Introduction

Genealogy of Nuh AS

Adam AS → Shith AS → Enos → Kenan → Mahalalel → Jared → Idris AS → Methuselah → Lamech → Nuh AS

Prophet Nuh AS (Noah) was a direct descendant of Adam AS, through his son Shith AS (Seth) and his descendant Idris AS (Enoch). Prophet Muhammad ﷺ narrated there were 10 centuries between the Adam AS and Nuh AS [Al Hakim].

However the word translated as centuries could also mean generations. As people lived much longer at that time, there could have been thousands of years between Adam AS and Nuh AS. For example, the grandfather of Nuh AS, Methuselah, lived for over 900 years and his father Lamech for 780 years.

Idris AS

Mentioned only twice in the Quran, very little is known of Idris AS. He was the first man to write with the pen and had three scrolls revealed to him [Tabari]. He was born 308 years before the death of Adam AS, when there were righteous people still worshipping Allah SWT.

The good deeds of Idris AS were equivalent to all the good deeds of the people on earth during his time. He was a man of patience and righteousness and was raised to a high station by Allah SWT [21:85-86] [19:56-57]. This may indicate that he was raised by Allah SWT without having died. Prophet Muhammad ﷺ met him in the fourth heaven on his Night Journey.

Idol Worship

Over the generations since Adam AS and Idris AS, people slowly drifted into idol worship. At the time of Nuh AS this practice was prevalent amongst his people. The roots of idol worship stemmed from the actions of shaytan misguiding mankind.

The first idols taken as gods were previous pious persons: Wadd, Suwa, Yaghuth, Ya’uq and Nasr [71:23]. When they died, shaytan inspired people to erect and name statues of them. This was so that their remembrance would inspire people to worship Allah SWT.

Once these people and their children had died, later generations had no knowledge about how the statues came to be. Shaytan convinced people the statues were worshipped by their forefathers, establishing the practice of idol worship. Nuh AS was sent as the first Messenger to warn against idol worship.

The Mission of Nuh AS

Details about the mission of Nuh AS and his life events are revealed in several Quranic surahs, notably Al A’raf [7:59-64], Yunus [10:71-73], Hud [11:25-49], Al Mu’min [23:23-30], Ash Shu’ara [26:105-122], As Saffat [37:75-82], Al Qamar [54:9-17] and An Nuh [71:1-28].

His Message

Nuh AS was the longest living Prophet. The Quran mentions he lived amongst his people for 950 years [29:14]. There are some opinions that he lived longer, therefore this timeframe may refer to the duration of his prophethood. He preached the Oneness of Allah SWT to his people, in private and in public. He reminded them of His Signs and warned of the punishment to come on the Day of Judgement.

Surely We sent Nuh to his people. {He said} “I am sent to you with a clear warning that you should worship none but Allah. I truly fear for you the torment of a painful Day [11:25-26]

Despite patiently preaching his message and claiming no reward for his actions, only a few of them too heed. These were from amongst the lowliest of society. Nuh AS and his followers were rejected by the elite who treated them with contempt. He was called a liar and threatened with stoning and expulsion.

The elite refuted Nuh AS was a Messenger because he was human, claiming God would have sent down angels to reveal any message. They passed him off as mad, challenging him to bring upon their destruction. He replied that it is Allah SWT alone who can bring about their punishment. It is He alone who guides people to believe and leaves others to stray.

O my people! I am not misguided! But I am a messenger from the Lord of all worlds, conveying to you my Lord’s messages and giving you {sincere} advice. And I know from Allah what you do not know. Do you find it astonishing that a reminder should come to you from your Lord through one of your own, warning you so that you may beware and perhaps be shown mercy? [7:61-63]

Disbelief and stubbornness became entrenched in his people. Even in the Akhira, they will claim that they never received Nuh AS as a Messenger. The ummah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ will testify that Nuh AS was sent to his people and delivered the Message [Bukhari]. Like every other Prophet sent to mankind, he instructed them to do good, forbade them from all things evil and even warned them about the coming of the Dajjal.

