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Surah 71 · Meccan · 28 Verses

نوح

SURAH NUH

Noah

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بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

1

إِنَّآ أَرْسَلْنَا نُوحًا إِلَىٰ قَوْمِهِۦٓ أَنْ أَنذِرْ قَوْمَكَ مِن قَبْلِ أَن يَأْتِيَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌۭ

Indeed, We sent Noah to his people, [saying], "Warn your people before there comes to them a painful punishment."

Word by Word
إِنَّآIndeed, Weinnā
أَرْسَلْنَا[We] sentarsalnā
نُوحًاNuhnūḥan
إِلَىٰtoilā
قَوْمِهِۦٓhis peopleqawmihi
أَنْthatan
أَنذِرْWarnandhir
قَوْمَكَyour peopleqawmaka
مِنfrommin
قَبْلِbeforeqabli
أَن[that]an
يَأْتِيَهُمْcomes to themyatiyahum
عَذَابٌa punishmentʿadhābun
أَلِيمٌۭpainfulalīmun
2

قَالَ يَٰقَوْمِ إِنِّى لَكُمْ نَذِيرٌۭ مُّبِينٌ

He said, "O my people, indeed I am to you a clear warner -

Word by Word
قَالَHe saidqāla
يَٰقَوْمِO my peopleyāqawmi
إِنِّىIndeed, I aminnī
لَكُمْto youlakum
نَذِيرٌۭa warnernadhīrun
مُّبِينٌclearmubīnun
3

أَنِ ٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَٱتَّقُوهُ وَأَطِيعُونِ

To worship Allāh, fear Him and obey me.

Word by Word
أَنِThatani
ٱعْبُدُوا۟Worshipuʿ'budū
ٱللَّهَAllahl-laha
وَٱتَّقُوهُand fear Himwa-ittaqūhu
وَأَطِيعُونِand obey mewa-aṭīʿūni
4

يَغْفِرْ لَكُم مِّن ذُنُوبِكُمْ وَيُؤَخِّرْكُمْ إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٍۢ مُّسَمًّى ۚ إِنَّ أَجَلَ ٱللَّهِ إِذَا جَآءَ لَا يُؤَخَّرُ ۖ لَوْ كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ

He [i.e., Allāh] will forgive you of your sins and delay you for a specified term. Indeed, the time [set by] Allāh, when it comes, will not be delayed, if you only knew."

Word by Word
يَغْفِرْHe will forgiveyaghfir
لَكُمfor youlakum
مِّن[of]min
ذُنُوبِكُمْyour sinsdhunūbikum
وَيُؤَخِّرْكُمْand give you respitewayu-akhir'kum
إِلَىٰٓforilā
أَجَلٍۢa termajalin
مُّسَمًّىspecifiedmusamman
إِنَّIndeedinna
أَجَلَ(the) termajala
ٱللَّهِ(of) Allahl-lahi
إِذَاwhenidhā
جَآءَit comesjāa
لَاnot
يُؤَخَّرُis delayedyu-akharu
لَوْiflaw
كُنتُمْyoukuntum
تَعْلَمُونَknowtaʿlamūna
5

قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّى دَعَوْتُ قَوْمِى لَيْلًۭا وَنَهَارًۭا

He said, "My Lord, indeed I invited my people [to truth] night and day.

Word by Word
قَالَHe saidqāla
رَبِّMy Lordrabbi
إِنِّىIndeed, Iinnī
دَعَوْتُinviteddaʿawtu
قَوْمِىmy peopleqawmī
لَيْلًۭاnightlaylan
وَنَهَارًۭاand daywanahāran
6

فَلَمْ يَزِدْهُمْ دُعَآءِىٓ إِلَّا فِرَارًۭا

But my invitation increased them not except in flight [i.e., aversion].

Word by Word
فَلَمْBut notfalam
يَزِدْهُمْincreased themyazid'hum
دُعَآءِىٓmy invitationduʿāī
إِلَّاexceptillā
فِرَارًۭا(in) flightfirāran
7

وَإِنِّى كُلَّمَا دَعَوْتُهُمْ لِتَغْفِرَ لَهُمْ جَعَلُوٓا۟ أَصَٰبِعَهُمْ فِىٓ ءَاذَانِهِمْ وَٱسْتَغْشَوْا۟ ثِيَابَهُمْ وَأَصَرُّوا۟ وَٱسْتَكْبَرُوا۟ ٱسْتِكْبَارًۭا

And indeed, every time I invited them that You may forgive them, they put their fingers in their ears, covered themselves with their garments,1761 persisted, and were arrogant with [great] arrogance.

