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Surah 11. Hud

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11:36
وَأُوحِىَ إِلَىٰ نُوحٍ أَنَّهُۥ لَن يُؤْمِنَ مِن قَوْمِكَ إِلَّا مَن قَدْ ءَامَنَ فَلَا تَبْتَئِسْ بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَفْعَلُونَ Waoo h iya il a noo h in annahu lan yumina min qawmika ill a man qad a mana fal a tabtais bim a k a noo yafAAaloon a
AND THIS was revealed unto Noah: "Never will any of thy people believe except those who have already attained to faith. Be not, then, distressed by anything that they may do,
  - Mohammad Asad
And it was revealed to Nuh: "None of your people will believe now, other than those who have already believed. So do not grieve at their evil deeds.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
And it was revealed to Noah, 'None of your people will believe except those who already have. So do not be distressed by what they have been doing.
  - Mustafa Khattab
And it was inspired in Noah, (saying) : No one of the folk will believe save him who hath believed already. Be not distressed because of what they do.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
It was revealed to Noah: "None of thy people will believe except those who have believed already! So grieve no longer over their (evil) deeds. 1529
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The story of Noah is resumed. A point was reached, when it was clear that there was no hope of saving the sinners, who were courting their own destruction. It was to be a great Flood. So Noah was ordered to construct a great Ark or Ship, a heavy vessel to remain afloat in the Flood, so that the righteous could be saved in it.

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11:37
وَٱصْنَعِ ٱلْفُلْكَ بِأَعْيُنِنَا وَوَحْيِنَا وَلَا تُخَـٰطِبْنِى فِى ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوٓا۟ ۚ إِنَّهُم مُّغْرَقُونَ Wa i s naAAi alfulka biaAAyunin a wawa h yin a wal a tukh at ibnee fee alla th eena th alamoo innahum mughraqoon a
but build, under Our eyes59 and according to Our inspiration, the ark [that shall save thee and those who follow thee];60 and do not appeal to Me in behalf of those who are bent on evildoing - for, behold, they are destined to be drowned!"
  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., "under Our protection".

This interpolation is necessitated by the definite article preceding the noun fulk (lit., "ship", but rendered by me as "ark" owing to its familiar connotation in European languages).

Build an ark under Our supervision in accordance with Our revelation, and beware not to plead with Me on behalf of those who are wrongdoers: for they are all to be drowned in the flood."
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
And build the Ark under Our 'watchful' Eyes and directions, and do not plead with Me for those who have done wrong, for they will surely be drowned.'
  - Mustafa Khattab
Build the ship under Our Eyes and by Our inspiration, and speak not unto Me on behalf of those who do wrong. Lo! they wilt be drowned.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
"But construct an Ark under Our eyes and Our inspiration and address Me no (further) on behalf of those who are in sin: for they are about to be overwhelmed (in the Flood)." 1530
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

It was to be built under the special instructions of Allah, to serve the special purpose it was intended to serve.

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11:38
وَيَصْنَعُ ٱلْفُلْكَ وَكُلَّمَا مَرَّ عَلَيْهِ مَلَأٌ مِّن قَوْمِهِۦ سَخِرُوا۟ مِنْهُ ۚ قَالَ إِن تَسْخَرُوا۟ مِنَّا فَإِنَّا نَسْخَرُ مِنكُمْ كَمَا تَسْخَرُونَ Waya s naAAu alfulka wakullam a marra AAalayhi malaon min qawmihi sakhiroo minhu q a la in taskharoo minn a fainn a naskharu minkum kam a taskharoon a
And [so Noah] set himself to building the ark; and every time the great ones of his people passed by him, they scoffed at him. [Thereupon] he said: "If you are scoffing at us - behold, we are scoffing at you [and your ignorance], just as you are scoffing at us.61
  - Mohammad Asad

Since it is obviously impossible to attribute to a prophet the levity of scoffing (Baghawi), the meaning of the above phrase seems to be this: "If you consider us ignorant because of what we believe and are doing, we consider you ignorant because of your refusal to acknowledge the truth and your readiness to expose yourselves to God's punishment" (Zamakhshari and, in a shorter form, Baghawi). Hence my interpolation of the words "and your ignorance".

