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B i s m i l l a a h i r R a h m a a n i r R a h e e m
Teachings of the Qur'aan
Nooh
Soorah 71:1-19
Ayub A. Hamid
Name and Background
Nooh (Noah) is the name as well as the topic of this Soorah.
As mentioned in the previous Soorah, Al-Ma'aarij, the Makkans
were demanding that the Prophet sall Allaahu 'alayhi wa sallam bring about the
punishment that the Qur-aan was threatening them with. In return, they were
told that those who reject the Messenger of Allaah are definitely doomed, and
although the time it takes may seem long, from Allaah's perspective, it is not.
Also, the Prophet sall Allaahu 'alayhi wa sallam was advised to practise goodly
patience in response to their cheap shots.
This Soorah briefly narrates the story of Nooh 'alayhissalaam
overviewing his mission and its results. Nooh 'alayhissalaam was given the same
responsibility as the Prophet and all other messengers. He continued his
mission for 950 years, after which time, his opponents were completely
destroyed. His story is being told to Makkans to indicate that if they continue
their opposition to the Prophet sall Allaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, they will be
similarly destroyed. To the Prophet, the story indicates that he will have to
be patient and steadfast, persevering in his mission for a long time because
Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta'aala does not destroy any people until every
opportunity to guide them has been exhausted and only those opponents are
destroyed who have absolutely zero chance of accepting Islam.
Teachings and Commentary
In the name of Allaah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
The story starts with the introduction of Nooh's
'alayhissalaam mission which was exactly the same as the Prophet's sall Allaahu
'alayhi wa sallam.
1 We sent Nooh to his People with instructions: "Warn your
people before a painful punishment comes to them." 2 Nooh invited his people
for a long time, "O my People! I am indeed a warner to clearly warn you 3 to
serve Allaah with slave-like submission, save yourselves from His displeasure
and obey me. 4 He will forgive you all your previous sins[1] and let you live
for the predetermined term. Verily, when the time allowed by Allaah ends, it is
never extended, if you only realized it."
The essence of the Islamic message has been concisely
presented in three points:
1. Voluntary, willing and complete slave-like
submission to Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta'aala, obeying Him in every aspect of
life, throughout one's life, and worshipping Him alone without assigning any
partners to Him or equating anything with Him;
2. Adopting the attitude of Taqwa or living by Taqwa
paradigm, which means making one's decisions and setting one's priorities such
that they will result in avoiding Allaah's displeasure, maximizing Allaah's
pleasure and minimizing indulgence in worldly pursuits; and
3. Obeying the messenger of Allaah, accepting him as
the only leader, guide and role model; abandoning any other leaders, guides or
role models.
They were given the good news that if they accepted Nooh's
'alayhissalaam call to Islam:
§ Whatever sins and wrongs they have committed in the
past will be wiped out by the blessings of their accepting Islam. As is
explained later on in the statement given by Nooh, once people are forgiven, in
addition to the success in the Hereafter, it brings them well-being and
prosperity in this world as well.
§ They will be allowed to live for their natural life
span in this world.
They were also warned that those who reject his call would be
destroyed. It would happen when Allaah in His ultimate knowledge and wisdom
knew that enough preaching had been done and any further preaching was not
going to benefit anyone. Once that time arrived, there would be no more respite
or extension at all.
Nooh spent his whole life on this mission. The glimpses of
his struggle have been given at other place in the Qur-aan. As they were not
relevant to the message to be delivered at this time, those details have been
omitted from this overview.
So, towards the end of his life, Nooh made a plea to Allaah
Subhaanahu wa Ta'aala which is described in the following paragraphs.
5 He said, "My Lord! Verily, I have invited my people night
and day 6 but my call has only made them flee farther away. 7 Whenever I have
invited them, that You may forgive them, they have stuck their fingers into
their ears, wrapped up their clothing, persisted in their stance, and displayed
outright arrogance.
