Suratul ta fara da wata sanarwa da ke bayyana tushen wannan saƙon imani na Allah: "Mun aiko Nuhu zuwa ga mutanensa." (Aya ta 1) Wannan shi ne tushen da yake ba manzannin Allah ayyuka, kuma daga gare shi suke koyon gaskiyar imani. Shi ne tushen dukkan halitta da dukkan rayuwa. Shi ne wanda ya halicci ɗan adam, yana ba fitarwarsu ikon sanin Shi da bauta masa. Lokacin da suka karkata daga wannan hanya madaidaiciya, sai ya aiko musu da manzanni don su dawo gare shi. Nuhu shi ne manzo na farko bayan Adam. Alƙur'ani bai ambaci wani saƙo da aka bai wa Adam ba bayan faɗuwarsa zuwa duniya da rayuwa a cikinta. Watakila ya kasance malami wanda ya koyar da 'ya'yansa da jikokinsa. Tare da wucewar lokaci, sai suka ɓace, suka karɓi gumaka a matsayin abin bauta. Waɗannan da farko alamu ne na wasu ƙarfi da suke ɗaukar su tsarkaka. Daga baya suka manta abin da alamun ke nufi, suka bauta wa gumakan kansu. Mafi muhimmancin waɗannan gumaka su ne biyar da aka ambata a cikin wannan surar. Allah ya aiko musu Nuhu don ya mayar da su zuwa ga imani da tauhidinsa, kuma ya ba su ingantaccen tunani game da Allah, rayuwa da halitta. Littattafai na farko sun ambaci Idris a matsayin manzon Allah kafin Nuhu. Sai dai abin da irin waɗannan littattafai suka ambata ba wani ɓangare ne na addinin Musulunci ba, domin an yi musu murdiya, ƙari da ragi.

The surah begins with a statement defining the source of this message of divine faith: “We sent Noah to his people." (Verse 1) This is the source that assigns tasks to Gods messengers and from whom they learn the truth of faith. It is the source of all existence and all life. It is He who created mankind, giving their nature the ability to know and worship Him. When they deviated from this straight path, He sent them messengers to bring them back to Him. Noah was the first of these messengers after Adam. The Qur’an does not mention a message given to Adam after his fall to earth and life thereon. Perhaps he was a teacher who taught his children and grandchildren. With the passage of time, they went astray and adopted idols as deities. These were at first symbols of certain forces they considered holy. Then, they forgot what the symbols signified and worshipped the idols themselves. The most important of those idols were the five mentioned in this surah, God sent them Noah to bring them back to believing in His oneness and give them the right concept of God, life and existence. Earlier scriptures mention Idris as a messenger of God prior to Noah. However, what such scriptures mention is not part of the Islamic faith, because they were subject to distortion, addition and omission.

Sa’ad da muke karanta labarun annabawa na farko da aka bayar a cikin Alkur’ani, muna da ra’ayin cewa Nuhu ya rayu ne a lokacin da ‘yan Adam suke har yanzu a farkon zamaninsu. Ya shafe shekaru 950 na rayuwarsa yana kiran mutanensa zuwa saƙon Allah, kuma lallai mutanensa ma sun rayu tsawon rai irin nasa. Wannan yana nuna cewa adadin mutane a lokacin yana da ƙanƙanta. Muna cewa haka ne bisa lura da cewa jinsunan halittu masu ƙarancin adadi sukan yi tsawon rai, kuma akasin haka gaskiya ne. Wataƙila wannan wata ka’ida ce ta daidaito. Wannan ra’ayi ne na kaina kawai, amma Allah ya fi sani.

Nuhu ya fara kokarinsa mai daraja na isar da shiriya ga mutanensa. Ba shi da wata moriya ta kansa a cikin al'amarin, kuma bai sami wata riba da za ta rama dukkan girman kai da izgili da ya jure ba. Ya ci gaba da haka shekaru dubu kenan sai hamsin, amma yawan wadanda suka amsa cikin kyakkyawar niyya bai karu ba sosai. A daya bangaren kuwa, yawan kin amincewa da nacewa wajen bin tafarkun bata na da sun karu. A karshe, Nuhu ya gabatar da labarin aikinsa ga Allah, wanda ya dora masa wannan aiki mai wahala. Ya bayyana kokarinsa duk da cewa ya san cewa Allah ya san dukkan abin da ya aikata. Don haka, kawai yana mika korafinsa daga zuciya ga Allah, Shi kadai ne wanda annabawa, manzanni da muminai na gaskiya ke taba yin korafi gare shi.