So he started to build the ark; and whenever the chiefs of his people passed by him they laughed at him. He said: "Laugh at us now if you will, soon the time is going to come when we too will laugh at you as you are laughing at us.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
So he began to build the Ark, and whenever some of the chiefs of his people passed by, they mocked him. He said, 'If you laugh at us, we will 'soon' laugh at you similarly.
  - Mustafa Khattab
And he was building the ship, and every time that chieftains of his people passed him, they made mock of him. He said: Though ye make mock of us, yet we mock at you even as ye mock;
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Forthwith he starts constructing the Ark: every time that the Chiefs of his People passed by him they threw ridicule on him. They threw ridicule on him. He said: "If ye ridicule us now we (in our turn) can look down on you with ridicule likewise! 1531 1532
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The ridicule of the sinners, from their own point of view, was natural. Here was a Prophet turned carpenter! Here was a plain in the higher reaches of the Mesopotamian basin, drained by the majestic Tigris, over 800 to 900 miles from the sea Arabian Gulf in a straight line! Yet he talks of a flood like the Sea! All material civilisations pride themselves on their Public Works and their drainage schemes. And here was a fellow relying on Allah! But did not their narrow pride seem ridiculous also to the Prophet of Allah! Here were men steeped in sin and insolence! And they pit themselves against the power and the promise of Allah! Truly a contemptible race is man!

The Arabic Aorist may be construed either by the present tense or the future tense, and both make good sense here. Following Zamakhshari, I construe in the present tense, because the future is so tragic for the sinners. For the time being the worldly ones looked down on the Believers as they always do: but the Believers relied on Allah, and pitied their critics for knowing no better!-for their arrogance was really ridiculous.

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11:39
فَسَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ مَن يَأْتِيهِ عَذَابٌ يُخْزِيهِ وَيَحِلُّ عَلَيْهِ عَذَابٌ مُّقِيمٌ Fasawfa taAAlamoona man yateehi AAa tha bun yukhzeehi waya h illu AAalayhi AAa tha bun muqeem un
But in time you will come to know who it is that [in this world] shall be visited by suffering which will cover him with ignominy, and upon whom longlasting suffering shall alight [in the life to come]!"
  - Mohammad Asad
Soon you will come to know who will be seized by a humiliating scourge, and who is afflicted with everlasting punishment."
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
You will soon come to know who will be visited by a humiliating torment 'in this life' and overwhelmed by an everlasting punishment 'in the next'.'
  - Mustafa Khattab
And ye shall know to whom a punishment that will confound him cometh, and upon whom a lasting doom will fall.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
"But soon will ye know who it is on whom will descend a Penalty that will cover them with shame will be unloosed a Penalty lasting."
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

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11:40
حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا جَآءَ أَمْرُنَا وَفَارَ ٱلتَّنُّورُ قُلْنَا ٱحْمِلْ فِيهَا مِن كُلٍّ زَوْجَيْنِ ٱثْنَيْنِ وَأَهْلَكَ إِلَّا مَن سَبَقَ عَلَيْهِ ٱلْقَوْلُ وَمَنْ ءَامَنَ ۚ وَمَآ ءَامَنَ مَعَهُۥٓ إِلَّا قَلِيلٌ H att a i tha j a a amrun a waf a ra a l ttannooru quln a i h mil feeh a min kullin zawjayni ithnayni waahlaka ill a man sabaqa AAalayhi alqawlu waman a mana wam a a mana maAAahu ill a qaleel un
[And so it went on] till, when Our judgment came to pass, and waters gushed forth in torrents over the face of the earth,62 We said [unto Noah]: "Place on board of this [ark] one pair of each [kind of animal] of either sex,63 as well as thy family - except those on whom [Our] sentence has already been passed64 - and all [others] who have attained to faith!" - for, only a few [of Noah's people] shared his faith.
  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "the face of the earth boiled over" (fara 't-tannur). This phrase has been subject to several conflicting interpretations, some of which are based on no more than Talmudic legends (Manar XII, 75f.). The most convincing explanation is that given - among others - by Tabari, Baghawi and Ibn Kathir on the authority of Ibn 'Abbas and 'Ikrimah: "At-tannur [lit., "oven"] denotes the face of the earth." Razi, too, mentions that "the Arabs call the face of the earth tannur", while the Qamus gives as one of the meanings of tannur "any place from which water gushes forth". The verb fara - which literally means "it boiled over" - describes the raging torrents of water which "turned the earth into springs" (Ibn Kathir; see also 54:12 ). This "gushing forth of water over the face of the earth" seems to point to the inundation of the huge valley now covered by the Mediterranean Sea (see surah {7}, note [47]) - an inundation which, augmented by continuous, torrential rains (cf. 54:11 ), rapidly spread over the land-mass of present-day Syria and northern 'Iraq and grew into the immense deluge described in the Bible and in the Qur'an, and also referred to in the myths of ancient Greece (e.g., in the story of Deukalion and Pyrrhea), as well as in Sumerian and Babylonian legends.