These verses concisely sum up their reaction. Nooh AS worked
selflessly, with no other motive than helping his people attain salvation - so
that Allaah would forgive them due to their acceptance of Islam - but the
harder he tried, the more alienated they became. The point to note is their
utter arrogance: sticking their fingers into their ears to refuse to listen to
him, wrapping up their outer garments and walking away; their insolent
insistence on their views without attending to his point of view; these were
all condescending demeanours displaying their arrogance. Their arrogance was
both individual and as well as societal. Individually, their chiefs, leaders,
priests, mullahs, and scholars were stymied by their egos as well as their own
personal interest or career goals from accepting Nooh's message and thus
accepting his leadership in this matter. As a society, they already had made up
their minds about the superiority of their enlightened views and supremacy of
their superb lifestyle and culture. Anything other than their "rich heritage"
was going to be unacceptable, odd and inferior; hence, they did not need to
listen to Nooh's point of view. In either case, he was considered a threat both
to the leadership and the lifestyle of the society.
These were the same reasons that were keeping the Makkans
from accepting Islam. And in fact, the attitude of the people of Nooh resembled
quite a bit the attitude of many Western bigots toward Islam nowadays. They
have formed some notions on the basis of hearsay and propaganda, while refusing
to find the facts. Furthermore, within the Muslim community itself,
unfortunately, it is also the same egoistic attitude and the same reasons that
are keeping currently the so-called Muslims from cooperating with reformers in
their midst who work towards improving the lot of the Ummah.
It is not that Nooh just kept calling them to Islam without
explaining the logical and rational basis for it or without telling them how it
would benefit them in this world and in the Hereafter. He presented the truth
from all perspectives using all the tacts and techniques that he could muster.
8 Then, I have addressed them loudly. 9 I have also made
public announcements and even appealed to them secretly in private. 10 I have
told them: 'Seek forgiveness of your Lord, surely He is the most Forgiving; 11
He will cause the sky to shower abundant rain over you; 12 give you increase in
your wealth and children; and provide for you gardens and provide for you
rivers. 13 What is the matter with you that you do not attribute due dignity to
Allaah, 14 while He has created you in stages? 15 Do you not consider, how:
§ Allaah has created the seven heavens one above
another, 16 and made the moon therein a light, and made the sun a lamp;
§ 17 Allaah has caused you to grow progressively from
the earth, 18 then he returns you to it, and then He will bring you forth
easily once more; and
§ 19 Allaah has made the earth a wide expanse for you
20 that you go about wide paths therein?'"
Nooh informed them that if they repented from their disbelief
and accepted Islam, thus earning Allaah's forgiveness, they would experience
and witness three benefits right here in this world:
§ Allaah will send slow and steady rain showers;
§ He will increase their wealth and children;
§ He will endow them with rivers and gardens.
In other words, they would enjoy prosperity and peace on
earth. The fact is that when people live their lives according to the Islamic
system of peace, justice and excellence, and therefore Allaah is pleased with
them, the whole society enjoys Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta'aala's mercy, peace and
prosperity, in addition to the bounties and pleasures in the Hereafter.[2]
However, the disbelievers did not care. Neither they were
concerned about the anger and punishment of the Lord and Master of the
universe, nor did they entertain any good expectations from His mercy. Instead,
they yearned for the approval and pleasure of the human beings who they felt
were important for their well being and of the idols that they thought brought
them rain and prosperity. They were afraid of displeasing those persons and
idols and accorded them dues, respect, dignity and status. Yet, they had no
respect for, love or fear of, confidence in or expectations from the Creator,
Owner and Lord of the whole universe. Amazed with their nonchalant attitude
towards Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta'aala, he would wonder aloud about their totally
irrational behaviour. He would give examples of the marvellous facilities that
Allaah had provided to facilitate good human life and invite them to reflect
upon them.
