Sūrat Nūḥ
سورۃ نوح
Revealed in Makkah. 28 verses. 2 sections (rukūʿ).
Bismillāhi r-raḥmāni r-raḥīm
إِنَّا أَرْسَلْنَا نُوحًا إِلَىٰ قَوْمِهِ أَنْ أَنذِرْ قَوْمَكَ مِن قَبْلِ أَن يَأْتِيَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ
innā arsalnā nūḥan ilā qawmihi an andhir qawmaka min qabli an yatiyahum ʿadhābun alīm.
"Indeed We sent Nūḥ to his people — warning them before a painful punishment should come to them." (Nūḥ 71:1)
Innā arsalnā — indeed We — We sent. Nūḥan — Nūḥ (peace be upon him). Ilā qawmihi — to his people — toward his people. An andhir — that you warn — this is the means of warning — warn your own people. Qawmak — your people. Min qabli — from before — before this. An yatiyahum — before it reaches them. ʿAdhābun alīm — a painful punishment — a painful affliction.
Translation: "We sent Nūḥ (peace be upon him) to his people as a Prophet — so that they may be warned that before the painful punishment comes upon them, he gives them advance information."
قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ إِنِّي لَكُمْ نَذِيرٌ مُّبِينٌ
qāla yā qawmi innī lakum nadhīrun mubīn.
"He said: O my people! indeed I am a plain warner for you." (Nūḥ 71:2)
Qāla yā qawm — Nūḥ (peace be upon him) said: O my people! Yā qawmī — the original was yā qawmī but the yāʾ has been elided (ḥadhf — elision), so it has become yā qawm. Innī lakum — indeed I for you — nadhīrun mubīn — a plain warner — a clear one who plainly warns, openly reveals the event.
Translation: "(Nūḥ) said: O people! I am a plain warner for you — I give you a clear warning."
أَنِ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ وَاتَّقُوهُ وَأَطِيعُونِ
ani ʿbudū llāha wa-ttaqūhu wa-aṭīʿūn.
"That you worship Allah and fear Him and obey me." (Nūḥ 71:3)
Ani ʿbudū llāh — that worship Allah — perform His worship, recognise Him, serve Him as a servant. Wa-ttaqūh — and fear Him — avoid His anger, protect yourself from His wrath — wa-ttaqūh — and fear Him. Wa-aṭīʿūn — and obey me — my words, follow them, be obedient to me.
Translation: "That you worship Allah and fear Him (protect yourself from His wrath) and follow my commandments."
يَغْفِرْ لَكُم مِّن ذُنُوبِكُمْ وَيُؤَخِّرْكُمْ إِلَىٰ أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى ۚ إِنَّ أَجَلَ اللَّهِ إِذَا جَاءَ لَا يُؤَخَّرُ ۚ لَوْ كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ
yaghfir lakum min dhunūbikum wa-yuʾakhkhirkum ilā ajalin musamman inna ajala llāhi idhā jāʾa lā yuʾakhkharu law kuntum taʿlamūn.
"He will forgive your sins and grant you respite to a named term — indeed when the term of Allah comes, it cannot be delayed — if only you knew." (Nūḥ 71:4)
Yaghfir lakum min dhunūbikum — (if you do this) He will forgive some of your sins, your transgressions. He will cover them. He will grant you. Wa-yuʾakhkhirkum — and He will delay you — He will give you a reprieve. Ilā ajalin musammā — until a named term — to a fixed time — until the time determined by Allah which has been given a set time and deadline. Inna ajala llāh — indeed the term of Allah. Idhā jāʾa — when it comes — lā yuʾakhkhar — it is not delayed — there is no further delay possible after that — the end comes. Law kuntum taʿlamūn — if only you knew — would that you understood and made use of this knowledge.
Translation: "He will forgive some of your sins and will give you a reprieve — to a fixed time — because Allah's term (the appointed time of divine death) when it arrives is never delayed after that — (O people!) would that you made use of your knowledge."
قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّي دَعَوْتُ قَوْمِي لَيْلًا وَنَهَارًا
qāla rabbi innī daʿawtu qawmī laylā wa-nahārā.
