The Prophet Nuh (AS)

(Taken from Stories of the Prophets by Muhammad Sadeq Rahmati)
Ansariyan Publications
P.O.B. 37185/187 QUM
Islamic Republic of Iran
(will use the Anglisized spelling of Noah for this page)

Noah was a great messenger of Allah. He labored hard to propogate theism even though he was persecuted by many inidividuals. Although he lived an extended life and did much to promulgate his religion, few people accepted his faith and believed in him, because most people followed and practised idolatry. Blessings in abundance were anticipated from these images which were nothing but man's handicrafts. Nevertheless, they sought protection and refuge in their idols whenever faced with hardship and adversity, begging them for release and deliverance as well as pardon. Daily activities and other life events were attributed to the idols' will, and various names and titles were bestowed upon them. In such chaos, Noah was granted a prophet's mission by Allah (swt), the Almighty, to go among the people and show them the true path. He was in actuality a wise man as well as a fair-spoken person with unlimited tolerance in the face of difficulties. He was also endowed with divine power that enabled him, through logical conviction, to be victorious in debates and disputes.

Noah (as) called his people to Allah (swt), but the ignorant did not accept the sacred invitation. He then warned them of Allah's wrath, but they were stubborn in rejecting the summons. He also tried to make them hopeful of Allah's rich reward, but they utterly refused his words, plugging their ears with their fingers, and pretending that they did not hear. Despite these disobediences, Noah tolerated all persecution with patience and tirelessly continued preaching his sermons. Using the day and the night, he atempted to put every policy he knew into action to draw the people's attention towards the wonders and mysteries of the universe. Addressing his speech to them, he said:

" Lo! Look at this dark night, at that high sky, this bright moon, the shining sun, the vast earth, the running rivers, the boundless seas, and the multicolored plants, and see for yourselves how all these phenomena speak eloquently of the One God and His amazing Omnipotence."

This was the way of reasoning in which Noah (as) called the people to worship of the Single God. Gradually, a few individuals accepted his creed and accepted his prophethood. However, being vile and vicious, the chiefs of his tribe did not submit to his summons. Consequently, they began hurting Noah and ridiculing him as if he were mad. They possessed large amounts of riches, held high ranks and positions among their people and therefore believed themselves to be superior to others. Thus they used to tell Noah:

"You are a human being just as we are human beings - similar and equal to us. If it were Allah's will to dispatch a prophet, he would have sent an angel which is not of our species and essence. We would than have listened to its words and accepted its calling. Besides," they continued, "only a few common people, holding lowly jobs, have been converted as your followers. They are all ignorant and unenlightened about what they do in accepting your creed. Had your faith reported good tidings of benevolence and prosperity, we would not have been preceded by these rogues and rascals. You should have known that intelligent persons like us would believe in you first andbecome your disciples."

Having augmented their obstinancy and hostility, those wicked people then said:
"O! Noah, we do not grant you and your followers and privilege or preference. Not only you do possess a low level of intellect and foresight in comparison to us, but you are actually a host of liars and offenders."

Their follish words as well as their meaningless speeches had no impact upon Noah (as). He continued as patiently as before by answering:
"I have definite proof of the truth of my claim, and I have been endowed with Allah's blessing. But since you are inwardly blind, you cannot have the deep insight of the truth. You intended to eclipse the shining sun with your bare hands and veil the moonlight and twinkling stars. How can I lead you to the true path and persuade you to believe in Allah (swt), when I find you bound by your own ignorance and obstinancy."

In idiocy, they replied:
"O! Noah, if you expect us to be guided and believe in your prophethood and become your companions, you should have these rogues and rascals who pretend to be your followers cast out. You must know that we are superior to them; therefore, we cannot cooperate with them. How can we be expected to accept a faith which favors the superior along with the inferior equally, not making a distinction between monarchs and beggars?"

Noah (as) said:
"My summons is the divine grace of Allah (swt), embracing all, and people of all classes or ranks are equal in this faith. Accepting your request in relation to the dismissal of men around me would result in the problem of whom I should trust with the confirmation of my mission and prophethood. Furthermore, how could I dismiss the faithful souls who have cordially assembled to assist me while you despised me? Whatever I declared, they accepted while you did not listen to any of my words and harrassed me instead. These believers have always defended Allah's faith, taking the role of guides to His path. If I were to abolish them, what would be my answer to Allah upon hearing their complaints about my bad deeds in return for their good ones?" Noah concluded his speech with: "O! people, you are all ignorant as well as stubborn!"

Due to the intensity of the opposition and enmity against Noah (as) and his people, they became hopeless and said:
"O! Noah, you have disputed against us and surpassed the bounds of quarreling. Now if you are telling the truth, let the promised curse descend upon us - that catastrophe which we have been threatened with."

Smiling bitterly, Noah (as) replied:
"You indulge yourselves in ignorance and continue the wrong way. Who am I to send a curse upon you or rescue you from punishment. I am but a human being as you are. I am sometimes inspired through divine revelation that there is only one God and that there is nothing or anything similar to Him. I communicate what I am inspired to you. Sometimes I give you glad tidings so that you will be blessed with Allah's good reward, and sometimes I warn you of Allah's wrath. O People! You must know that all will finally return to Him. As he wishes, you will be directed; otherwise, you will be stricken by his wrath inevitably. Finding it expedient, He gives you time to sin more and havemore torment and adversity."

