openly, then I announced to them and appealed to them in private.
I said, Ask forgiveness of your Lord, indeed He is ever forgiving.
He will send the sky upon you in abundant rain, and will support you with wealth and children, and will make for you gardens and make for you rivers. What is wrong with you that you do not show reverence to Allah, when He has created you in stages?’” (Nuh 71: 1–14)
Then He mentioned his arguments with them by pointing to the creation of the heavens and the earth, and their stubborn rejection, and his supplication against them, which will come in its place.
Praise of Nuh and the Criticism of Those Who Opposed Him
Nuh is also mentioned in other places in the Qur’an where he is praised and those who opposed him are condemned.
Allah said in Surah An Nisa:
إِنَّا أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَيْكَ كَمَا أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَىٰ نُوحٍ وَالنَّبِيِّينَ مِن بَعْدِهِ وَأَوْحَيْنَا إِلَىٰ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ وَإِسْحَاقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ وَالْأَسْبَاطِ وَعِيسَىٰ وَأَيُّوبَ وَيُونُسَ وَهَارُونَ وَسُلَيْمَانَ وَآتَيْنَا دَاوُودَ زَبُورًا وَرُسُلًا قَدْ قَصَصْنَاهُمْ عَلَيْكَ مِن قَبْلُ وَرُسُلًا لَّمْ نَقْصُصْهُمْ عَلَيْكَ وَكَلَّمَ اللَّهُ مُوسَىٰ تَكْلِيمًا رُّسُلًا مُّبَشِّرِينَ وَمُنذِرِينَ لِئَلَّا يَكُونَ لِلنَّاسِ عَلَى اللَّهِ حُجَّةٌ بَعْدَ الرُّسُلِ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَزِيزًا حَكِيمًا
“We have indeed revealed to you as We revealed to Nuh and the prophets after him. We revealed to Ibrahim, Ismail, Ishaq, Yaqub, the Tribes, Isa, Ayyub, Yunus, Harun, and Sulayman, and We gave Dawud the Zabur.
And to other messengers We have already told you of, and messengers We have not told you of, and Allah spoke directly to Musa.
These messengers were bearers of glad tidings and warners, so that people would have no argument against Allah after the messengers. Allah is Mighty, Wise.” (An Nisa 4: 163–165)
He said in Surah Al Anam:
وَنُوحًا هَدَيْنَا مِن قَبْلُ
“And Nuh We guided before.” then He mentioned a long list of prophets from his descendants. (Al Anam 6: 84)
He said in Surah At Tawbah:
أَلَمْ يَأْتِهِمْ نَبَأُ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ قَوْمِ نُوحٍ وَعَادٍ وَثَمُودَ وَقَوْمِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَأَصْحَابِ مَدْيَنَ وَالْمُؤْتَفِكَاتِ أَتَتْهُمْ رُسُلُهُم بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ فَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيَظْلِمَهُمْ وَلَٰكِن كَانُوا أَنفُسَهُمْ يَظْلِمُونَ
“Has there not come to them the news of those who were before them, the people of Nuh, Ad, Thamud, the people of Ibrahim, the people of Madyan, and the overturned towns?
Their messengers came to them with clear proofs, and Allah was never to wrong them, but they used to wrong themselves.” (At Tawbah 9: 70)
He said in Surah Ibrahim:
أَلَمْ يَأْتِكُمْ نَبَأُ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ قَوْمِ نُوحٍ وَعَادٍ وَثَمُودَ وَالَّذِينَ مِن بَعْدِهِمْ لَا يَعْلَمُهُمْ إِلَّا اللَّهُ جَاءَتْهُمْ رُسُلُهُم بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ فَرَدُّوا أَيْدِيَهُمْ فِي أَفْوَاهِهِمْ وَقَالُوا إِنَّا كَفَرْنَا بِمَا أُرْسِلْتُم بِهِ وَإِنَّا لَفِي شَكٍّ مِّمَّا تَدْعُونَنَا إِلَيْهِ مُرِيبٍ
“Has there not come to you the news of those who were before you, the people of Nuh, Ad, Thamud, and those after them, none knows them but Allah.
Their messengers came to them with clear proofs, but they put their hands into their mouths and said, ‘We certainly disbelieve in that with which you have been sent, and we are in grave doubt about what you call us to.’” (Ibrahim 14: 9)
He said in Surah Al Isra:
ذُرِّيَّةَ مَنْ حَمَلْنَا مَعَ نُوحٍ إِنَّهُ كَانَ عَبْدًا شَكُورًا
“Descendants of those whom We carried with Nuh. He was indeed a grateful servant.” (Al Isra 17: 3)
and He said in the same surah:
وَكَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا مِنَ الْقُرُونِ مِن بَعْدِ نُوحٍ وَكَفَىٰ بِرَبِّكَ بِذُنُوبِ عِبَادِهِ خَبِيرًا بَصِيرًا
“How many generations We destroyed after Nuh, and your Lord is sufficient, concerning the sins of His servants, as One Who is All aware, All seeing.” (Al Isra 17: 17)
He mentioned similar in Surah Al Anbiya, Al Muminun, Al Shuara, Al Ankabut and others, as has already been noted.
He said in Surah Qaf:
كَذَّبَتْ قَبْلَهُمْ قَوْمُ نُوحٍ وَأَصْحَابُ الرَّسِّ وَثَمُودُ وَعَادٌ وَفِرْعَوْنُ وَإِخْوَانُ لُوطٍ وَأَصْحَابُ الْأَيْكَةِ وَقَوْمُ تُبَّعٍ كُلٌّ كَذَّبَ الرُّسُلَ فَحَقَّ وَعِيدِ
“The people of Nuh denied before them, and the people of the well, and Thamud, and Ad, and Firawn, and the brothers of Lut, and the people of the thicket, and the people of Tubba.
