The Story of Our Master Noah (pth) (Part Two)
The damnation of the people of our Master Noah (pth)
Our dear students:
Our Master Noah (pth) invited his people to worship only God according to His command so he said what was mentioned in the Noble Verses, {O my people! Worship Allah! You have no other God but Him.}.
The Holy Qur’an,
Fortress 7, Al-A’raf (The Heights), Verse 65
In order to acquaint them with their Provider he drew their attention to His creatures as we had seen.
But, unless the human spirit was determined to seeking the truth and desired, Voluntarily, to reach it and to be of its owners, neither reminiscence nor advice would profit it.
Such was the case of these people with their Envoy.
They did not care about all what they had heard, moreover, they wondered at the coming of a Divine reminder from their Provider through a mortal (man) like themselves.
They said what was mentioned in the Noble Verses: {…We see you but a man like ourselves, nor do we see any follow you but the junior of us who are new at conceiving – giving opinion. And we do not see in you any merit above us, in fact we think you are liars.}
The Holy Qur’an,
Fortress 11, Hud, Verse 27
To this meaning the Noble Verse indicates, God says: {But the chiefs of those who disbelieved among his people said: “He is no more than a human being like you, he seeks to make himself superior to you. Had Allah willed, He surely could have sent down angels; never did we hear such a thing among our fathers of old}
The Holy Qur’an,
Fortress 23, Al-Muminun (The Believers), Verse 24
The argumentation between our Master Noah and his people lasted long but they showed him nothing except stubbornness and opposition.
To that the Noble Verse refers, God Says: {The leaders of his people said: “Verily, we see you in plain error.}
The Holy Qur’an,
Fortress 7, Al-A’raf (The Heights), Verse 60
And they also said: {‘He is only a man in whom is madness, so wait for him a while.} That is, he will surely die.
The Holy Qur’an,
Fortress 23, Al-Muminun (The Believers), Verse 25
When they despaired of making him stop announcing his mission; they threatened him saying: {They said: “If you cease not, O Noah! You will surely be among those stoned (to death).}
The Holy Qur’an,
Fortress 26, Ash-Shu’ara’ (The Poets), Verse 25
In spite of all the indicative signs to Allah which our Master Noah had revealed to his folk, they said to him as the others said to our Master Hud (cpth), God says: {They said: “O Hud! No evidence have you brought us, and we shall not leave our gods for your (mere) saying! And we are not believers in you. * “All that we say is that some of our gods have seized you with evil (madness)…}
The Holy Qur’an,
Fortress 26, Hud, Verses 53-54
That is, you are a man harmed by our gods so they veiled your spirit from the truth and let you say what you say.
As for “And we are not believers in you”: it indicates the unavoidable state of all spirits with their Envoys and guider in case they have not thought about the universe and recognize its Creator through it.
The recommendation of their messenger or guider would add them nothing but more intention and more arrogance; furthermore, they would neither pay attention to this adviser nor appreciate his rank.
For one thousand years excluding fifty good ones, our Master Noah kept inviting his people to Al'lah caring of nothing against their opposition, to that, the Noble Verse refers, God says: {and he stayed among them a thousand years save fifty good ones.}
The Holy Qur’an,
Fortress 29, Al-Ankaboot, Verse 14
After all that their response was no more than to say: {They said: “O Noah! You have disputed with us and much have you prolonged the dispute with us, now bring upon us what you threaten us with, if you are of the truthful. * He said: “Only Allah will bring it (the punishment) on you, if He will, and then you will escape not. *[26] “And my advice will not profit you, even if I wish to give you good counsel, if Allah wants to tempt you. He is your Provider and to Him you shall return.”}.
The Holy Qur’an,
Fortress 26, Hud, Verses 32-34
You might ask:
‘What is intended by the statement ‘If Allah wants to tempt you’?.
I say, the spirit’s cure of the germ of its wicked desires cannot be attained except by its approaching towards Allah and its absolute facing to Him.
Such facing and approaching are achieved by one of two ways:
1- Man may proceed to think and consider in this universe voluntarily, coupling this thinking and consideration with truthfulness in seeking the truth as we have already seen and there, his thinking will lead him to magnify these creatures.
Consequently, he shifts to confess the presence of the Almighty Creator and submit to His Majesty and His Great omnipotence fearing Him.
This fear incites him to be straight within God’s orders and to obey Him.
Then, when man reaches this stage – the stage of straightness-; self– confidence will arise in the spirit for being sure of God’s satisfaction with it.
Thereupon, it will whole heartedly approach towards Him. Thereby Godly light shines upon it and spreads through its sides where it clears every wickedness and dirt from the spirit and uproots the germ of its evilness just as how the sunshine which enters into a room clears the influences of the mold, or as how the directed rays towards the infected part of the body kill the germs settled in it, and that is only an approximate example.
2- But, what can be done if the spirit became pleased with the lower life and leant on it?.
How can this spirit draw nearer to the Almighty Al'lah while its yearning has become very influential with and fully controlled over it till it (its yearning) stood as an obstructing block and a veiling screen between this spirit and its Creator?.