Prophets are appointed by Allah (swt) with the mission of guiding people towards monotheism. Their tolerance is a gift of Allah which equips them in the face of hardship and enables them to carry out the mission to which they are assigned. They are also divinely endowed with optimism and hope that they can acquaint people with reality. There remains no room for polytheists who seek excuses because they have been given the last words.

Noah (as) was a great prophet who lived a very long life, spending most of his time among those who had gone astray. He underwent persecution in hope that he might guide the people towards Allah (swt). He tried to make them believe in Him and accept His faith. But as time went on, they became more and more obstinate, drawing further from the truth day by day. Finally, Noah became desperate, giving up hope for his people's salvation. Thus, he sought refuge in Allah's threshold, reporting their stubbornness to him, complaining of their hostility. He begged for Allah's guidance, which informed him that he would not gain more disciples than the few who already believed in his message.
"Do not ever worry or be disappointed about what these ignorant people do", Allah (swt) added.

Being aware of the fact that those malicious people would remain misled and stubborn against all logical proofs and reasons, Noah got tired and lost his temper. He then said:
"O my Lord! Please leave not a soul of these heathens alive upon this earth. If thou showest them mercy, they will mislead thine other servants, and they will breed evil, pagan, offspring."

Allah (swt) accepted Noah's (as) request and later commanded him to build and ark but not say anything more about the oppressors to Him. They were destined to be drowned in the midst of the roaring waves risen by a tempest sea because of their disobedience and ingratitude to Allah. In a place quite far from town, Noah gathered the necessary implements for making a ship. While busy manufacturing the vessel, he did not escape the ridicule of the people.

One said:
" O Noah! You were a prophet yesterday, while you are a carpenter today? Perhaps you got sick and tired of the prophethood and for that reason you have chosen carpentry as a profession."

Others said:
"Why don't you build your ship in the river bank or the sea coast? Maybe you intend to have it driven by oxen to the sea so that you may sail it or fly it in the sky!"

Each of them made macking statements, injuring Noah's heart, but Noah paid no attention to what they said. Sometimes he told them:
"If you make fun of us today, there will come a day when we do the same to you, and you will soon find out who will be stricken by everlasting adversity."

Noah (as) was consistent in his work, joining large and small pieces of the ship together. He then made the ship fast and it was completed.

Waiting for Allah's (swt) order, Noah (as) was inspired to prepare to load the vessel with his believers and pairs of male and female animals of various species as soon as he saw signs of Allah's wrath. He was awaiting the next command, when suddenly it started to rain. In addition to the downpour, water sprang from the earth covering the entire area, and all the high places and hills were soon hidden under the flowing floods. Rushing towards the ark, Noah took with him the men, animals and plants which Allah had commanded to be embarked. As soon as all were installed on board, the vessel began its voyage with Allah's will. A strong wind blew, the raging waves rolled on and on looking like moving hills. Floods and tempests were severe. The roaring waves swallowed the polytheists who struggled for their lives. They were overwhelmed by death, being drawn into the very depths of the cold waters where their books of life ended.

Sitting somewhere on deck, Noah (as) suddenly saw his son, Kanan, terribly entangled by the waves of the stormy ocean, struggling to rescue himself from that horrible fate. Being overcome by paternal affection, Noah shouted:
"O my son! Believe in the Great Allah (swt). Abandon blasphemy and ignorance until Allah shows His mercy upon your sins and saves you from death. Embark with us. Forget your pagan ways."

The words uttered by the kind father had no influence upon the stony-hearted son who thought that he could save himself from Allah's wrath by human strength. Then, answering his father, he said:
"I do not need your ship. I will not embark upon your vessel. I will take shelter somewhere in the mountains and be safe from drowning."

Overcome by grief, Noah (as) said:
"O son! There is no way now but submission to Allah's (swt) commandments for one to receive His blessings."

A high wave rose at that moment, separating the father from the son. Noah (as) was sad and took refuge in Allah (swt), saying:
"O Allah! My son is my kin, and thy pledge was to save and pardon my family and me who beleived in thee. Thy promise is just and true whilst thou art the most impartial judge."

Noah (as) was inspired by Allah's (swt) revelation to adopt only the believers as his relatives, those who had previously accepted his prophethood as well as his summoning.
"i have promised to deliver the believers and protect their lives, " continued the revelation of Allah (swt). "He who does not admit openly that you are a prophet, and reckons the words of your Lord to be false, isn't a relative of yours, thought he might be your son. This son of yours would perish in the ocean of death, tormented by Allah's wrath on account of his persistence in blasphemy and ingratitude. O Noah! Beware of requesting what you do not know about and telling me of affairs whose reality is unknown to you. I advise you not to be of ignorant people."

Noah (as) felt he was approaching danger for the sake of the love of his son. His paternal instinct and affection had concealed the truth from him while he should have thanked Allah (swt) for the rescue of himself and his companions along with the perdition of the polytheists. He took refuge in Allah. A huge wave swallowed Kanan, drowning him in the very depth of the cold waters.

As soon as the lives of the oppressors had been extinguished by Allah's (swt) wrath, the rain stopped and the floods were gradually absorbed into the earth. Finally, Noah's (as) Ark anchored on Mount Judi (Ararat). He was ordered to land, attended by his companions in order to start a happy new life under the auspices of Allah's blessing.