SURAH 71
Nuh (Noah)
INTRODUCTION:
This Surah consists of 28 verses, 224 sentences, 999 letters and 2 Ruku’s.
"Nuh" is the name of this Surah as well as the title of its subject matter, for in it, from beginning to the end, the story of the Prophet Noah has been related.
This also is one of the earliest Surahs to be revealed at Makkah, but the internal evidence of its subject matter shows that it was sent down in the period when opposition to the Holy Prophet's message of Islam by the disbelievers of Makkah had grown very strong and active.
In this surah the story of the Prophet Noah has not been related only for the sake of storytelling, but its object is to warn the disbelievers of Makkah, so as to say: "You, O people of Makkah, are adopting towards Muhammad (upon whom be Allah's peace and blessings) the same attitude as the people of the Prophet Noah had adopted towards him; if you do not change this attitude, you too would meet with the same end." This had not been said in so many words anywhere in the Surah, but in the background of the conditions under which this story was narrated to the people of Makkah, this subject itself became obvious.
Vv. 2-4 briefly explain how he began his mission and what he preached. Then after suffering hardships and troubles in the way of preaching his mission for ages the report that he made to his Lord has been given in vv. 5-20. In it he states how he had been trying to bring his people to the right path and how his people had stubbornly opposed him.
After this, the Prophet Noah's final submission has been recorded in vv. 21-24, in which he prays to his Lord, saying: "These people have rejected my invitation: they are blindly following their chiefs, who have devised a tremendous plot of deceit and cunning. Time now has come when these people should be deprived of every grace to accept guidance." This was not an expression of impatience by Prophet Noah, but when after having preached his message under extremely trying circumstances for centuries be became utterly disappointed with his people, he formed the opinion that no chance whatever was left of their coming to the right path. His this opinion fully conformed to Allah's own decision. Thus, in the next verse (25), it has been said: "The torment of Allah descended on those people because of their misdeeds."
In the concluding verse, the Prophet Noah's supplication that he made to his Lord, right at the time the torment descended, has been recorded. In it he prays for his own and for all the believers' forgiveness, and makes a submission to Allah to the effect: "Do not leave any of the disbelievers alive on the earth, for they have become utterly devoid of every good: they will not beget any but disbelieving and wicked descendents."
While studying this Surah one should keep in view the details of the Prophet Noah's story which have been given in the Quran above. For this see Al-Araf: 59-64 Yunus: 71,73, Hud: 25-49, Al-Mu'minun: 23-31, Ash- Shua'ra: 105-122, Al-Ankabut: 14,15, As-Saaffat: 75-82, Al-Qamar: 9-16.
Maududi
SURAH 71
NUH (NOAH)
Bismi Allahi alrrahmani alrraheemi
Section 1.
71 : 1
1. Inna arsalna noohan ila qawmihi an anthir qawmaka min qabli an ya/tiyahum AAathabun aleemun
We sent Noah to his people saying : 'Warn your people before a portentous doom befalls them!'
71 : 2
2. Qala ya qawmi innee lakum natheerun mubeenun
He said : 'O my people! I am only a plain warner to you -'
71 : 3
3. Ani oAAbudoo Allaha waittaqoohu waateeAAooni
'Admonishing you to serve Allah and to discharge your duty to Him and to obey me -
71 : 4
4. Yaghfir lakum min thunoobikum wayu-akhkhirkum ila ajalin musamman inna ajala Allahi itha jaa la yu-akhkharu law kuntum taAAlamoona
'So that He may remit some of your sins and reprieve you for a certain term! Verily when Allah's term comes to pass, none can avert it, if you but knew!'
71 : 5
5. Qala rabbi innee daAAawtu qawmee laylan wanaharan
He said : 'O Lord! I have exhorted my folk night and day -
71 : 6
6. Falam yazidhum duAAa-ee illa firaran
'But my exhortation has done little save exacerbate their abhorrence;
71 : 7
7. Wa-innee kullama daAAawtuhum litaghfira lahum jaAAaloo asabiAAahum fee athanihim waistaghshaw thiyabahum waasarroo waistakbaroo istikbaran
'And verily whenever I actuate them to respond so that You may forgive them, they block their ears with their fingers and cover themselves with their garments and persist with their obstinacy and grow in conceit!
71 : 8
8. Thumma innee daAAawtuhum jiharan
'And verily I have exhorted them aloud, -
71 : 9
9. Thumma innee aAAlantu lahum waasrartu lahum israran
'And I have exhorted them through public proclamations and I have exhorted them in strict confidence, -
71 : 10
10. Faqultu istaghfiroo rabbakum innahu kana ghaffaran
And I have said : 'Seek forgiveness of your Lord, for verily He is always Relenting!
