1-4
[Read out to them, O Prophet,] In the name of Allah, Mercy abundant, Mercy eternal. [Just as We have made you a messenger towards the people of Arabia, similarly[1]] We sent Noah as a messenger towards his people [with the message] that 'Warn your people, before an extremely painful punishment afflicts them.' He called out to them, saying: 'My people, I am one to warn you with all clarity. [My message to you is] that you worship God, honor His limits and obey me[2], [as a result,] He shall forgive you your sins and shall give you respite till an appointed time[3]. Indeed when the time appointed by God arrives, it can then not be deferred [any further]. If only you understood!
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ إِنَّا أَرْسَلْنَا نُوحًا إِلَىٰ قَوْمِهِ أَنْ أَنذِرْ قَوْمَكَ مِن قَبْلِ أَن يَأْتِيَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ(1)قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ إِنِّي لَكُمْ نَذِيرٌ مُّبِينٌ(2)أَنِ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ وَاتَّقُوهُ وَأَطِيعُونِ(3)يَغْفِرْ لَكُم مِّن ذُنُوبِكُمْ وَيُؤَخِّرْكُمْ إِلَىٰ أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى ۚ إِنَّ أَجَلَ اللَّهِ إِذَا جَاءَ لَا يُؤَخَّرُ ۖ لَوْ كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ(4)
5-12
[He pleaded with them to submit to God, but they persistently turned their backs upon his pleas. So] he cried: "My Lord, night and day, have I pleaded with my people, but my pleas have only increased them in their aversion [towards my call]. And whenever I called them [to repent for their sins and to turn towards You] so that You may forgive them, they thrust their fingers in their ears and [turning arrogantly away from me] drew their cloaks over themselves and they persisted in their ways [rejecting my call] and responded with extreme conceit and pride. Then I called out to them openly. Then I appealed to them in public and pleaded with them in private. I said: 'Seek forgiveness from your Lord, indeed He is extremely forgiving. He will [then] bless you with plentiful rain [for your crops] and shall increase you in wealth and in progeny and shall provide you with [beautiful] gardens and with [flowing] rivers".'
قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّي دَعَوْتُ قَوْمِي لَيْلًا وَنَهَارًا(5)فَلَمْ يَزِدْهُمْ دُعَائِي إِلَّا فِرَارًا(6)وَإِنِّي كُلَّمَا دَعَوْتُهُمْ لِتَغْفِرَ لَهُمْ جَعَلُوا أَصَابِعَهُمْ فِي آذَانِهِمْ وَاسْتَغْشَوْا ثِيَابَهُمْ وَأَصَرُّوا وَاسْتَكْبَرُوا اسْتِكْبَارًا(7)ثُمَّ إِنِّي دَعَوْتُهُمْ جِهَارًا(8)ثُمَّ إِنِّي أَعْلَنتُ لَهُمْ وَأَسْرَرْتُ لَهُمْ إِسْرَارًا(9)فَقُلْتُ اسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّكُمْ إِنَّهُ كَانَ غَفَّارًا(10)يُرْسِلِ السَّمَاءَ عَلَيْكُم مِّدْرَارًا(11)وَيُمْدِدْكُم بِأَمْوَالٍ وَبَنِينَ وَيَجْعَل لَّكُمْ جَنَّاتٍ وَيَجْعَل لَّكُمْ أَنْهَارًا(12)
13-20
[And when they rejected the possibility of the rising of the dead in the hereafter, Noah said:] 'What is the matter with you that you have no hope for any greatness in God, while He is the one, Who created you [from a mere drop of water, taking you] through diverse stages [of development]?' [O people, who reject the raising of the dead,] do you not see how God has created the seven heavens one over the other and made in them the moon - a source of soothing light - and the sun - a great lamp? And [do you not see how, after creating these provisions,] God brought you forth from the earth, as plantation. Then He returns you to it and [soon] He shall most certainly extract you from it once more. And [do you not see how] God has made for you this earth a vast expanse, so that you may be able to travel its hilly paths. [Yet you persist in rejecting His powers and wisdom!]