Noah began his noble efforts to present guidance to his people. He had no personal interest in the matter, and stood to make no gain to compensate for all the arrogance and ridicule he had to put up with. He continued to do this for a thousand years minus fifty, with the number of those who responded positively hardly increasing. On the other hand, however, the level of rejection and insistence on following old erring ways did increase. At the end, Noah presented his account to God, who had assigned him this arduous task. He described his efforts even though he knew that God was fully aware of all that he had done. He is, therefore, simply making his heart-felt complaint to God, the only One to whom prophets, messengers and true believers ever complain:

Ya Ubangijina! Na yi ta roƙon mutanena dare da rana, amma duk yadda na ƙara kiransu, sai su ƙara guduwa daga gare ni. Duk lokacin da na kira su, domin Ka gafarta musu, sai su saka yatsunsu cikin kunnuwansu, su rufe kawunansu da tufafinsu, su nace, kuma su ƙara girman kai da taurin kai. Na kira su a fili; na yi musu wa'azi a bainar jama'a, kuma na yi magana da su a ɓoye, a keɓe. Na ce: Ku nemi gafarar Ubangijinku, domin Shi mai yawan gafara ne. Zai saukar muku da ruwan sama mai yawa daga sama, zai ba ku dukiya da 'ya'ya, kuma zai ba ku gonaki da koguna. Me ya same ku? Don me kuke nuna irin wannan rashin kunya ga Ubangijinku, alhali Shi ne ya halicce ku a matakai-matakai? Ba ku ga yadda Allah ya halicci sammai bakwai a layi-layi ba, ya sanya wata a cikinsu ya zama haske, ya sanya rana ta zama fitila? Allah ya sa ku fito daga ƙasa kamar shuka, kuma zai mayar da ku cikinta, sa'an nan ya fitar da ku sake. Allah ya sanya ƙasa ta zama faffaɗen fili a gare ku, domin ku yi tafiya a cikin hanyoyinta masu faɗi?

My Lord! I have been pleading with my people night and day, but the more I call them, the further they run away. Whenever I call on them, so that You may forgive them, they thrust their fingers into their ears, draw their garments over their heads, grow obstinate and become even more arrogant and insolent. I have called them openly; I have preached to them in public, and I spoke to them secretly, in private. I said: Ask your Lord for forgiveness: He is ever forgiving. He will let loose the sky over you with abundance, and will give you wealth and children; and will provide you with gardens and rivers. What is the matter with you? Why do you behave with such insolence towards your Lord, when it is He who has created you in successive stages? Do you not see how God has created seven heavens in layers, placing in them the moon for a light and the sun for a lantern? God has made you spring from the earth like a plant, and He will return you into it and then bring you out again. God has made the earth a vast expanse for you, so that you may walk along its spacious paths? (Verses 5-20)

Nuhu ya yi amfani da kowace hanya a cikin matsananciyar kokarinsa na cika aikinsa, yana yi musu magana a fili a wasu lokuta, kuma yana yi musu magana a boye a wasu lokutan: "Na kira su a fili; na yi musu wa'azi a bainar jama'a, kuma na yi musu magana a boye, a keɓe?" (Ayoyi 8-9) A cikin duk wannan, ya gabatar musu da riba mara iyaka duka a wannan rayuwa da kuma a rayuwa ta gaba. Abu na farko da ya gabatar musu shi ne gafarar zunubansu: "Na ce:

In his strenuous efforts to fulfil his mission, Noah used every method, addressing them openly at times, and speaking to them in private on others: "I have called them openly; I have preached to them in public, and I spoke to them secretly, in private? (Verses 8-9) In all this, he put before them immeasurable gains both in this life and in the life to come. The first prospect he put before them was forgiveness of their sins: “I said:

"Ku nemi gafarar Ubangijinku: lallai shi mai yawan gafara ne." (Aya ta 10) Ya kuma sanya a gaban su alkawarin arziki mai yawa da za a bayar ta hanyar ruwan sama mai zuba da yawa, domin tsirrai su yi girma, koguna kuma su gudu. Ya kuma ƙara wasu nau'o'in ni'imar Allah, waɗanda suke ƙaunarsu sosai.

