Nouh (نُوح)

Surah Nuh is the 71st Surah in the 29th Juz of the Quran. It was revealed in Makkah before the Hijrah of the Prophet (ﷺ) to Madinah with 28 verses divided into 2 Rukus. Surahs that were revealed during the early time of the Prophethood of Muhammad (ﷺ)mostly carry the message for the believers to stay strong in faith, about the benefits and rewards of believing in Allah and warnings for the opponents of Allah and His Prophet (ﷺ). 

In Makki Surahs, Allah has often stated the stories of previous Prophets and their struggles with the people and spreading the message of Allah. As prominent by the name, Surah Nuh discusses the Prophethood period of Hazrat Nuh (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ), his struggles, his people, and Allah’s help for Nuh (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) to accomplish his mission. In the Surah, Allah tells how the Earth, Sun, and Moon are all signs of His existence, and those who reject the signs and message of Allah violate His commands and will bear its consequences in the Duniya and akhirah. 

٧١ - نُوح

71 - Nouh

اِنَّاۗ اَرْسَلْنَا نُوْحًا اِلٰى قَوْمِہٖۗ اَنْ اَنْذِرْ قَوْمَكَ مِنْ قَبْلِ اَنْ يَّاْتِيَہُمْ عَذَابٌ اَلِيْمٌ۝۱
Inna arsalna noohan ila qawmihi an anthir qawmaka min qabli an yatiyahum AAathabun aleemun

English

Ahmed Ali

SENT NOAH to his people to warn them before the painful punishment came upon them.

1

قَالَ يٰقَوْمِ اِنِّىْ لَكُمْ نَذِيْرٌ مُّبِيْنٌ۝۲ۙ
Qala ya qawmi innee lakum natheerun mubeenun

English

Ahmed Ali

He said: "O my people, I warn you clearly

2

اَنِ اعْبُدُوا اللہَ وَاتَّقُوْہُ وَاَطِيْعُوْنِ۝۳ۙ
Ani oAAbudoo Allaha waittaqoohu waateeAAooni

English

Ahmed Ali

That you should worship God and fear Him, and follow me

3

يَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ مِّنْ ذُنُوْبِكُمْ وَيُؤَخِّرْكُمْ اِلٰۗى اَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى۝۰ۭ اِنَّ اَجَلَ اللہِ اِذَا جَاۗءَ لَا يُؤَخَّرُ۝۰ۘ لَوْ كُنْتُمْ تَعْلَمُوْنَ۝۴
Yaghfir lakum min thunoobikum wayuakhkhirkum ila ajalin musamman inna ajala Allahi itha jaa la yuakhkharu law kuntum taAAlamoona

English

Ahmed Ali

That He may forgive some of your sins and prolong your term till an appointed time. Surely when God's appointed time is come it will not be put off, if only you knew!

4

قَالَ رَبِّ اِنِّىْ دَعَوْتُ قَوْمِيْ لَيْلًا وَّنَہَارًا۝۵ۙ
Qala rabbi innee daAAawtu qawmee laylan wanaharan

English

Ahmed Ali

He said: "O Lord, I called my people night and day,

5

فَلَمْ يَزِدْہُمْ دُعَاۗءِيْۗ اِلَّا فِرَارًا۝۶
Falam yazidhum duAAaee illa firaran

English

Ahmed Ali

But the more I called, they only ran the farther away.

6

وَاِنِّىْ كُلَّمَا دَعَوْتُہُمْ لِتَغْفِرَ لَہُمْ جَعَلُوْۗا اَصَابِعَہُمْ فِيْۗ اٰذَانِہِمْ وَاسْتَغْشَوْا ثِيَابَہُمْ وَاَصَرُّوْا وَاسْتَكْبَرُوا اسْتِكْبَارًا۝۷ۚ
Wainnee kullama daAAawtuhum litaghfira lahum jaAAaloo asabiAAahum fee athanihim waistaghshaw thiyabahum waasarroo waistakbaroo istikbaran

English

Ahmed Ali

And every time I called them that You may forgive them, they thrust their fingers into their ears, and covered themselves with their garments, and became wayward, and behaved with downright insolence.

