Nuh (Noah)

Nuh is the first of the five great Messengers endowed with resolve (ulu al-'azm). He was sent to a people who, the first to do so, had sunk into idolatry, worshipping statues named Wadd, Suwa', Yaghuth, Ya'uq, and Nasr.

Nuh called his people to the oneness of God for long years, never tiring, day and night, in public and in private.

Despite his patience, his people stopped their ears and turned away. Only a small number followed him, among the most humble.

On God's command, he set about building an ark in dry land. The notables passed by and mocked, seeing no water anywhere.

Then God's decree fell: water gushed from the earth and fell from the sky. Nuh embarked a pair of each species and the believers. But his own son, who had refused to believe, drowned among the others — for the bond of faith takes precedence over the bond of blood.

Nuh teaches that success is not measured by the number of those who follow us, but by constancy in truth, despite mockery and solitude.

إِنَّا أَرْسَلْنَا نُوحًا إِلَىٰ قَوْمِهِ أَنْ أَنذِرْ قَوْمَكَ مِن قَبْلِ أَن يَأْتِيَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ

Nous avons, en vérité, envoyé Noé à son peuple en lui ordonnant : « Avertis ton peuple avant qu’un châtiment douloureux ne vienne l’emporter ! »

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