This blog will illustrate the story of Noah(Nuh) from the Islamic perspective. Check back for updates for clarity, expansions, and additional principles to be learned about Nuh.

The story of the Flood is one of the most famous of all Prophetic traditions. Everyone knows the story- (1)

God tells Noah(pbuh) about the pending Flood, and commands him to build the Ark and to warn his people to seek God and become righteous before it is too late. (2)

Noah performs his duty exactly as he was asked, but to his surprise, almost no one followed him. They mocked and humiliated him and those who believed in him as they built the Ark. Then God commanded him to enter the Ark and he flooded the world, killing the disbelievers. But what does this all really mean? What are the lessons we are meant to get from one of the most famous stories in history? Let’s dive a little deeper into the Quranic narrative of Noah and what we may learn from it. (3)

For nearly a thousand years he preached to his people, encouraging them to live a righteous life and to cease worshipping their false gods and idols and return to Allah- the One True God. The vast majority of his people ignored him, however, and continued to live their life in the same way. (4)

Imagine if you were in Noah’s shoes- you are literally divinely inspired by Allah to call to your people and lead them towards righteousness and good deeds. You know that you are bringing the people a message that is absolutely necessary and completely for their own benefit- God is totally and completely self-sufficient. There is nothing the entirety of humanity could do to impact God in the slightest way, positively or negatively. He is totally beyond the need for any helper. Any message that comes from God, by definition, is solely for our benefit and success. (5)

As humans, we are completely brainwashed by society and our ego into believing that we are somehow actually important- that our opinions, beliefs, our lives- somehow truly “matter.” We fail to recognize that we are the creation of the Lord and as such we are totally helpless and powerless before Him. Even so, God is still the Most Merciful. This means that though He has no obligation unto us as His Creation, He still supports, provides for, and guides us towards the Straight Path. This is the reason that Allah sends messengers- a mercy and guidance for mankind.  (6)

But what is His repayment? The misguided people of Noah repaid their guide and messenger with animosity, with mockery, with jealously, with putting even more zeal into their disbelief and evil acts. (7)

“He cried, “My Lord! I have surely called my people day and night, but my calls only made them run farther away. And whenever I invite them to be forgiven by You, they press their fingers into their ears, cover themselves with their clothes, persist ˹in denial˺, and act very arrogantly.” (8)

(Quran 71:5-7)

Imagine? What is one to do when confronted with such childishness? There is nothing we can do. We learn that only Allah can guide a person. No matter what we do, or attempt to do, our success and failure are based solely on the will of God. Through righteousness, however, we can be assured of reaching our Ultimate Goal, which is connection with God and Heaven. (9)

Regardless of where we are in terms of our faith, it is important to always keep the mercy of God foremost in our minds. We must remember what Noah said to His People (10)

“saying, ‘Seek your Lord’s forgiveness, ˹for˺ He is truly Most Forgiving. He will shower you with abundant rain, supply you with wealth and children, and give you gardens as well as rivers. What is the matter with you that you are not in awe of the Majesty of Allah, when He truly created you in stages ˹of development˺? Do you not see how Allah created seven heavens, one above the other, placing the moon within them as a ˹reflected˺ light, and the sun as a ˹radiant˺ lamp? Allah ˹alone˺ caused you to grow from the earth like a plant. Then He will return you to it, and then simply bring you forth ˹again˺. And Allah ˹alone˺ spread out the earth for you to walk along its spacious pathways.’” (11)

(Quran 71:10-20) 

Allah is waiting to give us everything we desire, so long as we become righteous and strive to become better every day. When we do things that we know are wrong, we fall further and further away from the path. It is CRITICAL to remember that we are responsible for our decisions and what we do. If we lose connection with God, it is not God who is lacking, but us ourselves. The Hadith of the Prophet Muhammad(saw) expresses this idea beautifully: (12)

Allah Almighty says: Whoever comes with a good deed will have the reward of ten like it and even more. Whoever comes with an evil deed will be recompensed for one evil deed like it or he will be forgiven. Whoever draws close to Me by the length of a hand, I will draw close to him by the length of an arm. Whoever draws close to Me the by length of an arm, I will draw close to him by the length of a fathom. Whoever comes to Me walking, I will come to him running. Whoever meets Me with enough sins to fill the earth, not associating any partners with Me, I will meet him with as much forgiveness. (13)

Sahih Muslim 2687

The only time you will ever be able to make things right and strive towards a better life is always right now. Even if you wait 10 years, you will still be making the decision NOW, just in the now of 10 years. Nothing is promised. (14)

Noah’s people mocked him until the water began to fall, and attempted to climb up the tallest mountain to prevent their doom. But none can escape the consequences of their actions, neither in this life nor the next. (15)

“So because of their sins, they were drowned, then admitted into the Fire. And they found none to help them against Allah. Noah had prayed, “My Lord! Do not leave a single disbeliever on earth. For if You spare ˹any of˺ them, they will certainly mislead Your servants, and give birth only to ˹wicked˺ sinners, staunch disbelievers.” (16)(Quran 71:25-27)

If a prophet of God was unable to get through to his people, you certainly will not. Allah guides whom he wills. But Noah still never gave up, and his story has inspired believers for generations to come. Do your best to live righteously, and call others to the righteous life. Busy yourself with the remembrance of God, and urge others to remember and glorify Him as well. (17)

I leave you with the final Ayah of Surah Nuh, the end of his Dua(supplication) to Allah- (18)

“My Lord! Forgive me, my parents, and whoever enters my house in faith, and ˹all˺ believing men and women. And increase the wrongdoers only in destruction.” (19)

(Quran 71:28)