"He said: My Lord! Indeed I have called my people night and day." (Nūḥ 71:5)
Qāla — Nūḥ (peace be upon him) said. Rabb — O my Lord. Innī daʿawtu qawmī — without doubt I have given the call of preaching (tablīgh) to my own people — I have guided them straight. Laylā wa-nahārā — day and night — night and day.
Translation: "(Nūḥ) said: O my Lord! I have called my own people day and night — (called them toward Your commandments to convey them)."
فَلَمْ يَزِدْهُمْ دُعَاءِي إِلَّا فِرَارًا
fa-lam yazid-hum duʿāʾī illā firārā.
"But my calling them only increased their flight." (Nūḥ 71:6)
Fa-lam yazid-hum — then it did not increase them at all. Duʿāʾī — my calling. Illā firārā — except flight — but they fled.
Translation: "Then my calling only sent them further away and they continued to flee."
وَإِنِّي كُلَّمَا دَعَوْتُهُمْ لِتَغْفِرَ لَهُمْ جَعَلُوا أَصَابِعَهُمْ فِي آذَانِهِمْ
wa-innī kullamā daʿawtuhum li-taghfira lahum jaʿalū aṣābiʿahum fī ādhānihim.
"And indeed whenever I called them that You might forgive them, they put their fingers in their ears." (Nūḥ 71:7)
This verse carries on at the top of the following page.
وَاسْتَغْشَوْا ثِيَابَهُمْ وَأَصَرُّوا وَاسْتَكْبَرُوا اسْتِكْبَارًا
wa-staghshaw thiyābahum wa-aṣarrū wa-stakbarū istikbārā.
"And they drew their garments over themselves, persisted, and were arrogant with great arrogance." (Nūḥ 71:7)
Wa-istaghshaw thiyābahum — and I called to them (toward Your path), yet they covered themselves with their garments, pulled them over their heads, and stuffed their fingers in their ears — aṣ-ṣābaʿ means the fingers gathered together — they wrapped up their clothes, pulled them tight. Wa-aṣarrū — they persisted, were obstinate, hardened their stance. Wa-stakbarū istikbārā — and they were supremely arrogant, putting themselves above the truth, clinging to their own view. Nūḥ (upon him be peace) understood the people at the very highest level of comprehension and rendered the most elevated account.
Translation: "And I would call on them that they might seek forgiveness, but they would stuff their fingers in their ears, wrap their garments around themselves, persist in stubbornness (not yielding their ground) and practice the utmost arrogance and insolence."
ثُمَّ إِنِّي دَعَوْتُهُمْ جِهَارًا
thumma innī daʿawtuhum jihārā.
"Then I called them aloud." (Nūḥ 71:8)
Thumma innī — then I. Daʿawtuhum — I called them, summoned them. Jihārā — openly, publicly, with a loud and manifest voice.
Translation: "Then I gave them open public proclamation (of Islam)."
ثُمَّ إِنِّي أَعْلَنتُ لَهُمْ وَأَسْرَرْتُ لَهُمْ إِسْرَارًا
thumma innī aʿlantu lahum wa-asrartu lahum isrārā.
"Then I made it known to them openly and also whispered to them in secret." (Nūḥ 71:9)
Thumma innī — then I again. Aʿlantu lahum — I made it known to them openly, publicly. Wa-asrartu lahum isrārā — and I spoke to them in secret too, privately, in whispers — those quiet, intimate words that are reached only by a few.
Translation: "Then I proclaimed to them both publicly (appearing openly) and also privately and quietly — (loudly and softly, in every possible way I explained it)."
فَقُلْتُ اسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّكُمْ إِنَّهُ كَانَ غَفَّارًا
fa-qultu istaghfirū rabbakum innahu kāna ghaffārā.
"And I said: 'Seek forgiveness of your Lord — indeed He has always been Most Forgiving.'" (Nūḥ 71:10)
Fa-qultu — then I said. Istaghfirū — seek forgiveness, ask for pardon. Rabbakum — your Lord. Innahu kāna ghaffārā — indeed He is Most Forgiving, enormously pardoning; He conceals faults and forgives greatly.
Translation: "Then I told them: seek forgiveness from your Lord — He is the One who forgives (He is full of forgiveness)."
