Page 17 - Perished Nations
P. 17
We (once) sent Nuh to his people,
and he tarried among them a thousand years
less fifty: but the Deluge overwhelmed them
while they (persisted in) sin.
(Surat al-Ankaboot: 14)
eferred to in nearly all cultures, the Great Flood at the time of Nuh
(as) is one of the instances most widely alluded to in the Qur’an.
R The indifference of the Prophet Nuh’s (as) people to his advice
and warnings, their reactions and how the event took place are told in de-
tail in many verses.
The Prophet Nuh (as) was sent to warn his people who had turned
away from Allah’s verses and were associating partners with Him and to
urge them to worship Allah only and abandon their rebellion. Despite the
messenger Nuh (as) advising his people many times to submit to Allah’s
commands and warning them of the wrath of Allah, they still denied him
and continued associating partners with Allah. In Surat al-Muminun, how
the affair developed is described as follows;
(Further, We sent a long line of prophets for your instruction). We sent Nuh
to his people: He said, "O my people! worship Allah! Ye have no other god
but Him. Will ye not fear (Him)?"
The chiefs of the Unbelievers among his people said: "He is no more than
a man like yourselves: his wish is to assert his superiority over you: if
Allah had wished (to send messengers), He could have sent down angels;
never did we hear such a thing (as he says), among our ancestors of old."
(And some said): "He is only a man possessed: wait (and have patience)
with him for a time."
(Nuh) said: "O my Lord! help me: for that they accuse me of falsehood!"
(Surat al-Muminun: 23-26)
Perished Nations
9