The Story of Noah (part 3 of 3)
The believers entered the ark in the name of God, just as
Muslims today begin everything they do, in the name of God.
{Embark therein; in the Name of God
will be its course and its anchorage. Surely, my Lord is Oft
Forgiving, most Merciful. So it sailed with them amidst waves like
mountains...} [Quran 11:41-42]
{وَقَالَ ارْكَبُوا فِيهَا بِسْمِ
اللَّهِ مَجْرَاهَا وَمُرْسَاهَا ۚ إِنَّ رَبِّي لَغَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
﴿٤١﴾ وَهِيَ تَجْرِي بِهِمْ فِي مَوْجٍ
كَالْجِبَالِ ...} [هود:41-42]
Transliteration: Wa Qāla Arkabū Fīhā Bismi Allāhi
Majrāhā Wa Mursāhā 'Inna Rabbī Laghafūrun Raĥīmun (41) Wa Hiya
Tajrī Bihim Fī Mawjin Kāljibāli...
Noah had built the ark according to God's instructions, from planks
and nails, and it kept the believers safe from the deluge of rain
and from the water gushing out of the earth. Then the earth's
interior moved in unusual ways, and the bottom of the oceans rose
in sudden bursts causing waves to flood the earth. These waves, as
big as mountains, submerged everything; they lifted up the ark,
making it appear as fragile as a matchbox tossed in the ocean. This
construction, made of wood, became a ship of safety and security,
for its passengers had true belief and trust in God.
From his secure place on the ark, Noah could see one of his sons
overwhelmed by the water. Noah cried out to his son, imploring him
to come aboard the ark and to leave the non-believers to their
fate. The son, however, was thinking in terms of this world, and
not with heartfelt trust in God. He replied that he would take
himself to a mountain, never imagining that waves could swallow a
mountain. Noah pleaded with his son saying "nothing can save you on
this day except the mercy of God". The son refused, and he
drowned.
{And Noah called out to his son, who
had separated himself (apart), 'O my son! Embark with us and be not
with the disbelievers.' The son replied, 'I will betake myself to a
mountain; it will save me from the water.' Noah said: 'This day
there is no saviour from the Decree of God except him on whom He
has mercy.' And a wave came in between them so he (the son) was
among the drowned.} [Quran 11:42-43]
{وَنَادَىٰ نُوحٌ ابْنَهُ وَكَانَ فِي
مَعْزِلٍ يَا بُنَيَّ ارْكَب مَّعَنَا وَلَا تَكُن مَّعَ
الْكَافِرِينَ ﴿٤٢﴾ قَالَ سَآوِي إِلَىٰ جَبَلٍ
يَعْصِمُنِي مِنَ الْمَاءِ ۚ قَالَ لَا عَاصِمَ الْيَوْمَ مِنْ أَمْرِ
اللَّهِ إِلَّا مَن رَّحِمَ ۚ وَحَالَ بَيْنَهُمَا الْمَوْجُ فَكَانَ
مِنَ الْمُغْرَقِينَ} [هود:42-٤٣]
Transliteration: Wa Nādá Nūĥun Abnahu Wa
Kāna Fī Ma`zilin Yā Bunayya Arkab Ma`anā Wa Lā Takun Ma`a
Al-Kāfirīna (42)Qāla Sa'āwī 'Ilá Jabalin Ya`şimunī Mina
Al-Mā'i Qāla Lā `Āşima Al-Yawma Min 'Amri Allāhi 'Illā Man Raĥima
Wa Ĥāla Baynahumā Al-Mawju Fakāna Mina Al-Mughraqīna
The Flood Ends
{'O Earth! Swallow up your water, and
O sky! Withhold (your rain).' The water was diminished (made to
subside) and the Decree (of God) was fulfilled (the destruction of
the people of Noah). And it (the ship) rested on Mount Judi, and it
was said: 'Away with the people who are wrongdoing.'} [Quran
11:44]
{وَقِيلَ يَا أَرْضُ ابْلَعِي مَاءَكِ
وَيَا سَمَاءُ أَقْلِعِي وَغِيضَ الْمَاءُ وَقُضِيَ الْأَمْرُ
وَاسْتَوَتْ عَلَى الْجُودِيِّ ۖ وَقِيلَ بُعْدًا لِّلْقَوْمِ
الظَّالِمِينَ} [هود:٤٤]
Transliteration: Wa Qīla Yā 'Arđu Abla`ī Mā'aki Wa
Yā Samā'u 'Aqli`ī Wa Ghīđa Al-Mā'u Wa Quđiya Al-'Amru Wa Astawat
`Alá Al-Jūdīyi Wa Qīla Bu`dāan Lilqawmi
Až-Žālimīna
Unlike Christian and Jewish traditions Islam, does not mention Noah
sending a bird (neither a dove nor raven) to search for dry land.
