11-36 And it was revealed to Noah: None of thy people will believe except those who have already believed, so grieve not at what they do:a
وَأُوحِىَ إِلَىٰ نُوحٍ أَنَّهُۥ لَن يُؤْمِنَ مِن قَوْمِكَ إِلَّا مَن قَدْ ءَامَنَ فَلَا تَبْتَئِسْ بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَفْعَلُونَ (۳۶)
11-36a: تَبْتَئِسْ – Its root is بؤس or بأس which means distress and loathsome. تَبْتَئِسْ means لا تَلۡتَزِمُ البؤس و لا تحزن بؤس (Do not feel obligated and do not grieve) (R).
Noah was grieved at the hardheartedness of his nation, as is the case with all prophets. The Quran testifies this about the Holy Prophet by stating: لَعَلَّكَ بَـٰخِعٌۭ نَّفْسَكَ أَلَّا يَكُونُوا۟ مُؤْمِنِينَ (Perhaps thou wilt kill thyself with grief because they believe not) (26:3). In this situation, Allah states that this nation is now fit to be destroyed. Noah’s prayer: رَّبِّ لَا تَذَرْ عَلَى ٱلْأَرْضِ مِنَ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ دَيَّارًا (My Lord leave not of the disbelievers any dweller on the land) (71:26) seems to have been made after receiving the revelation in this verse.
11-37 And make the ark under Our eyes and Our revelation, and speak not to Me on behalf of those who are unjust. Surely they will be drowned.a
وَٱصْنَعِ ٱلْفُلْكَ بِأَعْيُنِنَا وَوَحْيِنَا وَلَا تُخَـٰطِبْنِى فِى ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوٓا۟ ۚ إِنَّهُم مُّغْرَقُونَ (۳۷)
11-37a: بِأَعْيُنِنَا – عَیۡن is eyes, but someone who guards or protects another is also called عَیۡن . The meaning of فلانٌ بِعَیۡنِیۡ is I protect and look after him, and the meaning of the saying عین اللّٰه عَلیك is may you stay in the protection and patronage of Allah. In another place, it is stated تَجْرِى بِأَعْيُنِنَا (Floating on, before Our eyes) (54:14), that is the boat sailed under God’s protection. It is stated about Moses: وَلِتُصْنَعَ عَلَىٰ عَيْنِىٓ (and that thou mayest be brought up before My eyes) (20:39).
تُخَـٰطِبْنِى – خَطۡب and مُخاطَبَة is the back and forth in a conversation (R) and مُخاطَبَة with Allah is to intercede with Allah after being told that a nation is going to be destroyed.
Because Allah’s decree was that this nation be destroyed by a flood, Noah was aforetime ordered to build a boat. This boat was made in accordance with Divine revelation. God’s protection is mentioned because there were many opponents and so assurance is given that they will not be able to cause any harm.
11-38 And he began to make the ark. And whenever the chiefs of his people passed by him, they laughed at him. He said: If you laugh at us, surely we, too, laugh at you as you laugh (at us).a
وَيَصْنَعُ ٱلْفُلْكَ وَكُلَّمَا مَرَّ عَلَيْهِ مَلَأٌۭ مِّن قَوْمِهِۦ سَخِرُوا۟ مِنْهُ ۚ قَالَ إِن تَسْخَرُوا۟ مِنَّا فَإِنَّا نَسْخَرُ مِنكُمْ كَمَا تَسْخَرُونَ (۳۸)
11-38a: نَسْخَرُ مِنكُمْ – The purport is not that Noah or the believers actually laughed at the disbelievers because mockery does not befit a believer. This is only mentioned as a match to their action, just as in: جَزَٰٓؤُا۟ سَيِّئَةٍۢ سَيِّئَةٌۭ مِّثْلُهَا (the recompense of evil is punishment like it) (42:40). Kashaf has taken its meaning to be ignorant because the real cause of mockery is ignorance. So, the real cause of the laughter is taken and what is meant is that you laugh at us because of your ignorance but we consider you ignorant because you are unaware of the reality.
11-39 So you shall know who it is on whom will come a chastisement which will disgrace him, and on whom a lasting chastisement will fall.
فَسَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ مَن يَأْتِيهِ عَذَابٌۭ يُخْزِيهِ وَيَحِلُّ عَلَيْهِ عَذَابٌۭ مُّقِيمٌ (۳۹)
11-40 At length when Our command came and water gushed forth from the valley, We said: Carry in it two of all things, a pair, and thine own family — except those against whom the word has already gone forth — and those who believe. And there believed not with him but a few.a
حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا جَآءَ أَمْرُنَا وَفَارَ ٱلتَّنُّورُ قُلْنَا ٱحْمِلْ فِيهَا مِن كُلٍّۢ زَوْجَيْنِ ٱثْنَيْنِ وَأَهْلَكَ إِلَّا مَن سَبَقَ عَلَيْهِ ٱلْقَوْلُ وَمَنْ ءَامَنَ ۚ وَمَآ ءَامَنَ مَعَهُۥٓ إِلَّا قَلِيلٌۭ (۴۰)
11-40a: فَارَ – Its meaning is جاش (get agitated, seethe, boil, to surge). فَارَ is used to describe situations such as when the pot begins to boil, when a person flies into a rage, when the aroma of perfume spreads in the air, when the water gushes out of a spring (فار الماء من العین). فوارۃ is the head of a spring from where the water gushes out, that is منبع الماء . A tank that stores water is also called فوارۃ.
تنور – Some have called it an Arabicized word from Persian while others have given its root as نورٌ or نار . One meaning of تنور is quite common and used in Urdu as well, namely the oven where bread is baked. A second meaning given in Taj Al-Arus is وجه الارض (surface of the earth) and this meaning can be traced back to Ali and Ibn Abbas. It is then stated that کلُّ مَفۡجَرِ ماءٍ تَنُّورٌ (Every place from which water sprouts forth is called تنور ) and a valley in which water collects ( محفل ماء الوادی ) is also called تنور . According to Qatadah an elevated and fertile land is called تنور. Another meaning of فَارَ ٱلتَّنُّورُ narrated by Ali is the break of dawn and a statement by Harvi is cited that this is a famous spring (T).
The mention here is of the well-known deluge that is known as Noah’s flood. It is commonly believed that it started by water sprouting out of a تنور (oven) but the Quran has described this in another place as: فَفَتَحْنَآ أَبْوَٰبَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ بِمَآءٍۢ مُّنْهَمِرٍۢ (Then We opened the gates of heaven with water pouring down) (54:11), that is it rained heavily. Similarly, when the time comes to stop the storm, it is stated: يَـٰسَمَآءُ أَقْلِعِى (O cloud, clear away) (11:44) which shows that the deluge started as the result of heavy rain and the mention in the verse: O earth swallow thy water is a reference to the common phenomenon that the water is ultimately absorbed in the ground and the surface dries.
What is meant by فَارَ ٱلتَّنُّورُ (water gushed forth): The use of the word تنور has led to the incorrect understanding that the water first sprouted out of the تنور . The dictionary meaning of تنور has been explained above. Out of the various explanations mentioned by Ibn Jarir, the first one is by Ibn Abbas who states that the meaning of تنور is وجه الارض (surface of the earth) and Noah was commanded اذق رایت الماء علی وجہ الارض فارکت and Ibn Abbas adds: العوب تسمی وجه الارض تنور الارض . Next he mentions the explanation by Ali that by فَارَ ٱلتَّنُّورُ is meant تنویر الصبح , that is the morning light. The third explanation is by Qatadah who states that what is meant is elevated and fertile land and the fourth explanation is that the water came out of an oven for baking bread. Ibn Kathir states that when Allah’s decree was issued, it rained heavily and incessantly. Neither did the clouds part nor did the rain stop. He quotes the verse فَفَتَحْنَآ أَبْوَٰبَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ بِمَآءٍۢ مُّنْهَمِرٍۢ (Then We opened the gates of heaven with water pouring down) (54:11) and then he copies the explanation of فَارَ ٱلتَّنُّورُ by Ibn Abbas and states: صادت الارض عیوناتفور حتیّٰ فار الماء من التنانیر (the whole earth was flooded with water until the water even started coming out of the ovens. So, what can be gleaned from the Quran is that abundant rain caused a deluge which washed away all the habitations of Noah’s nation. It can also be deduced that there were hills near their dwellings as is apparent from سَـَٔاوِىٓ إِلَىٰ جَبَلٍۢ (I will betake myself for refuge to a mountain) (11:43) and the runoff of the water from the mountains increased the strength of the torrents in the valley.
