PROPHET NOOH (NOAH) ALAYHIS SALAAM

PROPHET NOOH (NOAH) ALAYHIS SALAAM

Hazrat Adam and Hazrat Hawwa (Alaihumas Salaam) lived on in the world for a long time. Their offspring increased manifold spread all over and settled in far-flung areas. Go some days they kept in mind what their grandfather Hazrat Adam (A.S) had told them. But with the Passage of time, they began to forget the good things preached by Hazrat Adam (A.S) and their God. They would make idols of their ancestors and worship them on anything that benefited or frightened them. Then Allah sent another of his noble servants Hazrat Nooh (A.S) as his prophet to preach them good things.

Do you know who is a prophet! A prophet is a nobleman chosen by Allah to convey His commandments and will to His servants on earth. Such noblemen are called prophets. These prophets convey Allah's message to His servants and preach them to follow the path shown by Allah. They have been sent by Allah in all parts of the world to spread Allah's message to every people. Similarly, Hazrat Nooh (A.S) called his people towards virtue prevented from the evil and stopped them from worshipping false gods and deities. He said, My brothers, obey and worship none else than Allah who is your God. Listen to me and give up worshipping all other gods. If you do so Allah will forgive you, bestow on you honour in the world and a place in Paradise in the Hereafter.

When one accepts Allah as one's Lord and follows His orders one cannot do anything according to his own will nor can one usurp others property nor he will be free to do any or everything. He will have to live like a nobleman and serve others sometimes sacrificing his own benefit and sometimes putting his life in danger for the sake of truth and justice. But those who put their own benefits and pleasures before anything else are incapable of doing all this. Somewhat similar had become the condition of the people of Hazrat Nooh (A.S). They had got so much spoilt as to defy any reformation attempts. They would close their ears and run away when told good things or asked to act according to Allah's Will .they were very proud.

Hazrat Nooh (A.S) made every attempt to back them conveyed Allah's message at their meetings and in the markets and approached them individually at their home. He repeatedly asked them not to revolt against one who had created them and provided food and shelter. He asked them to seek Allah's forgiveness and return to Him who was most Merciful, who sent down showers provided wealth and children, caused rivers to flow and grew fruit and grain. He asked them why they had turned their face from their Lord who had given them wisdom made them good human beings, created the heavens, the earth, the sun and the moon which gave them warmth and light and grew plants from the earth in which they walked and lived.

He also reminded them that they had to die one day and would not live the world of ever. He told them that after death they would return to Allah and get a reward for their deeds good and bad. He reminded them that they could not escape from Him.

Hazrat Nooh (A.S) preached to his people for 950 years but none except a few listened to him. Instead, they followed their elders who were proud of their wealth and children Even his son did not listen to his call and reminded with the Kafirs. [A Kafir is one who does not believe in the existence of Allah and His prophets.] These Kafirs became the enemy of Hazrat Nooh (A.S). They were led by those who were rich and chieftains of their people. They started hatching conspiracies against Hazrat Nooh (A.S). They would laugh at him and ask who except a few bad-mannered persons had heeded to his call. They would say that none among the notables was with him and that these mean and low caste people should not be allowed to sit with them.

Hazrat Nooh (A.S) tolerated all this but continued his mission. He was firm in his resolve and knew full well that he was doing everything only to please his Lord. He did not give up his mission and remained stuck to his work.

Evil does not always prosper. Allah keeps His grip loses as long as there is the slightest hope of reform among His servants. Therefore when the people of Hazrat Nooh (A.S) refused to follow their prophet Allah decided to eliminate them from the surface of the earth and informed Hazrat Nooh (A.S) that His wrath would soon befall his people. He was also ordered to build an ark; big enough to accommodate all the Muslims and one pair each of all the animals in that habitation.

Hazrat Nooh (A.S) got on with the job of making the ark. People were amazed because there was neither sea river to float the ark on. They ridiculed him and said: See the old man will float the ark on land. Aware of the matter Hazrat Nooh (A.S) replied, Don't laugh. because you will soon know what is the matter. Then we will be laughing at you.

The day finally arrived when the wrath of Allah was to fall lone the Kafirs. Suddenly water streams began to rush out of the earth and even ovens were filled with water. From the sky also heavy rains started falling rivers started overflowing and there was a deluge everywhere. Everything was underwater.

Hazrat Nooh (A.S) had already climbed onto the ark along with his companions. The ark was floating on the water while the entire habitation was sinking.

For the last time, Hazrat Nooh (A.S) turned to his son who adjoined the Kafirs and said, My son, leave the company of these cruel people. Obey Allah's order and climb on the ark. Not heeding to his father's advice he replied that he would save himself from water by climbing on top of a mountain.

None except my Beneficent Allah can save you today cried Hazrat Nooh (A.S) even as he was saying so a high wave carried away his son along with all the others outside the ark. Hazrat Nooh (A.S) pleaded with Allah: O Lord My son has also drowned. You had promised me that you will save my family but it was my son who has also drowned.

No, Allah replied. he was no more from among your family members as he would not do good deeds. He was in fact from amongst the Kafirs. 

Then Hazrat Nooh (A.S.) understood everything. He sought Allah's forgiveness and realized that everyone would get the reward according to his deeds even if he was a prophet's son.

None except those who were in the ark was alive. The deluge had by now started receding and the raining stopped. The ark of Hazrat Nooh (A.S) stopped atop a mountain Judea by name. The noble servants of Allah and Hazrat Noah (A.S) came out of it and lived and settled there with all the families and mercies of Allah in the world. Evil vanished and virtue started prospering. Only those noble servants of Allah who were called as mean and low-caste had survived and were made the owners of the earth.

Lesson: Things to Remember
1. Habitual evil-doer does not like good things.

2. It is not an easy task to call people towards good because one has to face a lot of big problems for this.

3. When the noble servants of Allah show the Right Path to the people they do not think who listens to them and who does not. They go on doing their work. Hazrat Nooh (A.S.) also continued to do this for 950 years.

4. Allah allows His servants to go their own as long as He wills and till there is the slightest hope of their reforms. But when they do not accept His sovereignty, Allah's wrath befalls them and then He clears the earth of evil-doer.