71.

Sura Nuh (or Noah)

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

In this Sura reference is made to the story of Prophet Noah. He was the
tenth generation descendant of Prophet Adam. Allah commissioned Noah to
his people with the Divine direction to warn them. To worship Allah, to fear
Him and to obey the directives of Noah so that Allah may forgive their sins. If
they persist a grievous catastrophe may befall on them. Noah used all the
resources of the earnest preacher. He dinned the Message of Allah into their
ears. He spoke in public places, he took individuals into his confidence and
appealed privately to them. He told them to ask Allah’s forgiveness as He is
Oft-Forgiving. He would pour down abundant rain, reinforce them with more
wealth, sons and grow gardens for them. But his pleadings proved abortive.
Prophet Noah then asked them as to why they were not realistic about the
Sublimity and Authority of Allah inspite of the fact that He has created them in
diverse forms and colours. Created the seven skies one above the other.
Installed the moon as a mellowed light and the sun as a brilliant lamp in the
lower sky. He has grown the mankind like a plant from the earthly material
and then fostered them for a scheduled term when they would die and get back
into the earth to be there till the Day of Judgement when they shall be
enlivened and taken out. He has made of the earth a vast plane for them and
provided therein spacious natural ways. However, Noah’s people did not listen
to him. All his efforts were in vain.

Ultimately, Noah gave up the hope and prayed to Allah, the Creator of
mankind and skies to destroy all the disbelievers and not to leave one single
survivor out of them. If some of them were left as survivors, they would
misguide other people. Besides, they would rear up wicked disbelieving off-
springs only. Further Noah requested Allah that he and his parents may be
forgiven their short-comings. Similarly, those believers who joined him in his
house, mosque or Ark and as a matter of that all believing men and women
may be pardoned, and all the disbelievers may be given more of the perdition
after death.

Allah was pleased to accept Noah’s prayer. A devastating flood

occurred which drowned to death all the disbelievers while all the believers
who were in the Noah’s Ark sailed to safety.