The term zawj signifies, primarily, each of the two parts of a pair, and is also used in the sense of "a pair". In the present context it obviously has the former meaning; consequently, the expression min kullin zawjayn ithnayn is best rendered as above. - As regards the animals which Noah was commanded to take with him in the ark, it is reasonable to assume that this referred to the domesticated animals already in his possession, and not to all animals, as the Biblical narrative would have it.

I.e., those who stand condemned in the sight of God because of their persistent refusal to acknowledge the truth. See also verses {42-43} and {45-47}.

Finally when Our Command came and the water from Al-Tannur (a particular oven marked as a starting point to warn Nuh in order to get him ready to board the ark) gushed forth! We said to Nuh: "Take into the Ark a pair from every species, your family - except those against whom the Word has already gone forth - and the believers and those who believed with him were only a few."
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
And when Our command came and the oven burst 'with water',1 We said 'to Noah', 'Take into the Ark a pair from every species along with your family- except those against whom the decree 'to drown' has already been passed- and those who believe.' But none believed with him except for a few.
  - Mustafa Khattab

 Noah was given a signal that once the water gushes out of a particular oven then the Flood is about to begin. It can also be translated as: “The fountains of the earth gushed forth.”

(Thus it was) till, when Our commandment came to pass and the oven gushed forth water, We said: Load therein two of every kind, a pair (the male and female), and thy household, save him against whom the word hath gone forth already, and those who believe. And but a few were they who believed with him.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
At length behold! there came Our Command and the fountains of the earth gushed forth! We said: "Embark therein of each kind two male and female and your family except those against whom the Word has already gone forth and the Believers." But only a few believed with him. 1533 1534 1535
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Far-at-tannuru. Two interpretations have been given: (1) the fountains or the springs on the surface of the earth bubbled over or gushed forth; or (2) the oven boiled over. The former has the weight of the best authority behind it and I prefer it. Moreover, the same phrase occurs in xxiii. 27, where it is a clause coordinated (as here) with the coming of Allah's Command. These two passages may be compared with liv. 11-12, where it is said that water poured forth from the skies and gushed forth from the springs. This double action is familiar to any one who has seen floods on a large scale. The rain from above would saturate the great Ararat Plateau, and give great force to the springs and fountains in the valley of the Tigris below.

Zaujaini: the dual number refers to the two individuals in each pair of opposite sexes. Some of the most authoritative Commentators (e.g., Imam Razi) construe in this sense, though others construe it to mean two pairs of each species.

A disobedient and recalcitrant son (or step-son or grandson) of Noah is mentioned below (xi. 42-43, 45-56). A member of the family, who breaks away from the traditions of the family in things that matter, ceases to share in the privileges of the family.

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11:41
وَقَالَ ٱرْكَبُوا۟ فِيهَا بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ مَجْر۪ىٰهَا وَمُرْسَىٰهَآ ۚ إِنَّ رَبِّى لَغَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ Waq a la irkaboo feeh a bismi All a hi majr a h a wamurs a h a inna rabbee laghafoorun ra h eem un
So he said [unto his followers]: "Embark in this [ship]! In the name of God be its run and its riding at anchor! Behold, my Sustainer is indeed much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace!"
  - Mohammad Asad
Thus he said: "Embark in it, in the name of Allah in whose hands is its sailing and its stopping; surely my Rabb is Forgiving, Merciful."
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
And he said, 'Board it! In the Name of Allah it will sail and cast anchor. Surely my Lord is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.'
  - Mustafa Khattab
And he said: Embark therein! In the name of Allah be its course and its mooring. Lo! my Lord is Forgiving, Merciful.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
So he said: "Embark ye on the Ark in the name of Allah whether it move or be at rest! For my Lord is be sure Oft-Forgiving Most Merciful!"
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

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11:42
وَهِىَ تَجْرِى بِهِمْ فِى مَوْجٍ كَٱلْجِبَالِ وَنَادَىٰ نُوحٌ ٱبْنَهُۥ وَكَانَ فِى مَعْزِلٍ يَـٰبُنَىَّ ٱرْكَب مَّعَنَا وَلَا تَكُن مَّعَ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ Wahiya tajree bihim fee mawjin ka a ljib a li wan a d a noo h unu ibnahu wak a na fee maAAzilin y a bunayya irkab maAAan a wal a takun maAAa alk a fireen a
And it moved on with them into waves that were like mountains. At that [moment] Noah cried out to a son of his, who had kept himself aloof [from the others]: "O my dear son!65 Embark with us, and remain not with those who deny the truth!"
  - Mohammad Asad

The diminutive in ya bunayya (lit., "O my little son") is an expression of endearment irrespective of a son's age: for instance, Noah's son appears in the above story as a grown man, while Joseph, similarly addressed by his father in 12:5 , was a child or, at the most, an adolescent.

