At first, his nation used to be believers, who worshipped Allah Alone and believed in the resurrection and the Last Day, and they were doers of good deeds. This nation died and people grieved over them for they were pious and of high morals. As a result, they created some statues to resemble these dead pious men who had passed away, and they called them: Wad, Sewaa’, Yaghuth, Ya’oq and Nassr. People found solace in these statues, and they made them a symbol of this group of righteous men who had passed away. People in the city venerated these images, as they wanted to show great esteem to them. Time passed, parents died and sons grew older. They started increasing the amount of esteem and veneration they had towards these statues by bowing down to them. These statues occupied a large part of the hearts of the people. Consequently, the second generation began worshipping these images, and they described them as gods to which they must prostrate and be submissive. They worshipped the statues as deities and many of them went far, far astray. Thus, Allah sent Noah (pbuh) to them to show them the straight path, forbid them from worshiping idols, and guide them back to the worship of Allah. Noah came before his people and said: {and he said: “O my people! Worship Allâh! You have no other Ilâh (God) but Him (Islâmic Monotheism).}(Al-Mu’minûn:23)
However, they denied him and did not accept what he had to say. Therefore, he cautioned and warned them of the punishment of Allah Almighty. He said: {Verily, I fear for you the torment of a Great Day.}(Ash-Shu’arâ’:135)
They replied: {The leaders of his people said: “Verily, we see you in plain error.}(Al-A’râf:60)
Noah responded to them: {61. [Nûh (Noah)] said: “O my people! There is no error in me, but I am a Messenger from the Lord of the ‘Alamîn (mankind, jinns and all that exists)!62. “I convey unto you the Messages of my Lord and give sincere advice to you. And I know from Allâh what you know not.}(Al-A’râf:61-62)
The people were surprised by Noah’s words.
They said: “You are a human being just like us, then how could it be that you are a prophet of Allah?! Those who follow you are but the lowest and most undignified…You do not have any advantage over us, for you are not more than us in coinage, wealth or prestige, and we think that you are lying concerning these allegations.”They said to each other: {24. He is no more than a human being like you, he seeks to make himself superior to you. Had Allâh willed, He surely could have sent down angels; never did we hear such a thing among our fathers of old. 25. “He is only a man in whom is madness”}(Al-Mu’minûn:24-25)
Furthermore, some of them encouraged others to continue worshipping the idols. {“And they have said: ‘You shall not leave your gods, nor shall you leave Wadd, nor Suwâ’, nor Yaghûth, nor Ya’ûq, nor Nasr (names of the idols)’;”}(Nûh:23)
Upon that Noah (pbuh) said to them: {Do you wonder that there has come to you a Reminder from your Lord through a man from amongst you, that he may warn you}(Al-A’râf:63)
Prophet Noah (pbuh) was gentle and kind towards his people, but that made them even more stubborn. He persisted in calling them to guidance and never ceased, until he said: {5. He said: “O my Lord! Verily, I have called my people night and day (i.e. secretly and openly to accept the doctrine of Islâmic Monotheism),”6. “But all my calling added nothing but to (their) flight (from the truth).7. “And 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.”}(Nûh : 5-7)
He called them to guidance in every possible way: {9. “Then verily, I proclaimed to them in public, and I have appealed to them in private,” 10. “I said (to them): ‘Ask forgiveness from your Lord; Verily, He is Oft-Forgiving’ “ {(Nûh : 9-10) {Some of them made up some trivial excuses. They said: They said: “Shall we believe in you, when the meanest (of the people) follow you?”}(Ash-Shu’arâ’:111)
Noah replied to them with a tone full of kindness, and he reminded them: He said: {“And what knowledge have I of what they used to do?”}(Ash-Shu’arâ’:112)
He also told them: {“Their account is only with my Lord, if you could (but) know.”}(Ash-Shu’arâ’:112)
Noah (pbuh) similarly said: {“And I am not going to drive away the believers.”}(Ash-Shu’arâ’:114){“I am not going to drive away those who have believed.{ (Hûd:29)
How can I chase away the group of people who believed in me, and supported and helped me to spread the call of guidance?! Thus, he told them: {“And O my people! Who will help me against Allâh, if I drove them away? Will you not then give a thought?”}(Hûd:29){“I am only a plain warner.”}(Ash-Shu’arâ’:115)
I warn all people the same way, without distinguishing between the honored or the debased, the rich or the poor, the old or the young, the black or the white...! When the misguided continued protesting against Noah because they were unable to reply to the evidence he put forward, they started to threaten him by saying that they would stone him: {They said: “If you cease not, O Nûh (Noah)! You will surely be among those stoned (to death).”}(Ash-Shu’arâ’:116)
When prophet Noah was certain that they would not accept any logical argument, nor be guided, he prayed to Allah to save him from the obstinate people who surrounded him: }He said: “My Lord! Verily, my people have belied me.}(Ash-Shu’arâ’:117){Therefore judge You between me and them, and save me and those of the believers who are with me.”}(Ash-Shu’arâ’:118)