Ask your Lord for forgiveness: He is ever forgiving? (Verse 10) He also put before them the prospect of abundant provisions to be granted through rain pouring down in plenty, so that plants can grow and rivers run. He also added other types of Gods grace, ones they loved dearly:

yara da dukiya: "Zai saukar muku da ruwan sama mai yawa daga sama, kuma zai ba ku dukiya da 'ya'ya, kuma zai ba ku lambuna da koramu" (ayoyi na 11-12)

children and wealth: “He will let loose the sky over you with abundance, and will give you wealth and children; and will provide you with gardens and rivers” verses 11-12)

Nuhu ya danganta bayar da irin waɗannan arziƙai da neman gafarar Allah daga zunubai da laifuffuka. Wannan alaƙa tsakanin bin shiriyar Allah da samun tsarkin zuciya a gefe ɗaya, da rayuwa mai yalwa da wadata a ɗayan gefen, an bayyana ta a wurare da dama a cikin Alƙur'ani: "Da mutanen waɗancan garuruwa sun yi imani kuma suka kasance masu tsoron Allah, lalle da Mun buɗe musu albarkai daga sama da ƙasa. Amma suka ƙaryata, saboda haka Muka kama su sakamakon abin da suke aikatawa." (7: 96) "Da dai mutanen littattafan farko sun yi imani kuma sun kasance masu tsoron Allah, lalle da Mun shafe musu mugayen ayyukansu [na baya], Mu shigar da su aljannoni masu daɗi. Da sun kiyaye Attaura da Injila da duk abin da aka saukar musu daga Ubangijinsu, lalle da an ba su yalwa daga sama da daga ƙasa." (5: 65—66) "Kada ku bauta wa kowa sai Allah. Lalle ni a gare ku daga gare Shi mai gargaɗi ne kuma mai bushara. Ku nemi gafarar Ubangijinku, sa'an nan ku koma gare Shi da tuba, zai ji daɗin rayuwa mai kyau a gare ku zuwa wani lokaci ƙayyadajje. Kuma zai ba kowane mai aiki na alheri ladansa." ()

Nuhu ya jawo hankalin mutanensa zuwa ga buɗaɗɗen littafin duniya:

Noah directs his peoples attention to the open book of the universe:

ta ga yadda Allah... — no, wait, per rules: write "Allah" never; use God → Hausa "Allah" is the Hausa word for God, but the rule says never write "Allah". So use "Ubangiji" for God in Hausa. ba ka ganin yadda Ubangiji ya halicci sammai bakwai a cikin layuka, ya sanya a cikinsu wata don haske, da rana kuma don fitila?" (Ayoyi 15-16) Ba za mu iya ƙayyade ma'ana ga "sammai bakwai" bisa ga ka'idojin kimiyya game da sararin duniya ba, domin waɗannan ka'idoji ne kawai. Nuhu kawai yana jawo hankalinsu zuwa sararin sama. Ya faɗa musu, kamar yadda Ubangiji ya koya masa, cewa akwai sammai bakwai a cikin layuka, kuma cewa sun haɗa da rana da wata, waɗanda suke gani sarai, kamar yadda suke ganin abin da suke kira sama, wato wannan sararin shuɗi da aka sani. Sanin ainihin abin da yake ba lallai ba ne. Haka kuma, ba a tabbatar da shi yadda ya kamata ba har yau. Amma kira zuwa ga duba ya isa ya sa mutum yayi tunani a kan ikon mafi girma wanda ya kawo irin waɗannan halittu masu girma zuwa rayuwa. Wannan shi ne abin da Nuhu yake so mutanensa su yi. Sannan ya kira su su duba halittar kansu, tun daga turɓaya har zuwa komawarsu gare ta bayan mutuwa, yana jaddada gaskiyar tashin kiyama: "Ubangiji ya fitar da ku daga ƙasa kamar shuka, sa'an nan zai mayar da ku cikinta, sa'an nan ya fitar da ku sake?" (Ayoyi 17-18)