71 : 11
11. Yursili alssamaa AAalaykum midraran
'He will send down for you a torrential downpour from the sky, -
71 : 12
12. Wayumdidkum bi-amwalin wabaneena wayajAAal lakum jannatin wayajAAal lakum anharan
'And will bless you with prosperity and progeny and will cause gardens to grow for you and will cause rivers to flow for you!
71 : 13
13. Ma lakum la tarjoona lillahi waqaran
'Why then is it that you do not aspire to gain a good status through Allah -
71 : 14
14. Waqad khalaqakum atwaran
'Though He it is Who created you stage by stage!
71 : 15
15. Alam taraw kayfa khalaqa Allahu sabAAa samawatin tibaqan
'See you not how Allah has created seven heavens in such perfect congruity -
71 : 16
16. WajaAAala alqamara feehinna nooran wajaAAala alshshamsa sirajan
'And has placed the moon therein like a lamp and the sun therein like a torch!
71 : 17
17. WaAllahu anbatakum mina al-ardi nabatan
'And Allah has made you a product of the earth -
71 : 18
18. Thumma yuAAeedukum feeha wayukhrijukum ikhrajan
'Into which He will cause you to return and out of which He will cause you to re-emerge as a completely new resurgence!
71 : 19
19. WaAllahu jaAAala lakumu al-arda bisatan
'And Allah has given the earth such vast dimensions for you -
71 : 20
20. Litaslukoo minha subulan fijajan
'So that you explore its infinite pathways!' (R)
Section 2.
71 : 21
21. Qala noohun rabbi innahum AAasawnee waittabaAAoo man lam yazidhu maluhu wawaladuhu illa khasaran
Noah said : 'My Lord! They have disobeyed me and have followed one whose wealth and children have brought them nothing but sheer misery!
71 : 22
22. Wamakaroo makran kubbaran
'And they have contrived a mighty conspiracy -
71 : 23
23. Waqaloo la tatharunna alihatakum wala tatharunna waddan wala suwaAAan wala yaghootha wayaAAooqa wanasran
'And have said : 'Renounce not your Gods nor forsake Wadd nor Suwa nor Yaghut and Ya'uq and Nasr!
71 : 24
24. Waqad adalloo katheeran wala tazidi alththalimeena illa dalalan
'And they have misguided many! So You increase not the misguided in anything but misguidance!
71 : 25
25. Mimma khatee-atihim oghriqoo faodkhiloo naran falam yajidoo lahum min dooni Allahi ansaran
On account of their sinfulness they were drowned and then made to enter the Fire. And they found out that they had no one to aid them against Allah!
71 : 26
26. Waqala noohun rabbi la tathar AAala al-ardi mina alkafireena dayyaran
And Noah said : 'My Lord! Spare not a single disbeliever in the land, -
71 : 27
27. Innaka in tatharhum yudilloo AAibadaka wala yalidoo illa fajiran kaffaran
For, should you spare any, they will corrupt Your slaves and bring forth offspring who are nothing but sinful and ungrateful!
71 : 28
28. Rabbi ighfir lee waliwalidayya waliman dakhala baytiya mu/minan walilmu/mineena waalmu/minati wala tazidi alththalimeena illa tabaran
'My Lord! Forgive me and my parents and him that shares this shelter with me as a believer and all the believing men and believing women and increase not the sinful in anything save misfortune!' (R)
MUHSIN:
1. Verily, We sent Nûh (Noah) to his people (Saying): "Warn your people before there comes to them a painful torment."
2. He said: "O my people! Verily, I am a plain warner to you,
3. "That you should worship Allâh (Alone), be dutiful to Him, and obey me,
4. "He (Allâh) will forgive you of your sins and respite you to an appointed term. Verily, the term of Allâh when it comes, cannot be delayed, if you but knew."
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.
8. "Then verily, I called to them openly (aloud);
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;
11. 'He will send rain to you in abundance;
12. 'And give you increase in wealth and children, and bestow on you gardens and bestow on you rivers.' "
13. What is the matter with you, [that you fear not Allâh (His punishment), and] you hope not for reward (from Allâh or you believe not in His Oneness).
14. While He has created you in (different) stages [i.e. first Nutfah, then 'Alaqah and then Mudghah, see (VV.23:13,14) the Qur'ân].
15. See you not how Allâh has created the seven heavens one above another,
16. And has made the moon a light therein, and made the sun a lamp?
17. And Allâh has brought you forth from the (dust of) earth. [Tafsir At-Tabarî, Vol.29, Page 97].
18. Afterwards He will return you into it (the earth), and bring you forth (again on the Day of Resurrection)?
19. And Allâh has made for you the earth wide spread (an expanse).
20. That you may go about therein in broad roads.
21. Nûh (Noah) said: "My Lord! They have disobeyed me, and followed one whose wealth and children give him no increase but only loss.