  1. [1761] Refusing to look or listen.

Word by Word
وَإِنِّىAnd indeed, Iwa-innī
كُلَّمَاevery timekullamā
دَعَوْتُهُمْI invited themdaʿawtuhum
لِتَغْفِرَthat You may forgivelitaghfira
لَهُمْthemlahum
جَعَلُوٓا۟they putjaʿalū
أَصَٰبِعَهُمْtheir fingersaṣābiʿahum
فِىٓin
ءَاذَانِهِمْtheir earsādhānihim
وَٱسْتَغْشَوْا۟and covered themselveswa-is'taghshaw
ثِيَابَهُمْ(with) their garmentsthiyābahum
وَأَصَرُّوا۟and persistedwa-aṣarrū
وَٱسْتَكْبَرُوا۟and were arrogantwa-is'takbarū
ٱسْتِكْبَارًۭا(with) prideis'tik'bāran
8

ثُمَّ إِنِّى دَعَوْتُهُمْ جِهَارًۭا

Then I invited them publicly.

Word by Word
ثُمَّThenthumma
إِنِّىindeed, Iinnī
دَعَوْتُهُمْinvited themdaʿawtuhum
جِهَارًۭاpubliclyjihāran
9

ثُمَّ إِنِّىٓ أَعْلَنتُ لَهُمْ وَأَسْرَرْتُ لَهُمْ إِسْرَارًۭا

Then I announced to them and [also] confided to them secretly

Word by Word
ثُمَّThenthumma
إِنِّىٓindeed, Iinnī
أَعْلَنتُannouncedaʿlantu
لَهُمْto themlahum
وَأَسْرَرْتُand I confidedwa-asrartu
لَهُمْto themlahum
إِسْرَارًۭاsecretlyis'rāran
10

فَقُلْتُ ٱسْتَغْفِرُوا۟ رَبَّكُمْ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ غَفَّارًۭا

And said, 'Ask forgiveness of your Lord. Indeed, He is ever a Perpetual Forgiver.

Word by Word
فَقُلْتُThen I saidfaqul'tu
ٱسْتَغْفِرُوا۟Ask forgivenessis'taghfirū
رَبَّكُمْ(from) your Lordrabbakum
إِنَّهُۥIndeed, Heinnahu
كَانَiskāna
غَفَّارًۭاOft-Forgivingghaffāran
11

يُرْسِلِ ٱلسَّمَآءَ عَلَيْكُم مِّدْرَارًۭا

He will send [rain from] the sky upon you in [continuing] showers

Word by Word
يُرْسِلِHe will send downyur'sili
ٱلسَّمَآءَ(rain from) the skyl-samāa
عَلَيْكُمupon youʿalaykum
مِّدْرَارًۭا(in) abundancemid'rāran
12

وَيُمْدِدْكُم بِأَمْوَٰلٍۢ وَبَنِينَ وَيَجْعَل لَّكُمْ جَنَّٰتٍۢ وَيَجْعَل لَّكُمْ أَنْهَٰرًۭا

And give you increase in wealth and children and provide for you gardens and provide for you rivers.

Word by Word
وَيُمْدِدْكُمAnd provide youwayum'did'kum
بِأَمْوَٰلٍۢwith wealthbi-amwālin
وَبَنِينَand childrenwabanīna
وَيَجْعَلand makewayajʿal
لَّكُمْfor youlakum
جَنَّٰتٍۢgardensjannātin
وَيَجْعَلand makewayajʿal
لَّكُمْfor youlakum
أَنْهَٰرًۭاriversanhāran
13

مَّا لَكُمْ لَا تَرْجُونَ لِلَّهِ وَقَارًۭا

What is [the matter] with you that you do not attribute to Allāh [due] grandeur

Word by Word
مَّاWhat
لَكُمْ(is) for youlakum
لَاnot
تَرْجُونَyou attributetarjūna
لِلَّهِto Allahlillahi
وَقَارًۭاgrandeurwaqāran
14

وَقَدْ خَلَقَكُمْ أَطْوَارًا

While He has created you in stages?1762

  1. [1762] i.e., in various progressive states and conditions. See also 22:5 and 23:12-14 in reference to development of the embryo.