7

ثُمَّ اِنِّىْ دَعَوْتُہُمْ جِہَارًا۝۸ۙ
Thumma innee daAAawtuhum jiharan

English

Ahmed Ali

Then I called them loudly and more openly,

8

ثُمَّ اِنِّىْۗ اَعْلَنْتُ لَہُمْ وَاَسْرَرْتُ لَہُمْ اِسْرَارًا۝۹ۙ
Thumma innee aAAlantu lahum waasrartu lahum israran

English

Ahmed Ali

And declared to them in public and in private,

9

فَقُلْتُ اسْتَغْفِرُوْا رَبَّكُمْ۝۰ۭ اِنَّہٗ كَانَ غَفَّارًا۝۱۰ۙ
Faqultu istaghfiroo rabbakum innahu kana ghaffaran

English

Ahmed Ali

And I told them: 'Ask your Lord to forgive you. He is verily forgiving.

10

Theme and Subject Matter of Surah Nuh

Surah Nuh starts with how Hazrat Nuh (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) was sent down to his people to warn them against the painful punishment of disobeying Allah and worshipping anyone other than Allah. The Surah talks about the struggles of Nuh (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) spreading the message of Allah. Whenever he (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) tried to approach his people to warn them and guide them, they only ran away and mocked him. 

Allah reveals how Nuh (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) guided his people about the attributes of Allah and how Allah will grant them wealth and forgiveness if they repent to Him. Nuh (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) mentioned the skies, earth, moon, and sun, and everything Allah has created for mankind in perfection. He (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) also mentioned how human is made from the earth as a vegetable grows and will die and be resurrected on the Day of Judgment.

The Surah highlights the patience and consistency of Hazrat Nuh (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) in guiding his people even while facing rejection from them. Even after his extensive efforts, they remained arrogant and faced a severe punishment from Allah as a great flood that left only those believers and Noah alive who were saved in the ark. Even the wife and son of Nuh (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) couldn’t be saved from this severe punishment. Those who repented and followed the path were all saved by Allah. 

By stating the story of Nuh (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) and his people, Allah warns everyone who objects to the message Prophet (ﷺ) was spreading at that time and the excuses they were making to keep worshipping idols. Through this story, Allah also sends down the message to the believers that they are the ones who will be successful, as it is Allah who is helping them be overpowered by the Mushriks. The Surah also conveys the message of repentance and how Allah loves those who repent and seek forgiveness. 

Virtues and Benefits of Surah Nuh

Surah Nuh reflects the benefits of showing patience and faith in Allah during challenging times. The Surah tells us the importance of seeking forgiveness from Allah and how Allah loves and supports those who repent and rely solely on Allah.

We also learn the challenges of Hazrat Nuh (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) while spreading the words of Allah, which are related to the challenges of the Prophet (S.A.W). The Surah provides guidance to those who spread Islam even today, highlighting how important consistency and patience are when spreading the words of Allah.

Surah Nuh’s last verse is an excellent dua made by Noah (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ). Verse 28 states:

“O Lord, forgive me, my parents, and anyone who enters my house as a believer, and all believing men and women, and do not give evil-doers increase save in ruin.” (Quran 71:28)

By learning the story of Prophet Nuh (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ), we also become witness to how Nuh (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) gave da’wah to his people. It is narrated by Abu Sa’id Al-Khudri (R.A):

Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ)said: “Noah will be brought (before Allah) on the Day of Resurrection, and will be asked, ‘Did you convey the message of Allah?” He will reply, ‘Yes, O Lord.’ And then Noah’s nation will be asked, ‘Did he (Noah) convey Allah’s message to you?’ They will reply, ‘No warner came to us.’ Then Noah will be asked, ‘Who are your witnesses?’ He will reply. ‘(My Witnesses are) Muhammad and his followers.’ Thereupon you (Muslims) will be brought and you will bear witness.” Then Prophet (ﷺ)recited: ‘And thus We have made of you (Muslims) a just and the best nation, that you might be a witness over the nation, and the Apostle a witness over you.’ (Sahih Al-Bukhari 7349, Book 96, Hadith 77)