The Story of Noah (part 1 of 3)
Mankind had been one community believing in the Oneness of God, but
confusion and deviation had crept in. Noah was a calm, patient man
who called his people to return to the worship of the One True God.
He was an exceptional speaker, enjoining those around him to leave
the worship of idols, and to hear his warning of a terrible
punishment for those who venerated idols and statues.
{And indeed We sent Noah to his people
and he said O my people! Worship God! You have no other god but
Him.} [Quran 23:23]
{وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا نُوحًا إِلَىٰ
قَوْمِهِ فَقَالَ يَا قَوْمِ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنْ
إِلَٰهٍ غَيْرُهُ} [المؤمنون:٢٣]
Transliteration: Wa Laqad 'Arsalnā Nūĥāan
'Ilá Qawmihi Faqāla Yā Qawmi A`budū Allāha Mā Lakum Min
'Ilahin Ghayruhu
Noah narrated stories about the mysteries of life and the wonders
of the universe. He described how the day, which gives sunlight and
activity, followed the night that gives coolness and rest. He spoke
of God, the Divine Creator Who owned heaven and earth, and he
pointed out the wideness and beauty of the earth. Noah explained
that the creation of the world was for the well being of mankind;
but that man also had an obligation to understand this and direct
his worship to God, not false deities. When Noah began to speak of
the punishment that awaited idolaters, his people became resentful
and angry.[1]
How Idolatry Began
Prophet Muhammad informed us that there were ten generations
between Prophets Adam and Noah.[2] We know that this was a very
large period of time, as Noah himself lived over a century, and
people before lived even longer.
In those years, between Adam and Noah there were generations of
people that remembered the laws taught by Adam and worshipped God
correctly. The years passed and the people forgot; at times, the
righteous men amongst them reminded the people of their obligations
to God. As time continued to move on, the righteous men began to
die, and Satan came whispering to the people who had looked up to
them, putting thoughts into their minds in his sly, cunning
way.
Satan inspired the good people to make statues of the righteous
men. In this way, Satan said, they would remember the righteous
people and thus remember to worship God. The good people built
statues in their meeting places and their homes, and Satan left
them alone until everyone had forgotten the reason the statues
existed. Many years later, the devious Satan appeared amongst the
people again, this time suggesting that they worship the idols
directly.
An authentic narration of Prophet Muhammad sums up the beginning of
idolatry in the following way. Ibn Abbass, a close companion of the
Prophet Muhammad said:
«The names (of the idols) formerly
belonged to some pious men of the people of Noah, and when they
died Satan inspired their people to prepare and place idols at the
places where they used to sit, and to call those idols by their
names. The people did so, but the idols were not worshipped till
those people (who initiated them) had died and the origin of the
idols had become obscure, whereupon people began worshipping
them.» [Saheeh Al-Bukhari]
Noah's Call
The word Prophet (Nabi in Arabic) is derived from the word Naba,
meaning news. Revelation is given by God and, in turn, the Prophet
spreads the news amongst his people. A Messenger, on the other
hand, is sent with a specific mission, usually to convey a new
ordainment from God. Every Messenger is a Prophet, but every
Prophet is not a Messenger.[3] Since this was mankind's first
deviation from the correct worship of God as taught by Prophet
Adam, God, in his infinite Kindness and Mercy, fulfilled His
promise to Adam to send messengers as guidance for mankind. God
sent Noah, the first of His Messengers.[4] Abu Hurairah narrated
that the Prophet Muhammad said:
«On the day of Judgement, the people
will come to Noah and say 'Oh Noah, you are the first of the
Messengers sent to earth, and God called you a thankful
slave.'» [Saheeh Al-Bukhari]
Worshipping anything other than God has grave consequences, the
least of which is a lack of freedom; for Satan enslaves man,
destroys his mind and renders him unable to distinguish between
right and wrong. When Noah warned his people of the torment that
awaited them if they did not give up their idolatry, his warning
fell mostly on deaf ears. Noah explained Satan's deceit, but his
people turned away and refused to listen. Noah warned them day and
night; he announced his message in public and he spoke quietly to
people privately; yet all, but a few, denied his words. Noah cried
out to God.
{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! Every time 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.} [Quran 71:5-7]
{قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّي دَعَوْتُ قَوْمِي
لَيْلًا وَنَهَارًا ﴿٥﴾ فَلَمْ يَزِدْهُمْ
دُعَائِي إِلَّا فِرَارًا ﴿٦﴾ وَإِنِّي
كُلَّمَا دَعَوْتُهُمْ لِتَغْفِرَ لَهُمْ جَعَلُوا أَصَابِعَهُمْ فِي
آذَانِهِمْ وَاسْتَغْشَوْا ثِيَابَهُمْ وَأَصَرُّوا وَاسْتَكْبَرُوا
اسْتِكْبَارًا} [نوح:5-٧]
Transliteration: Qāla Rabbi 'Innī Da`awtu Qawmī
Laylāan Wa Nahārāan(5) Falam Yazid/hum Du`ā'ī 'Illā Firārāan(6) Wa
'Innī Kullamā Da`awtuhum Litaghfira Lahum Ja`alū 'Aşābi`ahum Fī
'Ādhānihim Wa Astaghshaw Thiyābahum Wa 'Aşarrū Wa Astakbarū
Astikbārāan
Those who responded to Noah's call were the weakest and poorest of
his people; the leaders and those with power responded arrogantly
and rejected the call. They said:
{Verily we see you in plain
error} [Quran 7:60]
{قَالَ الْمَلَأُ مِن قَوْمِهِ إِنَّا
لَنَرَاكَ فِي ضَلَالٍ مُّبِينٍ} [الأعراف:٦٠]
Transliteration: Qāla Al-Mala'u Min Qawmihi 'Innā
Lanarāka Fī Đalālin Mubīnin
Noah continued to appeal to his people, day after day and year
after year. For 950 years he endured their taunts and
mockery.
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Footnotes:
[1] Based on the work of Al Imam ibn Katheer, The Stories of the
Prophets.
[2] Saheeh MuhammadAl-Bukhari.
[3] Al Ashqar, U. (2003). The Messengers and the Messages. Islamic
Creed Series. International Islamic Publishing House: Riyadh.
[4] Al Ashqar, U. (2003). Belief in Allah. Islamic Creed Series.
International Islamic Publishing House: Riyadh.
By Aisha Stacey
IslamReligion.com
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