يُرْسِلِ السَّمَاءَ عَلَيْكُم مِّدْرَارًا
yursili l-samāʾa ʿalaykum midrārā.
"He will send the sky upon you in abundance." (Nūḥ 71:11)
Yursil — He will send, dispatch. Al-samāʾa — the sky, the clouds, the heavens. ʿAlaykum — upon you. Midrārā — abundantly, in flowing torrents, pouring rain.
Translation: "He will send upon you the sky (i.e., the heaven's rain) in abundant streams."
وَيُمْدِدْكُم بِأَمْوَالٍ وَبَنِينَ وَيَجْعَل لَّكُمْ جَنَّاتٍ وَيَجْعَل لَّكُمْ أَنْهَارًا
wa-yumdidkum bi-amwālin wa-banīna wa-yajʿal lakum jannātin wa-yajʿal lakum anhārā.
"And He will increase you in wealth and sons, and make for you gardens and make for you rivers." (Nūḥ 71:12)
Wa-yumdidkum — and He will reinforce you, give you more, bestow increase. Bi-amwālin — with wealth — people are inclined toward wealth, money attracts everyone. Wa-banīna — and with sons, children, offspring and blessings. Wa-yajʿal lakum — and He will make for you. Jannātin — gardens. Anhārā — rivers; in Arabic called "nahr" and in Urdu "nahr" as well, while in Arabic "jadwal" refers to a brook.
Translation: "And He will aid you with an abundance of wealth and children — and He will give you gardens and rivers."
مَّا لَكُمْ لَا تَرْجُونَ لِلَّهِ وَقَارًا
mā lakum lā tarjūna li-llāhi waqārā.
"What is the matter with you that you do not hope for honour from Allah?" (Nūḥ 71:13)
Mā lakum — what has come over you? Lā tarjūna li-llāhi — you hold no hope in, no expectation of Allah. Waqārā — grandeur, majesty, weight and gravity.
Translation: "What has happened to you that you do not hold hope in the greatness of Allah (and do not have conviction of it)?"
وَقَدْ خَلَقَكُمْ أَطْوَارًا
wa-qad khalaqakum aṭwārā.
"And He has created you in stages." (Nūḥ 71:14)
Wa-qad khalaqakum — whereas He has indeed created you. Aṭwārā — in stages, in different modes, in varying forms — in different ways.
Translation: "Whereas He has made you through various stages."
أَلَمْ تَرَوْا كَيْفَ خَلَقَ اللَّهُ سَبْعَ سَمَاوَاتٍ طِبَاقًا
a-lam taraw kayfa khalaqa llāhu sabʿa samāwātin ṭibāqā.
"Do you not see how Allah created seven heavens one above another?" (Nūḥ 71:15)
A-lam taraw — have you not seen, do you not perceive? Kayfa khalaqa llāhu — how Allah created. Sabʿa samāwātin — seven heavens. Ṭibāqā — in layers, in storeys — one on top of another, tier upon tier.
Translation: "Have you not seen how Allah has created seven heavens, one above the other in tiers?"
وَجَعَلَ الْقَمَرَ فِيهِنَّ نُورًا وَجَعَلَ الشَّمْسَ سِرَاجًا
wa-jaʿala l-qamara fīhinna nūrā wa-jaʿala l-shamsa sirājā.
"And He has placed the moon in them as a light and made the sun as a lamp." (Nūḥ 71:16)
Wa-jaʿala l-qamara — and He placed the moon. Fīhinna nūrā — in those heavens as a light. Wa-jaʿala l-shamsa — and He made the sun. Sirājā — a bright lamp, a blazing lantern.
Translation: "And in them He made the moon a light and the sun (a blazing) lamp."
وَاللَّهُ أَنبَتَكُم مِّنَ الْأَرْضِ نَبَاتًا
wa-llāhu anbatakum mina l-arḍi nabātā.
"And Allah made you grow from the earth as a growth." (Nūḥ 71:17)
Wa-llāhu anbatakum — and Allah caused you to grow, gave you increase and nourishment. Mina l-arḍi — from the earth. Nabātā — as a growth, a springing forth — a mysterious and extraordinary birth, a nurturing.