Word by Word
وَقَدْAnd indeedwaqad
خَلَقَكُمْHe created youkhalaqakum
أَطْوَارًا(in) stagesaṭwāran
15

أَلَمْ تَرَوْا۟ كَيْفَ خَلَقَ ٱللَّهُ سَبْعَ سَمَٰوَٰتٍۢ طِبَاقًۭا

Do you not consider how Allāh has created seven heavens in layers1763

  1. [1763] See footnote to 67:3.

Word by Word
أَلَمْDo notalam
تَرَوْا۟you seetaraw
كَيْفَhowkayfa
خَلَقَdid createkhalaqa
ٱللَّهُAllahl-lahu
سَبْعَ(the) sevensabʿa
سَمَٰوَٰتٍۢheavenssamāwātin
طِبَاقًۭا(in) layersṭibāqan
16

وَجَعَلَ ٱلْقَمَرَ فِيهِنَّ نُورًۭا وَجَعَلَ ٱلشَّمْسَ سِرَاجًۭا

And made the moon therein a [reflected] light and made the sun a burning lamp?

Word by Word
وَجَعَلَAnd madewajaʿala
ٱلْقَمَرَthe moonl-qamara
فِيهِنَّthereinfīhinna
نُورًۭاa lightnūran
وَجَعَلَand madewajaʿala
ٱلشَّمْسَthe sunl-shamsa
سِرَاجًۭاa lampsirājan
17

وَٱللَّهُ أَنۢبَتَكُم مِّنَ ٱلْأَرْضِ نَبَاتًۭا

And Allāh has caused you to grow from the earth a [progressive] growth.

Word by Word
وَٱللَّهُAnd Allahwal-lahu
أَنۢبَتَكُمhas caused you to growanbatakum
مِّنَfrommina
ٱلْأَرْضِthe earthl-arḍi
نَبَاتًۭا(as) a growthnabātan
18

ثُمَّ يُعِيدُكُمْ فِيهَا وَيُخْرِجُكُمْ إِخْرَاجًۭا

Then He will return you into it and extract you [another] extraction.

Word by Word
ثُمَّThenthumma
يُعِيدُكُمْHe will return youyuʿīdukum
فِيهَاinto itfīhā
وَيُخْرِجُكُمْand bring you forthwayukh'rijukum
إِخْرَاجًۭا(a new) bringing forthikh'rājan
19

وَٱللَّهُ جَعَلَ لَكُمُ ٱلْأَرْضَ بِسَاطًۭا

And Allāh has made for you the earth an expanse

Word by Word
وَٱللَّهُAnd Allahwal-lahu
جَعَلَmadejaʿala
لَكُمُfor youlakumu
ٱلْأَرْضَthe earthl-arḍa
بِسَاطًۭاan expansebisāṭan
20

لِّتَسْلُكُوا۟ مِنْهَا سُبُلًۭا فِجَاجًۭا

That you may follow therein roads of passage.'"

Word by Word
لِّتَسْلُكُوا۟That you may go alonglitaslukū
مِنْهَاthereinmin'hā
سُبُلًۭا(in) pathssubulan
فِجَاجًۭاwidefijājan
21

قَالَ نُوحٌۭ رَّبِّ إِنَّهُمْ عَصَوْنِى وَٱتَّبَعُوا۟ مَن لَّمْ يَزِدْهُ مَالُهُۥ وَوَلَدُهُۥٓ إِلَّا خَسَارًۭا

Noah said, "My Lord, indeed they have disobeyed me and followed him whose wealth and children will not increase him except in loss.