Every one of them denied the messengers, so My warning was fulfilled.” (Qaf 50: 12–14)
He said in Surah Adh Dhariyat:
وَقَوْمَ نُوحٍ مِّن قَبْلُ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا قَوْمًا فَاسِقِينَ
“And the people of Nuh before, they were indeed a defiantly disobedient people.” (Adh Dhariyat 51: 46)
He said in Surah An Najm:
وَقَوْمَ نُوحٍ مِّن قَبْلُ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا هُمْ أَظْلَمَ وَأَطْغَىٰ
“And the people of Nuh before, indeed they were more unjust and more rebellious.” (An Najm 53: 52)
He said in Surah Al Hadid:
وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا نُوحًا وَإِبْرَاهِيمَ وَجَعَلْنَا فِي ذُرِّيَّتِهِمَا النُّبُوَّةَ وَالْكِتَابَ فَمِنْهُم مُّهْتَدٍ وَكَثِيرٌ مِّنْهُمْ فَاسِقُونَ
“We certainly sent Nuh and Ibrahim, and We placed in their descendants prophethood and the Book. Among them is one who is guided, but many of them are defiantly disobedient.” (Al Hadid 57: 26)
He said in Surah At Tahrim:
ضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلًا لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا امْرَأَتَ نُوحٍ وَامْرَأَتَ لُوطٍ كَانَتَا تَحْتَ عَبْدَيْنِ مِنْ عِبَادِنَا صَالِحَيْنِ فَخَانَتَاهُمَا فَلَمْ يُغْنِيَا عَنْهُمَا مِنَ اللَّهِ شَيْئًا وَقِيلَ ادْخُلَا النَّارَ مَعَ الدَّاخِلِينَ
“Allah sets forth an example for those who disbelieve: the wife of Nuh and the wife of Lut. They were under two of Our righteous servants, but they betrayed them, so their husbands could not avail them at all against Allah, and it was said, ‘Enter the Fire with those who enter.’” (At Tahrim 66: 10)
The Deviation of the Descendants of Adam and Their Worship of Idols
As for what happened between Nuh and his people, when we gather it from the Qur’an, the Sunnah and the narrations, we have already mentioned from Ibn Abbas that there were ten generations between Adam and Nuh, all of them upon Islam. We explained that “generation” may refer to a span of time or to a people, as has passed.
Then after those righteous generations there appeared matters which led the people of that time to worship idols.
The reason for that is what al Bukhari narrated, in his tafsir, from Ibn Abbas regarding His saying:
وَقَالُوا لَا تَذَرُنَّ آلِهَتَكُمْ وَلَا تَذَرُنَّ وَدًّا وَلَا سُوَاعًا وَلَا يَغُوثَ وَيَعُوقَ وَنَسْرًا
“And they said, ‘Do not abandon your gods; do not abandon Wadd, nor Suwa, nor Yaghuth, Ya’uq and Nasr.’” (Nuh 71: 23)
He said: these were the names of righteous men from the people of Nuh. When they died, Shaytan inspired their people to set up statues in the gatherings where they used to sit, and to name these statues after them. So they did that, but they were not worshipped, until when that generation died and knowledge was lost, they were then worshipped.
Ibn Abbas said: these idols that had been among the people of Nuh then passed down to the Arabs. They had many ways in their worship of them, which we have mentioned in their places in our tafsir. Praise and grace belong to Allah.
Nuh as the First Messenger to the People of the Earth
The point is that when corruption spread through the earth, and the trial of idol worship became widespread, Allah sent His servant and messenger Nuh عليه السلام, calling the people to worship Allah alone, with no partner, and forbidding them from worshipping anything besides Him.
He was the first messenger whom Allah sent to the people of the earth, as is established in the two Sahihs in the hadith of intercession, from Abu Hurayrah, from the Prophet ﷺ. He said:
“The people will come to Adam and say, ‘O Adam, you are the father of mankind. Allah created you with His Hand, breathed into you from His spirit, ordered the angels and they prostrated to you, and He made you dwell in Paradise. Will you not intercede for us with your Lord? Do you not see the state we are in and how we have reached this point?’
When Allah sent Nuh عليه السلام, he called his people to single out Allah in worship and to avoid worshipping any idol, statue or false god, and to acknowledge His oneness and that there is no god other than Him and no Lord besides Him. This is what Allah commanded those prophets after him, and all of them were from his descendants, as He said:
وَجَعَلْنَا ذُرِّيَّتَهُ هُمُ الْبَاقِينَ
“And We made his descendants the ones who remain.” (As Saffat 37: 77)
He also said about him and about Ibrahim:
وَجَعَلْنَا فِي ذُرِّيَّتِهِمَا النُّبُوَّةَ وَالْكِتَابَ
“And We placed in their descendants prophethood and the Book.” (Al Hadid 57: 26)
That is, every prophet after Nuh was from his descendants, and the same with Ibrahim.
