PART 4 STORY OF NOOH عليه السلام

DENYING THE MESSAGE ﴿فَقَالَ الْمَلأُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِن قِوْمِهِ﴾ (The chiefs who disbelieved among his people said;) The word `chiefs' (Al-Mala'u) here means the leaders and the heads of the disbelievers. They said, ﴿مَا نَرَاكَ إِلاَّ بَشَرًا مِّثْلَنَا﴾ (We see you but a man like ourselves,) This means, "You are not an angel. You are only a human being, so how can revelation come to you over us ﴿وَمَا نَرَاكَ اتَّبَعَكَ إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ هُمْ أَرَاذِلُنَا بَادِىَ الرَّأْى﴾ (nor do we see any follow you but the meanest among us and they (too) followed you without thinking.) The statement, "without thinking,'' means that they merely followed the first thing that came to their minds.

CORRECTING THEIR MISCONCEPTIONS ﴿وَمَا نَرَى لَكُمْ عَلَيْنَا مِن فَضْلٍ﴾ (And we do not see in you any merit above us, in fact we think you are liars.) In this they are saying, "We do not see that you ﴿ and your followers ﴾ have any virtuous status above us in your physical appearance, your character, your provisions, or your condition, since you accepted this (new) religion of yours.'' ﴿بَلْ نَظُنُّكُمْ كَـذِبِينَ﴾ (in fact we think you are liars. ) This means, "We think you are lying about that which you are claiming for yourselves of righteousness, piety, worship and happiness in the abode of the Hereafter when you arrive there.'' This was the response of the disbelievers to Nuh and his followers. This is a proof of their ignorance and their deficiency in knowledge and intelligence. For verily, the truth is not to be rejected because of the lowly status of those who follow it. Verily, the truth is correct in itself, regardless of whether its followers are of low status, or nobility. Actually, the reality concerning which there is no doubt, is that the followers of the truth are the noble ones, even though they may be poor. On the other hand, those who reject the truth are the lowly, even though they may be wealthy

RESPONSE OF NUH عليه السلام ﴿أَرَأَيْتُمْ إِن كُنتُ عَلَى بَيِّنَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّى﴾ (Tell me, if I have a clear proof from my Lord,) Bayyinah means certainty, a clear matter, and truthful prophethood. That is the greatest mercy from Allah upon him (Nuh) and them (his people). ﴿فَعُمِّيَتْ عَلَيْكُمْ﴾ (but that (mercy) has been obscured from your sight.) "Obscured from your sight'' in this verse means, `it was hidden from you and you are not guided to it. Thus, you people did not know its importance so you hastily rejected and denied it.' ﴿أَنُلْزِمُكُمُوهَا﴾ (Shall we compel you (to accept) it) This means, "Should we force you to accept it, while you actually hate it

IMPORTANCE OF SINCERITY وَيَقَوْمِ لا أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ مَالاً إِنْ أَجْرِىَ إِلاَّ عَلَى اللَّهِ (29. And O my people! I ask of you no wealth for it, my reward is from none but Allah.) Nuh says to his people, "I do not ask you for any wealth in return for my sincere advice to you.'' Wealth (Mal) here means, "payment that I take from you.'‘ ﴿وَمَآ أَنَاْ بِطَارِدِ الَّذِينَ ءامَنُواْ﴾ )I am not going to drive away those who have believed.) This alludes to the fact that they (the disbelievers) requested Nuh to disassociate himself from the believers, because they were averse to them and felt themselves too important to sit with them