The words that the Qur-aan has used to describe the points
Nooh put forth for their reflection are also relevant for reflection by
non-Muslims of the 21st century. More than 1400 years ago, when the Qur-aan was
revealed, no one had a clue that the moon just reflects the sun's light and is
not a source of light in itself. However, the Qur-aan being the word of Allaah,
the Creator of the sun and moon, it uses precise words that take into account
the difference in the nature of the two heavenly bodies - the sun is described
as a lamp (a source of light), while the moon is described as a passive
(reflective) light.
It should be noted that human bodies are composed of elements
that all are extracted from the earth. They become a part of our bodies through
the consumption of the food that either comes directly from the earth in the
form of produce grown from it or from the animals at the bottom of whose food
chain is some sort of growth from the earth. Then, when people die, their
bodies become part of the earth again. In verses 17-18, this fact has been used
to make people understand the reality of resurrection after death, saying,
"Allaah has caused you to grow progressively from the earth, then he returns
you to it, and then He will bring you forth easily once more."
__________________________
[1] The exact words of the phrase in the verse are "yaghfir
lakum min dzunoobikum" which may literally be translated as "He will forgive
some of your sins." But that is not the correct meaning because the words of
the verse represent the phrase "yaghfir lakum ma taqddama min dzunoobikum",
meaning "He will forgive the sins that you have committed in the past." In
other words, when you accept Islam, all your previous sins are forgiven, but
you still have to watch what you do because you will be held fully accountable
for any sins you commit afterwards. Accordingly, because the rule was well
publicized and known and was apparent from the context, the shortened
construction in the verse is in keeping with the superb brevity of the Qur-aan.
[2] Taking clue from these verses, at the incidence of a
drought, 'Umar radhiallaahu 'anhu took people out to pray for the rain, but
only pleaded for Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta'aala's forgiveness, without
specifically asking for rain itself. When people wondered about this, he
recited to them these verses saying that he had sought Allaah's forgiveness -
the key to Allaah's mercy which brings rain and prosperity.
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Copyright © 2009 Ayub A. Hamid
All rights reserved
This document may be used, only with this copyright notice
included. Permission is granted to circulate among private individuals and
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subject to the following conditions: (1) Material used must be produced
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title must remain unchanged, in whole or in part; (3) Material must be
attributed to the author Ustaadz Ayub A. Hamid. Contact the author for all
other rights, which are reserved.
Note: This series is providing the teachings of the Qur'aan,
not a literal translation. Instead of literal translation, it gives
interpretive meanings of the verses, along with their contextual details.
Please remember that any translation of the Holy Qur'aan is in fact only an
expression of the translator's understanding of the Word of Allaah Subhaanahu
wa Ta'aala, and hence cannot be equated with the Qur'aan itself. Only the
original Arabic text can be called the Holy Qur'aan.
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Ustaadz Ayub A. Hamid is a visionary and strategic Islamic
thinker residing in Canada for the last 34 years. His recently published books
are:
1. Islam - Does It Make Sense?
2. Unveiling the Commands-The Truth about Hijaab, Khimaar
and Jilbaab.
3. Finding A Soulmate - A Guide for Parents and Youth.
4. A Book Unlike Any Other.
5. Islam - Adopting Its Paradigms.
6. Exploring the Islamic Beliefs.
http://soundvisioncanada.com/shop/pbrowse.asp?Pg=3&Cat=10004
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The following soowar 'Teachings of the Qur'aan' series by
Ustaadz Ayub A. Hamid, are available on request:-
Al Faatihah
Al Baqarah
Aali 'Imraan
A Nisaa'
Al Maaidah
Al An'aam
Al A'raaf
Al Anfaal
At Teen
Al`Alaq
Al Qadr
Al Bayyinah
Al Zilzaal
Al Aadiyatt
Al Qaari`ah
At Takaathur
Al`Asr
Al Humazah
Al Feel
Al Quraish
Al Maa`oon
Al-Kowthar
Al Kaafiroon
Al Nasr
Al Lahab
Al Ikhlaas
Al Falaq
An Naas
Al Mulk
Al Qalam
Al Haaqqah
Al Ma`aarij 1-14/15-35/36-44
K a r i m a
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