Beyond doubt, such being the case, the spirit can never approach towards Al'lah unless this yearning is taken out of it.
When this happened and the spirit’s field became unoccupied, the phase of treatment and cure would start.
So, God afflicts this man with sorts of troubles, calamities, anguishes, and distresses that make him invoke and resort to his Creator.
After that, God the Almighty draws off the hardship and reassures this distressed man so that he may remember his Creator’s Kindness after lifting his distress and appreciate His benevolence upon him. Then, he would soundly think and hence he would know his Provider the proper knowledge which leads him to draw nearer to Him.
That is the second way that leads to entering into Allah’s Presence.
Here in, God’s Favor upon man appears to you, as does the meaning of the statement ‘..If Allah wants to tempt you’: It reveals that God, the Almighty, adorns to the sick spirit its deed in order to take its wicked desire out of it.
This situation is similar to that of the doctor who flavors the medicine for the patient when he adds sugar and flavors to it.
Then God follows the yearning’s fulfillment and the spirit’s emptiness from this yearning with kinds of affliction that is to say, with the treatment which leads to approaching towards God and to the true face-directing to Him for uprooting the germs of wickedness from the spirit and purifying it from the seed which causes generating lusts.
God, the Almighty, says: {And indeed, We will make them taste the lightest torment before the greatest torment in order that they may repent and return.}
The Holy Qur’an,
Fortress 32, As-Sajda, Verse 214
People's reaction towards affliction
Having known what is meant by the word ‘temptation’ and the Godly Purpose beyond the hardship and distress, we can say, people's reaction towards disaster, are divided into two categories:
1- Some plead to God when they are afflicted by it. Those, their spirits have the ability to be cured.
So, if God drives away the hardship and the distress form them, then they appreciate His charity and Kindness, and follow the way leading to approach Him, that will be a cause of curing and purifying their spirits from the wickedness.
2- The other ones do not plead to or invoke their Provider. Those, their spirits haven’t the ability to be cured; therefore, they are before one of two states:
1- Either depriving them of their desires causes an excess of their disbelief and drawing far from God, and that is why the Almighty drives them all the lower lusts they like and grants them all their desires.
Then, when their spirits become free from every lust and they enjoy what they have been given, death will come to them.
To that case the Noble Verses indicate, God says: {When Our Torment reached them, why then did they not plead? But their hearts became hardened, and Satan made fair-seeming to them that which they used to do. * So, when they forgot (the warning) with which they had been reminded, We opened to them the gates of every (pleasant) thing, until in the midst of their enjoyment in that which they were given, all of a sudden, We took them from this life, and lo! They were forfeiters (they were of no profit from all what God had given them).}
The Holy Qur’an,
Fortress 6, Al-Anaam, Verses 43-44
2- Or giving them their desires will cause their aggression and harm to increase; therefore, God the Almighty, deprives them of their desires in order to stop their harm and to limit their trespass and seeking to rid their spirits of the desires that they are clung to, calamities continue afflicting them and growing more and more till their spirit renounces and loathes their lusts.
To the case of such man the Noble Verse refers, God says: {And though We had mercy on them and removed the distress which is on them, still they would obstinately persist in their transgression, wandering blindly.}
The Holy Qur’an,
Fortress 23, Al-Muminun (The Believers), Verse 75
Our Master Noah invoked God to pass his people away as a mercy to them:
Through this explanation we have revealed, you see that the Godly Wisdom treats each one according to his status; thus man’s term of death does not come unless God clears out his spirit from all its lusts.
As for those who did not believe, although their spirits became devoid of their desires, but the germ – of lusts – is still settled inside them.
So, if God prolonged their lives more than their certain date of death, they would not have any profit; moreover, that germ would reproduce and arouse the lust inside them afresh.
Therefore, out of Al'lah’s Mercifulness upon them, they die at their appointed term exactly, with no delay nor advancing. To this meaning the Noble Verse refers, God says: {And if they were returned (to the world), they would certainly revert to that which they were forbidden.}
The Holy Qur’an,
Fortress 6, Al-Anaam, Verse 28
For this reason, when God told our Master Noah that no one more of his people would believe save those who had believed – and that is what the Noble Verse indicates when God says: {And it was inspired to Noah: “None of your people will believe except those who have believed already.}
The Holy Qur’an,
Fortress 11, Hud, Verse 28
So, our Master Noah asked Allah to have mercy upon his folk by death in order to put an end to their harm and to lessen the spiritual torture and the pain of their eternal loss hereafter. To that the Noble Verse indicates, God says: {And Noah said: My Lord! Leave not one of the disbelievers on the earth! * If You leave them, they will mislead Your obedient, and they will beget none but dissolute an excessive unbeliever.}
The Holy Qur’an,
Fortress 71, Noah, Verse 27
Thus, the invocation of our Master Noah for his folk was not mercilessness nor misdeed, on the contrary it was merely mercy and tenderness upon them.
