Prophet Nuh (AS)

Biography

Nuh was sent to a people who had fallen into worship of Wadd, Suwa', Yaghuth, Ya'uq and Nasr (71:23). He called them night and day, openly and privately, promising forgiveness and blessings for repentance (71:5-12), and remained among them 'a thousand years less fifty' (29:14). Only a few believed (11:40), mostly from among the poor, whom the chiefs despised (11:27; 26:111).

Allah commanded him to build the Ark under divine supervision (11:37). When the command came and 'the oven gushed forth', he carried the believers and pairs of animals (11:40). His own son refused to board and drowned despite his father's call (11:42-43); when Nuh pleaded for him, Allah told him that the son was 'not of your family' (in faith and deeds), and Nuh sought forgiveness (11:45-47). His wife was also a disbeliever and is cited as an example (66:10). The Ark came to rest on al-Judi (11:44).

In the intercession hadith, people address Nuh as 'the first of the messengers to the people of the earth' (Sahih Bukhari 3340). He is among the Ulul-Azm (33:7; 42:13), and the Quran says prophethood and scripture were placed in the progeny of Nuh and Ibrahim (57:26).

Note: whether the Flood was global or regional to Nuh's people is debated among Muslim scholars; the Quran focuses on the destruction of his disbelieving people. Al-Judi is identified variously (traditionally in the Jazira/Kurdistan region). Genealogical traditions make Nuh a descendant of Idris (Enoch) and Shith; these are historical, not Quranic.