Revealed in Makkah, Surah Nuh (Noah) is dedicated entirely to the struggle and beautiful patience of Prophet Noah during his nine hundred and fifty years of preaching. It chronicles his emotional address to his people, outlining his public and private efforts to guide them. The chapter highlights Noah's final prayer asking God to wipe out the defiant rejecters from the earth, serving as a warning against stubborn disbelief.
Transliteration
Inna arsalna noohan ila qawmihi an anthir qawmaka min qabli an yatiyahum AAathabun aleemun
Translation
We sent Noah to his people: “Warn your people before there comes upon them a painful punishment.”
Surah Nuh is dedicated exclusively to the monumental struggle of Prophet Noah (Nuh) during his nearly millennium-long mission confronting an obstinately idolatrous society.
Transliteration
Qala ya qawmi innee lakum natheerun mubeenun
Translation
He said, “O my people, I am to you a clear warner
Transliteration
Ani oAAbudoo Allaha waittaqoohu waateeAAooni
Translation
Worship God and reverence Him, and obey me
Transliteration
Yaghfir lakum min thunoobikum wayuakhkhirkum ila ajalin musamman inna ajala Allahi itha jaa la yuakhkharu law kuntum taAAlamoona
Translation
And He will forgive you of your sins, and reprieve you until a stated term. God’s term cannot be deferred once it has arrived, if you only knew.”
Transliteration
Qala rabbi innee daAAawtu qawmee laylan wanaharan
Translation
He said, “My Lord, I have called my people night and day
Transliteration
Falam yazidhum duAAaee illa firaran
Translation
But my call added only to their flight
Transliteration
Wainnee kullama daAAawtuhum litaghfira lahum jaAAaloo asabiAAahum fee athanihim waistaghshaw thiyabahum waasarroo waistakbaroo istikbaran
Translation
Whenever I called them to Your forgiveness, they thrust their fingers into their ears, and wrapped themselves in their garments, and insisted, and became more and more arrogant
Illustrates the extreme hostility of Noah's contemporaries: whenever he invited them to reason and seek God's forgiveness, they shoved their fingers deep into their ears, pulled their robes over their heads, and strutted away in haughty arrogance.
Transliteration
Thumma innee daAAawtuhum jiharan
Translation
Then I called them openly
Transliteration
Thumma innee aAAlantu lahum waasrartu lahum israran
Translation
Then I appealed to them publicly, and I spoke to them privately
Transliteration
Faqultu istaghfiroo rabbakum innahu kana ghaffaran
Translation
I said, ‘Ask your Lord for forgiveness; He is Forgiving
Presents the multifaceted spiritual and economic blessings of seeking divine forgiveness ('Istighfar'): Noah explained to his people that regular sincere repentance not only cleanses the soul, but actively brings abundant rainfall, relieves financial poverty, and blesses families with righteous offspring and thriving agriculture.
Transliteration
Yursili alssamaa AAalaykum midraran
Translation
He will let loose the sky upon you in torrents
Transliteration
Wayumdidkum biamwalin wabaneena wayajAAal lakum jannatin wayajAAal lakum anharan
Translation
And provide you with wealth and children, and allot for you gardens, and allot for you rivers
Transliteration
Ma lakum la tarjoona lillahi waqaran
Translation
What is the matter with you, that you do not appreciate God’s Greatness
Transliteration
Waqad khalaqakum atwaran
Translation
Although He created you in stages
Draws attention to human biological embryology: reminds humans that God designed and engineered their bodies in progressive stages ('Atwara')—from microscopic fluids to clinging embryos to fully formed infants.
Transliteration
Alam taraw kayfa khalaqa Allahu sabAAa samawatin tibaqan
Translation
Do you not realize that God created seven heavens in layers
Transliteration
WajaAAala alqamara feehinna nooran wajaAAala alshshamsa sirajan
Translation
And He set the moon in their midst for light, and He made the sun a lamp
Transliteration
WaAllahu anbatakum mina alardi nabatan
Translation
And God germinated you from the earth like plants
Transliteration
Thumma yuAAeedukum feeha wayukhrijukum ikhrajan
Translation
Then He will return you into it, and will bring you out again
Transliteration
WaAllahu jaAAala lakumu alarda bisatan
Translation
And God made the earth a spread for you
Transliteration
Litaslukoo minha subulan fijajan
Translation
That you may travel its diverse roads.’”
Transliteration
Qala noohun rabbi innahum AAasawnee waittabaAAoo man lam yazidhu maluhu wawaladuhu illa khasaran
Translation
Noah said, “My Lord, they have defied me, and followed him whose wealth and children increase him only in perdition.”
Transliteration
Wamakaroo makran kubbaran
Translation
And they schemed outrageous schemes
Transliteration
Waqaloo la tatharunna alihatakum wala tatharunna waddan wala suwaAAan wala yaghootha wayaAAooqa wanasran
Translation
And they said, “Do not give up your gods; do not give up Wadd, nor Souwa, nor Yaghoos, and Yaooq, and Nassr
Lists the five historic idols worshiped by Noah's people: 'Wadd, Suwa', Yaghuth, Ya'uq, and Nasr.' In Sahih al-Bukhari, Ibn Abbas revealed their origin: they were originally beloved, saintly scholars. When they died, people erected memorial statues to honor their memory. Over subsequent generations, historical memory faded, and people began worshiping the statues as divine intermediaries—marking the very birth of idolatry in human history.
Transliteration
Waqad adalloo katheeran wala tazidi alththalimeena illa dalalan
Translation
They have misled many, so do not increase the wrongdoers except in confusion.”
Transliteration
Mimma khateeatihim oghriqoo faodkhiloo naran falam yajidoo lahum min dooni Allahi ansaran
Translation
Because of their wrongs, they were drowned, and were hurled into a Fire. They did not find apart from God any helpers
Transliteration
Waqala noohun rabbi la tathar AAala alardi mina alkafireena dayyaran
Translation
Noah said, “My Lord, do not leave of the unbelievers a single dweller on earth
Transliteration
Innaka in tatharhum yudilloo AAibadaka wala yalidoo illa fajiran kaffaran
Translation
If You leave them, they will mislead your servants, and will breed only wicked unbelievers
Transliteration
Rabbi ighfir lee waliwalidayya waliman dakhala baytiya muminan walilmumineena waalmuminati wala tazidi alththalimeena illa tabaran
Translation
My Lord! Forgive me and my parents, and anyone who enters my home in faith, and all the believing men and believing women; and do not increase the wrongdoers except in perdition.”
Noah's closing timeless prayer: encompasses personal forgiveness, honors parents, blesses all believing guests who enter one's home, and extends a universal prayer of mercy to all believing men and believing women until the end of time.