The story of Nuh (Noah)

After the death of Adam (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ), people remained Muslims for a very long time, long years glorifying Allah (سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ). Until the day the shayatin (devils) finally achieved their detestable goal.

At that time, there were pious men. Among them, there were Wadd, Suwa', Yaghuth and Nasr, that is 5 people. At their death, the devil came to their people saying to them: "why do you not create statues in their likeness? They will help you worship Allah by remembering them."

With time, and after generations, people began to address these statues directly, then to hold them sacred, and finally to worship them.

In view of the situation, Allah (سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ) sent the first messenger in history, so that he would call to worship none but Allah. It is Nuh (Noah) (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ)

وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا نُوحًا إِلَىٰ قَوْمِهِ إِنِّي لَكُمْ نَذِيرٌ مُّبِينٌ

And We had certainly sent Noah to his people, [saying], "Indeed, I am to you a clear warner

Surah Hud, verse 25

Authentic Sources

Quran: Surah Hud 11:25

Nuh (عليه السلام) preached to his people for 950 years with exemplary patience and perseverance. He called them by day and by night, in secret and in public.

It was the wise men, the leaders and the notables of his people who rose up first against Nuh (عليه السلام). As with all the prophets, it is the notables of the people who stand up first. They came to Nuh (عليه السلام) and said: "O Nuh, what you ask of us is a manifest misguidance".

But Nuh (عليه السلام) is a prophet, a messenger who knows how to preach. He did not insult but he said: "O my people, there is no misguidance in me; but I am a messenger from the Lord of the Universe. I convey to you the messages of my Lord, and I give you sincere advice, and I know from God what you do not know."

Nuh (عليه السلام) remained preaching among his people for 950 years. He ordered them to worship Allah, and not to worship the statues. 950 years of preaching without stopping, night and day. Each time he calls them, they flee. Worse still, they put their fingers in their ears so as not to see him and they put their garments over their faces. They showed themselves extremely proud.

Nuh (عليه السلام) used every means for his call: "Then I called them openly. Then I made public proclamations to them, and confidences in secret."

وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا نُوحًا إِلَىٰ قَوْمِهِ فَلَبِثَ فِيهِمْ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ إِلَّا خَمْسِينَ عَامًا

And We certainly sent Noah to his people, and he remained among them a thousand years minus fifty years

Surah Al-Ankabut, verse 14

Authentic Sources

Quran: Surah Al-Ankabut 29:14 and Surah Nuh 71:5-9

The people of Nuh (عليه السلام) reacted to his message with hostility and mockery. They said: "You are only a man like us, and only people of low condition have followed you."

They accused him of wanting to give himself airs of superiority over them and categorically refused to abandon their idols. The more Nuh (عليه السلام) called them to Allah, the deeper they sank into their misguidance.

The notables of his people incited the others not to listen to him, saying: "Never abandon your divinities: Wadd, Suwa', Yaghuth, Ya'ouq and Nasr." They feared losing their social status and their influence.

وَقَالُوا لَا تَذَرُنَّ آلِهَتَكُمْ وَلَا تَذَرُنَّ وَدًّا وَلَا سُوَاعًا وَلَا يَغُوثَ وَيَعُوقَ وَنَسْرًا

And said, 'Never leave your gods and never leave Wadd or Suwa' or Yaghuth and Ya'uq and Nasr.

Surah Nuh, verse 23

Authentic Sources

Quran: Surah Nuh 71:21-24 and Surah Hud 11:27-28

Nuh (عليه السلام) did not lose hope despite the high number of years. But they continued to mock, saying: "Bring us then what you threaten us with, if you are of the number of the truthful". Nuh (عليه السلام) answered them with confidence: "It is God alone who will bring it to you - if He wills - and you will not be able to escape it".

Despite this, even the wife of Nuh (عليه السلام) did not believe in him, nor even his son. Only a small number of people from his people believed in his message. Only a few people believed in him, poor and weak ones.

At that moment, Allah (سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ) revealed to Nuh (عليه السلام) that bab atawba (the door of repentance) was now closed. It was revealed to Nuh (عليه السلام): "Of your people, there will be no more believers than those who have already believed. Do not grieve over what they were doing..."

The door of repentance is closed now. No one more will believe, not even his wife and his son. Nuh (عليه السلام) then invoked his Lord: "Lord, do not leave on the earth a single disbeliever". Nuh (عليه السلام) asked this out of pity toward them, for if these disbelievers remain alive, they will accumulate even more sins, and if they beget children, they will also be disbelievers.

رَّبِّ لَا تَذَرْ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ مِنَ الْكَافِرِينَ دَيَّارًا

My Lord, do not leave upon the earth from among the disbelievers an inhabitant.

Surah Nuh, verse 26

Authentic Sources

Quran: Surah Nuh 71:5-28

Nuh (عليه السلام) invoked Allah (سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ) for his people to be annihilated, and when he made his invocation, Allah (سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ) revealed to him to build the ark. An ark in the middle of the desert! It is the order of Allah (سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ). The punishment will come, but first this ark must be built. "And construct the ship under Our observation and Our inspiration and do not address Me concerning those who have wronged; indeed, they are [to be] drowned".

Allah (سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ) taught him how to plant a specific tree for years, until they multiplied. Then, He taught him how to cut them. People passed by and asked themselves questions: "Before, he called us to follow his religion and worship his Lord, and now he works on the trees and acts as a carpenter with those who believed in him".

Allah (سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ) later taught him to assemble the wooden planks with "nails". Then he began to build a giant ark in the middle of the desert. People passed by, and said to him: "Nuh! have you gone mad? Before you called us to your religion, and now you are building an ark in the middle of the desert?"