His Prayer

Eventually after centuries of preaching, arguments and threats, Nuh AS was overcome. He prayed to Allah SWT to rescue him and the believers and to administer His victory.

My Lord! My people have truly rejected me. So judge between me and them decisively and save me and the believers with me [26:117-118]

Nuh AS was the only Messenger to pray for the destruction of his people. He pleaded that no disbeliever should be left upon the earth for they would simply lead others astray, raising wicked and ungrateful children.

Allah SWT responded to his plea revealing that no other from amongst his people would believe. He should no longer grieve at their misdeeds nor ask for their forgiveness. Their fate had been sealed.

Indeed, Nuh cried out to Us and how excellent are We in responding! We delivered him and his family from the great distress and made his descendants the sole survivors [37:75-77]

The Ark

Nuh AS was commanded to build an Ark to save the believers and two from each species of animal from the Great Flood. The disbelievers used to jeer and mock him as they did not believe a flood would ever come. In reply, Nuh AS ridiculed them for their disbelief and ignorance that would cause them to be drowned and inflicted with an everlasting calamity.

The height of the Ark was three stories tall. It contained a lower deck for animals, a middle deck for humans and a top deck for birds. Opinions differ about the length and width of the Ark, ranging from around 35-450m in length and 22-270m in width. It was covered in tar inside and out, with a curved bow.

The Flood

Allah SWT caused the rain to pour down and the land to fill with water. He ordered the believers to enter the Ark in His Name and praise Him for saving them from the wrongdoers. Also, to pray to Allah SWT for a blessed landing. In this, we learn that we should always start and finish something in the Name of Allah SWT, asking for His blessings and a favourable outcome.

So We opened the gates of the sky with pouring rain and We caused the earth to burst with springs, so the waters met for a fate already set [54:11-12]

There are varying opinions on the number of believers, ranging from 10 to 80. This despite the many centuries of Nuh AS preaching the Message. Amongst the disbelievers were Nuh’s AS wife and first born son Yam. His three remaining sons and four daughter-in-laws were all believers.

The Flood covered the entire earth. The waves were as high as mountains, the water reaching 15m above the highest mountain. Nuh AS called out to his son Yam to come and join the believers on the Ark. Yam remained stubborn thinking he could seek refuge by climbing to the top of a mountain. Nuh AS replied no one would be protected from Allah SWT’s decree except those to whom He shows mercy. Subsequently a wave passed between them and washed Yam away.

The Ark floated on the waters for many months, protected by Allah SWT. He gave the command for the water to abate and eventually the Ark settled upon Mount Judi in Turkey.

Nuh AS asked Allah SWT why His promise to save his family did not include his son Yam. Allah SWT rebuked Nuh AS, saying that his son was a disbeliever and therefore not from his family. Allah SWT had already told him not to question Him about His decree. Nuh AS prayed for forgiveness which was accepted. He was told to descend in peace with blessings upon him.

All the disbelievers, the descendants of Qabil, were destroyed. None of the believers with Nuh AS were granted any children. Thus all the inhabitants of the earth came from the progeny of Nuh AS, through his three sons Shem, Ham and Japheth.

The Will of Nuh AS

Upon his deathbed, Nuh AS called his sons and gave them his final advice, commanding two things and forbidding two things [Bukhari][Ahmad].

He forbade idol worship and arrogance and called upon them to declare the Oneness and Glory of Allah SWT.

I command you to declare there is no God but Allah, for if the heavens and the earth and everything between them were placed on one side of the scale and the declaration of, “No God but Allah” were placed on the other, it would surely outweigh it. Were the heavens and the earth a ring of solid iron and the declaration of, “No God but Allah” were placed upon it, it would shatter it to pieces.

I command you to declare the glory of Allah and His praises, for it is the prayer of all things and by it all things are given provision [Ahmad]