Translation: "And Allah has grown you from the earth in an extraordinary and wondrous manner."
ثُمَّ يُعِيدُكُمْ فِيهَا وَيُخْرِجُكُمْ إِخْرَاجًا
thumma yuʿīdukum fīhā wa-yukhrjukum ikhrājā.
"Then He will return you into it and bring you forth again." (Nūḥ 71:18)
Thumma yuʿīdukum fīhā — then He will return you, restore you to the earth. Wa-yukhrjukum — and He will bring you out. Ikhrājā — an extraction — certainly bringing you out in the very same manner.
Translation: "Then He will return you to the earth and will bring you out fully and completely."
وَاللَّهُ جَعَلَ لَكُمُ الْأَرْضَ بِسَاطًا
wa-llāhu jaʿala lakumu l-arḍa bisāṭā.
"And Allah made the earth for you as a carpet." (Nūḥ 71:19)
Wa-llāhu jaʿala lakum — and Allah made for you. Al-arḍa — the earth. Bisāṭā — a spread, a carpet, a flat surface.
Translation: "And Allah has made the earth for you like a spread-out carpet."
It is obvious that we lie down on the earth, sleep on it — there is no doubt that the earth functions as our carpet and resting-place. If the whole earth revolves, then how is it that we sleep on it and lie down on it without discomfort and without falling off? If it were rotating, its rotation would throw us off. The earth remains entirely still beneath us.
لِّتَسْلُكُوا مِنْهَا سُبُلًا فِجَاجًا
li-taslukū minhā subulan fijājā.
"That you may traverse its broad paths." (Nūḥ 71:20)
Li-taslukū — so that you may walk, enter, traverse. Minhā — from it, from the earth. Subulan — roads, paths; plural of maslaḥ. Fijājā — wide open, broad and spacious roads; plural of fajj, meaning a road.
Translation: "So that you may walk along its open roads."
قَالَ نُوحٌ رَّبِّ إِنَّهُمْ عَصَوْنِي وَاتَّبَعُوا مَن لَّمْ يَزِدْهُ مَالُهُ وَوَلَدُهُ إِلَّا خَسَارًا
qāla nūḥu rabbi innahum ʿaṣawnī wa-ttabaʿū man lam yazidhu māluhu wa-waladuhū illā khāsārā.
"Nūḥ said: 'My Lord, they have disobeyed me and followed one whose wealth and children have brought him nothing but loss.'" (Nūḥ 71:21)
Qāla Nūḥ — Nūḥ said. Rabb — O my Lord. Innahum ʿaṣawnī — they disobeyed me, defied my command, did not follow what I told them. Wa-ttabaʿū — and they followed the lead of someone — (whose path did they follow?) Man lam yazidhu — the person whom following has not benefited at all; rather, it has increased him in nothing. Māluhū wa-waladuhū — his wealth and his children. Illā khāsārā — except in loss, ruin, damage.
Translation: "Nūḥ said: 'O my Lord! These people have committed acts of disobedience against me and my Lord, and they have followed those whose wealth and children have increased them in nothing but ruin and loss.'"
وَمَكَرُوا مَكْرًا كُبَّارًا
wa-makarū makrā kubbārā.
"And they devised a great scheme." (Nūḥ 71:22)
Wa-makarū — and they schemed, plotted deceptions. Makrā kubbārā — a grand, great, and enormous deception — the worst sort of cunning.
Translation: "And those people carried out extremely intense schemes (machinations)."
وَقَالُوا لَا تَذَرُنَّ آلِهَتَكُمْ وَلَا تَذَرُنَّ وَدًّا وَلَا سُوَاعًا وَلَا يَغُوثَ وَيَعُوقَ وَنَسْرًا
wa-qālū lā tadhuranna ālihatakum wa-lā tadhuranna Waddan wa-lā Suwāʿan wa-lā Yaghūtha wa-Yaʿūqa wa-Nasrā.