IMPORTANCE OF TREATING ALL PEOPLE WELL ﴿وَلاَ أَقُولُ لَكُمْ عِندِى خَزَآئِنُ اللَّهِ وَلاَ أَعْلَمُ الْغَيْبَ وَلاَ أَقُولُ إِنِّى مَلَكٌ وَلاَ أَقُولُ لِلَّذِينَ تَزْدَرِى أَعْيُنُكُمْ لَن يُؤْتِيَهُمُ اللَّهُ خَيْرًا اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا فِى أَنفُسِهِمْ إِنِّى إِذًا لَّمِنَ الظَّـلِمِينَ ﴾ (31. And I do not say to you that with me are the treasures of Allah, nor that I know the Ghayb; nor do I say I am an angel, and I do not say of those whom your eyes look down upon that Allah will not bestow any good on them. Allah knows what is in their inner selves. In that case, I should, indeed be one of the wrongdoers.) Nuh is informing them that he is a Messenger from Allah, calling to the worship of Allah alone, without any partners and he is doing this by the permission of Allah. At the same time, he is not asking them for any reward for this work. He invites whomever he meets, whether of nobility or low class. Therefore, whoever responds favorably, then he has achieved salvation. He also explains that he has no power to manipulate the hidden treasures of Allah, nor does he have any knowledge of the Unseen, except what Allah has allowed him to know. Likewise, he is not an angel, rather, he is merely a human Messenger aided with miracles. Nuh goes on to say, "I do not say about these people whom you (disbelievers) detest and look down upon, that Allah will not reward them for their deeds. Allah knows best what is in their souls. If they are believers in their hearts, as their condition appears to be outwardly, then they will have a good reward. If anyone behaves evilly with them after they have believed, then he is a wrongdoer who speaks what he has no knowledge of.

RESPONSE OF THE KUFFAR ﴿قَالُواْ ينُوحُ قَدْ جَادَلْتَنَا فَأَكْثَرْتَ جِدَالَنَا﴾ (They said: "O Nuh! You have disputed with us and much have you prolonged the dispute with us...'') They meant by this, "You (Nuh) have argued with us long enough, and we are still not going to follow you.'' ﴿فَأْتِنَا بِمَا تَعِدُنَآ﴾ (now bring upon us what you threaten us with,) What he (Nuh) promised is referring to the vengeance and torment (from Allah). They were actually saying, "Supplicate against us however you wish, and let whatever you have supplicated come to us.

NUH عليه السلام CANNOT BRING THE PUNISHMENT قَالَ إِنَّمَا يَأْتِيكُمْ بِهِ اللَّهُ إِن شَآءَ وَمَآ أَنتُمْ بِمُعْجِزِينَ ﴾ He said: "Only Allah will bring it (the punishment) on you, if He wills, and then you will escape not.) ﴿ 11:32-33 ﴾ This means, `It is only Allah Who can punish you and hasten your punishment for you. He is the One from Whom nothing escapes. ' ﴿وَلاَ يَنفَعُكُمْ نُصْحِى إِنْ أَرَدْتُّ أَنْ أَنصَحَ لَكُمْ إِن كَانَ اللَّهُ يُرِيدُ أَن يُغْوِيَكُمْ﴾ (And my advice will not benefit you, even if I wish to give you good counsel, if Allah's will is to keep you astray.) This means: something that could be useful to you (in acceptance) of my preaching to you, warning you and advising you. ﴿إِن كَانَ اللَّهُ يُرِيدُ أَن يُغْوِيَكُمْ﴾ (if Allah's will is to keep you astray.) This means: your deception and your ultimate destruction. ﴿هُوَ رَبُّكُمْ وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ﴾ (He is your Lord! and to Him you shall return.) He is the Owner of the finality of all matters. He is the Controller, the Judge, the Most Just and He does not do any injustice. Unto Him belongs the creation and the command. He is the Originator and the Repeater (of the creation). He is the Owner of this life and the Hereafter.

NOOH عليه السلام TEST The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه و سلم found peace and comfort in his home Nooh عليه السلام was tested by his people and by his family 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 presents an example of those who disbelieved: the wife of Noah and the wife of Lot. They were under two of Our righteous servants but betrayed them, so those prophets did not avail them from Allah at all, and it was said, "Enter the Fire with those who enter. How did she betray him?