They laugh at it, they mock, they accuse him of madness. But Nuh (عليه السلام) is patient, he says: "If you mock us, well, we will mock you, as you mock [us], and you will soon know upon whom will come a punishment that will humiliate him!"

وَاصْنَعِ الْفُلْكَ بِأَعْيُنِنَا وَوَحْيِنَا وَلَا تُخَاطِبْنِي فِي الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا إِنَّهُم مُّغْرَقُونَ

And construct the ship under Our observation and Our inspiration and do not address Me concerning those who have wronged; indeed, they are [to be] drowned."

Surah Hud, verse 37

Authentic Sources

Quran: Surah Hud 11:37-40 and Surah Al-Muminun 23:27

Then Allah (سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ) revealed to Nuh (عليه السلام): "There will be a sign; when you see it, board, you and those who have believed, this ark."

The ark is now finished and ready. "You see this oven? If you see water bubbling up in this oven, then know that that will be the sign."

One day, the sign appeared and he understood that the punishment was going to begin. He hurried to those who had believed. Then, people watched them with astonishment: "They are going to board an ark in the middle of the desert?! They have gone mad!" Then Allah (سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ) revealed to the animals that a male and a female of each species should board the ark.

And then, the punishment began, and the sky began to rain. But it was not a normal rain. Rather like water poured from a bucket. And that was not all! Water began to come out of the springs. Water coming from the sky and from the earth.

The water level begins to rise above their houses. They climbed onto the roofs. The old, the mothers, the children, all fled and cried out. The waves were as high as mountains.

Nuh (عليه السلام) thinks of his son and called him: "O my child, board with us and do not stay with the disbelievers." But he answered: "I will take refuge on a mountain that will protect me from the water". "And the waves came between the two, and the son was then among the drowned."

فَفَتَحْنَا أَبْوَابَ السَّمَاءِ بِمَاءٍ مُّنْهَمِرٍ وَفَجَّرْنَا الْأَرْضَ عُيُونًا فَالْتَقَى الْمَاءُ عَلَىٰ أَمْرٍ قَدْ قُدِرَ

Then We opened the gates of the heaven with rain pouring down And caused the earth to burst with springs, and the waters met for a matter already predestined.

Surah Al-Qamar, verses 11-12

Authentic Sources

Quran: Surah Al-Qamar 54:9-15 and Surah Hud 11:40-43

The ark sails in the middle of the sea. The water overflowed everything, and the desert became a sea. A gigantic sea that covered even the summits of the mountains. A few moments earlier, it was an arid desert, and now water runs everywhere.

How long did the ark of Nuh (عليه السلام) remain on the water? Days, months? الله أعلم (Allah is the Most Knowing). The water covered the whole earth. There remained alive on earth only Nuh (عليه السلام) and those who believed with him. Nuh (عليه السلام) began to invoke Allah (سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ) about his son, but Allah (سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ) answered him: "O Nuh, he is not of your family for he committed an infamous act."

How will Nuh (عليه السلام) know that the flood is over? He sent a dove. When it came back with traces of olive tree on its feet, Nuh (عليه السلام) understood that the water level was beginning to drop.

"And it was said: O earth, swallow your water, and O sky, withhold [your rain]. And the water subsided, and the matter was accomplished, and the ship came to rest on the [mountain of] Judiyy." The ark stopped on Mount Joudi. Nuh (عليه السلام) and the believers came down from the ark safe and sound on a land where there are no more disbelievers.

The births of children stopped for all people. Only Nuh (عليه السلام) and his children were able to have offspring. Once again (after Adam (عليه السلام)), humanity will descend from a single man.

وَقِيلَ يَا أَرْضُ ابْلَعِي مَاءَكِ وَيَا سَمَاءُ أَقْلِعِي وَغِيضَ الْمَاءُ وَقُضِيَ الْأَمْرُ وَاسْتَوَتْ عَلَى الْجُودِيِّ

And it was said, "O earth, swallow your water, and O sky, withhold [your rain]." And the water subsided, and the matter was accomplished, and the ship came to rest on the [mountain of] Judiyy.

Surah Hud, verse 44

Authentic Sources

Quran: Surah Hud 11:44-48

Nuh (عليه السلام) remained some time after the flood reminding the believers of the faith. He taught them the religion and transmitted the message of Allah (سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ). Years educating the believers. It was a long life: 950 years preaching for God.

Only the believers remained on earth. But everything has an end. The end of Nuh (عليه السلام) drew near. His death approaches. These are the last moments. Nuh (عليه السلام) fell ill on his bed. Beside him was his son, Nuh (عليه السلام) said to him:

- My son! I am going to give you a piece of advice. - Advise me, dad! - Listen, my son! If the 7 heavens and earths were placed on one of the pans of a scale, and the words: "لا إله إلا الله" (La ilaha ila Allah - There is no god but Allah) were placed on the other pan, the scale would tip to the side where these words are placed.

"Know therefore that in truth, there is no deity except Allah." This is the message of the prophets. They begin the message thus, and end it thus.

وَتِلْكَ حُجَّتُنَا آتَيْنَاهَا إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَلَىٰ قَوْمِهِ نَرْفَعُ دَرَجَاتٍ مَّن نَّشَاءُ

And that was Our [conclusive] argument which We gave Abraham against his people. We raise by degrees whom We will.

Surah Al-An'am, verse 83

Authentic Sources

Sahih al-Bukhari: Book of the Prophets, Sahih Muslim, Tafsir Ibn Kathir