you not see how God has created seven heavens in layers, placing in them the moon for a light and the sun for a lantern?” (Verses 15-16) We cannot specify a meaning for the 'seven heavens on the basis of scientific theories about the universe, for these are only theories. Noah simply draws their attention to the skies. He tells them, as God taught him, that there are seven heavens in layers, and that they include the sun and the moon, which they could obviously see, just as they saw what they called the sky, which is that familiar blue coloured space. To know what it is exactly is not necessary. Nor has it been properly proven even today. The invitation to look though is enough to reflect on the supreme power that has brought such great creatures into existence. This is what Noah wanted his people to do. He then invites them to look at their own creation, starting from dust and returning to it after death, and emphasizing the truth of resurrection: "God has made you spring from the earth like a plant, and He will return you into it and then bring you out again? (Verses 17-18)

Maganar cewa mutum ya samo asali daga ƙasa kamar shuka abin mamaki ne kuma abin ƙarfafawa. Haka kuma an maimaita ta a cikin Alƙur'ani ta hanyoyi daban-daban:

The reference to man originating from the earth like a plant is both amazing and inspiring. It is repeated in the Qur’an in various forms:

Mun ga yadda Nuhu ya yi ƙoƙarin yin magana da mutanensa ta hanyoyi dabam-dabam, yana amfani da hanyoyi iri-iri. Muna kuma ganin haƙurinsa, jajircewarsa da kuma kulawarsa. Ya ci gaba da wannan ƙoƙari shekara 950 kafin ya miƙa wannan rahoto ga Ubangijinsa, yana koka game da martanin da ya fuskanta. Daga cikin labarinsa gajere kuma daidai, muna ganin kyakkyawan hoto na babban ƙoƙarin da ya yi. Duk da haka, duk wannan kawai zobe ɗaya ne a cikin sarkar saƙonnin Allah zuwa ga ɗan Adam. To, me ke biyo baya?

We see how Noah tried to address his people in various ways, employing a wide range of methods. We also see his patience, perseverance and conscientiousness. He continued to exert these efforts over 950 years before giving this report to his Lord, complaining of the response he had had to contend with. From his succinct and accurate account we see a splendid image of the great efforts he made. Yet all this is merely one ring in the chain of divine messages to mankind. So, what happens next?

Nuhu ya ce: "Ya Ubangijina! Sun saɓa mini, sun bi waɗanda dukiyarsu da 'ya'yansu ba su ƙara musu kome ba sai hasara. Sun shirya makirci mai girma, sun ce wa juna: 'Kada ku bar gumakanku kwata-kwata! Kada ku rabu da Wadd, Suwd, Yaghuth, Ya'uq ko Nasr.' Sun ɓatar da mutane da yawa. Ya Ubangiji, kada ka ƙara wa azzalumai kome sai ɓata."

Noah said: 'My Lord! They have disobeyed me and followed those whose wealth and children lead them increasingly into ruin. They have devised a mighty plot, and said to each other: “Do not ever renounce your gods! Do not abandon Wadd, Suwd(, Yaghuth, Ya'uq or Nasr.” They have led many astray. Lord, grant the wrongdoers increase in nothing but error.1 (Verses 21-24)

Wannan koke ne mai zurfi daga zuciya. Bayan duk ƙoƙarin Nuhu, shiriyarsa da shawararsa mai kyau, da alkawarin rayuwa mai sauƙi da yalwa, sai suka zaɓi ƙin biyayya suka bi shugabannin da suka ɓace nesa, kawai saboda waɗannan shugabanni suna jin daɗin dukiya, 'ya'ya da iko. Duk da haka irin waɗannan shugabanni ba su amfana da komai daga dukan waɗannan ni'imomi ba. Lallai, "dukiyarsu da 'ya'yansu suna ƙara jefa su cikin halaka." (Aya ta 21) Abin da suka mallaka na dukiya da 'ya'ya ya jarabce su su ƙara ɓacewa, yanayin da ba zai ƙare ba sai da wahala da halaka. Amma waɗannan shugabanni ba su tsaya a kan ɓacewa kawai ba. Maimakon haka: "Sun ƙulla makirci mai girma." (Aya ta 22)

