هو نوح بن لامك، بن متوشلخ، بن أخنوخ، بن يارد، بن مهلائيل، بن قينان، بن أنوش، بن شيث، بن آدم أبي البشر (عليه السلام). وذلك وفقاً لتاريخ أهل الكتاب (ويُقصد بهم اليهود والنصارى، وسُمّوا كذلك لأنهم أُوتوا كتباً منزلة: التوراة والزبور والإنجيل، وهي تُترجم إلى «Torah» و«Psalms» و«Gospels» على الترتيب، إلا أن الكتب الموجودة اليوم محرّفة). أما الكتب المنزلة، فالقرآن وحده هو الباقي على حاله تماماً كما أُنزل.

He was Noah Ibn Lamik, Ibn Mitoshilkh, Ibn Enoch, Ibn yard, Ibn Mahlabeel, Ibn Qinan, Ibn Anoush, Ibn Seth, Ibn Adam the Father of Mankind (PBUH). According to the history of the People of the Book, (refers to the Jews, and Christians, so called by Allah because they received Revealed Books, Taurat, Zabur and Injeel. These names are translated 'Torah, Psalms, and Gospels' respectively, but the books that are extent are corrupt. Of the Revealed Books, ONLY the Quran remains exactly as it was revealed).

كانت المدة بين ولادة نوح ووفاة آدم مئة وستة وأربعين سنة. (وفقاً لسفر التكوين 5 من الترجمة القياسية المنقحة الجديدة (New Revised Standard Version)، وُلد نوح بعد وفاة آدم بمئة وست وعشرين سنة. وروى ابن عباس أن النبي ﷺ قال: «كان بين آدم ونوح عشرة قرون». (صحيح البخاري). وقد وُلد نوح بعد خلق آدم بألف وست وخمسين سنة (أو بعد خروجه من الجنة)، ولذلك فإن هذا الحديث لا يناقض القول المنقول عن أهل الكتاب كما قد يبدو لأول وهلة. ومع ذلك ينبغي للقارئ أن يتذكر أن ما يُذكر من أقوال أو روايات عن أهل الكتاب ليس بالضرورة موثوقاً. وقد أُخذ هذا من سفر التكوين 5).

The period between the birth of Noah and the death of Adam was 146 years. (According to Genesis 5 (new Revised Standard Version), Noah was born one hundred and twenty six years after the death of Adam. Ibn Abbas narrated that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: "The period between Adam and Noah was ten centuries." (Sahih Bukhari, Noah was born 1056 years after Adam's creation (or after he left the Garden of Eden). Thus, this hadith does not contradict the previous statement from the People of the Book as it may first appear to do. The reader should keep in mind, however that any statement or narratives taken from the People of the Book are not necessarily credible. This was taken from Genesis 5).

لقد عبد قوم نوح، منذ أجيال عديدة، تماثيل زعموا أنها آلهة. وكانوا يعتقدون أن هذه الآلهة تجلب لهم الخير، وتحميهم من الشر، وتوفر لهم كل حاجاتهم. وقد أطلقوا على أصنامهم أسماء مثل: وَدّ، وسُواع، ويَغوث، ويَعوق، ونَسْر، (وكانت هذه الأصنام ترمز، على التوالي، إلى: القوة الرجولية؛ والتحوّل، والجمال؛ والقوة الغاشمة، والسرعة، وحدّة البصر، والبصيرة) وذلك بحسب القدرة التي كانوا يظنون أن هذه الآلهة تمتلكها.

For many generations Noah's people had been worshipping statues that they called gods. They believed that these gods would bring them good, protect them from evil and provide all their needs. They gave their idols names such as Waddan, Suwa'an, Yaghutha, Ya'auga, and Nasran, (These idols represented, respectively, manly power; mutability, beauty; brute strength, swiftness, sharp sight, insight) according to the power they thought these gods possessed.

قال الله تعالى:

Allah the Almighty revealed:

وَقَالُوا لَا تَذَرُنَّ آلِهَتَكُمْ وَلَا تَذَرُنَّ وَدًّا وَلَا سُوَاعًا وَلَا يَغُوثَ وَيَعُوقَ وَنَسْرًا (المشركون قالوا: لا تَذَرُنّ آلهتكم، ولا تَذَرُنّ وَدًّا، ولا سُوَاعًا، ولا يَغُوثَ، ويَعُوقَ، ونَسْرًا. — أسماء أصنام.) [سورة نوح 71:23]

"They (idolaters) have said: "You shall not leave your gods nor shall you leave Wadd, nor Suwa, nor Yaghuth, nor Ya uq nor Nasr (names of the idols)." (CH 71:23 Quran).

كانت هذه في الأصل أسماء أناسٍ صالحين عاشوا بينهم. وبعد وفاتهم أُقيمت لهم تماثيل لتبقى ذكراهم حيّة. لكن مع مرور الوقت بدأ الناس يعبدون هذه التماثيل. ولم تعرف الأجيال اللاحقة حتى السبب الذي من أجله أُقيمت، بل كانوا يعرفون فقط أن آباءهم كانوا يدعونها ويتضرعون إليها. وهكذا نشأت عبادة الأصنام. ولأنهم لم يكن لديهم فهمٌ لله تعالى، الذي يعاقبهم على أعمالهم السيئة، أصبحوا قساةً فاسدي الأخلاق.

Originally these were the names of good people who had lived among them. After their deaths, statues of them were erected to keep their memories alive. After sometime, however, people began to worship these statues. Later generations did not even know why they had been erected; they only knew their parents had prayed to them. That is how idol worshipping developed. Since they had no understanding of Allah the Almighty Who would punish them for their evil deeds, they became cruel and immoral.