مَّا لَكُمْ لَا تَرْجُونَ لِلَّهِ وَقَارًا(13)وَقَدْ خَلَقَكُمْ أَطْوَارًا(14)أَلَمْ تَرَوْا كَيْفَ خَلَقَ اللَّهُ سَبْعَ سَمَاوَاتٍ طِبَاقًا(15)وَجَعَلَ الْقَمَرَ فِيهِنَّ نُورًا وَجَعَلَ الشَّمْسَ سِرَاجًا(16)وَاللَّهُ أَنبَتَكُم مِّنَ الْأَرْضِ نَبَاتًا(17)ثُمَّ يُعِيدُكُمْ فِيهَا وَيُخْرِجُكُمْ إِخْرَاجًا(18)وَاللَّهُ جَعَلَ لَكُمُ الْأَرْضَ بِسَاطًا(19)لِّتَسْلُكُوا مِنْهَا سُبُلًا فِجَاجًا(20)
21-24
[Ultimately,] Noah said: "My Lord, they have refused to listen to me and have followed those [of their leaders] whose wealth and progeny have only increased them in their ruin[4]; and [have followed those] who plotted a mighty plot and said: 'Do not forsake your gods and do not forsake Wadd, Suwaa`, Yaghooth, Ya`ooq and Nas'r[5]'.' And, thus, they led a large number [of people] astray. And [as a recompense for their behavior,] do not increase these unjust people except in their error.
قَالَ نُوحٌ رَّبِّ إِنَّهُمْ عَصَوْنِي وَاتَّبَعُوا مَن لَّمْ يَزِدْهُ مَالُهُ وَوَلَدُهُ إِلَّا خَسَارًا(21)وَمَكَرُوا مَكْرًا كُبَّارًا(22)وَقَالُوا لَا تَذَرُنَّ آلِهَتَكُمْ وَلَا تَذَرُنَّ وَدًّا وَلَا سُوَاعًا وَلَا يَغُوثَ وَيَعُوقَ وَنَسْرًا(23)وَقَدْ أَضَلُّوا كَثِيرًا ۖ وَلَا تَزِدِ الظَّالِمِينَ إِلَّا ضَلَالًا(24)
25-25
Due to these sins of theirs, they were drowned and [it was decided that they shall be] thrown in a great fire. And [at that time] they did not then find any helpers, who could shield them from [the decision of] God[6].
مِّمَّا خَطِيئَاتِهِمْ أُغْرِقُوا فَأُدْخِلُوا نَارًا فَلَمْ يَجِدُوا لَهُم مِّن دُونِ اللَّهِ أَنصَارًا(25)
26-28
And [this happened after] Noah prayed: 'My Lord, leave not on this earth any one from among these rejecters, for indeed if you allow them to live, they shall lead your servants astray and they shall only breed a disobedient and rejecting generation[7]. My Lord, forgive me and my parents and all those who take refuge in my house[8] as believers and [forgive] all the believing men and women. And as for these rejecters, do not increase them except in their ruin.'
وَقَالَ نُوحٌ رَّبِّ لَا تَذَرْ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ مِنَ الْكَافِرِينَ دَيَّارًا(26)إِنَّكَ إِن تَذَرْهُمْ يُضِلُّوا عِبَادَكَ وَلَا يَلِدُوا إِلَّا فَاجِرًا كَفَّارًا(27)رَّبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَلِوَالِدَيَّ وَلِمَن دَخَلَ بَيْتِيَ مُؤْمِنًا وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ وَلَا تَزِدِ الظَّالِمِينَ إِلَّا تَبَارًا(28)
Since the beginning of his ministry, the Prophet (pbuh) was continually warning his addressees against a devastating punishment in case of their rejection. This Surah provides historical evidence for the warning of the Prophet (pbuh). In this Surah, the Qur'an has referred to the punishment that the people of Noah (pbuh) were subjected to as a result of their rejection.
God's prophets and messengers are His representatives on earth. For ordinary men, they are the only source of knowledge of God's directives and commands. Thus, obedience to these prophets, in effect, is obedience to God.
i.e., as a result of accepting God's message, He shall reward you by blessing you as a nation till a time fixed according to His absolute knowledge, wisdom and justice.
i.e., rather than making them thankful to God, their affluence, power and status in the life of this world has made them averse to listening to the Divine call.
These are clearly the names of the more popular gods of the people of Noah (pbuh).
None of these revered names could come to their rescue and stop the implementation of God's decision.
i.e., nothing good can now be expected to be bred through them.
It seems that at this stage, Noah (pbuh) had made a declaration that whoever desires to save himself from the approaching punishment should take refuge in Noah's house, indicating his acceptance of the prophet's call.
