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Wednesday 25 April 2018

Prophet Nuh (Noah) and the Great Flood


Allah created the universe and people on our earth (there may be people on planets unknown to us so far) so that we could eat and drink from the numerous fruits, vegetables and other eatables, travel on land and sea on camels and horse drawn carriages or ships in the seas and rivers. Allah wanted us to live in peace and harmony while adhering to His commands and guidelines He has been sending on to us through his prophets and messengers.

But man has always been ungrateful and has always violated the code of life revealed unto him and adopted sinful ways to lead his life in utmost leisure and ways described ed to him by Ibless (Satan). And when this happens, Allah sends his prophets and messengers to show the right and enlightened path to those who have gone astray. But if they still digress from what has been chosen for them, wrath of Allah befalls.

The first such wrath came sometimes after Prophet Adam (peace be upon him) when by and by descendants of Prophet Adm started to leave the righteous path and adopted wicked ways to live lives full of sin and transgression and wrongdoings. While they were still good people around, the history books say that Ibless came to the good and pious people and asked them to make idols so that the good deeds and faces of the good and pious remain forever. Unknowing the mala fide intentions of Ibless, the idols were made in good faith. But as time went by, people forgot the reason of making the idols and instead of following the Godly path, they started to worship the idols.

Seeing the transgression of people from Allah's described path and worshiping of the idols, Allah chose Prophet Nuh (peace be upon him) to bring back the disbelievers back to the righteous path. While the poor and those who had a fear of Allah chose to follow the path as shown by Prophet Nuh (and that of Allah), the rich and dominant refused to listen to him and taunted him to be a simple human being trying to rob them of their wealth and leisure.

Verily we see you in plain error” (Quran 7:60)

In Quran, Surah Nuh, a chapter exclusive on the people of Prophet Nuh, Allah tells the people of Nuh:
“Indeed We sent Nuh to his people (he said): ‘I have come to you as a plain Warner that you worship none but God, surely, I fear for you the torment of a painful Day.’  The chiefs of the disbelievers among his people said: ‘We see you but a man like ourselves, nor do we see any follow you but the meanest among us and they too followed you without thinking.  And we do not see in you any merit above us in fact we think you are liars.’” (Quran 11:25-27)
However, the disbelievers, obsessed with the power of their wealth and position above the poor, tried to negotiate with the prophet and offered wealth of any extreme so that prophet desists from 'misleading' their subjects and let them enjoy their wealth in leisure.  But prophets of Allah are seldom moved with wealth and richness for they have been promised much greater reward in the hereafter. Thus Prophet Nuh responded to their entire dejection of the nonbelievers - here is it how this rejection is mentioned in the Quran:
“O my people!  I ask of you no wealth for it; my reward is from none but Allah.  I am not going to drive away those who have believed.  Surely, they are going to meet their Lord, but I see that you are a people that are ignorant.  O my people!  Who will help me against God if I drove them away?  Will you not then give a thought?  And I do not say to you that the Treasures of Allah are (only) with me or that I know the unseen, nor do I say I am an angel; and I do not say that God will not bestow any good on those whom your eyes look down upon.  God knows what is in their inner selves (in regard to Belief).  In that case, I would indeed be among the unjust.” (Quran 11:29-31)
But this motivational sermon did not have any affect on the the nonbelievers and they rejected and turned down his call outrightly and promised to harm him if he did not stop propagating something that they did not desire. When Prophet Nuh saw his people unmoving to his call for the enlightened path, he finally begged Allah:
“My Lord!  Leave not one of the disbelievers on the earth.  If you leave them, they will mislead Your slaves and they will beget none but wicked disbelievers.” Quran 71:27
Seeing his prophet in great despair and state of dejection due to the arrogance of the mislead rich and famous people, Allah Almighty listened to Prophet Nuh's SOS call and decided to teach the arrogant people a lesson that would be remembered for time immemorial and till the day of judgment by people who fear Allah and do not transgress. 

Thus Allah asked Prophet Nuh to build a big ark for time was near to teach the mislead and miscreants a big lesson:
“And construct the ship under Our Eyes and with Our Inspiration and address Me not on behalf of those who did wrong; they are surely to be drowned.” Qur'an 11:37
And this is how the making of the ark began. The prophet of Allah chose a high ground and started building as huge ark. It is not mentioned anywhere, however, as to how the prophet was able to make an ark so big to accommodate men and a pair each of all known animals of the time. There must haven been a divine help that would have helped the prophet to undertake this gigantic task, much beyond the capability of a human being. 

While the prophet  was building the ark, the nonbelievers would often mock him and took to be some insane as nowhere near the the ark site was any large body of water where this huge ark could be used. However, the prophet continued undeterred and was finally able to finish the gigantic task. Then the Godly command came:
“Until when Our Command came and the lowlands gushed forth, overflowing,  We said: ‘Load it with two of each kind of animal (male and female), and embark your family, except against whom the Word has already gone forth, and those who believe.’  And none believed him except a few.” (Quran 11:40)
The prophet waited for the water to rise and then as instructed by Allah, he boarded the big boat along with his family and few people who had chosen to listen to him and the divine call, and a pair each of all known animals, reptiles and birds of the time. 

At this juncture I would like to indicate that as per the Jews and Christians, the wife of Prophet Nuh and one his intolerant son boarded the ark and parted ways after the ark had settled down after the flood subsided. But as per Qur'an, Prophet Nuh's unfaithful wife and son did not board the boat and perished when the great flood hit them.
"Allah sets forth an example to those who disbelieve: the wife of Nuh and the wife of Lut, they were both under two of Our righteous servants, but they acted treacherously towards them so they availed them naught against Allah, and it was said: Enter both the fire with those who enter." — Qur'an, 66:10
As for his son who was dear to the prophet, the Prophet called upon him to board the boat and be among the believers. But his son refused and said he would head for the high mountains where he would be safe. The Quran talks about this in the following verses:
“And Nuh called out to his son, who had separated himself (apart), ‘O my son!  Embark with us and be not with the disbelievers.’  The son replied, ‘I will betake myself to a mountain; it will save me from the water.’  Nuh said: ‘This day there is no saviour from the Decree of Allah except him on whom He has mercy.’  And a wave came in between them so he (the son) was among the drowned.” (Quran 11:42-43)
Nor was Prophet Nuh a delirious man as has been shown the film "Noah" where in he is shown doing acts and dancing, unbecoming of prophets and chosen men of Allah.

So the great flood, or the Deluge as mentioned in the Genesis, came and lifted the big boat and destroyed everything that remained in the world. 
“‘O Earth!  Swallow up your water, and O sky!  Withhold (your rain).’  The water was diminished (made to subside) and the Decree (of God) was fulfilled (the destruction of the people of Nuh).  And it (the ship) rested on Mount Judi, and it was said: ‘Away with the people who are wrongdoing.’” (Quran 11:44)
The flood and rain continued for many days till it started to subside and the boat came to rest on a high mountain called Mount Judi, in present day Turkey.

This is the end of mention of Prophet Nuh, his non believing people and their tragic end when they all drowned and perished forever along with their bad deeds, the flood of the floods, the ark and the believing people and animals aboard the ark. It is believed that the believers and family of Prophet Nuh expanded in the world just like the descendants of Prophet Adm multiplied and made this world a peaceful place to live.

However, as usual, the rich and famous surfaced yet again with their non believing approach to life - quite tangent to the commands of Allah. This continued till the wrath of Allah struck next to cleanse the bad people from the earth and made way forward for the good people.

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