Summary

The Flood of Nuh, upon him be peace, is presented as general in relation to his people. The apparent meaning of the Qur’an verses and authentic hadiths is that all the people of Nuh were destroyed, and only his descendants remained after the Flood. This is based on Allah’s saying, “And We made his descendants the ones who remained” (al Saffat 77), and the report that Nuh was the first Messenger sent to the people of the earth (Sahih al Bukhari 3340; Sahih Muslim 194).

The Meaning Of “The Earth”

The word “earth” does not always mean the whole globe.

It can mean the land of a people, their country, or the place where they lived.

Examples are given from the Qur’an, such as the land of Egypt in the story of Pharaoh, Makkah in the case of the Prophet ﷺ, and the land of Bani Isra’il. Because of this, Nuh’s supplication, “My Lord, do not leave upon the earth any dwelling place of the disbelievers” (Nuh 26), may mean the land where his disbelieving people lived.

The Stronger Apparent Meaning

The stronger apparent meaning is that, during the time of Nuh, upon him be peace, there were no other people on earth besides his people.

So, when they were destroyed, the Flood was general in relation to all existing mankind. This does not necessarily mean that the water covered every part of the globe.

It means that it covered the land where mankind lived at that time.

The View Of Muhammad Abduh

Shaykh Muhammad Abduh (d. 1323AH) says that the Qur’an does not contain a decisive wording proving that the Flood covered the whole globe. He also said there is no decisive wording proving that the message of Nuh, upon him be peace, was universal in the same way as the message of the Prophet ﷺ. Reports about this matter may be authentic, but if they are ahad (singular reports), they do not create certainty in matters that are made part of aqidah (creed) (Tarikh al Ustadh al Imam, Muhammad Rashid Rida, 1/666).

What Must Be Believed

A Muslim should not deny the apparent meaning of Qur’an verses and authentic hadiths merely because another interpretation is possible. The apparent meaning should remain accepted unless there is a clear and decisive rational proof showing that it cannot be intended. Speaking about such matters without firm knowledge is not acceptable, because it needs deep study of revelation, history, and geology.

The Geological Point

Some argued that shells and fossilised sea creatures found on mountain tops prove that the Flood covered the whole earth.

The answer given is that this does not have to be from the Flood of Nuh.

It may be from the earlier formation of mountains and dry land under water. A flood lasting only a few days would not necessarily explain those remains.

End of Summary.

Muḥammad Rashīd Riḍā’s Tafsir

Was The Flood General Or Specific?

The wording of the Torah, meaning the Book of Genesis, says that the Flood was general and destroyed all mankind, except the descendants of Noah, upon him be peace, from his three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. According to what it previously mentions about the creation of the heavens and the earth, Adam, upon him be peace, and his descendants, there was no one else on the earth besides them. Allah says:

ما أشهدتهم خلق السماوات والأرض ولا خلق أنفسهم

“I did not make them witness the creation of the heavens and the earth, nor their own creation.” (al Kahf 51)

As for His saying about Noah, upon him be peace, after mentioning that He saved him and his family:

وجعلنا ذريته هم الباقين

“And We made his descendants the ones who remained.” (al Saffat 77)

The restriction to them may be relative. Meaning, they were the ones who remained instead of others from his people.

As for His saying:

وقال نوح رب لا تذر على الأرض من الكافرين دياراً

“And Noah said: My Lord, do not leave upon the earth any dwelling place of the disbelievers.” (Nuh 26)

This is not a clear wording that the intended meaning of “the earth” is the whole globe. What is known in the speech of the prophets and nations, and in their reports, is that the earth may be mentioned while what is meant is their own land and homeland. This is like the saying of Allah, quoting the address of Pharaoh to Moses and Aaron, upon them be peace:

وتكون لكما الكبرياء في الأرض

“And that greatness in the land may belong to you two.” (Yunus 78)

Meaning, the land of Egypt. And His saying:

وإن كادوا ليستفزونك من الأرض ليخرجوك منها

“And they almost drove you from the land to expel you from it.” (al Isra 76)

What is meant by it is Makkah. And His saying:

وقضينا إلى بني إسرائيل في الكتاب لتفسدن في الأرض مرتين

“And We decreed to the Children of Israel in the Scripture: You will surely cause corruption in the land twice.” (al Isra 4)

What is meant by it is the land that was their homeland. There are many proofs for this.

However, the apparent meanings of the verses, with the help of the supporting signs and the inherited reports from the People of the Book, show that during the time of Noah, upon him be peace, there was no one on the whole earth except his people. They were all destroyed by the Flood, and no one remained on the earth after it except his descendants.

This means that the Flood took place in the part of the earth where they lived, including its plains and mountains, not across the whole earth. This is unless the dry land of the earth at that time was small, because the formation of the earth and the presence of humans on it were still recent. The scholars of formation and the geological layers of the earth say that when the earth separated from the sun, it was a burning ball of fire. Then it became a ball of water. Then dry land began to appear in it gradually.