Moreover, while Noah was trying to frighten and warn his people of Allah’s punishment when they insisted on disbelief, some of them replied in mockery:{“now bring upon us what you threaten us with, if you are of the truthful.”} (Hûd:32)
Noah replied to them that it was not for him to decide. He said: }“Only Allâh will bring it (the punishment) on you, if He wills”}(Hûd:33){“And my advice will not profit you, even if I wish to give you good counsel”}(Hûd:34)
Allah revealed to him: {“None of your people will believe except those who have believed already. So be not sad because of what they used to do.”}(Hûd:36)
The argument against them was complete, and there were no more excuses. Noah’s call to his people continued for nearly ten centuries. He completely despaired of them and called to Allah, saying: {26. And Nûh (Noah) said: “My Lord! Leave not one of the disbelievers on the earth!” 27. “If You leave them, they will mislead Your slaves, and they will beget none but wicked disbelievers.”}(Nûh:26-27)
Allah revealed to him to build the ship (the Ark). So We inspired him (saying): {“Construct the ship under Our Eyes and under Our Revelation (guidance).”}(Al-Mu’minûn:27)
Therefore, he began to build {it And as he was constructing the ship, whenever the chiefs of his people passed by him, they made a mockery of him.}(Hûd:38)
Prophet Noah (pbuh) replied to them politely and leniently: {“If you mock at us, so do we mock at you likewise for your mocking.”}(Hûd:38)
Afterwards, he threatened them and frightened them by reminding them of Allah’s punishment: {“And you will know who it is on whom will come a torment that will cover him with disgrace and on whom will fall a lasting torment.”}(Hûd:39)
He worked diligently and intensely until the ship was completed.
He was then ordered by Allah to place on board the ship all those who believed, and a pair of every creature with a soul. (So it was) till then there came Our Command and the oven gushed forth (water like fountains from the earth). We said: {“Embark therein, of each kind two (male and female), and your family, except him against whom the Word has already gone forth, and those who believe. And none believed with him, except a few.”}(Hûd:40)
He carried those who believed in him, and two of every kind. And he [Nûh (Noah)] said: {“Embark therein, in the Name of Allâh will be its moving course and its resting anchorage. Surely, my Lord is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (Tafsir At-Tabarî, Vol. 12, Page 43)}(Hûd:41)
After Prophet Noah, those who believed, and the animals had boarded the ship, and everything was in its correct place, it started pouring heavily, and water sprung from every place on the earth. {11. So We opened the gates of heaven with water pouring forth.12. And We caused the earth to gush forth with springs. So the waters (of the heaven and the earth) met for a matter predestined.13. And We carried him on a (ship) made of planks and nails,14. Floating under Our Eyes, a reward for him who had been rejected!}(Al-Qamar:11-14)
At that moment, Noah (pbuh) noticed his son, who was not a believer, trying to escape from drowning. Noah called to his son: {“O my son! Embark with us and be not with the disbelievers.”} (Hûd:42)
However, his son refused to believe and accept the advice of his father. He replied to Noah: {The son replied: “I will betake myself to a mountain, it will save me from the water.”}(Hûd:43)
Noah looked at him in pity and said: {“This day there is no saviour from the Decree of Allâh except him on whom He has mercy.”}(Hûd:43)
Thereafter, suddenly: And a wave came in between them, so he (the son) was among the drowned. (Hûd:43)
Noah felt pity for his son. He prayed to Almighty Allah to spare him, for Allah had promised him that his family would survive. Prophet Noah (pbuh) said: {“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.”}(Hûd:45)
Allah, Who had promised him that only the righteous members of his family would survive, said to him: “He said: {“O Nûh (Noah)! Surely, he is not of your family; verily, his work is unrighteous”} (Hûd:46)
That is, there is no mediator in religion. He is not from your family, and being your son is to no avail unless he believes in Allah and His Oneness.
Following that, all of the earth was immersed in water, and all of the disbelievers perished. And it was said: {“O earth! Swallow up your water.”}(Hûd:44)
The earth swallowed all the water that had previously sprung from it, and it was revealed to the sky. {“and O sky! Withhold (your rain).”}(Hûd:44)
And stop pouring and raining, and so the rain stopped. {“And it (the ship) rested on Mount Judi”}(Hûd:44)
The ship anchored on a mountain and the following was revealed to Noah: {“O Nûh (Noah)! Come down (from the ship) with peace from Us and blessings on you and on the people who are with you (and on some of their off spring)”}(Hûd:48)
Prophet Noah descended from the ship and so did the believers who were with him. They built a city and planted trees, and released the animals which were with them. They started rebuilding life on earth, and multiplying and reproducing.