He said:
وَلَقَدْ بَعَثْنَا فِي كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ رَّسُولًا أَنِ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ وَاجْتَنِبُوا الطَّاغُوتَ
“We certainly sent in every nation a messenger, saying, ‘Worship Allah and avoid the false gods.’” (An Nahl 16: 36)
And He said:
وَاسْأَلْ مَنْ أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ مِن رُّسُلِنَا أَجَعَلْنَا مِن دُونِ الرَّحْمَنِ آلِهَةً يُعْبَدُونَ
“Ask those of Our messengers whom We sent before you, did We ever appoint gods to be worshipped other than the Most Merciful?” (Az Zukhruf 43: 45)
And He said:
وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ مِن رَّسُولٍ إِلَّا نُوحِي إِلَيْهِ أَنَّهُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنَا فَاعْبُدُونِ
“We did not send any messenger before you except that We revealed to him that there is no god but I, so worship Me.” (Al Anbiya 21: 25)
For this reason Nuh said to his people:
اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنْ إِلَهٍ غَيْرُهُ إِنِّي أَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍ
“Worship Allah, you have no god other than Him. I fear for you the punishment of a great day.” (Al Araf 7: 59)
and he said:
أَن لَّا تَعْبُدُوا إِلَّا اللَّهَ إِنِّي أَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ أَلِيمٍ
“That you worship none but Allah. I fear for you the punishment of a painful day.” (Hud 11: 26)
and he said:
يَا قَوْمِ إِنِّي لَكُمْ نَذِيرٌ مُّبِينٌ أَنِ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ وَاتَّقُوهُ وَأَطِيعُونِ
“O my people, I am to you a clear warner, that you should worship Allah, have taqwa of Him and obey me.” (Nuh 71: 2–3)
He mentioned that he called them to Allah using every type of call, by night and by day, in private and openly, with encouragement at times and with warning at others, but none of this benefited them. Rather most of them continued in misguidance and transgression and the worship of idols and statues.
They set themselves as enemies to him at every time and in every way, and belittled him and those who believed in him, and threatened them with stoning and expulsion, and harmed them and went to extremes in opposing them.
The nobles of his people said, “We see you in clear misguidance.” He replied, “O my people, there is no misguidance in me, rather I am a messenger from the Lord of the worlds. I convey to you the messages of my Lord and I give you sincere counsel, and I know from Allah that which you do not know.” This is the way of the messenger, to be eloquent and clear, sincere in his advice, and the most knowledgeable of people about Allah.
They said to him, among what they said, “We do not see that any have followed you except the lowest of us, in rash judgement, and we do not see that you have any merit over us. Rather we think you are liars.”
They were astonished that a human being could be a messenger, they looked down upon his followers and saw them as lowly. It has been said that they were weak and poor people. But these are the followers of the messengers, because nothing prevents them from following the truth.
As for their saying “in rash judgement,” they meant that they believed quickly as soon as he called them, without thinking or reflecting. Yet what they criticised them for was in fact their very praise, may Allah be pleased with them, because the clear truth does not need long reflection or deep thought. It must be accepted and followed as soon as it appears.
For that reason the Prophet ﷺ praised Abu Bakr as Siddiq, and his pledge as caliph later on was also swift without long reflection, because his superiority over others was clear and obvious to the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them.
Their saying “we see no merit in you over us” means: after you have described yourselves with faith we still see no special status for you. “Rather we think you are liars.”
He answered them in a gentle and wise way, saying, “O my people, tell me if I am upon a clear proof from my Lord and He has granted me mercy from Him, but it has been made obscure to you, shall we force it upon you while you dislike it?”
This is gentleness in speech and softness in calling them to the truth, as Allah said to Musa and Harun about Firawn:
فَقُولَا لَهُ قَوْلًا لَّيِّنًا لَعَلَّهُ يَتَذَكَّرُ أَوْ يَخْشَىٰ
“Speak to him gentle words, perhaps he will remember or fear.” (Ta Ha 20: 44)
and He said:
ادْعُ إِلَىٰ سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ بِالْحِكْمَةِ وَالْمَوْعِظَةِ الْحَسَنَةِ وَجَادِلْهُم بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ
“Call to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good admonition, and argue with them in the best manner.” (An Nahl 16: 125)
This is what Nuh did. He said: if I am upon a clear proof from my Lord and He has given me mercy, which is prophethood and messengership, but it has been hidden from you and you have not understood it, can I force you to accept it while you hate it?
He said to them, “O my people, I do not ask you any wealth for this. My reward is only with Allah.” That is, I am not seeking any payment from you for conveying to you what will benefit you in this life and the next. I seek my reward only from Allah, Whose reward is better and more lasting than what you give.
He said, “I am not going to drive away those who believe. They shall meet their Lord, but I see you as an ignorant people.” It is as if they had asked him to remove those poor believers from him and promised him that they would meet with him if he did that. He refused, saying that he feared that if he drove them away they would complain of him to Allah.
This is why, when the disbelievers of Quraysh asked the Prophet ﷺ to drive away the weak believers such as Ammar, Suhayb, Bilal, Khabbab and others, Allah forbade him from doing so, as we have explained in the surahs Al Anam and Al Kahf.
He also said, “I do not say to you that I possess the treasures of Allah, nor that I know the unseen, nor do I say that I am an angel, nor do I say about those whom your eyes look down upon that Allah will never give them any good. Allah knows best what is in their souls. Surely then I would be among the wrongdoers.”
That is, I do not assert that they have no good before Allah on the Day of Resurrection. Allah knows best about them, and He will recompense them according to what is in their souls, whether good or evil, as He said elsewhere:
قَالُوا أَنُؤْمِنُ لَكَ وَاتَّبَعَكَ الْأَرْذَلُونَ قَالَ وَمَا عِلْمِي بِمَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ إِنْ حِسَابُهُمْ إِلَّا عَلَىٰ رَبِّي لَوْ تَشْعُرُونَ وَمَا أَنَا بِطَارِدِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِنْ أَنَا إِلَّا نَذِيرٌ مُّبِينٌ
“They said, ‘Shall we believe in you when the lowest people follow you?’ He said, ‘What knowledge have I of what they used to do? Their reckoning is only upon my Lord, if you could but perceive. I am not one to drive away the believers. I am only a clear warner.’” (Al Shuara 26: 111–115)
The Despair of Nuh Regarding His People’s Faith
The time grew long and the argument between him and his people continued, as Allah said:
فَلَبِثَ فِيهِمْ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ إِلَّا خَمْسِينَ عَامًا
“He remained among them a thousand years minus fifty years.” (Al Ankabut 29: 14)
In spite of this long time, only a small number believed in him.