What did Noah take on the boat: The statement carry in it two of all things does not mean that Noah was required to travel the whole world collecting pairs of each kind of animal. Further it would not have been possible for a person to overpower all of Allah’s creatures. To overcome this objection, some have said that Allah revealed to a pair of each one of His creations to make a beeline to Noah and gather around him for embarking on the ark. One wonders why the revelation reached just one pair and not to the other members of the species. Then the gathering of so many wild beasts, birds and trees before the storm is a miracle that should surely have convinced Noah’s opponents of his genuineness and made them into believers. These stories are unnecessary, made-up and for which there is no testimony. By carry all things is meant everything necessary for Noah. This is analogous to calling the Torah: تَفْصِيلَ كُلِّ شَىْءٍۢ (a distinct explanation of all things) (12:111) the purport is explanation of all things necessary at the time. Similarly when it is stated about a queen that أُوتِيَتْ مِن كُلِّ شَىْءٍۢ (she has been given of everything) (27:23), the meaning is not everything in the world but everything that is necessary for her. This is the case here as well. In a pair, each one is the زَوْجَ (spouse) of the other. Hence by زَوْجَيْنِ is meant a male and female and further explanation of this is given in the word ٱثْنَيْنِ (a pair). Some have expanded the interpretation of كُلٍّۢ (all), and under the impression that this flood covered the whole world have included as passengers on the ark, not only animals and birds, but also a pair of every species of trees. On top of this, the commentators have made up all kinds of stories. For example, when the mice began to gnaw the ropes of the boat, Noah supplicated, and the sneeze of a lion created the cats. Similarly, when the refuse began to pile up, the sneeze of the elephant created the pigs, and to protect against the lion, Allah caused the lion to have a fever. Many such stories have been made up which have no reality and include the story where the devil managed to board the ark by grabbing on to the tail of the donkey. The Quran and the hadith are free from such absurdities.
Noah’s flood did not encompass the whole world: These absurdities were made up because the Bible version was assumed correct that the flood encompassed the whole world. The Quran, however, is clear that the flood came specifically for the nation of Noah, and it does not state anywhere that Noah was sent as a messenger for the whole world. The Quran states repeatedly that he was sent for his nation, and that only the disbelievers were drowned. It is stated earlier أَنَّهُۥ لَن يُؤْمِنَ مِن قَوْمِكَ إِلَّا مَن قَدْ ءَامَنَ (None of thy people will believe except those who have already believed) (11:36) and the mention here is only of Noah’s nation and not of the whole world. The word الارض is generic and can be spoken for a part of the earth or for a country. Noah’s nation was not spread over the whole world but was confined to a particular part of the world, and further it was not possible for one person in those days to roam around the whole world. When the Holy Prophet was ordained by Allah as a messenger for the whole world, his teachings were slowly spread to all parts of the world by his followers. If it was possible for a single person to traverse the world and his rejectors all over the world to be destroyed, then this should have been decreed for the Holy Prophet and not for Noah who was ordained only for one nation. This is another area where the Quranic narration has corrected the Biblical account.
11-41 And he said: Embark in it, in the name of Allah be its sailing and its anchoring. Surely my Lord is Forgiving, Merciful.a
وَقَالَ ٱرْكَبُوا۟ فِيهَا بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ مَجْر۪ىٰهَا وَمُرْسَىٰهَآ ۚ إِنَّ رَبِّى لَغَفُورٌۭ رَّحِيمٌۭ (۴۱)
11-41a: مَجْرٖے – The یا is pronounced in a passive tone and read as مجرے and its root is جَرۡی which means to race by hurriedly like flowing water, as in جَنَّـٰتٍۢ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرُ (Gardens wherein flow rivers) (3:195) and فِيهَا عَيْنٌۭ جَارِيَ (Therein is a fountain flowing) (88:12). It is also spoken about a boat setting sail (R). Sailing and anchoring being in Allah’s name means that it is by His assistance, or His power, or His command and permission.
