Аль-Анкабут 29:14–25

Nuh and His People

Here Allah consoles His servant and Messenger Muhammad ﷺ by telling him that Nuh, peace be upon him, stayed among his people for this long period of time, calling them night and day, in secret and openly, but in spite of all that they still persisted in their aversion to the truth, turning away from it and disbelieving in him. Only a few of them believed with him. Allah says:

فَلَبِثَ فِيهِمْ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ إِلاَّ خَمْسِينَ عَاماً فَأَخَذَهُمُ الطُّوفَانُ وَهُمْ ظَلِمُونَ

(and he stayed among them a thousand years less fifty years; and the Deluge overtook them while they were wrongdoers.) meaning, `after this long period of time, when the Message and the warning had been of no avail, so, O Muhammad, do not feel sorry because of those among your people who disbelieve in you, and do not grieve for them, for Allah guides whomsoever He wills and leaves astray whomsoever He wills. The matter rests with Him and all things will return to Him.'

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ حَقَّتْ عَلَيْهِمْ كَلِمَةُ رَبِّكَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ وَلَوْ جَآءَتْهُمْ كُلُّ ءايَةٍ

(Truly, those, against whom the Word of your Lord has been justified, will not believe. Even if every sign should come to them) (10:96-97). Know that Allah will help you and support you and cause you to prevail, and He will defeat and humiliate your enemies, and make them the lowest of the low. It was recorded that Ibn `Abbas said: "Nuh received his mission when he was forty years old, and he stayed among his people for a thousand years less fifty; after the Flood he lived for sixty years until people had increased and spread."

فأَنْجَيْنهُ وأَصْحَبَ السَّفِينَةِ

(Then We saved him and the Companions of the Boat,) means, those who believed in Nuh, peace be upon him. We have already discussed this in detail in Surah Hud, and there is no need to repeat it here.

وَجَعَلْنَهَآ ءَايَةً لِّلْعَلَمِينَ

(and made it (the ship) an Ayah for all people.) means, `We caused that ship to remain,' whether in itself, as Qatadah said, that it remained until the beginning of Islam, on Mount Judi, or whether the concept of sailing in ships was left as a reminder to mankind of how Allah had saved them from the Flood. This is like the Ayat: s

وَءَايَةٌ لَّهُمْ أَنَّا حَمَلْنَا ذُرِّيَّتَهُمْ فِى الْفُلْكِ الْمَشْحُونِ - وَخَلَقْنَا لَهُمْ مِّن مِّثْلِهِ مَا يَرْكَبُونَ

(And an Ayah for them is that We bore their offspring in the laden ship. And We have created for them of the like thereunto, on which they ride) until:

وَمَتَاعاً إِلَى حِينٍ

(and as an enjoyment for a while) 36:41-44.

إِنَّا لَمَّا طَغَا الْمَآءُ حَمَلْنَكُمْ فِى الْجَارِيَةِ - لِنَجْعَلَهَا لَكُمْ تَذْكِرَةً وَتَعِيَهَآ أُذُنٌ وَعِيَةٌ

(Verily, when the water rose beyond its limits, We carried you in the ship. That We might make it an admonition for you and that it might be retained by the retaining ears.) (69:11-12) And Allah says here:

فأَنْجَيْنهُ وأَصْحَبَ السَّفِينَةِ وَجَعَلْنَهَآ ءَايَةً لِّلْعَلَمِينَ

(Then We saved him and the Companions of the Boat, and made it an Ayah for all people.) This is a shift from referring to one specific ship to speaking about ships in general. A similar shift from specific to general is to be seen in the Ayat:

وَلَقَدْ زَيَّنَّا السَّمَآءَ الدُّنْيَا بِمَصَبِيحَ وَجَعَلْنَهَا رُجُوماً لِّلشَّيَطِينِ

(And indeed We have adorned the nearest heaven with lamps, and We have made such lamps missiles to drive away the Shayatin (devils)) (67:5). meaning, `We have made these lamps missiles, but the lamps which are used as missiles are not the same lamps as are used to adorn the heaven.' And Allah says:

وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الإِنْسَنَ مِن سُلَلَةٍ مِّن طِينٍ - ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَهُ نُطْفَةً فِى قَرَارٍ مَّكِينٍ

(And indeed We created man out of an extract of clay. Thereafter We made him a Nutfah in a safe lodging.) (23:12-13). There are many other similar examples.

Ibrahim's preaching to His People

Allah tells us how His servant, Messenger and close friend Ibrahim, the Imam of the monotheists, called his people to worship Allah alone, with no partner or associate, to fear Him alone, to seek provision from Him alone, with no partner or associate, to give thanks to Him alone, for He is the One to Whom thanks should be given for the blessings which none can bestow but He. Ibrahim said to his people:

(Worship Allah, and have Taqwa of Him,) meaning worship Him and fear Him Alone, with all sincerity.

(that is better for you if you know.) if you do that you will attain good in this world and the next, and you will prevent evil from yourselves in this world and the Hereafter. Then Allah states that the idols which they worshipped were not able to do any harm or any good, and tells them, "You made up names for them and called them gods, but they are created beings just like you." This interpretation was reported by Al-`Awfi from Ibn `Abbas. It was also the view of Mujahid and As-Suddi. Al-Walibi reported from Ibn `Abbas: "You invent falsehood, means, you carve idols," which do not have the power to provide for you.

(so seek from Allah your provision,) This emphasizes the idea of asking Allah Alone. This is like the Ayat:

(You (Alone) we worship, and You (Alone) we ask for help.) (1:5) And His saying:

(My Lord! Build for me, with You, a home in Paradise) (66:11). Allah says here:

(so seek) meaning, ask for

(from Allah your provision,) meaning, do not seek it from anyone or anything other than Him, for no one else possesses the power to do anything.