EACH GENERATION WAS WORSE وَقَالَ نُوحٌ رَّبِّ لَا تَذَرْ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ مِنَ الْكَافِرِينَ دَيَّارًا And Noah said, "My Lord, do not leave upon the earth from among the disbelievers an inhabitant. إِنَّكَ إِن تَذَرْهُمْ يُضِلُّوا عِبَادَكَ وَلَا يَلِدُوا إِلَّا فَاجِرًا كَفَّارًا Indeed, if You leave them, they will mislead Your servants and not produce except [every] wicked one and [confirmed] disbeliever. Story of the grandfather and grandson from Tafseer Al-Qurtubee

ALLAH GAVE HIM THE COMMAND TO BUILD HIS ARK وَأُوحِيَ إِلَىٰ نُوحٍ أَنَّهُ لَن يُؤْمِنَ مِن قَوْمِكَ إِلَّا مَن قَدْ آمَنَ فَلَا تَبْتَئِسْ بِمَا كَانُوا يَفْعَلُونَ And it was revealed to Noah that, "No one will believe from your people except those who have already believed, so do not be distressed by what they have been doing. 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.

THE PEOPLE'S RESPONSE وَيَصْنَعُ الْفُلْكَ وَكُلَّمَا مَرَّ عَلَيْهِ مَلَأٌ مِّن قَوْمِهِ سَخِرُوا مِنْهُ ۚ قَالَ إِن تَسْخَرُوا مِنَّا فَإِنَّا نَسْخَرُ مِنكُمْ كَمَا تَسْخَرُونَ And he constructed the ship, and whenever an assembly of the distinguished of his people passed by him, they made fun of him. He said, "If you make fun of us, then we will make fun you just as you make fun. فَسَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ مَن يَأْتِيهِ عَذَابٌ يُخْزِيهِ وَيَحِلُّ عَلَيْهِ عَذَابٌ مُّقِيمٌ And you are going to know who will get a punishment that will disgrace him [on earth] and upon whom will descend an continuing punishment [in the Hereafter].

BEGINNING OF THE STORM حَتَّىٰ إِذَا جَاءَ أَمْرُنَا وَفَارَ التَّنُّورُ قُلْنَا احْمِلْ فِيهَا مِن كُلٍّ زَوْجَيْنِ اثْنَيْنِ وَأَهْلَكَ إِلَّا مَن سَبَقَ عَلَيْهِ الْقَوْلُ وَمَنْ آمَنَ ۚ وَمَا آمَنَ مَعَهُ إِلَّا قَلِيلٌ [So it was], until when Our command came and the oven overflowed, We said, "Load upon the ship of each [creature] two mates and your family, except those about whom the word has preceded, and [include] whoever has believed." But none had believed with him, except a few. ﴿وَفَارَ التَّنُّورُ﴾ (and the oven gushed forth.) It is related from Ibn `Abbas that he said, "At-Tannur is the face of the earth.'' This verse means that the face of the earth became gushing water springs. This continued until the water gushed forth from the Tananir, which are places of fire. Therefore, water even gushed from the places where fire normally would be. This is the opinion of the majority of the Salaf (predecessors) and the scholars of the Khalaf (later generations)

ALWAYS SAYING BISMILLAH AND ALHUMDULILAH فَإِذَا اسْتَوَيْتَ أَنتَ وَمَن مَّعَكَ عَلَى الْفُلْكِ فَقُلِ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي نَجَّانَا مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ And when you have boarded the ship, you and those with you, then say, 'Praise to Allah who has saved us form the wrongdoing people.' وَقُل رَّبِّ أَنزِلْنِي مُنزَلًا مُّبَارَكًا وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ الْمُنزِلِينَ And say, 'My Lord, let me land at a blessed landing place, and You are the best to accommodate [us].' وَقَالَ ارْكَبُوا فِيهَا بِسْمِ اللَّهِ مَجْرَاهَا وَمُرْسَاهَا ۚ إِنَّ رَبِّي لَغَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ And [Noah] said, "Go on board; in the name of Allah is its course and its anchorage. Indeed, my Lord is Forgiving and Merciful.“ Emphasizes the importance of putting our trust in Allah