11-42 And it moved on with them amid waves like mountains. And Noah called out to his son, and he was aloof: O my son, embark with us and be not with the disbelievers.a
وَهِىَ تَجْرِى بِهِمْ فِى مَوْجٍۢ كَٱلْجِبَالِ وَنَادَىٰ نُوحٌ ٱبْنَهُۥ وَكَانَ فِى مَعْزِلٍۢ يَـٰبُنَىَّ ٱرْكَب مَّعَنَا وَلَا تَكُن مَّعَ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ (۴۲)
11-42a: معزل – The meaning of عَزۡل is to separate and the purport of كَانَ فِى مَعْزِلٍۢ is that he was separate from Noah, that is he was not of the believers. Noah wanted him to become a believer even at this stage or the meaning can be that he was distant from the ark.a
11-43 He said: I will betake myself for refuge to a mountain that will save me from the water. He said: There is none safe today from Allah’s command, but he on whom He has mercy. And a wave intervened between them, so he was among the drowned.
قَالَ سَـَٔاوِىٓ إِلَىٰ جَبَلٍۢ يَعْصِمُنِى مِنَ ٱلْمَآءِ ۚ قَالَ لَا عَاصِمَ ٱلْيَوْمَ مِنْ أَمْرِ ٱللَّهِ إِلَّا مَن رَّحِمَ ۚ وَحَالَ بَيْنَهُمَا ٱلْمَوْجُ فَكَانَ مِنَ ٱلْمُغْرَقِينَ (۴۳)
11-44 And it was said: O earth, swallow thy water, and O cloud, clear away. And the water was made to abate, and the affair was decided, and it rested on the Judi, and it was said: Away with the iniquitous people!a
وَقِيلَ يَـٰٓأَرْضُ ٱبْلَعِى مَآءَكِ وَيَـٰسَمَآءُ أَقْلِعِى وَغِيضَ ٱلْمَآءُ وَقُضِىَ ٱلْأَمْرُ وَٱسْتَوَتْ عَلَى ٱلْجُودِىِّ ۖ وَقِيلَ بُعْدًۭا لِّلْقَوْمِ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ (۴۴)
11-44a: ٱبْلَعِى – The meaning of بَلِع is جَرَع that is to swallow water little by little or one gulp at a time (LA). This word is used here because the water is also slowly absorbed in the ground.
أَقْلِعِى – قَلَع means to take out by its roots and اَقۡلَعَ means to quit, cease, discontinue and اَقۡلَعَ السحاب means the clouds stopped raining (LA).
غِيضَ – The meaning of غاض is نَقَص which means that a thing decreased or somebody decreased it, as in: تَغِيضُ ٱلْأَرْحَامُ (that of which the wombs fall short of completion) (13:8), that is the womb spoils it or renders the condition like the earth that has swallowed the water.
جُودِىِّ – قیل ھو اسم جَبَلٍ بین الموصِلِ و الجزرۃ و ھو فی الاصل منسوب الی الجود (It is said that it is the name of a mountain that is between Mosul and Jazera and in reality it is attributed to جُود or forgiveness).
When the dwellings had been destroyed, the rain ceased, and the earth absorbed the water and the boat landed on Judi. Some narrations in Ibn Jarir state that شمخت الجبال و تواضع which has been understood to mean that the other mountains were proud, but Judi was humble. The real meaning of شمخ is to tower or be high and وضع means low, and the purport clearly appears to be that the other mountains were high and not under water while Judi was a lower submerged mountain on which the boat came to rest as the water subsided.
11-45 And Noah cried to his Lord and said: My Lord, surely my son is of my family, and Thy promise is true, and Thou art the Justest of the judges.
وَنَادَىٰ نُوحٌۭ رَّبَّهُۥ فَقَالَ رَبِّ إِنَّ ٱبْنِى مِنْ أَهْلِى وَإِنَّ وَعْدَكَ ٱلْحَقُّ وَأَنتَ أَحْكَمُ ٱلْحَـٰكِمِينَ (۴۵)
11-46 He said: O Noah, he is not of thy family; he is (an embodiment of) unrighteous conduct. So ask not of Me that of which thou hast no knowledge. I admonish thee lest thou be of the ignorant.a
قَالَ يَـٰنُوحُ إِنَّهُۥ لَيْسَ مِنْ أَهْلِكَ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ عَمَلٌ غَيْرُ صَـٰلِحٍۢ ۖ فَلَا تَسْـَٔلْنِ مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِۦ عِلْمٌ ۖ إِنِّىٓ أَعِظُكَ أَن تَكُونَ مِنَ ٱلْجَـٰهِلِينَ (۴۶)
11-46a: إِنَّهُۥ عَمَلٌ غَيْرُ صَـٰلِحٍۢ (he is (an embodiment of) unrighteous conduct) – The personal pronoun in إِنَّهُۥ does not stand for the questioner but for the son and the purport is ذو عمل that is he is not righteous or that he does evil things. This is analogous with وَلَـٰكِنَّ ٱلْبِرَّ مَنْ ءَامَنَ (but righteous is the one who believes) (2:177) where the purport is not righteousness but righteous. See 2:177a.