(and worship Him, and be grateful to Him.) Eat from what He has provided and worship Him Alone, and give thanks to Him for the blessings He has given you.

(To Him you will be brought back.) means, on the Day of Resurrection, when He will reward or punish each person according to his deeds. His saying:

(And if you deny, then nations before you have denied.) means, `you have heard what happened to them by way of punishment for opposing the Messengers.'

(And the duty of the Messenger is only to convey plainly.) All the Messengers have to do is to convey the Message as Allah has commanded them. Allah guides whoever He wills and leaves astray whoever He wills, so strive to be among the blessed. Qatadah said concerning the Ayah:

(And if you deny, then nations before you have denied.) "These are words of consolation to His Prophet, peace be upon him." This suggestion by Qatadah implies that the narrative (about Ibrahim) is interrupted here, and resumes with the words "And nothing was the answer of (Ibrahim's) people..." in Ayah 24. This was also stated by Ibn Jarir. From the context it appears that Ibrahim, peace be upon him, said all of what is in this section. Here he establishes proof against them that the Resurrection will indeed come to pass, because at the end of this passage it says:

("And nothing was the answer of his people...")(29:24) And Allah knows best.

The Evidence for Life after Death

Allah tells us that Ibrahim, peace be upon him, showed them the proof of life after death, which they denied, in their souls. For Allah created them after they had been nothing at all, then they came into existence and became people who could hear and see. The One Who originated this is able to repeat it, it is very easy for Him. Then he taught them to contemplate the visible signs on the horizons and the things that Allah has created: the heavens with their stars and planets, moving and stationary, the earth with its plains and mountains, its valleys, deserts and wildernesses, trees and rivers, fruits and oceans. All of that indicates that these are themselves created things, and that there must be a Creator Who does as He chooses, Who merely says to a thing "Be!" and it is. Allah says:

(See they not how Allah originates the creation, then repeats it. Verily, that is easy for Allah.) This is like the Ayah:

(And He it is Who originates the creation, then He will repeat it; and this is easier for Him) (30:27). Then Allah says:

(Say: "Travel in the land and see how He originated the creation, and then Allah will bring forth the creation of the Hereafter.") meaning, the Day of Resurrection.

(Verily, Allah is able to do all things.)

(He punishes whom He wills, and shows mercy to whom He wills;) He is the Ruler Who is in control, Who does as He wishes and judges as He wants, and there is none who can put back His judgement. None can question Him about what He does; rather it is they who will be questioned, for His is the power to create and to command, and whatever He decides is fair and just, for He is the sovereign who cannot be unjust in the slightest. According to a Hadith recorded by the Sunan compilers:

(If Allah willed to punish the dwellers of His heavens and His earth, He would do so, while He would not be unjust to them.) Allah says:

(He punishes whom He wills, and shows mercy to whom He wills; and to Him you will be returned.) You will return to Him on the Day of Resurrection.

(And you cannot escape on the earth or in the heaven. ) No one in heaven or on earth can flee from Him, for He is the Subduer Who is above His servants, and everything fears Him and is in need of Him, while He is the One Who is Independent of all else.

(And besides Allah you have neither any protector nor any helper. And those who disbelieve in the Ayat of Allah and the meeting with Him,) Those who disbelieved in the signs of Allah and denied the Resurrection,

(such have no hope of My mercy) they will have no share in it,

(and for such there is a painful torment.) meaning, extremely painful, in this world and the next.

The Response of Ibrahim's People -- and how Allah controlled the Fire

Allah tells us how Ibrahim's people stubbornly and arrogantly disbelieved, and how they resisted the truth with falsehood. After Ibrahim addressed them with his words of clear guidance,

(except that they said: "Kill him or burn him.") This was because proof had clearly been established against them, so they resorted to using their power and strength.

(They said: "Build for him a building and throw him into the blazing fire!" So they plotted a plot against him, but We made them the lowest.) (37:97-98). They spent a long time gathering a huge amount of firewood, they built a fence around it, then they set it ablaze until its flames reached up to the sky. No greater fire had ever been lit. Then they went to Ibrahim, seized him and put him into a catapult, then they threw him into the fire. But Allah made it cool and safe for him, and after spending several days in it, he emerged unscathed. For this reason and others, Allah made him an Imam for mankind, for he offered himself to the Most Merciful, he offered his body to the flames, he offered his son as a sacrifice, and he gave his wealth to care for his guests. For all of these reasons he is beloved by the followers of all religions.

(Then Allah saved him from the fire. ) means, He rescued him from it by making it cool and safe for him.

(Verily, in this are indeed signs for a people who believe.) Ibrahim, peace be upon him, explains to his people that idols are incapable of doing anything,

(And (Ibrahim) said: "You have taken idols instead of Allah. The love between you is only in the life of this world,) Here Ibrahim was rebuking his people for their evil deed of worshipping idols, and telling them: `You have taken these as gods and you come together to worship them so that there is friendship and love among you in this world,'

(but on the Day of Resurrection,) the situation will be the opposite, and this love and friendship will turn into hatred and enmity. Then

(you shall deny each other,) meaning, `you will denounce one another and deny whatever was between you,'

(and curse each other, ) means, the followers will curse their leaders and the leaders will curse their followers.

a(Every time a new nation enters (the Fire), it curses its sister nation (that went before)) (7:37).

(Friends on that Day will be foes one to another except those who have Taqwa.) (43:67) And Allah says here:

(but on the Day of Resurrection, you shall deny each other, and curse each other, and your abode will be the Fire,) meaning, `your ultimate destiny after all accounts have been settled, will be the fire of Hell, and you will have no one to help you or save you from the punishment of Allah.' This will be the state of the disbelievers. As for the believers, it will be an entirely different matter.