As the ark floated with them on board over the mountainous waves and Nuh called out to his son, who stood apart: "O my son! Embark with us and be not with the unbelievers!"
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
And 'so' the Ark sailed with them through waves like mountains. Noah called out to his son, who stood apart, 'O my dear son! Come aboard with us and do not be with the disbelievers.'
  - Mustafa Khattab
And it sailed with them amid waves like mountains, and Noah cried unto his son and he was standing aloof: O my son! Come ride with us, and be not with the disbelievers.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
So the Ark floated with them on the waves (towering) like mountains and Noah called out to his son who had separated himself (from the rest): "O my son! embark with us and be not with the Unbelievers!" 1536
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The simile of mountains applies to the waves, which were mountain high, -literally, for the peaks were being submerged.

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11:43
قَالَ سَـَٔاوِىٓ إِلَىٰ جَبَلٍ يَعْصِمُنِى مِنَ ٱلْمَآءِ ۚ قَالَ لَا عَاصِمَ ٱلْيَوْمَ مِنْ أَمْرِ ٱللَّهِ إِلَّا مَن رَّحِمَ ۚ وَحَالَ بَيْنَهُمَا ٱلْمَوْجُ فَكَانَ مِنَ ٱلْمُغْرَقِينَ Q a la sa a wee il a jabalin yaAA s imunee mina alm a i q a la l a AA as ima alyawma min amri All a hi ill a man ra h ima wa ha la baynahum a almawju fak a na mina almughraqeen a
[But the son] answered: "I shall betake myself to a mountain that will protect me from the waters." Said [Noah]: "Today there is no protection [for anyone] from God's judgment, save [for] those who have earned [His] mercy!" And a wave rose up between them, and [the son] was among those who were drowned.
  - Mohammad Asad
He replied: "I will take refuge on some mountain, which will save me from the flood." Nuh said: "None shall be secure today from the judgement of Allah, except the one on whom He has mercy!" And thereupon a wave came between them and he (Nuh's son) became among one of those who drowned.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
He replied, 'I will take refuge on a mountain, which will protect me from the water.' Noah cried, 'Today no one is protected from Allah's decree except those to whom He shows mercy!' And the waves came between them, and his son was among the drowned.
  - Mustafa Khattab
He said: I shall betake me to some mountain that will save me from the water. (Noah) said: This day there is none that saveth from the commandment of Allah save him on whom He hath had mercy. And the wave came in between them, so he was among the drowned.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
The son replied: "I will be take myself to some mountain: it will save me from the water." Noah said: "This day nothing can save from the Command of Allah any but those on whom He hath mercy!" and the waves came between them and the son was among those overwhelmed in the Flood. 1537
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The Unbelievers refuse to believe in Allah, but have great faith in material things! This young man was going to save himself on mountain peaks, not knowing that the peaks were themselves being submerged.

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11:44
وَقِيلَ يَـٰٓأَرْضُ ٱبْلَعِى مَآءَكِ وَيَـٰسَمَآءُ أَقْلِعِى وَغِيضَ ٱلْمَآءُ وَقُضِىَ ٱلْأَمْرُ وَٱسْتَوَتْ عَلَى ٱلْجُودِىِّ ۖ وَقِيلَ بُعْدًا لِّلْقَوْمِ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ Waqeela y a ar d u iblaAAee m a aki way a sam a o aqliAAee waghee d a alm a o waqu d iya alamru wa i stawat AAal a aljoodiyyi waqeela buAAdan lilqawmi a l thth a limeen a
And the word was spoken: "O earth, swallow up thy waters! And, O sky, cease [thy rain]!" And the waters sank into the earth, and the will [of God] was done, and the ark came to rest on Mount Judi.66 And the word was spoken: "Away with these evildoing folk!"
  - Mohammad Asad

This mountain, known in ancient Syriac as Qardu, is situated in the region of Lake Van, almost twenty-five miles north-east of the town Jazirat Ibn 'Umar, capital of the modern Syrian district of Al-Jazirah. It "owes its fame to the Mesopotamian tradition which identifies it, and not Mount Ararat, with the mountain on which Noah's ark rested.... This localization of the ark's resting-place...is certainly based on Babylonian tradition" (Encyclopaedia of Islam I, 1059). We should, however, remember that the designation Ararat (the Assyrian Urartu) at one time included the whole area to the south of Lake Van, in which Jabal Judi is situated: this might explain the Biblical statement that "the ark rested...upon the mountains of Ararat" (Genesis viii, 4).

