11. Hud

(And he said) to them: (Embark therein) in the ship! (In the name of Allah be its course) wherever it sails to (and its mooring) wherever it stops. He says: Allah makes it sail wherever He wills and makes it stop wherever He wills. (Lo! my Lord is Forgiving, Merciful) towards the one who repents.

(And it sailed with them) with the people aboard (amid waves) in the water (like mountains) the size of huge mountains, (and Noah cried unto) and Noah called (his son) Canaan (and he was standing aloof) aloof from the ship and it is said: on the side of the mountain: (O my son! Come ride with us) be saved with us by means of �there is no god except Allah�, (and be not with the disbelievers) following their religion lest you drown.

(He said: I shall betake me) I will go (to some mountain that will save me) prevent me (from the water) from drowning. (Said) Noah: (This day there is none that saveth) there is none that prevents (from the commandment of Allah) from Allah's chastisement: drowning (save him on whom He hath had mercy) except those upon whom Allah has mercy from among the believers. (And the wave came in between them) between Canaan and Noah; it is also said: between Canaan and the mountain, (so he was among the drowned) by the flood.

(And it was said: O earth! Swallow your water) dry your water (and, O sky! be cleared of clouds!) stop your rain! (And the water was made to subside. And the commandment was fulfilled) the destruction of those people was accomplished, i.e. those who were supposed to be destroyed were destroyed and those who were supposed to be saved were saved. (And it) the ship (came to rest upon (the mount) Al-Judi) a mountain in Nisibin in the land of Mosul (and it was said: A far removal) from Allah's mercy (for wrong-doing folk!) for the idolaters, the people of Noah.

(And Noah cried unto) and Noah prayed to (his Lord and said: My Lord!) O my Lord! (Lo! my son) Canaan (is of my household) whom you promised to save! (Surely Thy promise is the Truth) for certain (and Thou art the Most Just of Judges) you promised to save me and my family.

(He said) Allah said: (O Noah! Lo! he is not of your household) whom I promised to save; (lo! he is of evil conduct) engaged in idolatry; and according to a different reading this means: your prayer to Me to save him is not acceptable, (so ask not of Me) to save (that whereof thou hast no knowledge) that he is deserving of being saved. (I admonish thee) I warn you (lest thou be among the ignorant) by asking Me that which you know not.

(He said) Noah said: (My Lord!) O my Lord! (Lo! in Thee do I seek refuge (from the sin) that I should ask of Thee) to save (that whereof I have no knowledge) that he deserves to be saved. (Unless Thou forgive me) Noah says: unless you overlook my error (and have mercy on me) such that You do not punish me (I shall be among the lost) through being punished.

(It was said (unto him): O Noah! Go thou down) get out of the ship (with peace from Us) with safety from Us (and blessings) good fortunes (upon you and some nations) some groups (from those with thee) in the ship among the felicitous. ((There will be other) nations) hosts of people from their offspring (unto whom We shall give enjoyment a long while) We will give them enjoyment after coming out of the loins of their parents (and then a painful doom from Us will overtake them) after they disbelieve, these are the damned among them. Ibn 'Abbas, may Allah be well pleased with him, said: �Allah sent His revelation to Noah (pbuh) when the latter was 480 years old; he preached to his people for 120 years; he boarded the ship when he was 600 years old; he lived after the flood 350 years, and stayed on the ship for five months. The ship was 300 cubits (the measure of his arm) long, 50 cubits wide, and its height 30 cubits. It had three decks, some of which were lower than others. In the lower deck, he put beasts of prey and reptiles; in the intermediate deck wild animals and beasts; and in the higher deck people who were 80 in number: 40 men and 40 women. The men and the women were separated by the body of Adam (pbuh). Noah had three of his sons with him: Shem, Ham and Yapheth�.

(This is of the tidings of the Unseen) this is of the news of what has been hidden from you (which We inspire in thee) with which We sent Gabriel to you, O Muhammad, about the news of past nations. (Thou thyself knewest it not) i.e. you knew not the news of these past nations, (nor did thy folk (know it) before this) before the revelation of the Qur'an. (Then have patience) O Muhammad in the face of their denial and harm. (Lo! the sequel) the end result: victory and Paradise (is for those who ward off (evil)) ward off disbelief, idolatry and indecencies.