Whenever a generation died, they would instruct those after them not to believe in him and to oppose him. The father, when his child reached understanding, would advise him secretly never to believe in Nuh as long as he lived. Their natures rejected faith and following the truth. For this reason he said:
وَلَا يَلِدُوا إِلَّا فَاجِرًا كَفَّارًا
“They will not give birth to anyone but a wicked disbeliever.” (Nuh 71: 27)
For this reason they said:
يَا نُوحُ قَدْ جَادَلْتَنَا فَأَكْثَرْتَ جِدَالَنَا فَأْتِنَا بِمَا تَعِدُنَا إِن كُنتَ مِنَ الصَّادِقِينَ
“O Nuh, you have argued with us and multiplied the argument, so bring us what you threaten us with if you are of the truthful.” (Hud 11: 32)
He said:
إِنَّمَا يَأْتِيكُم بِهِ اللَّهُ إِن شَاءَ وَمَا أَنتُم بِمُعْجِزِينَ
“Only Allah will bring it to you, if He wills, and you will not be beyond His reach.” (Hud 11: 33)
That is, He alone is able to bring it, for nothing incapacitates Him and no matter is burdensome for Him. He is the One who says to a thing “Be” and it is.
He said:
وَلَا يَنفَعُكُمْ نُصْحِي إِنْ أَرَدتُ أَنْ أَنصَحَ لَكُمْ إِن كَانَ اللَّهُ يُرِيدُ أَن يُغْوِيَكُمْ هُوَ رَبُّكُمْ وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ
“My advice will not benefit you, even if I want to advise you, if Allah wants to lead you astray. He is your Lord, and to Him you will be returned.” (Hud 11: 34)
That is, the one for whom Allah wants trial and misguidance, no one can possess guidance for him. Allah guides whom He wills and misguides whom He wills. He does what He wants. He is Mighty and Wise, knowing who deserves guidance and who deserves misguidance. His wisdom and proof are complete.
Nuh Builds the Ark
Allah revealed to Nuh:
أَنَّهُ لَن يُؤْمِنَ مِن قَوْمِكَ إِلَّا مَن قَدْ آمَنَ فَلَا تَبْتَئِسْ بِمَا كَانُوا يَفْعَلُونَ
“None of your people will believe except those who have already believed, so do not be distressed by what they used to do.” (Hud 11: 36)
This was solace for him, and comfort after their harm, that no one else would believe. It was as if He said: do not be saddened by what has already happened; support is near and what will come will be amazing.
Then He said:
وَاصْنَعِ الْفُلْكَ بِأَعْيُنِنَا وَوَحْيِنَا وَلَا تُخَاطِبْنِي فِي الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا إِنَّهُم مُّغْرَقُونَ
“Build the ship under Our eyes and by Our inspiration, and do not speak to Me concerning those who did wrong. They are surely to be drowned.” (Hud 11: 37)
Nuh had despaired of their rectification and success. He saw no good in them. They had resorted to harming him and opposing him and denying him in every way.
So he called upon Allah against them in anger, and Allah accepted his supplication and answered his request.
Allah said:
وَلَقَدْ نَادَانَا نُوحٌ فَلَنِعْمَ الْمُجِيبُونَ وَنَجَّيْنَاهُ وَأَهْلَهُ مِنَ الْكَرْبِ الْعَظِيمِ
“Nuh called upon Us, and how excellent are We as Responders. We saved him and his family from the great distress.” (As Saffat 37: 75–76)
and He said:
وَنُوحًا إِذْ نَادَى مِن قَبْلُ فَاسْتَجَبْنَا لَهُ فَنَجَّيْنَاهُ وَأَهْلَهُ مِنَ الْكَرْبِ الْعَظِيمِ
“And remember Nuh, when he called before, and We responded to him and saved him and his family from the great distress.” (Al Anbiya 21: 76)
and He said:
قَالَ رَبِّ إِنَّ قَوْمِي كَذَّبُونِ فَافْتَحْ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَهُمْ فَتْحًا وَنَجِّنِي وَمَن مَّعِيَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ
“He said, ‘My Lord, my people have denied me. So judge decisively between me and them, and save me and those with me of the believers.’” (Al Shuara 26: 117–118)
and He said:
فَدَعَا رَبَّهُ أَنِّي مَغْلُوبٌ فَانتَصِرْ
“He called upon his Lord, ‘I am overpowered, so help me.’” (Al Qamar 54: 10)
and He said:
قَالَ رَبِّ انصُرْنِي بِمَا كَذَّبُونِ
“He said, ‘My Lord, help me because they have denied me.’” (Al Muminun 23: 26)
and He said:
مِمَّا خَطِيئَاتِهِمْ أُغْرِقُوا فَأُدْخِلُوا نَارًا فَلَمْ يَجِدُوا لَهُم مِّن دُونِ اللَّهِ أَنصَارًا وَقَالَ نُوحٌ رَّبِّ لَا تَذَرْ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ مِنَ الْكَافِرِينَ دَيَّارًا إِنَّكَ إِن تَذَرْهُمْ يُضِلُّوا عِبَادَكَ وَلَا يَلِدُوا إِلَّا فَاجِرًا كَفَّارًا
“Because of their sins they were drowned and made to enter the Fire, and they found no helpers for themselves besides Allah. And Nuh said, ‘My Lord, do not leave upon the earth any of the disbelievers dwelling, for if You leave them they will mislead Your servants and will not give birth to any but a wicked disbeliever.’” (Nuh 71: 25–27)
Their sins, their disbelief and wickedness, and the supplication of their prophet against them all came together, so Allah commanded Nuh to build the Ark, that great ship which had no equal before it and will have no equal after it. (Because it was a miracle of a prophet.)