Finally, Allah said: "O earth! Swallow up your water," and "O sky! Cease your rain." The floodwater abated and the judgement was carried out. The ark rested on Mount Al-Judi and it was said: "Gone are the wrongdoing people!"
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
And it was said, 'O earth! Swallow up your water. And O sky! Withhold 'your rain'.' The floodwater receded and the decree was carried out. The Ark rested on Mount Judi, and it was said, 'Away with the wrongdoing people!'
  - Mustafa Khattab
And it was said: O earth! Swallow thy water and, O sky! be cleared of clouds! And the water was made to subside. And the commandment was fulfilled. And it (the ship) came to rest upon (the mount) Al-Judi and it was said: A far removal for wrongdoing folk!
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
When the word went forth: "O earth! swallow up thy water and O sky! withhold (thy rain)!" and the water abated and the matter was ended. The Ark rested on Mount Judi and the word went forth: "Away with those who do wrong!" 1538 1539
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

A wonderful passage. The whole picture is painted in just a few words. The chain of material facts are linked together, not only in their relations to each other, but also in their relation to the spiritual forces that control them, and the spiritual consequences of Sin and wrong-doing. The drowning in the material sense was the least part of the Penalty. A whole new world came into existence after the Deluge.

Let us get a little idea of the geography of the place. The letters J.B. and K are philologically interchangeable, and Judi, Gudi, Kudi are sounds that can pass into each other. There is no doubt that the name is connected with the name "Kurd", in which the letter r is a later interpolation, for the oldest Sumerian records name a people called Kuti or Gutu as holding the middle Tigris region not later than 2000 B.C. (see E.B., Kurdistan). That region comprises the modern Turkish district of Bohtan, in which Jabal Judi is situated (near the frontiers of modern Turkey, modern 'lraq, and modern Syria), and the town of Jazirat ibn 'Umar, (on the present Turco-Syrian frontier), and it extends into 'Iraq and Persia. The great mountain mass of the Ararat plateau dominates this district. This mountain system "is unique in the Old World in containing great sheets of water that are bitter lakes without outlets, Lake Van and Lake Urumiya being the chief," (E.B., Asia). Such would be the very region for a stupendous Deluge if the usual scanty rainfall were to be changed into a very heavy downpour. A glacier damming of Lake Van in the Ice Age would have produced the same result. The region has many local traditions connected with Noah and the Flood. The Biblical legend of Mount Ararat being the resting place of Noah's Ark is hardly plausible, seeing that the highest peak of Ararat is over 16,000 feet high. If it means one of the lower-peaks of the Ararat system, it agrees with the Muslim tradition about Mount Judi (or Gudi), and this is in accordance with the oldest and best local traditions. These traditions are accepted by Josephus, by the Nestorian Christians, and indeed by all the Eastern Christians and Jews, and they are the best in touch with local traditions. See (Viscount) J. Bryce, "Transcaucasia and Ararat," 4th ed., 1896. p. 216.

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11:45
وَنَادَىٰ نُوحٌ رَّبَّهُۥ فَقَالَ رَبِّ إِنَّ ٱبْنِى مِنْ أَهْلِى وَإِنَّ وَعْدَكَ ٱلْحَقُّ وَأَنتَ أَحْكَمُ ٱلْحَـٰكِمِينَ Wan a d a noo h un rabbahu faq a la rabbi inna ibnee min ahlee wainna waAAdaka al h aqqu waanta a h kamu al ha kimeen a
And Noah called out to his Sustainer, and said: "O my Sustainer! Verily, my son was of my family;67 and, verily, Thy promise always comes true, and Thou art the most just of all judges!"
  - Mohammad Asad

A reference to the divine command, mentioned in verse {40} - "Place on board this [ark]...thy family" - which Noah apparently understood as meaning that the whole of his family would be saved, thus overlooking the qualifying clause, "except those on whom sentence has already been passed". - Some of the commentators suppose that verses {45-47} connect with verse {43}, and thus precede, in point of time, the events narrated in verse {44} - a supposition which has caused the modern translators of the Qur'an to render Noah's prayer, erroneously, in the present tense (i.e., in the form of a prayer for his son's rescue from drowning). It is, however, much more plausible to assume - as is done by Tabari and Ibn Kathir - that Noah's words were spoken after the ark had come to rest on Mount Judi (i.e., long after his son's death) and that they represented "an endeavour on the part of Noah to find out what would be the condition of his drowned son [in the hereafter]" (Ibn Kathir). Consequently, the sentence relating to this son, both in Noah's prayer and in God's answer, must be rendered in the past tense.