"And they said: 'Do not ever abandon your gods — do not abandon Wadd, nor Suwāʿ, nor Yaghūth, nor Yaʿūq, nor Nasr.'" (Nūḥ 71:23)
Wa-qālū lā tadhurū — and they said: never abandon them, do not ever give them up. Ālihatakum — your gods and your idols. Lā tadhurū — do not abandon. Waddan — the idol Wadd. Wa-lā Suwāʿan — and do not abandon Suwāʿ. Wa-lā Yaghūtha wa-Yaʿūqa wa-Nasrā — and do not abandon Yaghūth, nor Yaʿūq, nor Nasr.
Translation: "And those idol-worshippers told their people: never abandon your idols — never abandon Wadd, and never abandon Suwāʿ, nor Yaghūth, nor Yaʿūq, nor Nasr."
وَقَدْ أَضَلُّوا كَثِيرًا وَلَا تَزِدِ الظَّالِمِينَ إِلَّا ضَلَالًا
wa-qad aḍallū kathīrā wa-lā tazidi l-ẓālimīna illā ḍalālā.
"And they have already led many astray — and do not increase the wrongdoers in anything but misguidance." (Nūḥ 71:24)
Wa-qad aḍallū — and they have already led many astray. Kathīrā — a great many, leading into deep error. Wa-lā tazid — and do not increase. Al-ẓālimīna — the wrongdoers. Illā ḍalālā — except in misguidance.
Translation: "And those people have led many others astray (and have increased the misguidance of wrongdoers) — and do not increase those wrongdoers in anything but misguidance — (because deceit is part of their very nature)."
مِّمَّا خَطِيئَاتِهِمْ أُغْرِقُوا فَأُدْخِلُوا نَارًا فَلَمْ يَجِدُوا لَهُم مِّن دُونِ اللَّهِ أَنصَارًا
mimmā khaṭīʾātihim ughriqū fa-udkhilū nāran fa-lam yajidū lahum min dūni llāhi anṣārā.
"Because of their sins they were drowned, then made to enter a Fire — and they found no helpers for themselves besides Allah." (Nūḥ 71:25)
Mimmā khaṭīʾātihim — because of their sins, as a consequence of their errors. Ughriqū — they were drowned, submerged. Fa-udkhilū nārā — then they were made to enter Hell, the Fire of Jahannam. Fa-lam yajidū lahum — then they found nothing for themselves. Anṣārā — helpers, supporters, saviors — those who come to one's aid, those who defend and uphold.
Translation: "Those people, because of their sins (and errors), were drowned (and entered the Fire) — then they were made to enter Hell. Then those people found no helper or supporter for themselves beside Allah."
وَقَالَ نُوحٌ رَّبِّ لَا تَذَرْ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ مِنَ الْكَافِرِينَ دَيَّارًا
wa-qāla nūḥu rabbi lā tadhir ʿalā l-arḍi mina l-kāfirīna dayyārā.
"And Nūḥ said: 'My Lord, do not leave a single dweller on earth from among the disbelievers.'" (Nūḥ 71:26)
Wa-qāla Nūḥ — and Nūḥ said. Rabb — O my Lord. Lā tadhir — do not leave, do not let remain. ʿAlā l-arḍi — upon this earth. Mina l-kāfirīna — from among the disbelievers. Dayyārā — not a single dweller or settler, a resident, anyone who inhabits.
Translation: "And Nūḥ said: O God! Do not leave any of the disbelievers on this earth as settlers or inhabitants."
إِنَّكَ إِن تَذَرْهُمْ يُضِلُّوا عِبَادَكَ وَلَا يَلِدُوا إِلَّا فَاجِرًا كَفَّارًا
innaka in tadharhum yuḍillū ʿibādaka wa-lā yalidū illā fājiran kaffārā.
"Indeed, if You leave them, they will lead Your servants astray and will beget only immoral disbelievers." (Nūḥ 71:27)
Innaka — because if You leave them, they will not stop. In tadharhum — if You leave them, in this period. Yuḍillū ʿibādaka — they will lead Your servants astray. Wa-lā yalidū — and they will not give birth. Illā fājiran — except to one who is dissolute and sinful. Kaffārā — a great disbeliever, ungrateful.
Translation: "Because if You leave them they will lead Your servants astray — and they will only beget those who will lead others astray and will give birth to sinners and ungrateful disbelievers."