Allah informed him beforehand that when His decree came and His punishment which cannot be repelled from the criminal people descended upon them, he must not debate or plead with Him regarding them, because when he saw with his own eyes the punishment coming on them he might feel a softness for them.
The news is not like seeing with one’s own eyes. For this He said, “Do not speak to Me concerning those who did wrong. They are surely to be drowned.”
He began to make the ship, as Allah said:
وَيَصْنَعُ الْفُلْكَ وَكُلَّمَا مَرَّ عَلَيْهِ مَلَأٌ مِّن قَوْمِهِ سَخِرُوا مِنْهُ قَالَ إِن تَسْخَرُوا مِنَّا فَإِنَّا نَسْخَرُ مِنكُمْ كَمَا تَسْخَرُونَ فَسَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ مَن يَأْتِيهِ عَذَابٌ يُخْزِيهِ وَيَحِلُّ عَلَيْهِ عَذَابٌ مُّقِيمٌ
“He was building the ship, and every time the chiefs of his people passed by him they mocked him. He said, ‘If you mock us, then we will mock you just as you mock. Soon you will know who will be visited by a punishment that will disgrace him, and upon whom will fall a lasting punishment.’” (Hud 11: 38–39)
They ridiculed him, thinking it impossible that what he warned them of would happen. He answered that the reality would become clear, and that the punishment and humiliation would be theirs.
Their nature was stubborn disbelief and intense defiance in this life, and likewise they will manifest it in the Hereafter, for they will deny that any messenger came to them.
“Middle” here means just and balanced.
This Ummah will therefore testify, based upon the testimony of its truthful and trustworthy Prophet ﷺ, that Allah sent Nuh with the truth, revealed to him the truth, commanded him with it, and that he conveyed it to his people in the most complete and perfect way.
He did not leave anything that would benefit them in their religion except that he commanded them with it, nor anything that would harm them except that he forbade them from it and warned them against it.
Such is the case with all the messengers.
Some scholars of the early generations said: when Allah answered the supplication of Nuh and commanded him to build the Ark, He ordered him to plant trees from which the wood would be taken. He planted them, then cut them down and used them.
They said: the height of the ship was thirty cubits and it had three levels, each level ten cubits high. The lowest level was for animals and beasts, the middle level for people, and the highest level for birds. Its door was in its side, and it had a roof covering it.
Allah said:
قَالَ رَبِّ انصُرْنِي بِمَا كَذَّبُونِ فَأَوْحَيْنَا إِلَيْهِ أَنِ اصْنَعِ الْفُلْكَ بِأَعْيُنِنَا وَوَحْيِنَا
“He said, ‘My Lord, help me because they have denied me.’ So We revealed to him, ‘Build the ship under Our eyes and by Our inspiration.’” (Al Muminun 23: 26–27)
That is, by Our command to you, while We watch your workmanship and observe it, directing you to what is correct in its construction.
Nuh and the Flood
Allah said:
فَإِذَا جَاءَ أَمْرُنَا وَفَارَ التَّنُّورُ فَاسْلُكْ فِيهَا مِن كُلِّ زَوْجَيْنِ اثْنَيْنِ وَأَهْلَكَ إِلَّا مَن سَبَقَ عَلَيْهِ الْقَوْلُ مِنْهُمْ وَلَا تُخَاطِبْنِي فِي الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا إِنَّهُم مُّغْرَقُونَ
“When Our command comes and the oven gushes forth, put into it from every pair two, and your family, except those against whom the word has already gone forth, and do not speak to Me concerning those who did wrong, they are surely to be drowned.” (Al Muminun 23: 27)
He informed him in advance that when the punishment fell upon them, he must carry into the Ark a pair from every type of animal and living creature that people eat or benefit from, so that their line would remain. He also told him to carry his family with him, meaning his household, except those against whom the word had preceded, namely those about whom his supplication had been answered that they must be destroyed. Among them was his son, Yam, who drowned, as will be mentioned.
He also told him to carry those who had believed with him from his Ummah, and Allah said:
وَمَا آمَنَ مَعَهُ إِلَّا قَلِيلٌ
“None believed with him except a few.” (Hud 11: 40)
This was despite the long period of time he stayed among them and his earnest calling of them by night and day, in private and openly, with every type of gentle approach and with warning and threat and promise.
The scholars have differed over how many people were with him on the Ark.