Nuh called out to his Rabb saying: "O my Rabb! My son is of my family, and surely Your promise is true and You are the most just of all Judges!"
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Noah called out to his Lord, saying, 'My Lord! Certainly my son is 'also' of my family, Your promise is surely true, and You are the most just of all judges!'
  - Mustafa Khattab
And Noah cried unto his Lord and said: My Lord! Lo! my son is of my household! Surely Thy promise is the Truth and Thou art the Most Just of Judges.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
And Noah called upon his Lord and said: "O my Lord! surely my son is of my family! and Thy promise is true and Thou art the Justest of Judges!"
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

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11:46
قَالَ يَـٰنُوحُ إِنَّهُۥ لَيْسَ مِنْ أَهْلِكَ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ عَمَلٌ غَيْرُ صَـٰلِحٍ ۖ فَلَا تَسْـَٔلْنِ مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِۦ عِلْمٌ ۖ إِنِّىٓ أَعِظُكَ أَن تَكُونَ مِنَ ٱلْجَـٰهِلِينَ Q a la y a noo h u innahu laysa min ahlika innahu AAamalun ghayru sa li h in fal a tasalni m a laysa laka bihi AAilmun innee aAAi th uka an takoona mina alj a hileen a
[God] answered: "O Noah, behold, he was not of thy family, for, verily, he was unrighteous in his conduct.68 And thou shalt not ask of Me anything whereof thou canst not have any knowledge:69 thus, behold, do I admonish thee lest thou become one of those who are unaware [of what is right]."70
  - Mohammad Asad

According to some commentators (e.g., Tabari and Razi), the phrase innahu 'amal ghayr salih relates to Noah's prayer for his son, and constitutes a divine reproach - in which case it should be rendered as "verily, this [prayer] is unrighteous conduct [on thy part]". Others, however (e.g., Zamakhshari), reject this interpretation and relate the above phrase to the son, in the manner rendered by me. This, I believe, is more in tune with the statement, "he was not of thy family" - i.e., spiritually, inasmuch as he was of, or preferred to remain with, "those who deny the truth".

I.e., knowledge of the innermost reasons of God's decrees and of the ultimate destiny of any human being in the hereafter: for, the answers to this "why" and this "how" lie in the realm of things which are beyond the reach of human perception (al-ghayb).

I.e., "lest thou prove to be one of those ignorant who ask God that He change His decrees in response to their own desires" (Manar XII, 85 f.).

Allah replied: "O Nuh! In fact he is not of your family; for he is not of righteous conduct. So do not ask Me anything of which you have no knowledge! I admonish you, lest you become one of the ignorant!"
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Allah replied, 'O Noah! He is certainly not of your family- he was entirely of unrighteous conduct. So do not ask Me about what you have no knowledge of! I warn you so you do not fall into ignorance.'
  - Mustafa Khattab
He said: O Noah! Lo! he is not of thy household; lo! he is of evil conduct, so ask not of Me that whereof thou hast no knowledge. I admonish thee lest thou be among the ignorant.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
He said: "O Noah! he is not of thy family: for his conduct is unrighteous. So ask not of Me that of which thou hast no knowledge! I give thee counsel lest thou act like the ignorant!" 1540
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

See n. 5135 above. Like all Prophets of Allah, Noah was kind-hearted, but he is told that there can be no compromise with evil. And Noah acknowledges the reproof. There was a wife of Noah, who was also an unbelieving woman (lxvi. 10), and she suffered the fate of Unbelievers.

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11:47
قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّىٓ أَعُوذُ بِكَ أَنْ أَسْـَٔلَكَ مَا لَيْسَ لِى بِهِۦ عِلْمٌ ۖ وَإِلَّا تَغْفِرْ لِى وَتَرْحَمْنِىٓ أَكُن مِّنَ ٱلْخَـٰسِرِينَ Q a la rabbi innee aAAoo th u bika an asalaka m a laysa lee bihi AAilmun waill a taghfir lee watar h amnee akun mina alkh a sireen a
Said [Noah]: "O my Sustainer! Verily, I seek refuge with Thee from [ever again] asking of Thee anything whereof I cannot have any knowledge! For unless Thou grant me forgiveness and bestow Thy mercy upon me, I shall be among the lost!"
  - Mohammad Asad
Nuh said: "My Rabb! I seek refuge in You for asking You that of which I have no knowledge; and unless You forgive me and have mercy on me, I shall surely be lost!"
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Noah pleaded, 'My Lord, I seek refuge in You from asking You about what I have no knowledge of, and unless You forgive me and have mercy on me, I will be one of the losers.'
  - Mustafa Khattab
He said: My Lord! Lo! in Thee do I seek refuge (from the sin) that I should ask of Thee that whereof I have no knowledge. Unless Thou forgive me and have mercy on me I shall he among the lost.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Noah said: "O my Lord! I do seek refuge with Thee lest I ask Thee for that of which I have no knowledge. And unless Thou forgive me and have Mercy on me I should indeed be lost!" 1541
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Noah, in his natural affection and respect for ties of relationship, was overcome with human weakness in wishing to reverse the Decree of Allah. It was not sin but ignorance. His ignorance was corrected by divine inspiration, and he immediately saw the full Truth, acknowledged his error, and asked for Allah's forgiveness and mercy. This is the standard set for us all.

