Surah 36:42
Show Full Scripture Context (36:41-44) — 4 Verses
وَءَايَةٞ لَّهُمۡ أَنَّا حَمَلۡنَا ذُرِّيَّتَهُمۡ فِي ٱلۡفُلۡكِ ٱلۡمَشۡحُونِ
A sign for them is that We carried their descendants in the loaded ship,
وَخَلَقۡنَا لَهُم مِّن مِّثۡلِهِۦ مَا يَرۡكَبُونَ
and We have created for them (ships) like it (in) which they sail.
وَإِن نَّشَأۡ نُغۡرِقۡهُمۡ فَلَا صَرِيخَ لَهُمۡ وَلَا هُمۡ يُنقَذُونَ
If We (so) please, We drown them, and then (there is) no cry (for help) for them, nor are they saved,
إِلَّا رَحۡمَةٗ مِّنَّا وَمَتَٰعًا إِلَىٰ حِينٖ
except as a mercy from Us, and enjoyment (of life) for a time.
Allah tells us of another sign of His mighty power, which is that He has subjugated the sea to carry ships, including - first and foremost - the ship of Nuh, peace be upon him, in which Allah saved him and the believers, of whom no one was left on the face of the earth apart from them. Allah says:
“And an Ayah for them is that We bore their offspring”
means, their forefathers.
“in the laden ship.” means, in the ship of Nuh, peace be upon him, which was loaded with the baggage and the animals that Allah commanded him to put on board, pairs of every kind. Ibn ‘Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “Laden means filled.” This was also the view of Said bin Jubayr, Ash-Sha‘bi, Qatadah and As-Suddi.
Ad-Dahhak, Qatadah and Ibn Zayd said: “This is the ship of Nuh, peace be upon him.”
“And We have created for them of the like thereunto, on which they ride.”
Al-‘Awfi said, narrating from Ibn ‘Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him: “This refers to the camel, for it is the ship of the land on which they carry burdens and on which they ride.” This was also the view of Mujahid, ‘Ikrimah, Ad-Dahhak, Abu Malik, Ash-Sha‘bi, Ya‘qub bin Zayd bin Talhah, ‘Ata’ Al-Khurasani and Qatadah. It was narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, Abu Malik, Abu Salih, Al-Hasan, Ar-Rabi‘ bin Anas and others that it refers to ships. Abu Ja‘far bin Jarir recorded that Abu Al-Mukhtar said: “I asked Abu Ja‘far - meaning Al-Baqir - about the Ayah:
“And We have created for them of the like thereunto, on which they ride.”
“Do you think that it refers to camels?” He said, “No, this refers to the ships which were made after the ship of Nuh, peace be upon him, which was similar to it.” This was also the view of Abu Malik, Ad-Dahhak, Qatadah, Abu Salih and As-Suddi, that the Ayah
“And We have created for them of the like thereunto, on which they ride.” refers to ships.
“And if We will. We shall drown them,” means, those who are on board the ships.
“and there will be no shout for them” means, there will be no one to save them from their predicament.
“nor will they be saved.” means, from what has befallen them.
“Unless it be a mercy from Us,” means, ‘but by Our mercy We make it easy for you to travel on land and sea, and We keep you safe until an appointed time.’ Allah says:
“and as an enjoyment for a while.” meaning, until a time that is known to Allah, may He be glorified and exalted.