Allah said:
فَإِذَا اسْتَوَيْتَ أَنتَ وَمَن مَّعَكَ عَلَى الْفُلْكِ فَقُلِ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي نَجَّانَا مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ وَقُل رَّبِّ أَنزِلْنِي مُنزَلًا مُّبَارَكًا وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ الْمُنزِلِينَ
“When you and whoever is with you have boarded the ship, say, ‘Praise be to Allah, who has saved us from the wrongdoing people,’ and say, ‘My Lord, cause me to land at a blessed landing place, and You are the best of those who cause to land.’” (Al Muminun 23: 28–29)
Allah commanded him to praise his Lord for subjecting the ship to him, saving him by it, separating between him and his people, and cooling his eye by the destruction of his enemies and deniers. As He said:
وَالَّذِي خَلَقَ الْأَزْوَاجَ كُلَّهَا وَجَعَلَ لَكُم مِّنَ الْفُلْكِ وَالْأَنْعَامِ مَا تَرْكَبُونَ لِتَسْتَوُوا عَلَىٰ ظُهُورِهِ ثُمَّ تَذْكُرُوا نِعْمَةَ رَبِّكُمْ إِذَا اسْتَوَيْتُمْ عَلَيْهِ وَتَقُولُوا سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي سَخَّرَ لَنَا هَٰذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لَهُ مُقْرِنِينَ وَإِنَّا إِلَىٰ رَبِّنَا لَمُنقَلِبُونَ
“He who created all the pairs and made for you from the ships and the cattle that which you ride, so that you may sit upright on their backs, then remember the favour of your Lord when you have settled upon them and say, ‘Glory be to the One who has subjected this to us, and we could not have done this ourselves. And indeed we will surely return to our Lord.’” (Az Zukhruf 43: 12–14)
One is commanded to say this for every new journey, asking Allah that the beginning be upon goodness and blessing and that the end be praiseworthy. Similarly He commanded His Prophet ﷺ when he emigrated:
وَقُلْ رَّبِّ أَدْخِلْنِي مُدْخَلَ صِدْقٍ وَأَخْرِجْنِي مُخْرَجَ صِدْقٍ وَاجْعَل لِّي مِن لَّدُنكَ سُلْطَانًا نَّصِيرًا
“Say, ‘My Lord, cause me to enter with a true entering and exit with a true exiting, and grant me from Yourself a supporting authority.’” (Al Isra 17: 80)
Nuh عليه السلام followed this, saying:
وَقَالَ ارْكَبُوا فِيهَا بِسْمِ اللَّهِ مَجْرَاهَا وَمُرْسَاهَا إِنَّ رَبِّي لَغَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
“He said, ‘Board it, in the name of Allah be its sailing and its anchoring. Indeed my Lord is Forgiving, Merciful.’” (Hud 11: 41)
That is, by the name of Allah is the beginning of its journey and its end. His Lord is Forgiving and Merciful and also One who has painful punishment, whose vengeance is not turned back from the criminals, as He did with the people of the earth who disbelieved in Him and worshipped other than Him.
Allah said:
وَهِيَ تَجْرِي بِهِمْ فِي مَوْجٍ كَالْجِبَالِ وَنَادَى نُوحٌ ابْنَهُ وَكَانَ فِي مَعْزِلٍ يَا بُنَيَّ ارْكَب مَّعَنَا وَلَا تَكُن مَّعَ الْكَافِرِينَ قَالَ سَآوِي إِلَىٰ جَبَلٍ يَعْصِمُنِي مِنَ الْمَاءِ قَالَ لَا عَاصِمَ الْيَوْمَ مِنْ أَمْرِ اللَّهِ إِلَّا مَن رَّحِمَ وَحَالَ بَيْنَهُمَا الْمَوْجُ فَكَانَ مِنَ الْمُغْرَقِينَ
“It sailed with them amid waves like mountains. Nuh called to his son, who was apart, ‘O my son, board with us and do not be with the disbelievers.’ He said, ‘I will take refuge on a mountain that will protect me from the water.’ He said, ‘Today there is no protector from the command of Allah except for whom He has mercy.’ The wave came between them, and he was among those drowned.” (Hud 11: 42–43)
Allah had sent rain from the sky unlike anything the earth experienced before or after, pouring like the mouths of water skins. He commanded the earth to burst forth with water from all its paths and places, as He said:
فَدَعَا رَبَّهُ أَنِّي مَغْلُوبٌ فَانتَصِرْ فَفَتَحْنَا أَبْوَابَ السَّمَاءِ بِمَاءٍ مُّنْهَمِرٍ وَفَجَّرْنَا الْأَرْضَ عُيُونًا فَالْتَقَى الْمَاءُ عَلَىٰ أَمْرٍ قَدْ قُدِرَ وَحَمَلْنَاهُ عَلَىٰ ذَاتِ أَلْوَاحٍ وَدُسُرٍ تَجْرِي بِأَعْيُنِنَا جَزَاءً لِّمَن كَانَ كُفِرَ
“He called upon his Lord, ‘I am overpowered, so help me.’ So We opened the gates of the sky with pouring water, and We caused the earth to burst with springs, so the water met according to a decree already set. We carried him upon a vessel of planks and nails, sailing under Our eyes, as a recompense for the one who had been rejected.” (Al Qamar 54: 10–14)
“Under Our eyes” means under Our protection, care and watch.
He said:
إِنَّا لَمَّا طَغَا الْمَاءُ حَمَلْنَاكُمْ فِي الْجَارِيَةِ لِنَجْعَلَهَا لَكُمْ تَذْكِرَةً وَتَعِيَهَا أُذُنٌ وَاعِيَةٌ
“When the water overflowed, We carried you upon the sailing ship, so that We might make it a reminder for you, and that a conscious ear might retain it.” (Al Haqqah 69: 11–12)
A group of commentators said: the water rose above the highest mountain on earth and covered the entire land, its length and width, plain and rugged, mountains, deserts and sands. No soul remained alive on earth, neither small nor great.
As Allah said:
حَتَّىٰ إِذَا جَاءَ أَمْرُنَا وَفَارَ التَّنُّورُ
“Until when Our command came and the oven gushed forth.” (Hud 11: 40)
The “oven” according to most scholars means the surface of the earth, that is, water sprang from every place, even the ovens used for fire.
When this decree was fulfilled and the people of the earth had been destroyed and none remained who worshipped other than Allah, Allah said to the earth and the sky:
وَقِيلَ يَا أَرْضُ ابْلَعِي مَاءَكِ وَيَا سَمَاءُ أَقْلِعِي وَغِيضَ الْمَاءُ وَقُضِيَ الْأَمْرُ وَاسْتَوَتْ عَلَى الْجُودِيِّ وَقِيلَ بُعْدًا لِّلْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ
“And it was said, ‘O earth, swallow your water, and O sky, withhold.’ The water subsided, the matter was concluded, and the Ark came to rest on Al Judi, and it was said, ‘Away with the wrongdoing people.’” (Hud 11: 44)
That is, the earth was ordered to absorb its water, and the sky to stop its rain. The water receded and diminished from what it had been. The matter was finished, meaning that what Allah had decreed and written for them took place. It was proclaimed, “Away with the wrongdoing people,” meaning, far removed from the mercy and forgiveness of Allah.
