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NOOH

(NOAH)

 

PROPHET NOOH

      Thousands of years passed since the time of Adam and numerous people lived throughout the land.  These people forgot Adam's teachings of righteousness and maintaining piety.  Many of them followed the temptations of Iblees (Satan) through stealing, cheating, deceiving, being mean, and greedy among other things. Having forgotten Adam's beautiful teachings, the people began to make idols from stones or wood.  The idols looked like statues of man in various moods.  The people prayed to these idols and worshiped them instead of praying to Allah and following His Guidance.  They even offered sacrifices to them.

      The priests became powerful and mighty and they dominated the people, making them miserable by setting numerous rules, many of which were unfair.

       Because of His mercy and love for the people Allah (swt) chose a new Prophet to help and direct them.

 

ALLAH CHOOSES NOOH  go to top of page

      Allah chose a righteous, very good man whose name was Nooh (Noah).

      Like all Prophets Nooh was a sincere man, very tolerant, trustworthy, strong-willed, and determined.  Angel Jubra'eel (Gabriel) relayed to Nooh the Directives and teachings from Allah many, many times, and Nooh was ordered to teach and lead the people.  Nooh traveled from one city to another and from one village to another, guiding and preaching.  He asked the people to:

pray to Allah (swt) and not to idols,

perform the good deeds and be righteous, fair, loving, trustworthy, and helpful.

avoid the evil and sinful, to beware of Satan. (Surah  71:  Ayah  1-25.)

      Most of the people however, did not believe in Nooh or his Message.  Many of them ridiculed him, laughed at him, and hurt him.

      But being a Prophet Nooh would not quit.  He knew his task was difficult so he persistently preached and taught for numerous years, even though most people made fun of him.  Many people, if not most, continued in their evil ways, following Satan's temptations. (Surah  7:  Ayah  59-64.)

 

WHAT HAPPENED THEN?  go to top of page

     Prophet Nooh worked exceptionally hard for many years, yet only few believed in his message.  Finally Nooh prayed in desperation, "Oh my Lord," he said, "leave not upon the land any from the disbelievers." (Surah  71:  Ayah  26.      Also Surah  26:  Ayah  105-118.)

      Allah answered Nooh's prayer by telling him to build an Ark.  But Prophet Nooh was in a town far away from any sea, and building a huge boat was not an easy task.  Prophet Nooh knew then that Allah planned to drown the evil people, the disbelievers. (Surah  11:  Ayah  38-41.)

      Nooh started to work right away, building his Ark and working constantly.  The believers gathered and helped with great devotion, and the work was hard and tedious, and it continued for a number of years.

      Slowly though, the mammoth Ark began to take shape while the disbelievers mocked Nooh and his followers, thinking that Nooh had turned insane and lost his senses.  They reasoned that he who builds such a boat, so far from the sea, must be crazy.  Little did they know!

 

      As the large Ark was finally completed it started to rain, so Allah ordered:

Nooh,

his family,

the believers, and

one male and one female of each animal to board the Ark.

 

      The boat had to be huge to hold so many.  Not every one is able to put two of every kind of animal in one boat.

      But now that the Ark was completed and the skies cloudy and angry looking, it rained, and the rain began to pour and pour.  It became heavier and heavier as time progressed.  Water collected everywhere as streams and rivers overflow­ed, valleys began to fill, and water poured through the houses.  The lightning was frightening, and the thunder made hearts pound with fear.  Everyone was scared and frightened except for Prophet Nooh and his followers.

      The rushing waters poured into the houses, shops, and buildings.  Waters rushed through the windows and doors, and the houses collapsed on the people, on the disbelievers.  Many tried to swim but could do only for so long.  People were in a panic but they deserved it. (Surah  54:  Ayah  11-15.)