Rather, at God's command, the rain stopped and the water ceased to
gush from all the cracks in the earth. Calm returned and the sun
began to shine. The flood had cleansed the earth of idolatry and
disbelievers. Not a single person who had disbelieved in God
remained on the earth. The earth swallowed up the water and the ark
rested upon Mt. Judi (what is believed to be in present day
Turkey).
Noah was a Prophet and leader of men, but he was also a father. He
turned to God with sadness and cried,
{O my Lord! Verily my son is of my
family! And certainly your promise is true and you are the Most
Just of the judges.} [Quran 11:45]
{فَقَالَ رَبِّ إِنَّ ابْنِي مِنْ
أَهْلِي وَإِنَّ وَعْدَكَ الْحَقُّ وَأَنتَ أَحْكَمُ
الْحَاكِمِينَ} [هود:٤٥]
Transliteration: Faqāla Rabbi 'Inna Abnī Min 'Ahlī
Wa 'Inna Wa`daka Al-Ĥaqqu Wa 'Anta 'Aĥkamu
Al-Ĥākimīna
Noah remembered that God had promised to save his family. Noah did
not doubt the word or promises of God, but he wanted to understand.
Thus God taught Noah a lesson.
As human beings we use words to mean certain things, but God can
often give them new, more comprehensive meanings. For instance, the
word prayer originally meant making supplication to God, but Islam
came and gave it new meaning - it became the ritual prayer
preformed five times a day. When we use the word family, we think
of blood ties and relationships, and Noah was imploring God that
his son was of his family. God told Noah that his son was
definitely not part of his family because he was
unrighteous. True family are the righteous believers in God.
{He said: 'Oh Noah! Surely, he is not
of your family; verily, his work is unrighteous, so ask not of Me
that of which you have no knowledge! I admonish you, lest you be
one of the ignorants.'} [Quran 11:46]
{قَالَ يَا نُوحُ إِنَّهُ لَيْسَ مِنْ
أَهْلِكَ ۖ إِنَّهُ عَمَلٌ غَيْرُ صَالِحٍ ۖ فَلَا تَسْأَلْنِ مَا
لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ ۖ إِنِّي أَعِظُكَ أَن تَكُونَ مِنَ
الْجَاهِلِينَ} [هود:٤٦]
Transliteration: Qāla Yā Nūĥu 'Innahu Laysa Min
'Ahlika 'Innahu `Amalun Ghayru Şāliĥin Falā Tas'alni Mā Laysa Laka
Bihi `Ilmun 'Innī 'A`ižuka 'An Takūna Mina
Al-Jāhilīna
Noah understood. He said;
{O my Lord! I seek refuge with You
from asking from You that of which I have no knowledge. And unless
You forgive me and have Mercy on me, I would indeed be one of the
losers.} [Quran 11:47]
{قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ أَنْ
أَسْأَلَكَ مَا لَيْسَ لِي بِهِ عِلْمٌ ۖ وَإِلَّا تَغْفِرْ لِي
وَتَرْحَمْنِي أَكُن مِّنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ} [هود:٤٧]
Transliteration: Qāla Rabbi 'Innī 'A`ūdhu Bika 'An
'As'alaka Mā Laysa Lī Bihi `Ilmun Wa 'Illā Taghfir Lī Wa Tarĥamnī
'Akun Mina Al-Khāsirīna
Noah released the animals, the birds and the insects and they
scattered over the earth. Noah and his family (the believers)
disembarked, whereupon Noah touched his head to the ground in
prostration. At this point the Quran and the narrations of Prophet
Muhammad leave the story of Noah. We do not know how his affairs
with his people continued, nor do we know what happened to his
family. All we can ascertain is that on his death bed Noah drew his
sons close to him and called on them to worship One God: The
Creator and Sustianer of the Universe.
Prophet Muhammad said:
«When the death of the Messenger of
God, 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 God 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 God" were put on the other, the latter would
outweigh the former. I warn you against associating partners with
God and against pride.» [Sahih al Bukhari]
Most of Noah's people rejected his message, but the message
survives in the hearts and minds of Muslims to this day. The
comforting words, and the hopes of salvation Noah conveyed to his
sons while on his death bed, remain part of a Muslim's belief and
confirm his attitude towards God. For the Prophet Muhammad, may the
mercy and blessings of God be upon him, also told us that God
undertakes a covenant with the believers: If we do not worship
other gods beside God, then He will not refuse us heaven.
By Aisha Stacey
IslamReligion.com
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