22. "And they have plotted a mighty plot.
23. "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);
24. "And indeed they have led many astray. And (O Allâh): 'Grant no increase to the Zâlimûn (polytheists, wrong-doers, and disbelievers, etc.) save error.' "
25. Because of their sins they were drowned, then were made to enter the Fire, and they found none to help them instead of Allâh.
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."
28. "My Lord! Forgive me, and my parents, and him who enters my home as a believer, and all the believing men and women. And to the Zâlimûn (polytheists, wrong-doers, and disbelievers, etc.) grant You no increase but destruction!"
071.001
YUSUFALI: We sent Noah
to his People (with the Command): "Do thou warn thy People before there comes to
them a grievous Penalty."
PICKTHAL: Lo! We sent
Noah unto his people (saying): Warn thy people ere the painful doom come unto
them.
SHAKIR: Surely We sent
Nuh to his people, saying: Warn your people before there come upon them a
painful chastisement.
071.002
YUSUFALI: He said: "O
my People! I am to you a Warner, clear and open:
PICKTHAL: He said: O
my people! Lo! I am a plain warner unto you
SHAKIR: He said: O my
people! Surely I am a plain warner to you:
071.003
YUSUFALI: "That ye
should worship Allah, fear Him and obey me:
PICKTHAL: (Bidding
you): Serve Allah and keep your duty unto Him and obey me,
SHAKIR: That you
should serve Allah and be careful of (your duty to) Him and obey me:
071.004
YUSUFALI: "So He may
forgive you your sins and give you respite for a stated Term: for when the Term
given by Allah is accomplished, it cannot be put forward: if ye only knew."
PICKTHAL: That He may
forgive you somewhat of your sins and respite you to an appointed term. Lo! the
term of Allah, when it cometh, cannot be delayed, if ye but knew.
SHAKIR: He will
forgive you some of your faults and grant you a delay to an appointed term;
surely the term of Allah when it comes is not postponed; did you but know!
071.005
YUSUFALI: He said: "O
my Lord! I have called to my People night and day:
PICKTHAL: He said: My
Lord! Lo! I have called unto my people night and day
SHAKIR: He said: O my
Lord! surely I have called my people by night and by day!
071.006
YUSUFALI: "But my call
only increases (their) flight (from the Right).
PICKTHAL: But all my
calling doth but add to their repugnance;
SHAKIR: But my call
has only made them flee the more:
071.007
YUSUFALI: "And every
time I have called to them, that Thou mightest forgive them, they have (only)
thrust their fingers into their ears, covered themselves up with their garments,
grown obstinate, and given themselves up to arrogance.
PICKTHAL: And lo!
whenever I call unto them that Thou mayst pardon them they thrust their fingers
in their ears and cover themselves with their garments and persist (in their
refusal) and magnify themselves in pride.
SHAKIR: And whenever I
have called them that Thou mayest forgive them, they put their fingers in their
ears, cover themselves with their garments, and persist and are puffed up with
pride:
071.008
YUSUFALI: "So I have
called to them aloud;
PICKTHAL: And lo! I
have called unto them aloud,
SHAKIR: Then surely I
called to them aloud:
071.009
YUSUFALI: "Further I
have spoken to them in public and secretly in private,
PICKTHAL: And lo! I
have made public proclamation unto them, and I have appealed to them in private.
SHAKIR: Then surely I
spoke to them in public and I spoke to them in secret:
071.010
YUSUFALI: "Saying,
'Ask forgiveness from your Lord; for He is Oft-Forgiving;
PICKTHAL: And I have
said: Seek pardon of your Lord. Lo! He was ever Forgiving.
SHAKIR: Then I said,
Ask forgiveness of your Lord, surely He is the most Forgiving:
071.011
YUSUFALI: "'He will
send rain to you in abundance;
PICKTHAL: He will let
loose the sky for you in plenteous rain,
SHAKIR: He will send
down upon you the cloud, pouring down abundance of rain:
071.012
YUSUFALI: "'Give you
increase in wealth and sons; and bestow on you gardens and bestow on you rivers
(of flowing water).
PICKTHAL: And will
help you with wealth and sons, and will assign unto you Gardens and will assign
unto you rivers.
SHAKIR: And help you
with wealth and sons, and make for you gardens, and make for you rivers.
071.013
YUSUFALI: "'What is
the matter with you, that ye place not your hope for kindness and long-suffering
in Allah,-
PICKTHAL: What aileth
you that ye hope not toward Allah for dignity
SHAKIR: What is the
matter with you that you fear not the greatness of Allah?
071.014
YUSUFALI: "'Seeing
that it is He that has created you in diverse stages?
