Sūrah 71
Sūrah Nūḥ
Introduction to this pair
Both these sūrahs form a pair with regard to their topics. The first sūrah portrays the warnings (indhār) of the Qur’ān and its consequences by narrating the account of the people of the Prophet Nūḥ (sws), while the second one presents the testimony of the jinn folk on this portrayal and then urges the Quraysh to review their attitude on this.
Both sūrahs are directed at the leadership of the Quraysh, and it is evident from their topics that, like the previous sūrahs of this chapter, they were also revealed in Makkah in the phase of warning (indhār) of Prophet Muḥammad’s (sws) preaching mission.
The theme of Sūrah Nūḥ is to explain to the Quraysh the preaching of God’s Messengers and its various phases and to warn them of the consequences of denying this preaching, which necessarily materialize for its rejecters according to the established practice of the Almighty.
The theme of Sūrah al-Jinn is to authenticate the Qur’ān and its message before the Quraysh through the testimony of the jinn and to make them understand that the punishment they are demanding is something whose time of arrival is only known to the Almighty. The prophets of God do not come to disclose this time; they only come to communicate the message of the Almighty. Instead of asking for this punishment, the Quraysh should ask for the Almighty’s mercy. For this, they should stop being arrogant and hostile to the Prophet (sws); instead, they should acknowledge and accept his message and in the House of God, worship God only.
In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Ever-Merciful.
We sent forth Noah as a Messenger to his people [with the directive]: “Warn your people before there comes to them a grievous torment.” He said: “O People of My Nation! I am to you a very clear warner. [I invite you] to worship God and remain within the limits set by Him and obey me. As a result of this, God shall forgive your [previous] sins and shall give you respite until an appointed time. In reality, when the time appointed by God arrives, it cannot be put off. Would that you understood [this]!”
[He kept on calling them to this message but they did not pay any heed until at last] he said: “My Lord! Day and night I called these people of mine but my calls only added to their aversion. Whenever I called upon them so that You may forgive them [after their repentance], they thrust their fingers in their ears and drew their cloaks over them and persisted in their denial and bore themselves with insolent pride. Then I openly called them; then appealed to them in public and also beseeched them in private such that I said: ‘Seek forgiveness from your Lord; indeed, He is the Most Forgiving. As a consequence, He shall send down on you abundant rain and bless you with wealth and sons and grow for you gardens and bring forth for you springs of water.’”
What has come upon you that you do not expect any majesty of your Lord even though He made you by making you pass through many stages [of creation] – Do you not see how God has made seven heavens one above the other and made the moon a light and the sun a lamp in them? And do you not see that God has grown you from the earth in such a thorough way? Then He alone returns you to it, and from it will suddenly bring you forth without any effort. And do you not see that it is only God Who has spread out the earth for you like a carpet so that you may walk in its spacious passes that lie between the mountains.1
Noah said: “O Lord! They have disobeyed me and followed those [leaders of theirs] whose wealth and children have only added to their ruin and who contrived great schemes and said: ‘Never ever abandon these gods of yours whatsoever and abandon not Wadd nor Suwā‘ and neither Yaghūth nor Ya‘ūq nor Nasr.’ And in this manner they misled many. And [now, O Lord!] You also increase these wrongdoers only in further error.”
Because of these misdeeds of theirs they were drowned; then they were cast into fire. Then they found none to help them against God.2
And Noah said: “O Master! Leave not a single one of these disbelievers in the land now because if You spare them, they will mislead Your servants and will beget [none but those who are your] disobedient and disbelievers. Forgive me, my Master, and forgive my parents and all those who enter my house as believers; forgive all believing men and women and now increase not these wrongdoers except in ruin.”