قال ابن عباس: «لما مات أولئك الصالحون، أوحى الشيطان إلى قومهم أن ينصبوا في مجالسهم التي كانوا يجلسون فيها أنصابًا، وأن يسموها بأسمائهم، ففعلوا، ولم تُعبد تلك الأنصاب حتى هلك أولئك، ونُسي العلم، عُبدت». وروى ابن جرير في تفسيره: «كان قوم صالحون بين آدم ونوح، وكان لهم أتباع يقتدون بهم، فلما ماتوا قال لهم أصحابهم الذين كانوا يقتدون بهم: لو صوّرنا صورهم كان أنشط لنا في العبادة وأذكر لنا بهم، فصوّروا صورهم، فلما ماتوا وجاء آخرون بعدهم، دبّ إبليس في أذهانهم قائلًا: إن آباءكم كانوا يعبدونهم، وبعبادتهم كانوا يُسقَون المطر، فعبدوهم». وروى ابن أبي حاتم هذه القصة: «كان وَدّ رجلًا صالحًا محبوبًا في قومه».

Ibn Abbas explained: "Following upon the death of those righteous men, Satan inspired their people to erect statues in the places where they used to sit. They did this, but these statues were not worshiped until the coming generations deviated from the right way of life. Then they worshipped them as their idols." In his version, Ibn Jarir narrated: "There were righteous people who lived in the period between Adam and Noah and who had followers who held them as models. After their death, their friends who used to emulate them said: 'If we make statues of them, it will be more pleasing to us in our worship and will remind us of them.' So they built statues of them, and , after they had died and others came after them, Iblis crept into their minds saying:'Your forefathers used to worship them, and through that worship they got rain.' So they worshipped them." Ibn Abi Hatim related this story: "Waddan was a righteous man who was loved by his people.

لَمَّا مَاتَ، انْصَرَفُوا إِلَى قَبْرِهِ فِي أَرْضِ بَابِلَ، وَاسْتَوْلَى عَلَيْهِمُ الْحُزْنُ. فَلَمَّا رَأَى إِبْلِيسُ حُزْنَهُمْ بِسَبَبِ مَوْتِهِ، تَشَكَّلَ فِي صُورَةِ رَجُلٍ وَقَالَ: "قَدْ رَأَيْتُ حُزْنَكُمْ عَلَى مَوْتِ هَذَا الرَّجُلِ، فَهَلْ لِي أَنْ أَصْنَعَ لَكُمْ تِمْثَالًا عَلَى شَبَهِهِ يُوضَعُ فِي مَجْلِسِكُمْ لِيُذَكِّرَكُمْ بِهِ؟" قَالُوا: "نَعَمْ". فَصَنَعَ التِّمْثَالَ عَلَى شَبَهِهِ، فَوَضَعُوهُ فِي مَجْلِسِهِمْ لِيَتَذَكَّرُوهُ بِهِ.

When he died, they withdrew to his grave in the land of Babylonia and were overwhelmed by sadness. When Iblis saw their sorrow caused by his death, he disguised himself in the form of a man saying: 'I have seen your sorrow because of this man's death; can I make a statue like him which could be put in your meeting place to make you remember him?' They said: 'Yes.' So he made the statue like him. They put it in their meeting place in order to be reminded of him.

فلما رأى إبليس شدة تعظيمهم لذكرهم قال: "هل لكم أن أجعل لكم في منازلكم تماثيل منهم فتذكرونهم بها؟" فقالوا: نعم. فصوّروا تماثيلهم في منازلهم، فكان أبناؤهم يتعلّمون ويرون ما يفعله آباؤهم، وتعلّموا كذلك تعظيمهم لهم بدلاً من تعظيم الله. فكان أول من عُبد من دون الله "وَدّ"، وهو الصنم الذي سمّوه بهذا الاسم. ومعنى هذه النقطة أنّ كل صنم من الأصنام المذكورة سابقاً كان يعبده قوم بعينهم. وقد ذُكر أنّ الناس صنعوا صوراً لأنفسهم، ثم مع مرور الأزمان حوّلوا هذه الصور إلى تماثيل، ليتمّ التعرّف على هيئاتهم تماماً؛ ثم عُبدت بعد ذلك من دون الله.

عبادة أي شيءٍ غير الله مأساةٌ لا يقتصر أثرها على فقدان الحرية، بل يمتد أثرها الخطير إلى عقل الإنسان فيُفسده أيضًا. فقد خلق الله تعالى الإنسان وعقله، وجعل هدفه في تحصيل المعرفة، وأهمُّ ما فيها أن الله وحده هو الخالق، وأن كل ما سواه عبيدٌ. ولذلك فإن الكفر بالله، أو الشرك، يؤدي إلى فقدان الحرية، وتدمير العقل، وغياب الغاية السامية في الحياة. (فإن الإنسان بعبادة غير الله يصبح عبدًا للشيطان، وهو نفسه مخلوقٌ، ويصير مقيَّدًا بصفاته الدنيئة).

Worshipping anything other than Allah is a tragedy that results not only in the loss of freedom; its serious effect reaches man's mind and destroys it as well. Almighty Allah created man and his mind with its purpose set on achieving knowledge the most important of which is that Allah alone is the Creator and all the rest are worshippers (slaves). Therefore, disbelief in Allah, or polytheism, results in the loss of freedom, the destruction of the mind, and the absence of a noble target in life. (By worshipping anything other than Allah, man becomes enslaved to Satan, who is himself a creature and becomes harnessed to his own baser qualities).