Allah said elsewhere:
فَكَذَّبُوهُ فَأَنجَيْنَاهُ وَالَّذِينَ مَعَهُ فِي الْفُلْكِ وَأَغْرَقْنَا الَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِنَا إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا قَوْمًا عَمِينَ
“They denied him, so We saved him and those with him in the ship, and We drowned those who denied Our signs. They were indeed a blind people.” (Al Araf 7: 64)
and He said:
فَكَذَّبُوهُ فَنَجَّيْنَاهُ وَمَن مَّعَهُ فِي الْفُلْكِ وَجَعَلْنَاهُمْ خَلَائِفَ وَأَغْرَقْنَا الَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِنَا فَانظُرْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الْمُنذَرِينَ
“They denied him, so We saved him and those with him in the ship, and made them successors, and We drowned those who denied Our signs. See how was the end of those who were warned.” (Yunus 10: 73)
and He said:
وَنَصَرْنَاهُ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِنَا إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا قَوْمَ سَوْءٍ فَأَغْرَقْنَاهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ
“We supported him against the people who denied Our signs. They were indeed an evil people, so We drowned them all together.” (Al Anbiya 21: 77)
and He said:
فَأَنجَيْنَاهُ وَمَن مَّعَهُ فِي الْفُلْكِ الْمَشْحُونِ ثُمَّ أَغْرَقْنَا بَعْدُ الْبَاقِينَ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَآيَةً وَمَا كَانَ أَكْثَرُهُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ وَإِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الرَّحِيمُ
“We saved him and those with him in the laden ship, then afterward We drowned the rest. In that is indeed a sign, but most of them were not believers, and your Lord is surely the Mighty, the Merciful.” (Al Shuara 26: 119–122)
and He said:
فَأَنجَيْنَاهُ وَأَصْحَابَ السَّفِينَةِ وَجَعَلْنَاهَا آيَةً لِّلْعَالَمِينَ
“We saved him and the people of the ship, and We made it a sign for all peoples.” (Al Ankabut 29: 15)
and He said:
ثُمَّ أَغْرَقْنَا الْآخَرِينَ
“Then We drowned the others.” (As Saffat 37: 82)
and He said:
وَلَقَد تَّرَكْنَاهَا آيَةً فَهَلْ مِن مُّدَّكِرٍ فَكَيْفَ كَانَ عَذَابِي وَنُذُرِ وَلَقَدْ يَسَّرْنَا الْقُرْآنَ لِلذِّكْرِ فَهَلْ مِن مُّدَّكِرٍ
“We left it as a sign, so is there anyone who will take heed? How was My punishment and My warnings? We have certainly made the Qur’an easy for remembrance, so is there anyone who will take heed?” (Al Qamar 54: 15–17)
and He said:
مِمَّا خَطِيئَاتِهِمْ أُغْرِقُوا فَأُدْخِلُوا نَارًا فَلَمْ يَجِدُوا لَهُم مِّن دُونِ اللَّهِ أَنصَارًا وَقَالَ نُوحٌ رَّبِّ لَا تَذَرْ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ مِنَ الْكَافِرِينَ دَيَّارًا إِنَّكَ إِن تَذَرْهُمْ يُضِلُّوا عِبَادَكَ وَلَا يَلِدُوا إِلَّا فَاجِرًا كَفَّارًا
“Because of their sins they were drowned and made to enter the Fire, and they found no helpers for themselves besides Allah. And Nuh said, ‘My Lord, do not leave upon the earth any of the disbelievers dwelling, for if You leave them they will mislead Your servants and will not give birth to any but a wicked disbeliever.’” (Nuh 71: 25–27)
Allah answered his supplication. He did not leave among them a single soul.
Refuting Those Who Deny the Flood
Allah did not leave any of the disbelievers living. How then can some commentators claim that Auj ibn Unuq, or Auj ibn Anaq, remained alive from before Nuh until the time of Musa, that he was a rebellious tyrant, that he was born outside lawful marriage from a woman called Anaq the daughter of Adam, and that he was so tall he could reach into the depths of the sea and take fish and cook them in the heat of the sun, and that he mocked Nuh and his Ark, saying, “What is this little dish of yours?”
They claim his height was three thousand three hundred and thirty three cubits and a third, and other nonsense which, were it not written in many books of tafsir and history, we would not bother mentioning because of how base and weak it is. It contradicts both sound reason and clear transmission.
As for reason: how could Allah drown the son of Nuh for disbelief, while his father is the prophet of the Ummah and the leader of the believers, yet leave Auj ibn Anaq alive, though he is more unjust and more arrogant according to what they narrate?
As for transmission: Allah said:
ثُمَّ أَغْرَقْنَا الْآخَرِينَ
“Then We drowned the others.” (As Saffat 37: 82)
and He said:
رَّبِّ لَا تَذَرْ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ مِنَ الْكَافِرِينَ دَيَّارًا
“My Lord, do not leave upon the earth any of the disbelievers dwelling.” (Nuh 71: 26)
Furthermore, the exaggerated length attributed to him contradicts what is in the two Sahihs, that the Prophet ﷺ said, “Allah created Adam sixty cubits tall, then creation continued to decrease until now.” (Reported in the two Sahihs. The author previously gave its reference 42.) This is a clear text from the truthful and trustworthy one, the one protected from error who does not speak from his own desire:
إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا وَحْيٌ يُوحَى
“It is nothing but revelation that is revealed.” (An Najm 53: 4)
He said that people continued to decrease in height from Adam until his time, and that this would continue until the Day of Resurrection.
