Surah 23:29
Show Full Scripture Context (23:26-30) — 5 Verses
قَالَ رَبِّ ٱنصُرۡنِي بِمَا كَذَّبُونِ
He said, ‘My Lord, help me, because they are calling me a liar.’
فَأَوۡحَيۡنَآ إِلَيۡهِ أَنِ ٱصۡنَعِ ٱلۡفُلۡكَ بِأَعۡيُنِنَا وَوَحۡيِنَا فَإِذَا جَآءَ أَمۡرُنَا وَفَارَ ٱلتَّنُّورُ فَٱسۡلُكۡ فِيهَا مِن كُلّٖ زَوۡجَيۡنِ ٱثۡنَيۡنِ وَأَهۡلَكَ إِلَّا مَن سَبَقَ عَلَيۡهِ ٱلۡقَوۡلُ مِنۡهُمۡۖ وَلَا تُخَٰطِبۡنِي فِي ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوٓاْ إِنَّهُم مُّغۡرَقُونَ
So We inspired him: ‘Build the ship under Our eyes and Our inspiration, and when Our command comes and the oven boils, put into it two of every kind, a pair, and your family – except for him against whom the word has (already) gone forth. Do not address Me concerning those who have done evil. Surely they are going to be drowned!
فَإِذَا ٱسۡتَوَيۡتَ أَنتَ وَمَن مَّعَكَ عَلَى ٱلۡفُلۡكِ فَقُلِ ٱلۡحَمۡدُ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِي نَجَّىٰنَا مِنَ ٱلۡقَوۡمِ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ
When you have boarded the ship – you and (those) who are with you – say: “Praise (be) to God, who has rescued us from the people who were evildoers!”
وَقُل رَّبِّ أَنزِلۡنِي مُنزَلٗا مُّبَارَكٗا وَأَنتَ خَيۡرُ ٱلۡمُنزِلِينَ
And say: “My Lord, bring me to land (at) a blessed landing place, (for) You are the best of those who bring to land.”’
إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَأٓيَٰتٖ وَإِن كُنَّا لَمُبۡتَلِينَ
Surely in that are signs indeed. Surely We have been testing (people) indeed.
Allah tells us that Nuh, peace be upon him, invoked his Lord to help him against his people, as Allah mentions in another Ayah:
Then he invoked his Lord (saying): "I have been overcome, so help (me)!" 54:10. Here he says:
O my Lord! Help me because they deny me.
At that point, Allah commanded him to build a boat and to make it strong and firm, and to carry therein of every kind two, i.e., a male and a female of every species of animals, plants and fruits etc. He was also to carry his family,
except those thereof against whom the Word has already gone forth.
meaning, those whom Allah had already decreed were to be destroyed. These were the members of his family who did not believe in him, such as his son and his wife. And Allah knows best.
And address Me not in favor of those who have done wrong. Verily, they are to be drowned.
means, “when you witness the heavy rain falling, do not let yourself be overcome with compassion and pity for your people, or hope for more time for them so that they may believe, for I have decreed that they will be drowned and will die in their state of disbelief and wrongdoing.’ The story has already been told in detail in Surah Hud, and there is no need to repeat it here.
And when you have embarked on the ship, you and whoever is with you, then say: ‘All the praise be to Allah, Who has saved us from the people who are wrongdoers.'
This is like the Ayah:
and has appointed for you ships and cattle on which you ride: In order that you may mount on their backs, and then may remember the favor of your Lord what you mount thereon, and say: "Glory to Him Who has subjected this to us, and we could never have it (by our efforts). And verily, to Our Lord we indeed are to return!" 43:12-14
So, certainly, Nuh adhered to what he was commanded, as Allah says elsewhere:
And he said: "Embark therein: in the Name of Allah will be its (moving) course and its (resting) anchorage... " 11:41
So Nuh mentioned Allah at the beginning of his journey and at the end, and Allah said:
And say: ‘My Lord! Cause me to land at a blessed landing place, for You are the Best of those who bring to land."
Verily in this, there are indeed Ayat, means in this event, which is the saving of the believers and the destruction of the disbelievers there are signs, i.e., clear evidence and proof that the Prophets speak the truth in the Message they bring from Allah, may He be exalted, and that Allah does what He wills, and He is able to do all things and knows all things.
for sure We are ever putting (men) to the test. means, ‘We try Our servants by means of sending the Messengers.’