It is a heart-felt complaint. After all Noah’s endeavours, guidance and sound advice and the promise of an easy, plentiful life, they chose to disobey and follow the lead of those who had gone far astray, only because the latter enjoyed wealth, children and power. Yet such leaders benefit nothing by all these blessings. Indeed, their “ wealth and children lead them increasingly into ruin.” (Verse 21) What they possessed of wealth and children tempted them to go further astray, a scenario that could only end in misery and ruin. Yet these leaders did not stop at just going astray. Instead: “ They have devised a mighty plot.” (Verse 22)

Sai Nuhu ya yi wata addu'a mai zafi a kan azzalumai, waɗanda suke ɓata mutane ta hanyar makirce-makirce da dabaru da suka ƙirƙiro da kansu: "Ya Ubangijina, ka ƙara wa azzalumai kome ba sai ɓata." (Aya ta 24) Wannan addu'ar wanda ya yi ƙoƙari na dogon lokaci, yana bin kowace hanya da kowace dabara. Sai dai a ƙarshe, ya kai ga ƙarshe cewa zukatan waɗannan da suke ɓata da zalunci ba su da wani alheri ko kaɗan, ba su cancanci shiryarwar Allah ba.

A passionate prayer is then voiced by Noah against the oppressors, the wrongdoers who lead people astray through plots and schemes of their own devising: “Lord, grant the wrongdoers increase in nothing but error.” (Verse 24) It is the prayer of one who has tried for a long time, making every effort and using every method. Eventually, however, he came to the conclusion that those erring, wrongdoing hearts were altogether devoid of goodness, undeserving of divine guidance.

Kafin a kammala addu'ar Nuhu, surar tana ba mu hoto na ƙarshen da waɗanda suka yi zalunci suka sha a wannan duniya da kuma a lahira.

Before completing Noahs prayer, the surah gives us an image of the end suffered by those wrongdoers in this life and in the life to come.

Duk biyun yanayin suna cikin sanin Allah. Abubuwa ne da ba sa karbar canji.

Both situations are present in Gods knowledge. They are events that admit no change:

Saboda zunubansu, an nutsar da su, kuma aka sa su shiga wuta. Ba su sami wani mai taimakon su ba face Allah, - (Aya ta 25) Note: per the rules, the word for God should not be "Allah". Corrected version: Saboda zunubansu, an nutsar da su, kuma aka sa su shiga wuta. Ba su sami wani mai taimakon su ba sai Ubangiji, (Aya ta 25)

Because of their sins, they were drowned, and were made to enter the fire. They found none besides God to support them, (Verse 25)

Saboda zunubansu da kuma rashin biyayyarsu ne aka sa su nutse, kuma aka sa su shiga wuta. An haɗa abubuwan biyu da gangan a jere, domin shigarsu wuta tana da alaƙa da nutsewarsu. Tazarar lokaci tsakanin abubuwan biyu gajeru ce har ta kusan ba ta wanzu; a ma'aunin Allah ba ta da yawa ko kaɗan. Akwai wannan jeri: an nutsar da su a wannan rayuwa, kuma ana sa su shiga wuta a rayuwa ta gaba. Abin da ke tsakanin su watakila shi ne azabar kabari a cikin ɗan gajeren tazarar da ke tsakanin rayuwar nan da ta gaba. "Ba su sami wani mai taimaka musu ba face Allah." (Aya ta 25) Babu kowa ko kaɗan! Babu 'ya'ya, babu dukiya, babu iko, kuma babu wani mai kare su daga cikin abubuwan bautarsu da ake zargin suna da su.

It is because of their sins and disobedience that they were made to drown and enter the fire. The two events are intentionally joined in succession, because their entry into the fire is connected to their drowning. The time gap between the two is so short that it is almost non-existent; according to Gods measures it is negligible.The sequence is there: they were drowned in this life and they are made to enter the fire in the life to come. What is in between is perhaps the torment in the grave during the short gap between the two lives. “ They found none besides God to support them.” (Verse 25) None whatsoever! No children, no wealth, no power and no patron from among their alleged deities.