في هذه البيئة أرسل الله نوحًا بِرسالته إلى قومه. وكان نوحٌ هو المفكّر الوحيد الذي لم يقع في دوامة الفساد البشري الذي سببه الشرك.

Into this environment Allah sent Noah with His message to his people. Noah was the only intellectual not caught in the whirlpool of man's destruction which was caused by polytheism.

أرسل الله تعالى برحمته نوحًا عليه السلام رسولًا إلى قومه ليهديهم. كان نوح خطيبًا بارعًا وصابرًا جدًّا. بيّن لقومه أسرار الحياة وعجائب الكون، فبيّن كيف يتعاقب الليل على النهار بانتظام، وأن التوازن بين هذين الضدين قد قدّره الله سبحانه وتعالى لمصلحتنا. فالليل يمنح البرودة والراحة، والنهار يمنح الدفء ويوقظ النشاط. والشمس تُنمّي الزرع وتحفظ حياة النبات والحيوان، بينما يُعين القمر والنجوم على حساب الوقت والاتجاهات والفصول. وبيّن أن ملك السماوات والأرض لله الخالق وحده، ولذلك أوضح لقومه أنه لا يمكن أن يكون هناك أكثر من إله واحد. ثم بيّن لهم كيف خدعهم الشيطان طويلًا، وأن الوقت قد حان لوقف هذا الخداع. وحدّثهم نوح عن تكريم الله للإنسان، وكيف خلقه ورزقه ومنحه نعمة العقل. وأخبرهم أن عبادة الأصنام ظلم خانق للعقل، وحذّرهم من عبادة أحد سوى الله، ووصف لهم العقوبة الشديدة التي سينزلها الله بهم إن استمروا على ظلمهم.

Allah in His Mercy sent His messenger Noah to guide his people. Noah was an excellent speaker and a very patient man. He pointed out to his people the mysteries of life and the wonders of the universe. He pointed out how the night is regularly followed by the day and that the balance between these opposites were designed by Allah the Almighty for our good. The night gives coolness and rest while the day gives warmth and awakens activity. The sun encourages growth, keeping all plants and animals alive, while the moon and stars assist in the reckoning of time, direction and seasons. He pointed out that the ownership of the heavens and the earth belongs only to the Divine Creator. Therefore, he explained to this people, there cannot have been more than one deity. He clarified to them how the devil had deceived them for so long and that the time had come for this deceit to stop. Noah spoke to them of Allah's glorification of man, how HE had created him and provided him with sustenance and the blessings of a mind. He told them that idol worshipping was a suffocating injustice to the mind. He warned them not to worship anyone but Allah and described the terrible punishment Allah would mete out if they continued in their evil ways.

استمع إليه الناس في صمت، وكانت كلماته صدمة لعقولهم الراكدة، كما تكون الصدمة لمن ينام تحت جدار يوشك أن يسقط فيُوقَظ بعنف، فقد يفزع هذا الإنسان بل وقد يغضب، مع أن المقصود كان إنقاذه.

The people listened to him in silence. His words were a shock to their stagnating minds as it is a shock to a person who is asleep under a wall which is about to fall and who is vigorously awakened. This person may be alarmed and may even become angry although the aim was to save him.

بعد إنذار نوحٍ انقسم قومُه إلى فريقين. أمّا الضعفاءُ والفقراءُ والمُنكسرونَ فقد بلغت كلماتُه قلوبَهم، وضمّدت برحمتها جراحَهم. وأمّا الأغنياءُ والأقوياءُ والأعزّاءُ والحكّامُ فقد نظروا إلى الإنذار بعينِ البرودِ والريبة. فقد اعتقدوا أنّهم سيكونون في خيرٍ إن بقيت الأمورُ على حالها، ولذلك بدأوا حربَ الكلامِ ضدّ نوح.

Noah's people were divided into two groups after his warning. His words touched the hearts of the weak, the poor, and the miserable and soothed their wounds with its mercy. As for the rich, the strong, the mighty and the rulers they looked upon the warning with cold distrust. They believed they would be better off if things stayed as they were. Therefore they started their war of words against Noah.

أولاً اتهموا نوحاً بأنه ليس إلا بشراً مثلهم.

First they accused Noah of being only human like themselves.

قال الملأ الذين كفروا من قومه: {ما نراك إلا بشرًا مثلنا} [هود: ٢٧]

“The chiefs of the disbelievers among his people said: "We see you but a man like ourselves."' (Ch 11:27 Quran)

لكنه لم يقل شيئًا غير ذلك، فقد أكّد أنه ليس إلا بشرًا؛ فقد أرسل الله بشرًا رسولًا لأن الأرض يسكنها البشر، ولو كانت يسكنها الملائكة لأرسل الله رسولًا من الملائكة. واستمر الصراع بين المشركين ونوح. وكان الحكام يظنون في البداية أن دعوة نوح ستخبو من تلقاء نفسها قريبًا. فلما رأوا أن دعوته تجذب الفقراء والضعفاء وأصحاب الحرف البسيطة، بدأوا يهاجمونه بالكلام ويسخرون منه قائلين: «ما يتبعك إلا الأراذل»، أي الفقراء والضعفاء والتافهون. قال الله تعالى:

He, however, had never said anything other than that. He asserted that, indeed, he was only a human being; Allah had sent a human messenger because the earth was inhabited by humans. If it had been inhabited by angels Allah would have sent an angelic messenger. The contest between the polytheists and Noah continued. the rulers had thought at first that Noah's call would soon fade on its own. When they found that his call attracted the poor, the helpless and common laborers, they started to verbally attack and taunt him: 'You are only followed by the poor, the meek and the worthless.' Allah the Almighty told us:

﴿وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا نُوحًا إِلَىٰ قَوْمِهِ إِنِّي لَكُمْ نَذِيرٌ مُّبِينٌ * أَنْ لَّا تَعْبُدُوا إِلَّا اللَّهَ إِنِّي أَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ أَلِيمٍ﴾ فَقَالَ الْمَلَأُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِن قَوْمِهِ مَا نَرَاكَ إِلَّا بَشَرًا مِّثْلَنَا وَمَا نَرَاكَ اتَّبَعَكَ إِلَّا الَّذِينَ هُمْ أَرَاذِلُنَا بَادِيَ الرَّأْيِ وَمَا نَرَىٰ لَكُمْ عَلَيْنَا مِن فَضْلٍ بَلْ نَظُنُّكُمْ كَاذِبِينَ [سورة هود: 25-27]

"Indeed We sent Noah to his people (he said): "I have come to you as a plain Warner that you worship none but Allah, surely, I fear for you the torment of a painful Day." the chiefs of the disbeliveers among his people said: "We see you but a man like ourselves, nor do we see any follow you but the meanest among us and they too followed you without thinking. And we do not see in you any merit above us in fact we think you are liars." (CH 11:25-27).

وهكذا اشتدّ الصراع بين نوح وأشراف قومه. فحاول الكافرون المساومة قائلين: "اسمع يا نوح، إن أردتَ أن نؤمن بك فاطرد أتباعك. إنهم ضعفاء فقراء، ونحن الأعيان الأغنياء؛ ولا يمكن أن يجتمع الإيمان بنا وبهم معًا." استمع نوح إلى كلام الكفار من قومه، وأدرك أنهم يتعنّتون. ومع ذلك، كان لينًا في رده. فبيّن لقومه أنه لا يستطيع طرد المؤمنين، لأنهم ليسوا ضيوفه، بل ضيوف الله. وناشدهم نوح قائلًا:

Thus the conflict between Noah and the heads of his people intensified. The disbeliveers tried to bargain: "Listen Noah, if you want us to believe in you, then dismiss your believers. They are meek and poor, while are elite and rich; no faith c an include us both." Noah listened to the heathens of his community and realized they were being obstinate. However, he was gentle in his response. He explained to his people that he could not dismiss the believers as they were not his guests but Allah's. Noah appealed to them:

{يَا قَوْمِ لَا أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ مَالًا ۖ إِنْ أَجْرِيَ إِلَّا عَلَى اللَّهِ ۚ وَمَا أَنَا بِطَارِدِ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا ۚ إِنَّهُم مُّلَاقُو رَبِّهِمْ وَلَٰكِنِّي أَرَاكُمْ قَوْمًا تَجْهَلُونَ * وَيَا قَوْمِ مَن يَنصُرُنِي مِنَ اللَّهِ إِن طَرَدتُّهُمْ ۚ أَفَلَا تَذَكَّرُونَ * وَلَا أَقُولُ لَكُمْ عِندِي خَزَائِنُ اللَّهِ وَلَا أَعْلَمُ الْغَيْبَ وَلَا أَقُولُ إِنِّي مَلَكٌ وَلَا أَقُولُ لِلَّذِينَ تَزْدَرِي أَعْيُنُكُمْ لَن يُؤْتِيَهُمُ اللَّهُ خَيْرًا ۖ اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا فِي أَنفُسِهِمْ ۖ إِنِّي إِذًا لَّمِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ}

"O my people! I ask of you no wealth for it, my reward is from none but Allah. I am not going to drive away those who have believed. Surely, they are going to meet their Lord, but I see that you are a people that are ignorant. O my people! Who will help me against Allah, if I drove them away? Will you not then give a thought? And I do not say to you that with me are the Treasures of Allah nor that I know the unseen, 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 (regards to Belief). In that case, I should, indeed be one of the Zalimeen (wrongdoers, oppressors etc)." (Ch 11:29-31 Quran)

ردّ نوحٌ حجج الكافرين بالعلم الشريف للأنبياء، وهو منطق العقل الذي يتخلّص من الكبرياء الشخصي والمصالح الذاتية.

Noah refuted the arguments of the disbelievers with the noble knowledge of the prophets. It is the logic of intellect that rids itself of personal pride and interests.

ضاق الحكام ذرعًا بجدال نوح. وقد حكى الله تعالى موقفهم:

The rulers were tired of Noah's arguments. Allah the Exalted related their attitude:

قَالُوا يَا نُوحُ قَدْ جَادَلْتَنَا فَأَكْثَرْتَ جِدَالَنَا فَأْتِنَا بِمَا تَعِدُنَا إِن كُنتَ مِنَ الصَّادِقِينَ. قَالَ إِنَّمَا يَأْتِيكُم بِهِ اللَّهُ إِن شَاءَ وَمَا أَنتُم بِمُعْجِزِينَ. وَلَا يَنفَعُكُمْ نُصْحِي إِنْ أَرَدتُّ أَنْ أَنصَحَ لَكُمْ إِن كَانَ اللَّهُ يُرِيدُ أَن يُغْوِيَكُمْ ۚ هُوَ رَبُّكُمْ وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ.

They said: "O Noah! You have disputed with us and much have you prolonged the dispute with us, now bring upon us what you threaten us with, if you are of the truthful." He said: "Only Allah will bring it (the punishment)on you, if He will, and then you will escape not. And my advice will not profit you, even if I wish to give you counsel, if Allah's Will is to keep you astray. He is your Lord! And to Him you shall return." (Ch 11:32-34 Quran)

استمرت المعركة، وطال الجدال بين الكافرين ونوح، فلما انهارت جميع حججهم وأفحموا ولم يبق لديهم ما يقولون، أخذوا يتطاولون ويسبّون نبيَّ الله.