Noah’s son not from his family: Some commentators have interpreted this verse literally and assumed that Noah’s son was not his real son but his wife’s son from a previous marriage. This may or may not be correct, but that is not the purport here. The real purport is that there was a Divine promise to save Noah’s family. So, in keeping with the literal meaning, Noah enquired that the son was included in his family with respect to relationship and why was he not saved in accordance with the promise. Allah states that to be included in the family of a righteous person, it is not sufficient to have ties of relationship, but inclusion also depends upon actions. Because the son’s actions are unrighteous and he does evil deeds, so he is not included in the family.
The purport of the statement ask not of which you have no knowledge is that one should supplicate for such affairs about which one has knowledge that its attainment is correct and in accordance with Divine wisdom. If a woman supplicates that she should become a man, then such a prayer is futile. Prayers for a disbeliever to believe or for his protection can be made only up to the time that there is a chance for him to believe. If such a person dies in a state of disbelief, then such a prayer is futile. Hence Allah has stopped one from making such supplications.
11-47 He said: My Lord, I seek refuge in Thee from asking of Thee that of which I have no knowledge. And unless Thou forgive me and have mercy on me, I shall be of the losers.
قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّىٓ أَعُوذُ بِكَ أَنْ أَسْـَٔلَكَ مَا لَيْسَ لِى بِهِۦ عِلْمٌۭ ۖ وَإِلَّا تَغْفِرْ لِى وَتَرْحَمْنِىٓ أَكُن مِّنَ ٱلْخَـٰسِرِينَ (۴۷)
11-48 It was said: O Noah, descend with peace from Us and blessing on thee and on nations (springing) from those with thee. And there are nations whom We afford provisions, then a painful punishment from Us afflicts them.a
قِيلَ يَـٰنُوحُ ٱهْبِطْ بِسَلَـٰمٍۢ مِّنَّا وَبَرَكَـٰتٍ عَلَيْكَ وَعَلَىٰٓ أُمَمٍۢ مِّمَّن مَّعَكَ ۚ وَأُمَمٌۭ سَنُمَتِّعُهُمْ ثُمَّ يَمَسُّهُم مِّنَّا عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌۭ (۴۸)
11-48a: أُمَمٍۢ مِّمَّن مَّعَكَ – It means nations that will be formed from the offspring of the people with Noah. This shows that the companions of Noah became progenitors of nations. In أُمَمٌۭ سَنُمَتِّعُهُمْ (there are nations) the indication seems to be to other nations that existed in the world at that time, or it could be the nations to spring from those with Noah.
11-49 These are announcements relating to the unseen which We reveal to thee; thou didst not know them —(neither) thou nor thy people — before this. So be patient. Surely, the (good) end is for the dutiful.
تِلْكَ مِنْ أَنۢبَآءِ ٱلْغَيْبِ نُوحِيهَآ إِلَيْكَ ۖ مَا كُنتَ تَعْلَمُهَآ أَنتَ وَلَا قَوْمُكَ مِن قَبْلِ هَـٰذَا ۖ فَٱصْبِرْ ۖ إِنَّ ٱلْعَـٰقِبَةَ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ (۴۹)
11-49a: In the last section too the subject at the end is turned to the enemies of the Holy Prophet and this is the case here as well. It is conveyed that the narration of Noah and his enemies is by way of a prophecy for the Holy Prophet and his enemies. This is the أَنۢبَآءِ ٱلْغَيْبِ (announcement relating to the unseen) that is mentioned here as is apparent from فَٱصْبِرْ ۖ إِنَّ ٱلْعَـٰقِبَةَ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ (Surely, the good end is for the dutiful).
Bayan-ul-Quran 