Our shaykh, the Imam professor, Shaykh Muhammad Abduh (d. 1323AH), was asked for a fatwa on this matter. He gave a fatwa, which we quote here with his wording from page 666 of the first volume of his history, and it is as follows: (Tarikh al Ustadh al Imam, Muhammad Rashid Rida, 1/666)

The Fatwa Of The Imam Professor On The Flood Of Noah

This is the answer to a question that came to the Imam professor, the Mufti of the Egyptian lands, from the respected professor Shaykh Abdullah al Qudumi (d. 1331AH), the servant of noble knowledge in the city of Nablus. The wording of the question is:

“Your letter dated 4 Shawwal 1317 reached us. In it, you informed us that a new group of students has appeared among you. Their habit is to research the sciences and mathematics, and to enter into weakening the proofs of the Qur’an. From their speech, it has now been heard that the Flood was not general over all parts of the earth. Rather, it was specific to the land in which the people of Noah, upon him be peace, lived. They also say that people remained in the land of China and were not drowned. They also say that the supplication of Noah, upon him be peace, for the destruction of the disbelievers was not general. Rather, it was specific to the disbelievers among his people, because he was not sent except to his people, based on what is sound:

“Every prophet used to be sent specifically to his people, while I was sent to all mankind.” (Sahih al Bukhari 438; Sahih Muslim 521)

If it is said to them that the noble verses speak against that, such as the saying of Allah, quoting Noah, upon him be peace:

رب لا تذر على الأرض من الكافرين دياراً

“My Lord, do not leave upon the earth any dwelling place of the disbelievers.” (Nuh 26)

And His saying:

وجعلنا ذريته هم الباقين

“And We made his descendants the ones who remained.” (al Saffat 77)

And His saying:

ولا عاصم اليوم من أمر الله إلا من رحم

“There is no protector today from the command of Allah, except the one upon whom He has mercy.” (Hud 43)

They say: These verses can accept tawil (interpretive explanation), so there is no proof in them.

If it is said to them that the great muhaddithin (hadith masters) answered that it is soundly reported in the hadiths of intercession that Noah, upon him be peace, was the first Messenger whom Allah sent to the people of the earth, and that this requires his people to have been the people of the earth, and that the general nature of his sending was only incidental because there was no one besides his people. If there had been others, he would not have been sent to them.

They mock the hadith masters and rely on tales attributed to the people of China. In that letter, you requested from us that the cover be removed from the secret of this great event, and that we give what the truth requires and what brings rest to the heart.” (Sahih al Bukhari 3340; Sahih Muslim 194)

The answer to that, and all praise is due to Allah, is as follows:

As for the noble Qur’an, no decisive wording has come in it proving that the Flood was general. Nor has any decisive wording come proving that the message of Noah, upon him be peace, was general. As for what has come in hadith, assuming its chain is authentic, then it is from hadith ahad (singular reports), and it does not produce certainty. What is required in establishing such realities is certainty, not supposition, if believing in them is counted as part of the beliefs of the religion.

As for the historian and the one who wants to know, he may reach the level of supposition that becomes stronger in his view because of his trust in the narrator, the historian, or the person who holds that view. What historians and mufassirin (Qur’an commentators) mention in this matter does not go beyond trust in a report, or lack of trust in it. It is not taken as a decisive proof for a religious belief.

As for the matter of whether the Flood itself was general, this is a matter of disagreement between the people of religions and the people who study the layers of the earth. It is also a matter of disagreement between the historians of nations.

As for the People of the Book and the ulama of the Muslim Ummah, they hold that the Flood was general over the whole earth. Many of the people of study agreed with them on this. They used as evidence the presence of some shells and fossilised fish on the tops of mountains, because such things are only formed in the sea. So their appearance on mountain peaks is evidence that water once rose up to them. That would not happen unless it had covered the earth.

Most later people of study claim that the Flood was not general. They have proofs for this, and explaining them would take a long time.

However, it is not permissible for a Muslim person to deny the matter that the Flood was general merely because the verses of the Mighty Book may possibly accept tawil (interpretive explanation). Rather, everyone who believes in the religion must not reject anything indicated by the apparent meaning of the verses and the hadiths whose chains are authentic, and then turn away from them towards tawil, except with a rational proof that decisively shows that the apparent meaning is not intended.

Reaching that in a matter like this needs long research, great effort, and deep knowledge of the layers of the earth and what they contain. That depends on many sciences, both rational and transmitted. Whoever speaks recklessly through his opinion without certain knowledge is taking a dangerous step. His statement is not listened to, and he is not permitted to spread his ignorance. And Allah, Exalted is He, knows best. End of quote.

The summary of this fatwa is that the apparent meanings of the Qur’an and the hadiths show that the Flood was general and covered the people of Noah, upon him be peace, and that there was no one else on the earth besides them.

So this must be believed.

However, that does not require it to have covered the whole earth, because there is no proof that they filled the earth.

Likewise, the presence of shells and sea animals on mountain peaks does not prove that they came from that Flood. Rather, what is closer is that they came from the formation of the mountains and other dry land in water, as we said shortly before. Water rising to the mountains for a few days is not enough for what was mentioned to occur in them.

We already said in the second supplement that these historical matters are not among the aims of the Qur’an. For that reason, the Qur’an did not explain them with decisive wording. So we say what has already been mentioned: it is the apparent meaning of the wordings, but we do not take it as a decisive religious aqidah (creed). If geology proves otherwise, that does not harm us, because it does not overturn any decisive wording according to us.

Tafsīr al-Manār by Muḥammad Rashīd Riḍā 12/83–85