The battle continued; the arguments between the disbeliveers and Noah became prolonged. When all the refutations of the disbeliveers collapsed and they had no more to say, they began to be rude and insulted Allah's prophet:

قَالَ الْمَلَأُ مِنْ قَوْمِهِ إِنَّا لَنَرَاكَ فِي ضَلَالٍ مُّبِينٍ

www.islambasics.com “The leaders of his people said: "Verily, we see you in plain error." (Ch 7:60 Quran)

أجاب نوحٌ بأسلوب الأنبياء:

Noah responded in the manner of the prophets:

يَا قَوْمِ لَيْسَ بِي ضَلَالَةٌ وَلَكِنِّي رَسُولٌ مِّن رَّبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ ﴿٦١﴾ أُبَلِّغُكُمْ رِسَالَاتِ رَبِّي وَأَنصَحُ لَكُمْ وَأَعْلَمُ مِنَ اللَّهِ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ ﴿٦٢﴾ [سورة الأعراف: 61-62]

"O my people! There is no error in me, but I am a Messenger from the Lord of the Alamin (mankind, jinn and all that exists)! I convey unto you the Messages of my Lord and give sincere advice to you. And I know from Allah what you know not." (CH 7:61-62 Quran)

لَمْ يَزَلْ نُوحٌ يَدْعُو قَوْمَهُ إِلَى الإِيمَانِ بِاللَّهِ سَاعَةً بَعْدَ سَاعَةٍ، وَيَوْمًا بَعْدَ يَوْمٍ، وَسَنَةً بَعْدَ سَنَةٍ. وَكَانَ يَعِظُ قَوْمَهُ وَيَدْعُوهُمْ إِلَى اللَّهِ لَيْلًا وَنَهَارًا، سِرًّا وَجَهْرًا.

Noah continued appealing to his people to believe in Allah hour after hour, day after day year after year. He admonished his people and called them to Allah day and night, in secret and openly.

قال الله تعالى مخبرًا عمّا لقيه نوح:

Allah the Almighty related what Noah faced:

إِنَّا أَرْسَلْنَا نُوحًا إِلَىٰ قَوْمِهِ أَنْ أَنْذِرْ قَوْمَكَ مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ يَأْتِيَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ ۝ قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ إِنِّي لَكُمْ نَذِيرٌ مُّبِينٌ ۝ أَنِ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ وَاتَّقُوهُ وَأَطِيعُونِ ۝ يَغْفِرْ لَكُم مِّن ذُنُوبِكُمْ وَيُؤَخِّرْكُمْ إِلَىٰ أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى ۚ إِنَّ أَجَلَ اللَّهِ إِذَا جَاءَ لَا يُؤَخَّرُ ۖ لَوْ كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ ۝ قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّي دَعَوْتُ قَوْمِي لَيْلًا وَنَهَارًا ۝ فَلَمْ يَزِدْهُمْ دُعَائِي إِلَّا فِرَارًا ۝ وَإِنِّي كُلَّمَا دَعَوْتُهُمْ لِتَغْفِرَ لَهُمْ جَعَلُوا أَصَابِعَهُمْ فِي آذَانِهِمْ وَاسْتَغْشَوْا ثِيَابَهُمْ وَأَصَرُّوا وَاسْتَكْبَرُوا اسْتِكْبَارًا ۝ ثُمَّ إِنِّي دَعَوْتُهُمْ جِهَارًا ۝ ثُمَّ إِنِّي أَعْلَنتُ لَهُمْ وَأَسْرَرْتُ لَهُمْ إِسْرَارًا ۝ فَقُلْتُ لَهُمُ ...

"Verily, We sent Noah to his people saying: "Warn your people before there comes to them a painful torment." He said: "O my people! Verily, I am a plain Warner to you, that you should worship Allah alone, be dutiful to Him and obey me, He (Allah) will forgive you of your sins and respite you to an appointed term. Verily, the term of Allah when it comes, cannot be delayed, if you but knew." He said: "O my Lord! Verily, I have called my people night and day (secretly and openly to accept the doctrine of Islamic Monotheism), but all my calling added nothing but to their flight from the truth. Verily! Everytime I called unto them that You might forgive them, they thrust their fingers into their ears, covered themselves up with their garments, and persisted (in their refusal), and magnified themselves in pride. Then verily, I called to them openly (aloud); then verily, I proclaimed to them in public, and I have appealed to them in private, I said to them:

"اسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّكُمْ إِنَّهُ كَانَ غَفَّارًا * يُرْسِلِ السَّمَاءَ عَلَيْكُم مِّدْرَارًا * وَيُمْدِدْكُم بِأَمْوَالٍ وَبَنِينَ وَيَجْعَل لَّكُمْ جَنَّاتٍ وَيَجْعَل لَّكُمْ أَنْهَارًا * مَّا لَكُمْ لَا تَرْجُونَ لِلَّهِ وَقَارًا * وَقَدْ خَلَقَكُمْ أَطْوَارًا" [Ch 23:13-14 Quran]

'Ask forgiveness from your Lord, Verily, He is Oft Forgiving; He will send rain to you in abundance, and give you increase in wealth and children, and bestow on you gardens and bestow on you rivers." What is the matter with you, that you fear not Allah (His Punishment), and you hope not for reward from Allah or you believe not in His Oneness. While He has created you in different stages. (Ch 23:13-14 Quran)