PICKTHAL: When He
created you by (divers) stages?
SHAKIR: And indeed He
has created you through various grades:
071.015
YUSUFALI: "'See ye not
how Allah has created the seven heavens one above another,
PICKTHAL: See ye not
how Allah hath created seven heavens in harmony,
SHAKIR: Do you not see
how Allah has created the seven heavens ,~ one above another,
071.016
YUSUFALI: "'And made
the moon a light in their midst, and made the sun as a (Glorious) Lamp?
PICKTHAL: And hath
made the moon a light therein, and made the sun a lamp?
SHAKIR: And made the
moon therein a light, and made the sun a lamp?
071.017
YUSUFALI: "'And Allah
has produced you from the earth growing (gradually),
PICKTHAL: And Allah
hath caused you to grow as a growth from the earth,
SHAKIR: And Allah has
made you grow out of the earth as a growth:
071.018
YUSUFALI: "'And in the
End He will return you into the (earth), and raise you forth (again at the
Resurrection)?
PICKTHAL: And
afterward He maketh you return thereto, and He will bring you forth again, a
(new) forthbringing.
SHAKIR: Then He
returns you to it, then will He bring you forth a (new) bringing forth:
071.019
YUSUFALI: "'And Allah
has made the earth for you as a carpet (spread out),
PICKTHAL: And Allah
hath made the earth a wide expanse for you
SHAKIR: And Allah has
made for you the earth a wide expanse,
071.020
YUSUFALI: "'That ye
may go about therein, in spacious roads.'"
PICKTHAL: That ye may
thread the valley-ways thereof.
SHAKIR: That you may
go along therein in wide paths.
071.021
YUSUFALI: Noah said:
"O my Lord! They have disobeyed me, but they follow (men) whose wealth and
children give them no increase but only Loss.
PICKTHAL: Noah said:
My Lord! Lo! they have disobeyed me and followed one whose wealth and children
increase him in naught save ruin;
SHAKIR: Nuh said: My
Lord! surely they have disobeyed me and followed him whose wealth and children
have added to him nothing but loss.
071.022
YUSUFALI: "And they
have devised a tremendous Plot.
PICKTHAL: And they
have plotted a mighty plot,
SHAKIR: And they have
planned a very great plan.
071.023
YUSUFALI: "And they
have said (to each other), 'Abandon not your gods: Abandon neither Wadd nor Suwa',
neither Yaguth nor Ya'uq, nor Nasr';-
PICKTHAL: And they
have said: Forsake not your gods. Forsake not Wadd, nor Suwa', nor Yaghuth and
Ya'uq and Nasr.
SHAKIR: And they say:
By no means leave your gods, nor leave Wadd, nor Suwa; nor Yaghus, and Yauq and
Nasr.
071.024
YUSUFALI: "They have
already misled many; and grant Thou no increase to the wrong-doers but in
straying (from their mark)."
PICKTHAL: And they
have led many astray, and Thou increasest the wrong-doers in naught save error.
SHAKIR: And indeed
they have led astray many, and do not increase the unjust in aught but error.
071.025
YUSUFALI: Because of
their sins they were drowned (in the flood), and were made to enter the Fire (of
Punishment): and they found- in lieu of Allah- none to help them.
PICKTHAL: Because of
their sins they were drowned, then made to enter a Fire. And they found they had
no helpers in place of Allah.
SHAKIR: Because of
their wrongs they were drowned, then made to enter fire, so they did not find
any helpers besides Allah.
071.026
YUSUFALI: And Noah,
said: "O my Lord! Leave not of the Unbelievers, a single one on earth!
PICKTHAL: And Noah
said: My Lord! Leave not one of the disbelievers in the land.
SHAKIR: And Nuh said:
My Lord! leave not upon the land any dweller from among the unbelievers:
071.027
YUSUFALI: "For, if
Thou dost leave (any of) them, they will but mislead Thy devotees, and they will
breed none but wicked ungrateful ones.
PICKTHAL: If Thou
shouldst leave them, they will mislead Thy slaves and will beget none save lewd
ingrates.
SHAKIR: For surely if
Thou leave them they will lead astray Thy servants, and will not beget any but
immoral, ungrateful (children)
071.028
YUSUFALI: "O my Lord!
Forgive me, my parents, all who enter my house in Faith, and (all) believing men
and believing women: and to the wrong-doers grant Thou no increase but in
perdition!"
PICKTHAL: My Lord!
Forgive me and my parents and him who entereth my house believing, and believing
men and believing women, and increase not the wrong-doers in aught save ruin.
SHAKIR: My Lord!
forgive me and my parents and him who enters my house believing, and the
believing men and the believing women; and do not increase the unjust in aught
but destruction!