5. NUH a.s. AND THE GREAT FLOOD

STORIES OF THE PROPHETS

IN AL-QURAN

(Lessons that we can extract, lessons that we can apply)

(Teaser extraction from the book)

NUH a.s. AND THE GREAT FLOOD

After the death of Prophet Idris a.s., wrongdoings and sinful acts among mankind became more and more prevalent.  This situation continued for about 1,000 years after Adam’s a.s. death.  But this eventually changed when people started idolizing their religious elders and scholars.

Iblis instigated the people to erect stone statues in their honor and memory.  These stones statues were named Wadd, Suwa’, Yaguth, Ya’uq and Nasr.  The people who did not know the truth and background of these statues began worshipping them as idols.  They would touch these idols to seek their blessing, and this went on for many generations.  This was the start of shirk or associating others in the worship of Allah s.w.t.

Prophet Nuh a,s, was the great grandson of Idris a.s.  Nuh a.s. was sent as a Prophet to his people to warn them that a great tragedy would befall them if they did not change their ways and return to the right path.  For 950 years, Nuh a.s. tried his best to get his people to change.  Nuh’s a.s. problem was compounded by the fact that his tribe had a King who himself worshipped idols.  The people listened to their King instead of Nuh a.s..

Over time, the King observed that some people started to follow Nuh a.s. and his teachings and influence began to spread.  As much as the King tried to sway Nuh a.s., Nhu a.s. remained unmoved.  Nuh’s a.s. tribe asked him for proof that a disaster would befall them if they refuse to follow him.

Thereafter, Nuh a.s was no longer able to influence anyone else and hundreds of years passed without any new followers joining Nuh a.s.  Each new generation that came was more corrupt and evil than the preceding one.  Finally when Nuh a.s realized that he could no longer change his people nor stop them from leading others astray, he prayed to Allah s.w.t. to punish them.

Allah s.w.t. answered Nuh’s a.s. prayers by instructing him to build a huge ark.  Allah s.w.t. sent the Angel Jibril (Gabriel) to teach him in building the great Ark.  The Ark was built high up in the mountains and it took Nuh a.s. about 100 years to complete building the Ark.  According to Ibnu Abbas who narrated from Prophet Muhammad s.a.w, the Ark was about one kilometer long, 150 meters wide and 100 meters high.  There were three floors altogether and, to protect it from the rain that was about to fall, it had a high roof and each floor had its own door.

Allah s.w.t. had prepared a sign for Nuh a.s.  Once that sign appears, Nuh a.s. should bring every living thing on earth into the Ark in pairs.  After every living creature had entered the Ark, the great flood came and everything and everyone on earth, except those in the Ark, were completely destroyed.  Water rose from the cracks in the earth.  Rain poured from the sky non-stop.  The seas and the waves invaded the land and the ocean floors lifted suddenly, flooding the dry land.  The earth for the first time was totally submerged.

Allah s.w.t. saved Nuh a.s. and his immediate family except for one of his sons, Kanaan.  Nuh’s wife, who was an idol-worshipper, had died earlier.  The son was too arrogant and thought he could escape the calamity from Allah s.w.t.

The flood lasted for six months and ended on the tenth of Muharram.  It rested on Mount Judi.

While waiting for the flood to end, Nuh a.s. send out a pigeon.  One day the pigeon returned with an olive leaf.  He knew then that the water level had fallen and that trees had started to grow again.  Later when the pigeon returned with traces of mud on its feet, it’s an indication that the water had subsided greatly.

Civilization began again.  Nuh a.s. has three new sons, Sam, Ham and Yafeth.  Sam’s descendants were mainly white skinned.  Ham’s children were mainly black skinned.  Yafeth’s children were light and brown skinned.  Arabs and the children of Israel were from Sam’s progeny (Semitics).  Africans came from Ham’s lineage.  Turks, Europeans and Asians are from Yafeth’s descendants.  After the Great Flood, Nuh a.s. lived for 350 years continuing his role as a Prophet and guiding the new generation of human beings.

To be continued…

(Enjoy and read the full version from the book)