أَلَمْ تَرَوْا كَيْفَ خَلَقَ اللَّهُ سَبْعَ سَمَاوَاتٍ طِبَاقًا وَجَعَلَ الْقَمَرَ فِيهِنَّ نُورًا وَجَعَلَ الشَّمْسَ سِرَاجًا۝ وَاللَّهُ أَنْبَتَكُمْ مِنَ الْأَرْضِ نَبَاتًا۝ ثُمَّ يُعِيدُكُمْ فِيهَا وَيُخْرِجُكُمْ إِخْرَاجًا۝ وَاللَّهُ جَعَلَ لَكُمُ الْأَرْضَ بِسَاطًا۝ لِتَسْلُكُوا مِنْهَا سُبُلًا فِجَاجًا

استمر نوح يدعو قومه إلى الإيمان بالله تسعمائة وخمسين عاماً. قال الله تعالى: {وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا نُوحًا إِلَىٰ قَوْمِهِ فَلَبِثَ فِيهِمْ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ إِلَّا خَمْسِينَ عَامًا} (يدعوهم إلى توحيد الله وترك الآلهة الباطلة والمعبودات الأخرى) (سورة العنكبوت: 14)

Noah continued to call his people to believe in Allah for nine hundred fifty years. Allah the Almighty said: Indeed We sent Noah to his people and he stayed among them a thousand years less fifty years (inviting them to believe in the Oneness of Allah (Monotheism) and discard the false gods and other deities). (Ch 29:14 Quran)

وقد اتفق أن كل جيل يمضي كان يوصي الجيل الذي يليه ألا يصدّق نوحًا وأن يحاربه. وكان الأب يعلّم ولده ما كان بينه وبين نوح، ويوصيه أن يرفض دعوته إذا بلغ مبلغ الرجال. وكانت فطرتهم الطبيعية تأبى التصديق واتباع الحق.

It happened that every passing generation admonished the succeeding one not to believe Noah and to wage war against him. the father used to teach his child about the matter that was between himself and Noah and counsel him to reject his call when he reached adulthood. Their natural disposition rejected believing and following the truth.

رأى نوحٌ أن عددَ المؤمنين لا يزداد، بينما يزدادُ عددُ الكافرين. فحزِن على قومه، لكنه لم يبلغ قطُّ حدَّ اليأس.

Noah saw that the number of believers was not increasing, while that of the disbeliveers was. He was sad for his people, but he never reached the point of despair.

جاء يومٌ أوحى فيه اللهُ إلى نوحٍ أنه لن يؤمن منهم أحدٌ غيرُ مَن آمن، وأوحى إليه ألّا يحزن عليهم، فدعا نوحٌ عندئذٍ أن يُهلَك الكافرون. قال:

There came a day when Allah revealed to Noah that no others would believe. Allah inspired him not to grieve for them at which point Noah prayed that the disbeliveers be destroyed. He said:

"رَبِّ لَا تَذَرْ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ مِنَ الْكَافِرِينَ دَيَّارًا * إِنَّكَ إِنْ تَذَرْهُمْ يُضِلُّوا عِبَادَكَ وَلَا يَلِدُوا إِلَّا فَاجِرًا كَفَّارًا" (نوح: ٢٦-٢٧)

"My Lord! Leave not one of the disbeliveers on the earth. If you leave them, they will mislead Your slaves and they will beget none but wicked disbeliveers." (Ch 71:27 Quran)

قَبِلَ اللهُ دُعاءَ نُوحٍ، فَأُغْلِقَ الأَمْرُ، وَأَصْدَرَ حُكْمَهُ عَلَى الكافِرِينَ في صُورَةِ طُوفانٍ. وَأَمَرَ اللهُ تَعالَى عَبْدَهُ نُوحًا أَنْ يَصْنَعَ السَّفِينَةَ بِعِلْمِهِ وَوَحْيِهِ وَبِمُساعَدَةِ المَلائِكَةِ. فَقالَ سُبْحانَهُ وَتَعالَى:

Allah accepted Noah's prayer. The case was closed, and He passed His judgment on the disbeliveers in the form of a flood. Allah the Exalted ordered His worshipper Noah to build an ark with His knowledge and instructions and with the help of angels. Almighty Allah commanded:

﴿وَاصْنَعِ الْفُلْكَ بِأَعْيُنِنَا وَوَحْيِنَا وَلَا تُخَاطِبْنِي فِي الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا ۚ إِنَّهُم مُّغْرَقُونَ﴾ [سورۃ هود: ۳۷]

"And construct the ship under Our Eyes and with Our Inspiration and address Me not on behalf of those who did wrong; they are surely to be drowned." (Ch 11:37 Quran)

اختار نوح مكانًا خارج المدينة، بعيدًا عن البحر. جمع الخشب والأدوات، وشرع يبني السفينة ليلًا ونهارًا. واستمر استهزاء القوم: "يا نوح! أتجد في النجارة ما لا تجده في النبوة؟ لماذا تبني سفينة بعيدًا عن البحر؟ أتريد أن تجرّها إلى الماء، أم أن الريح ستحملها لك؟" فأجابهم نوح: "ستعلمون من سيُخزى ومن سيعاني العذاب." قال الله تعالى:

Noah chose a place outside the city, far from the sea. HE collected wood and tools and began to day and night to build the ark. The people's mockery continued: "O Noah! Does carpentry appeal to you more than prophethood? Why are you building an ark so far from the sea? Are you going to drag it to the water or is the wind going to carry it for you?" Noah replied: "You will come to know who will be put to shame and suffer." Allah the Almighty narrated:

وَكُلَّمَا مَرَّ عَلَيْهِ مَلَأٌ مِّن قَوْمِهِ سَخِرُوا مِنْهُ، قَالَ: إِن تَسْخَرُوا مِنَّا فَإِنَّا نَسْخَرُ مِنكُمْ كَمَا تَسْخَرُونَ

"As he was constructing the ship, whenever the chiefs of his people passed by him, they made a mockery of him. He said : "If you mock at us, so do we mock at you likewise for your mocking.

وَسَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ مَنْ يَأْتِيهِ عَذَابٌ يُخْزِيهِ وَيَحِلُّ عَلَيْهِ عَذَابٌ مُقِيمٌ

And you will know who it is on whom will come a torment that will cover him with disgrace and on whom will fall a lasting torment." (Ch 11:38-39 Quran)

أُنجزت السفينة، وجلس نوحٌ ينتظر أمر الله. فأوحى الله إليه أنه إذا فار الماء بغتةً من التنّور في بيت نوحٍ، فذلك علامة بدء الطوفان، وعلامةٌ لنوحٍ أن يتحرّك.

The ship was constructed, and Noah sat waiting Allah's command. Allah revealed to him that when water miraculously gushed forth from the oven at Noah's house, that would be the sign of the start of the flood, and the sign for Noah to act.

جاء اليوم الرهيب حين فار التنور في بيت نوح. أسرع نوح إلى فتح السفينة وأن يدعو المؤمنين. وأخذ معه أيضًا زوجين، ذكرًا وأنثى، من كل نوع من الحيوانات والطيور والحشرات. ولما رأى الناس نوحًا يحمل هذه المخلوقات إلى السفينة ضحكوا بصوت عالٍ: "لا بد أن نوحًا قد فقد عقله! ماذا سيفعل بالحيوانات؟" قال الله تعالى:

The terrible day arrived when the oven at Noah's house overflowed. Noah hurried to open the ark and summon the believers. He also took with him a pair, male and female, of every type of animal, bird and insect. Seeing him taking these creatures to the ark, the people laughed loudly: "Noah must have gone out of his head! What is he going to do with the animals?" Almighty Allah narrated:

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 till then there came Our Command and the oven gushed forth (water like fountains from the earth). We said: "Embark therein, of each kind two (male and female), and your family, except him against whom the Word has already gone forth, and those who believe." And none believed him except a few.(Ch 11:40 Quran)

لم تكن زوجةُ نوحٍ مؤمنةً معه، فلم تلتحق به، ولا أحدُ أبنائه الذي كان كافرًا في الباطن وأظهر الإيمانَ أمام نوحٍ؛ وكذلك أكثرُ الناسِ كانوا كافرين فلم يركبوا السفينة.

Noah's wife was not a believer with him so she did not join him; neither did one of Noah's sons, who was secretly a disbeliever but had pretended faith in front of Noah. Likewise most of the people were disbeliveers and did not go on board.

اختلف العلماء في عدد من كان مع نوح في السفينة. فقال ابن عباس إنهم كانوا ثمانين مؤمنًا، بينما ذهب كعب الأحبار إلى أنهم كانوا اثنين وسبعين مؤمنًا.

The scholars hold different opinions on the number of those who were with Noah on the ship. Ibn Abbas stated that there were 80 believers while Ka ab al Ahbar held that there were 72 believers.

ونُقل عن آخرين أنّ مع نوح عليه السلام كان عشرةٌ من المؤمنين.

Others claimed that there were 10 believers with Noah.

ارتفع الماءُ من الشقوق في الأرض؛ لم يكن هناك شقٌّ واحدٌ لم يتفجّر منه الماء. وانهمر المطرُ من السماء بكمياتٍ لم يُرَ مثلها على الأرض من قبل. واستمرّ الماءُ في الانصباب من السماء ومن الشقوق، وارتفع مستواه ساعةً بعد ساعة. وطغت البحارُ والأمواجُ على اليابسة.

Water rose from the cracks in the earth; there was not a crack from which water did not rise. rain poured from the sky in quantities never seen before on earth. Water continued pouring from the sky rising from the cracks; hour after hour the level rose. The seas and waves invaded the land.

تحرّكت باطنُ الأرض على نحوٍ عجيب، وارتفعت قيعانُ المحيطات فجأةً، فغمرت اليابسة. وغُمرت الأرض لأول مرة.

The interior of the earth moved in a strange way, and the ocean floors lifted suddenly, flooding the dry land. The earth, for the first time was submerged.

قَالَ اللهُ تَعَالَى فِي خَبَرِ نُوحٍ: قَالَ

Allah told the story thus: He (Noah) said:

وَقَالَ ارْكَبُوا فِيهَا بِسْمِ اللَّهِ مَجْرَاهَا وَمُرْسَاهَا

"Embark therein in the Name of Allah will be its moving course and its resting anchorage.

