The people of Prophet Nuh (ﷺ) went to extremes in denial, stubbornness, and persistence in disbelief and turning away. Their rejection did not stop in this world; rather, they continue in disbelief even until the Day of Resurrection—an attitude that is truly astonishing. Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “Nuh and his nation will come (on the Day of Resurrection and Allah will ask (Nuh), “Did you convey (the Message)?’ He will reply, ‘Yes, O my Lord!’ Then Allah will ask Nuh’s nation, ‘Did Nuh convey My Message to you?’ They will reply, ‘No, no prophet came to us.’ Then Allah will ask Nuh, ‘Who will stand a witness for you?’ He will reply, ‘Muhammad and his followers (will stand witness for me).’ So, I and my followers will stand as witnesses for him (that he conveyed Allah’s Message).” That is, (the interpretation) of the Statement of Allah: “Thus, We have made you a just and the best nation that you might be witnesses Over mankind ..” (2.143). Then, Prophet Nuh (ﷺ) sought support from his Almighty Lord, and Allah answered his supplication and granted him victory over the wrongdoers.
Allah says in Surah Al-Muminun, Ayah 27:
”So We inspired him (saying): “Construct the ship under Our Eyes and under Our Revelation (guidance). Then, when Our Command comes, and the oven gushes forth water, take on board of each kind two (male and female), and your family, except those thereof against whom the Word has already gone forth. And address Me not in favour of those who have done wrong. Verily, they are to be drowned.” (فَأَوْحَيْنَا إِلَيْهِ أَنِ اصْنَعِ الْفُلْكَ بِأَعْيُنِنَا وَوَحْيِنَا فَإِذَا جَاءَ أَمْرُنَا وَفَارَ التَّنُّورُ ۙ فَاسْلُكْ فِيهَا مِن كُلٍّ زَوْجَيْنِ اثْنَيْنِ وَأَهْلَكَ إِلَّا مَن سَبَقَ عَلَيْهِ الْقَوْلُ مِنْهُمْ ۖ وَلَا تُخَاطِبْنِي فِي الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا ۖ إِنَّهُم مُّغْرَقُونَ). The people of Nuh were astonished by his state. After calling them for all those long years, he now left them and began building an ark—but where? On the mountaintop, where there was neither water nor sea. They came to him mocking, saying, “Have you become a carpenter after being a prophet?”. The Ark-the ship- was the like of which had never existed before, nor would there ever be another like it thereafter. And Allah, the Exalted, informed him that when His command came to pass and His irresistible punishment descended upon the criminal people, he was not to plead for them again nor seek any reprieve on their behalf.
The Great Flood
Allah commanded him to make the Ark eighty cubits long and fifty cubits wide, to coat its interior and exterior with pitch, and to equip it with a rudder to cut through the water. In addition, He commanded him to take into the Ark two of every kind of animal, along with all that had life and was fit for sustenance, to preserve their progeny. He was also to bring his family—i.e., his household—except those of them about whom the decree had already passed. There is a difference of opinion regarding the number of people who were with him on the Ark. According to ibn Abbas, there were eighty souls along with their wives. He left behind his wife and son, Canaan, who did not believe, he reached the Ark to find the animals lined up, two of each kind, waiting for him. Then the Great Flood began, as the earth gushed forth its waters and the sky poured rain. Allah describes this Great Flood in Surah Al-Qamar, (11-12): ”Then We opened the gates of the heaven with rain pouring down. And caused the earth to burst with springs, and the waters met for a matter already predestined.”
(فَفَتَحْنَا أَبْوَابَ السَّمَاءِ بِمَاءٍ مُّنْهَمِرٍ. وَفَجَّرْنَا الْأَرْضَ عُيُونًا فَالْتَقَى الْمَاءُ عَلَىٰ أَمْرٍ قَدْ قُدِرَ).
The Drowning of Nuh’s People
Destruction began to engulf the entire earth, drowning both humans and animals. In this scene, Nuh saw his son swimming beside the Ark, and the feelings of fatherhood moved him, he called to his son who was apart [from them], “O my son, come aboard with us and be not with the disbelievers.”(وَهِيَ تَجْرِي بِهِمْ فِي مَوْجٍ كَالْجِبَالِ وَنَادَىٰ نُوحٌ ابْنَهُ وَكَانَ فِي مَعْزِلٍ يَا بُنَيَّ ارْكَب مَّعَنَا وَلَا تَكُن مَّعَ الْكَافِرِينَ) (Surah Hud:42). But his son remained stubborn in his disbelief and disobedience, and replied him ”He said, “I will take refuge on a mountain to protect me from the water.” [Nuh] said, “There is no protector today from the decree of Allah, except for whom He gives mercy.” And the waves came between them, and he was among the drowned.” (قَالَ سَآوِي إِلَىٰ جَبَلٍ يَعْصِمُنِي مِنَ الْمَاءِ ۚ قَالَ لَا عَاصِمَ الْيَوْمَ مِنْ أَمْرِ اللَّهِ إِلَّا مَن رَّحِمَ ۚ وَحَالَ بَيْنَهُمَا الْمَوْجُ فَكَانَ مِنَ الْمُغْرَقِينَ).
Nuh grieved for his son and called upon his Lord, softening his heart and humbly supplicating:
“Indeed, my son is of my family, and Your promise is true.” The promise referred to carrying his family with him, and Allah, the Most Merciful, replied: “Indeed, he is not of your family.” Meaning: he was not among those promised salvation, as Allah limited this by saying: “Except for those over whom the word has already gone forth,” and also said: “Indeed, it is an evil deed.” This was Nuh’s supplication for his son, who followed the ways of his people. “So do not ask Me about that of which you have no knowledge. I admonish you lest you be among the ignorant.” And over the waves, all of Allah’s creatures on earth perished, except for those on the Ark with Nuh (ﷺ), who lived in it for months until the matter was concluded, until Allah said, Surah Hud-44: ”And it was said, “O earth, swallow your water, and O sky, withhold [your rain].” And the water subsided, and the matter was accomplished, and the ship came to rest on the [mountain of] Judiyy. And it was said, “Away with the wrongdoing people.” (وَقِيلَ يَا أَرْضُ ابْلَعِي مَاءَكِ وَيَا سَمَاءُ أَقْلِعِي وَغِيضَ الْمَاءُ وَقُضِيَ الْأَمْرُ وَاسْتَوَتْ عَلَى الْجُودِيِّ ۖ وَقِيلَ بُعْدًا لِّلْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ).
When Nuh emerged from the Ark with eighty people, they built dwellings at that place and settled there, so the place was named after them. It was said that a plague struck, and all eighty perished except for Nuh (ﷺ) and his descendants, making him the father of all humanity. His story teaches us that even in the face of doubt and hardship, faith and perseverance can lead to salvation. His life is a timeless reminder that trusting Allah brings hope and guidance through every trial.