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11:48
قِيلَ يَـٰنُوحُ ٱهْبِطْ بِسَلَـٰمٍ مِّنَّا وَبَرَكَـٰتٍ عَلَيْكَ وَعَلَىٰٓ أُمَمٍ مِّمَّن مَّعَكَ ۚ وَأُمَمٌ سَنُمَتِّعُهُمْ ثُمَّ يَمَسُّهُم مِّنَّا عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ Qeela y a noo h u ihbi t bisal a min minn a wabarak a tin AAalayka waAAal a omamin mimman maAAaka waomamun sanumattiAAuhum thumma yamassuhum minn a AAa tha bun aleem un
[Thereupon] the word was spoken: "O Noah! Disembark in peace from Us,71 and with [Our] blessings upon thee as well as upon the people [who are with thee, and the righteous ones that will spring from thee and] from those who are with thee.72 But [as for the unrighteous] folk [that will spring from you] - We shall allow them to enjoy life [for a little while], and then there will befall them grievous suffering from Us."
  - Mohammad Asad

The term salam - here translated as "peace" - comprises the notions of both external and internal security from all that is evil. For a fuller explanation of the term, see surah {5}, note [29].

The above interpolation is based on the consensus of most of the classical commentators. The phrase "the people [or "generations"] from those who are with thee" points to generations as yet unborn; but since God's blessing extends to all believers, it eo ipso comprises the believers of Noah's generation as well; and since "those who deny the truth" (al-kafirun) are excluded from God's blessing, only the righteous from among the offspring of these early believers are promised a share in His grace (cf. a similar allusion, relating to Abraham's descendants, in 2:124 ): hence my interpolation of the words "as for the unrighteous that will spring from you" in the next sentence.

It was said: "O Nuh! Disembark (from the ark) with Our peace and blessings on you and on the peoples who are with you. As for other people, We shall grant them the provisions of life for some time, and if they do not behave righteously, then they shall have a painful punishment from Us."
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
It was said, 'O Noah! Disembark with Our peace and blessings on you and some of the descendants of those with you. As for the others, We will allow them 'a brief' enjoyment, then they will be touched with a painful punishment from Us.'
  - Mustafa Khattab
It was said (unto him): O Noah! Go thou down (from the mountain ) with peace from Us and blessings upon thee and some nations (that will spring) from those with thee. (There will be other) nations unto whom We shall give enjoyment a long while and then a painful doom from Us will overtake them.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
The word came: "O Noah! come down (from the Ark) with Peace from Us and Blessings on thee and on some of the Peoples (who will spring) from those with thee: but (there will be other) Peoples to whom We shall grant their pleasures (for a time) but in the end will a grievous Penalty reach them from Us." 1542 1543
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Cf. ii. 126.

Those who truly seek Allah's light and guidance and sincerely bend their will to His Will are freely admitted to Allah's grace. Notwithstanding any human weaknesses in them, they are advanced higher in the stage on account of their Faith, Trust, and Striving after Right. They are given Allah's Peace, which gives the soul true calmness and strength, and all the blessings that flow from spiritual life. This was given not only to Noah and his family but to all the righteous people who were saved with him. And their descendants were also promised those blessings on condition of righteousness. But some of them fell from grace, as we know in history. Allah's grace is not a social or family privilege. Each people and each individual must earnestly strive for it and earn it.