إِنَّ رَبِّي لَغَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ». فَجَرَتْ بِهِمْ فِي مَوْجٍ كَٱلْجِبَالِ، وَنَادَىٰ نُوحٌ ابْنَهُ وَكَانَ فِي مَعْزِلٍ: «يَا بُنَيَّ ٱرْكَب مَّعَنَا وَلَا تَكُن مَّعَ ٱلْكَٰفِرِينَ». قَالَ: «سَآوِي إِلَىٰ جَبَلٍ يَعْصِمُنِي مِنَ ٱلْمَاءِ». قَالَ نُوحٌ:

Surely, my Lord is Oft Forgiving, most Merciful." So it (the ship) sailed with them amidst the waves like mountains, and Noah called out to his son, who had separated himself (apart), "O my son! Embark with us and be not with the disbeliveers." The son replied, "I will betake myself to a mountain, it will save me from the water." Noah said:

قَالَ لَا عَاصِمَ الْيَوْمَ مِنْ أَمْرِ اللَّهِ إِلَّا مَن رَّحِمَ ۚ وَحَالَ بَيْنَهُمَا الْمَوْجُ فَكَانَ مِنَ الْمُغْرَقِينَ

"This day there is no savior from the Decree of Allah except him on whom He has mercy." And a wave came in between them so he (the son) was among the drowned." (Ch. 11: 41-43)

قيل:

It was said:

﴿وَقِيلَ يَا أَرْضُ ابْلَعِي مَاءَكِ وَيَا سَمَاءُ أَقْلِعِي وَغِيضَ الْمَاءُ وَقُضِيَ الْأَمْرُ﴾

"O Earth! Swallow up your water, and O sky! Withhold (your rain)." The water was diminished (made to subside) and the Decree (of Allah) was fulfilled (the destruction of the people of Noah).

وَاسْتَوَتْ عَلَى الْجُودِيِّ، وَقِيلَ: بُعْدًا لِلْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ! وَقِيلَ:

And it (the ship) rested on Mount Judi, and it was said: "Away with the people who are Zalimeen (polytheists, and wrongdoing)!" And it was said:

يَا نُوحُ اهْبِطْ بِسَلَامٍ مِّنَّا وَبَرَكَاتٍ عَلَيْكَ وَعَلَىٰ أُمَمٍ مِّمَّن مَّعَكَ ۚ وَأُمَمٌ سَنُمَتِّعُهُمْ ثُمَّ يَمَسُّهُم مِّنَّا عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ [سورة هود: 11/41-48]

"O Noah! Come down (from the ship) with peace from Us and blessings on you and on the people o\who are with you(and on some of their offspring), but (there will be other) people to whom We shall grant their pleasures (for a time), but in the end a painful torment will reach them from Us." (Ch 11:41-48 Quran)

مع صدور الأمر الإلهي، عاد الهدوء إلى الأرض، وانحسر الماء، وأشرقت اليابسة من جديد تحت أشعة الشمس. وقد طهّر الطوفان الأرض من الكافرين والمشركين.

With the issue of the divine command, calm returned to earth, the water retreated, and the dry land shone once again in the rays of the sun. The flood had cleansed the earth of the disbeliveers and polytheists.

أطلق نوحٌ الطيورَ، فتفرّقت الدوابُّ في الأرض. وبعد ذلك نزل المؤمنون من السفينة. وخرّ نوحٌ ساجدًا على الأرض. وأوقد الناجون نارًا وجلسوا حولها. وكان إشعالُ النار ممنوعًا على ظهر السفينة، حتى لا تشتعل خشبُها فتحترق. ولم يأكل أيٌّ منهم طعامًا ساخنًا طوال مدة الطوفان. وعقب النزول من السفينة كان هناك يومُ صيامٍ شكرًا لله.

Noah released the birds, and the beats which scattered over the earth. After that the believers disembarked. Noah put his forehead to the ground in prostration. The survivors kindled a fire and sat around it. Lighting a fire had been prohibited on board so as not to ignite the ship's wood and burn it up. None of them had eaten hot food during the entire period of the floor. Following the disembarkation there was a day of fasting in thanks to Allah.

تُسدِلُ القرآنُ الكريمُ الستارَ على قصةِ نوحٍ عليه السلام، فلا نعلمُ كيف استمرت أمورُه مع قومِه. وكلُّ ما نعلمُه أو يمكنُ أن نستيقنَه أنه عندَ احتضارِه طلبَ من ابنِه أن يعبدَ اللهَ وحدَه، ثم توفيَ نوحٌ عليه السلام. وعن عبدِ اللهِ بنِ عمرِو بنِ العاصِ رضي الله عنهما، أن النبيَّ ﷺ قال: «لما حضرتْ نوحًا الوفاةُ قال لابنيهِ: إني قاصٌّ عليكما الوصيةَ، آمرُكما باثنتينِ وأنهاكما عن اثنتين: آمرُكما بلا إلهَ إلا اللهُ، فإن السمواتِ السبعَ والأرضينَ السبعَ لو وُضعتْ في كفةِ الميزانِ، ووُضعتْ لا إلهَ إلا اللهُ في كفةٍ، رجحتْ بهنَّ لا إلهَ إلا اللهُ، وأنهاكما عن الشركِ والكبرِ». [صحيح البخاري]

The Quran draws the curtain on Noah's story. We do not know how his affairs with his people continued. All we know or can ascertain is that on his deathbed he requested his son to worship Allah alone, Noah then passed away. Abdullah Ibn Amr Ibn Al as narrated that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: "When the death of the Messenger of Allah Noah approached, he admonished his sons: 'Indeed I would give you far reaching advice, commanding you to do two things, and warning you against doing two things as well. I charge you to believe that there is no god but Allah and that if the seven heavens and the seven earths were put on one side of a scale and the words "there is no god but Allah" were put on the other, the latter would outweigh the former. I warn you against associating partners with Allah and against pride." (Sahih al Bukhari)

قال بعض الروايات إن قبره في المسجد الحرام بمكة، بينما قال غيرها إنه دُفن في بعلبك، وهي مدينة في العراق.

Some traditions said that his grave is in the Scared Mosque in Mecca, while others said that he was buried in Baalabak, a city in Iraq.