Prophet Nuh (AS) – The Ark and the Flood حضرت نوح علیہ السلام – کشتی اور طوفان

After Adam (AS), generations passed and people gradually drifted into idol worship. The Quran names some of the idols of Nuh's people: Wadd, Suwa', Yaghuth, Ya'uq and Nasr (Quran 71:23). Ibn Abbas explained that these were names of righteous men; after they died, Shaytan inspired people to set up statues in their memory, and later generations came to worship them (Sahih al-Bukhari 4920).

Allah sent Nuh (AS) to his people with a clear message: worship Allah alone, for you have no god but Him, and I fear for you the punishment of a tremendous Day (Quran 7:59). In the long hadith of intercession, people on the Day of Judgement address him as the first messenger sent to the people of the earth (Sahih al-Bukhari 4712).

Nuh (AS) called his people night and day, openly and privately. He urged them to seek their Lord's forgiveness, promising that Allah would send abundant rain, increase them in wealth and children, and give them gardens and rivers (Quran 71:5-12). Yet they put their fingers in their ears, covered themselves with their garments and grew more arrogant (Quran 71:7). The chiefs mocked him, saying only the lowest of people followed him, and wanted him to drive the poor believers away. He refused, saying he would not drive away those who believed (Quran 11:27-31). He remained among them for nine hundred and fifty years (Quran 29:14), yet only a few believed (Quran 11:40).

Allah then revealed to him that none of his people would believe except those who already had, and commanded him to build the Ark under His watch and inspiration (Quran 11:36-37). Whenever the chiefs passed by, they ridiculed him; he replied that just as they mocked now, they would be mocked in turn (Quran 11:38).

When Allah's command came and water gushed forth, Nuh (AS) was told to carry a pair of every kind, his family – except those against whom the decree had already gone forth – and the believers (Quran 11:40). He boarded saying that the ship sails and anchors in the name of Allah (Quran 11:41). The waves rose like mountains. Nuh called to his son, who had kept apart, to board and not be with the disbelievers. The son said he would take refuge on a mountain. Nuh told him that on that day there was no protection from Allah's decree except for those to whom He shows mercy; then a wave came between them, and he was among the drowned (Quran 11:42-43).

Then the earth was commanded to swallow its water and the sky to hold back, the matter was concluded, and the Ark came to rest on Mount al-Judi (Quran 11:44). Nuh (AS) called upon Allah concerning his son. Allah told him that the son was not of his family, because his deeds were unrighteous, and Nuh at once sought refuge in Allah from asking about what he had no knowledge of (Quran 11:45-47). The Quran also gives Nuh's wife as an example of disbelief despite being married to a prophet (Quran 66:10).

Nuh (AS) and the believers descended with peace and blessings from Allah (Quran 11:48). Allah praised him as a truly grateful servant (Quran 17:3) and made his descendants the ones who survived (Quran 37:77). He is one of the messengers of firm resolve (Ulul-'Azm), whom Allah mentions together in Quran 33:7 and 42:13.