God, the Almighty, responded to the Invocation of our Master Noah and to that the Noble Verse refers, God says: {. And indeed Noah invoked Us, and We are the Best of those who answer (the request).}
The Holy Qur’an,
Fortress 71, Noah, Verse 75
The statement ‘We are the Best of those who answer (the request)’ clarifies that our Master Noah’s invocation for his folk was very exactly suitable for them and within the graciousness and justice.
The destruction of Noah's people:
So, when it was the appointed time of their utter destruction; God the Almighty, ordered His Messenger to make the ark, and to that the Noble Verse refers, God says: {And construct the ship under Our Eyes and with Our Inspiration, and address Me not on behalf of those who oppressed themselves; they are surely to be drowned.}
The Holy Qur’an,
Fortress 11, Hud, Verse 37
The statement ‘and address Me not on behalf of those who oppressed themselves’ reveals the superfluity of this Noble Messenger’s sympathy and compassion upon his folk.
God ordered His Apostle to load the ark with only two couples of each species he would need.
To that the Noble Verses indicates, God says: {(So it was) till then there came Our Command and the headwater gushed forth (water like fountains from the earth). We said: “Embark therein, two couples (male and female) of each kind you would need and your family, except him against whom the Word has already gone forth, and those who believe. And none believed with him, except a few.}
The Holy Qur’an,
Fortress 11, Hud, Verse 40
The ‘headwaters’ is the source of water, and the statement ‘the headwater gushed forth’ means that the springs of water broke out intensely and jetted strongly.
“Embark therein, two couples (male and female) of each kind you would need”: God ordered His Envoy to embark therein the ship only two couples of each kind he would need, because it is useless to carry two couples of every creature God has created on the Earth’s surface.
What occurs to mind and according to the Godly Justice, that God inspired to the spirits of all the other animals of that area which the flood overwhelmed, to run away stampeding to faraway lands; as the flood did not spread all over the earth.
It befell just that limited tract which man had populated, for – at that time – people were one nation living on one spot of the land; while the other areas were uninhabited.
As soon as our Master Noah and those who had believed embarked the ship, the Heaven’s gates were opened with water – rains – falling heavily and the water flowed out through springs from the earth. the Noble Verses indicate that, God says: {So We opened the gates of heaven with water pouring forth. * And We caused the earth to gush forth with springs. So the waters (of the heaven and the earth) met for a matter predestined. * And We carried him on a (ship) made of planks and dowels, sails under Our Eyes, a reward for him who had been rejected.}
The Holy Qur’an,
Fortress 54, Al-Qamar, Verses 11-14
Then the surface of this area became overwhelmed with water, the waves towered up increasingly, and the ship set to sail through mountainous waves.
To that the Noble Verses refer, God says: {So it (the ship) sailed with them amidst the waves like mountains, and Noah 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.” Noah 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. * And it was said: “O earth! Swallow up your water, and O sky! Withhold (your rain).” And the water was diminished (made to subside) and the Decree (of Allah) was fulfilled (i.e. the destruction of the people of Noah. and the whole states were regulated – settled – at best,, and it was said: “Away with the people who are unjust. * And Noah called upon his Lord and said, “O my Lord! Verily, my son is of my family! And certainly, Your Promise is true, and You are the Most Just of the judges. * He said: “O Noah! Surely, he is not of your family; verily, his work is unrighteous}
The Holy Qur’an,
Fortress 11, Hud, Verses 42-46
Through these Noble Verses, it is cleared that if man’s deed becomes bad, none will drive the torment away from him or shelter him from God’s punishment.
Whoever that draws far from God, his deed would certainly return on him in accordance with Godly Justice and Compassion.
God, the Almighty, has kept an everlasting lesson for us out of this story in order to make us know that he who does not pay attention to God’s signs (cosmic wonders) or give thought to what He has created, can never see the truth nor will he be guided to it, and then, his destruction is inevitable.
But when the affliction occurs, God Saves His believing worshipers.
He the Almighty says: {… so We saved him and those along with him in the ship, and We drowned those who belied Our revelations. They were indeed blind people.}
The Holy Qur’an,
Fortress 7, Al-A’raf (The Heights), Verse 64
God also says: {Then see what was the end of those who were warned (but heeded not) except Allah’s true–selected–obedient.}
The Holy Qur’an,
Fortress 37, As-Saaffat, Verses 73-74
Praise be to God, the Provider of the worlds.
Questions and Exercises:
1- Why was our Master Noah (pth) arguing his people to contemplate the creation of the heavens and the earth?
2- The Almighty God says: {...If Allah wants to tempt you.} what is the meaning of the word “temptation” in this Verse?
3- What is the reason behind the distress and agony which afflict some people?
4- What did our Master Noah (pth) embark therein the ship and why did he do so?
5- Our Master Noah (pth), what is the meaning of his noble name ”Noah”?
6- Our Master Noah couldn’t save his son from God's punishment, according to this explain the following Noble saying of our Master the Prophet Mohammad (cpth): (Oh Fatima, daughter of Mohammad save yourself from the fire because I can avail you nothing in God’s will)?
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