This implies that no one from the descendants of Adam exceeded Adam in height.
How can we leave this aside and rely on the stories of lying disbelievers among the People of the Book, who changed and distorted the Books of Allah, interpreted them according to their desires and put them in places other than their proper places?
What then do you think of that which they alone report or are entrusted with, when they are betrayers and liars, and upon them is the curse of Allah continuously until the Day of Resurrection?
It seems that the story of Auj ibn Anaq is nothing but an invention of some of their heretics and wicked men who were enemies to the prophets. Allah knows best. (The author (Ibn Kathir) has done well in refuting the story of Auj ibn Anaq. The muhaqqiq has discussed the issue in more detail and recorded the agreement of the scholars of hadith that it is a fabricated lie in his commentary on Ta’wil Mukhtalif al Hadith 524–526.)
The Ending of the Story and the Descent from the Ark
Allah then mentioned the appeal of Nuh regarding his son, and his question about his drowning, on the basis of enquiry and clarification.
The form of the question was: “You promised me that You would save my family with me, and he is of my family, so how is it that he drowned?” He was told:
يَا نُوحُ إِنَّهُ لَيْسَ مِنْ أَهْلِكَ إِنَّهُ عَمَلٌ غَيْرُ صَالِحٍ فَلَا تَسْأَلْنِ مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ إِنِّي أَعِظُكَ أَن تَكُونَ مِنَ الْجَاهِلِينَ
“O Nuh, he is not of your family. His action is not righteous. So do not ask Me about that of which you have no knowledge. I admonish you lest you be among the ignorant.” (Hud 11: 46)
That is, he is not from the family whom We promised to save. We said to you, “and your family, except those against whom the word has already gone forth from them,” and he is among those against whom the word had already gone forth that he would drown due to his disbelief. The decree led him to move away from the company of the believers, so he drowned along with his party, the people of disbelief and oppression.
Nuh said:
رَبِّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ أَنْ أَسْأَلَكَ مَا لَيْسَ لِي بِهِ عِلْمٌ وَإِلَّا تَغْفِرْ لِي وَتَرْحَمْنِي أَكُن مِّنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ
“My Lord, I seek refuge in You from asking You about that of which I have no knowledge. If You do not forgive me and have mercy on me, I will be among the losers.” (Hud 11: 47)
Allah then said:
قِيلَ يَا نُوحُ اهْبِطْ بِسَلَامٍ مِّنَّا وَبَرَكَاتٍ عَلَيْكَ وَعَلَىٰ أُمَمٍ مِّمَّن مَّعَكَ وَأُمَمٌ سَنُمَتِّعُهُمْ ثُمَّ يَمَسُّهُم مِّنَّا عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ
“It was said, ‘O Nuh, descend with peace from Us and blessings upon you and upon nations from those with you, and nations We will grant enjoyment, then a painful punishment from Us will touch them.” (Hud 11: 48)
This was a command to Nuh عليه السلام, when the water had dried from the surface of the earth and it was once again possible to walk upon it and settle on it, to disembark from the ship, which had come to rest after that mighty journey upon the mountain of Al Judi, a mountain in the land of Al Jazirah that is well known.
“With peace from Us and blessings,” meaning: descend safe and sound, blessed, and so too will be blessed nations among those with you, that is from your offspring. Allah did not make for any of those believers who were with him offspring or descendants, other than Nuh himself. Allah said:
وَجَعَلْنَا ذُرِّيَّتَهُ هُمُ الْبَاقِينَ
“We made his descendants the ones who remain.” (As Saffat 37: 77)
Everyone living on the face of the earth today from among the children of Adam are descended from the three sons of Nuh: Sam, Ham and Yafith.
Refuting the Deniers Again
A group from among the ignorant Persians and people of India denied the occurrence of the Flood. Others among them acknowledged it but claimed that it occurred only in the land of Babylon and did not reach them, saying, “We have passed down kingship from one to another, from the time of Kayumarth, meaning Adam, to our time.”
This is what some of the heretical Magians, worshippers of fire and followers of Shaytan, have said. This is sophistry, terrible disbelief, extreme ignorance, stubborn denial of what is sensed, and rejection of the Lord of the heavens and the earth.
All followers of the revealed religions, who transmit from the messengers of the Most Merciful, along with what has been continuously passed down among people in every time, have agreed to the occurrence of the Flood and that it covered all lands, and that Allah did not leave anyone of the disbelieving servants, in answer to the supplication of His aided and protected prophet and in carrying out what was written in the pre existing decree.
Some Reports about Nuh Himself
Allah said:
إِنَّهُ كَانَ عَبْدًا شَكُورًا
“He was indeed a grateful servant.” (Al Isra 17: 3)
It is said that he used to praise Allah for his food and drink and clothing and all of his affairs.
It is narrated from Anas ibn Malik that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Allah is indeed pleased with a servant who eats a morsel and praises Him for it, or drinks a drink and praises Him for it.” (Reported by Ahmad 3/117, Muslim 2734, al Tirmidhi 1816 and al Nasa’i in Al Kubra 4/202–6899.)
The apparent meaning of “grateful” is that he carried out all types of obedience, of the heart, the tongue and the limbs, because gratitude can be by all of these, as the poet said:
“Your favour from me has brought you three things:
my hand, my tongue, and the hidden heart.”
His Will to His Son
He said, “No.” He said, is it that one of us has companions who sit with him?
This concludes the story and description of Nuh عليه السلام, his people, the Flood and those who were saved with him, in a way that is close to the original wording, clear in meaning, and easy to understand.