      Among the disbelievers was one of Nooh's son.  He thought he could escape the flood by being on a hill; instead he drowned with the others.  Nooh wanted his son to be on the Ark, but he disbelieved in his father's Message and ended by being the loser. (Nooh's wife was a disbeliever too.  See Surah  66:  Ayah  10.  For Nooh's son see:  Surah  11:  Ayah  25-49.)

      Finally the whole area was drowned and all the disbelievers were destroyed while Prophet Nooh and the believers were safe in the Ark.  The Ark was floating well, withstanding the huge waves.

      After raining for a long time the skies began to clear, the rain stopped, and the water level lowered.  Prophet Nooh and the believers came to safety along with the animals.

 

WHAT DID THEY DO AFTERWARDS?

      Prophet Nooh lived to a very old age.  The devoted believers built new homes and worked hard in the fields.  They were good people since they practiced Allah's Guidance.  They believed in His message and were righteous.  They taught their children and their grandchildren about the Directives of Allah—and they taught them to do the good and avoid evil.

 

 

NOOH (a.s) Outline go to top of page

  1. Given the seat of Prophethood

  2. Delivers Allah's Directives to people

  3. Most people don't believe

  4. Allah commands him to build an Ark

  5. Constant rain leads to high waters

  6. Believers, Noah's family, and animals saved

  7. Disbelievers drown, including Nooh's son

  8. Nooh's Message continues for 950 years

 

     It is said that Prophet Nooh's Message and teachings continued for 950 years. (Surah  29:  Ayah  14-15.)  As times passed though, the number of people became very large and many of them began to go astray and live in an evil manner and do evil things.  Many ignored the teachings of Nooh and the towns became corrupt and wicked, and the people went in the way of Satan.

      When evil spreads, Allah, through His mercy, chooses another Prophet to bring His Message again to the people, and this time He chose Ibrahim (Abraham). 

  

 QUESTIONS  go to top of page

  1. Why did Allah choose Nooh for Prophethood?

  2. Who gave Allah's Message to Nooh?

  3. How was the work of Prophet Nooh with the people?

  4. A Prophet means a superior man selected by Allah (swt).  What does that mean?

  5. Describe the people's reaction to Nooh's calling.

  6. How successful was Nooh at first?

  7. Why did people continue to follow Sheitan's temptations?

  8. What did Allah order Nooh to build?

  9. How long did it take to build the Ark?

  10. Why did building of the Ark not make sense to the disbelievers?

  11. What happened when the Ark was completed?

  12. Who was allowed inside the Ark when it rained so persistently?

  13. Who of Nooh's family did not want to be in the Ark?

  14. Was Nooh's son a believer?

  15. Describe what eventually happened to the houses and buildings when it rained that persistently?

  16. What happened after the Ark reached safety?

  17. How long did the teachings of Prophet Nooh last?

  18. fter Nooh's teachings, what happened to the people's belief in Allah?

 

HIGHLIGHTS OF NOOH  go to top of page

1

 

      2

 

      3

Nooh is a Prophet

 

Builds an Ark

 

The Deluge

ØNooh becomes a Prophet

ØNooh delivers Allah's Directives

ØDespite Nooh's enormous effort most people do not listen, preferring their old ways

ØSome become believers

ØAfter exhaustive effort Nooh finally prays to Allah to punish the disbelievers

ØAllah commands Nooh to build an Ark

 

ØNooh and the believers begin to build an Ark

ØThe Ark is built far away from sea

ØThe Disbelievers are sarcastic, think Nooh has lost his mind

ØArk takes much time and effort to finish

ØIt begins to rain, hard

ØAllah commands Nooh to put his family, believers, and a couple of each animal in the Ark

ØNooh's son refuses to be in the Ark

ØNooh's wife was a disbeliever

 

ØThe rain pours heavily

ØHouses and towns are destroyed

ØTowns and local society are destroyed by drowning

ØNooh's son drowns along with others

ØThe Ark is safe, floating intact

ØThe rain finally stops

ØNooh and the believers build new society

ØNooh's teachings continue for 950 years.