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11:49
تِلْكَ مِنْ أَنۢبَآءِ ٱلْغَيْبِ نُوحِيهَآ إِلَيْكَ ۖ مَا كُنتَ تَعْلَمُهَآ أَنتَ وَلَا قَوْمُكَ مِن قَبْلِ هَـٰذَا ۖ فَٱصْبِرْ ۖ إِنَّ ٱلْعَـٰقِبَةَ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ Tilka min anb a i alghaybi noo h eeh a ilayka m a kunta taAAlamuh a anta wal a qawmuka min qabli h atha fa i s bir inna alAA a qibata lilmuttaqeen a
THESE ACCOUNTS of something that was beyond the reach of thy perception We [now] reveal unto thee, [O Muhammad: for] neither thou nor thy people knew them [fully] ere this.73 Be, then, [like Noah,] patient in adversity - for, behold, the future belongs to the God-conscious!
  - Mohammad Asad

See verse {35} above. Although the story of Noah had been vaguely known to the Arabs even before the advent of the Prophet Muhammad, they - and the Prophet with them - were entirely unaware of the details as narrated in the preceding Qur'anic account (Razi). The use of the plural at the beginning of this parenthetic passage ("These accounts") - in contrast with the singular form employed in a similar phrase occurring in 3:44 , 11:100 and 12:102 ("This account") - seems, in my opinion, to indicate that it refers not only to the preceding story of Noah but also to the subsequent stories of other prophets. In this connection it should be remembered - and it cannot be stressed too often - that "narrative" as such is never the purpose of the Qur'an. Whenever it relates the stories of earlier prophets, or alludes to ancient legends or to historical events that took place before the advent of Islam or during the lifetime of the Prophet, the aim is, invariably, a moral lesson; and since one and the same event, or even legend, has usually many facets revealing as many moral implications, the Qur'an reverts again and again to the same stories, but every time with a slight variation of stress on this or that aspect of the fundamental truths underlying the Qur'anic revelation as a whole.

O Muhammad, these are some of the facts from the unseen history which We have now revealed to you: neither you nor your people knew about it before. So have patience; surely the end is for the righteous.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
This is one of the stories of the unseen, which we reveal to you 'O Prophet'. Neither you nor your people knew it before this. So be patient! Surely the ultimate outcome belongs 'only' to the righteous.
  - Mustafa Khattab
This is of the tidings of the Unseen which We inspire in thee (Muhammad). Thou thyself knewest it not, nor did thy folk (know it) before this. Then have patience. Lo! the sequel is for those who ward off (evil).
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Such are some of the stories of the Unseen which We have revealed unto thee: before this neither thou nor thy People knew them. So persevere patiently: for the End is for those who are righteous. 1544
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Cf. n. 1528 to xi. 35. The sum of the whole matter is that the righteous, who work for Allah and their fellow-men, may be traduced, insulted, and persecuted. But they will be sustained by Allah's Mercy. They must go on working patiently, for the End will all be for them and their Cause.

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11:50
وَإِلَىٰ عَادٍ أَخَاهُمْ هُودًا ۚ قَالَ يَـٰقَوْمِ ٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنْ إِلَـٰهٍ غَيْرُهُۥٓ ۖ إِنْ أَنتُمْ إِلَّا مُفْتَرُونَ Wail a AA a din akh a hum hoodan q a la y a qawmi oAAbudoo All a ha m a lakum min il a hin ghayruhu in antum ill a muftaroon a
AND UNTO [the tribe of] 'Ad [We sent] their brother Hud.74 He said: "O my people! Worship God [alone] you have no deity other than Him. [As it is,] you are but inventors of falsehood!75
  - Mohammad Asad

For particulars relating to the name Hud as well as the tribe of 'Ad, see surah {7}, note [48].

I.e., inventors of alleged deities that have no reality in themselves (cf. 7:71 , which also relates to the story of Hud). Regarding the term muftarun, see surah {7}, note [119].

To the people of 'Ad We sent their brother Hud. He said: "O my people! Worship Allah, you have no god but Him; otherwise you are just making things up.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
And to the people of 'Âd We sent their brother Hûd. He said, 'O my people! Worship Allah. You have no god other than Him. You do nothing but fabricate lies 'against Allah'.
  - Mustafa Khattab
And unto (the tribe of) Aad (We sent) their brother, Hud. He said: O my people! Serve Allah! Ye have no other God save Him. Lo! ye do but invent!
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
To the `Ad People (We sent) Hud one of their own brethren. He said: "O my people! worship Allah! ye have no other god but Him. (Your other gods) ye do nothing but invent! 1545
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Cf. the story of Hud the Messenger of the 'Ad People, in vii. 65-72. There the argument was how other Peoples treated thier prophets as the Makkans were treating Al-Mustafa. Here we see another point emphasized: the insolence of the 'Ad in obstinately adhering to false gods after the true God had been preached to them, Allah's grace to them, and finally Allah's justice in bringing them to book while the righteous were saved. The locality in which the 'Ad flourished is indicated in n. 1040 to vii. 65.

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