Word by Word
قَالَSaidqāla
نُوحٌۭNuhnūḥun
رَّبِّMy Lordrabbi
إِنَّهُمْIndeed, theyinnahum
عَصَوْنِىdisobeyed meʿaṣawnī
وَٱتَّبَعُوا۟and followedwa-ittabaʿū
مَن(the one) whoman
لَّمْ(did) notlam
يَزِدْهُincrease himyazid'hu
مَالُهُۥhis wealthmāluhu
وَوَلَدُهُۥٓand his childrenwawaladuhu
إِلَّاexceptillā
خَسَارًۭا(in) losskhasāran
22

وَمَكَرُوا۟ مَكْرًۭا كُبَّارًۭا

And they conspired an immense conspiracy

Word by Word
وَمَكَرُوا۟And they have plannedwamakarū
مَكْرًۭاa planmakran
كُبَّارًۭاgreatkubbāran
23

وَقَالُوا۟ لَا تَذَرُنَّ ءَالِهَتَكُمْ وَلَا تَذَرُنَّ وَدًّۭا وَلَا سُوَاعًۭا وَلَا يَغُوثَ وَيَعُوقَ وَنَسْرًۭا

And said, 'Never leave your gods and never leave Wadd or Suwāʿ or Yaghūth and Yaʿūq and Nasr.'1764

  1. [1764] These were the names of specific idols named after pious men of earlier generations.

Word by Word
وَقَالُوا۟And they saidwaqālū
لَا(Do) not
تَذَرُنَّleavetadharunna
ءَالِهَتَكُمْyour godsālihatakum
وَلَاand (do) notwalā
تَذَرُنَّleavetadharunna
وَدًّۭاWaddwaddan
وَلَاand notwalā
سُوَاعًۭاSuwasuwāʿan
وَلَاand notwalā
يَغُوثَYaguthyaghūtha
وَيَعُوقَand Yauqwayaʿūqa
وَنَسْرًۭاand Nasrwanasran
24

وَقَدْ أَضَلُّوا۟ كَثِيرًۭا ۖ وَلَا تَزِدِ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ إِلَّا ضَلَٰلًۭا

And already they have misled many. And, [my Lord], do not increase the wrongdoers except in error."

Word by Word
وَقَدْAnd indeedwaqad
أَضَلُّوا۟they have led astrayaḍallū
كَثِيرًۭاmanykathīran
وَلَاAnd notwalā
تَزِدِincreasetazidi
ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَthe wrongdoersl-ẓālimīna
إِلَّاexceptillā
ضَلَٰلًۭا(in) errorḍalālan
25

مِّمَّا خَطِيٓـَٰٔتِهِمْ أُغْرِقُوا۟ فَأُدْخِلُوا۟ نَارًۭا فَلَمْ يَجِدُوا۟ لَهُم مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ أَنصَارًۭا

Because of their sins they were drowned and put into the Fire, and they found not for themselves besides Allāh [any] helpers.

Word by Word
مِّمَّاBecause ofmimmā
خَطِيٓـَٰٔتِهِمْtheir sinskhaṭīātihim
أُغْرِقُوا۟they were drownedugh'riqū
فَأُدْخِلُوا۟then made to enterfa-ud'khilū
نَارًۭا(the) Firenāran
فَلَمْand notfalam
يَجِدُوا۟they foundyajidū
لَهُمfor themselveslahum
مِّنfrommin
دُونِbesidesdūni
ٱللَّهِAllahl-lahi
أَنصَارًۭاany helpersanṣāran
26

وَقَالَ نُوحٌۭ رَّبِّ لَا تَذَرْ عَلَى ٱلْأَرْضِ مِنَ ٱلْكَٰفِرِينَ دَيَّارًا

And Noah said, "My Lord, do not leave upon the earth from among the disbelievers an inhabitant.

Word by Word
وَقَالَAnd saidwaqāla
نُوحٌۭNuhnūḥun
رَّبِّMy Lordrabbi
لَا(Do) not
تَذَرْleavetadhar
عَلَىonʿalā
ٱلْأَرْضِthe earthl-arḍi
مِنَanymina
ٱلْكَٰفِرِينَ(of) the disbelieversl-kāfirīna
دَيَّارًا(as) an inhabitantdayyāran
27

إِنَّكَ إِن تَذَرْهُمْ يُضِلُّوا۟ عِبَادَكَ وَلَا يَلِدُوٓا۟ إِلَّا فَاجِرًۭا كَفَّارًۭا

Indeed, if You leave them, they will mislead Your servants and not beget except [every] wicked one and [confirmed] disbeliever.

Word by Word
إِنَّكَIndeed, Youinnaka
إِنifin
تَذَرْهُمْYou leave themtadharhum
يُضِلُّوا۟they will misleadyuḍillū
عِبَادَكَYour slavesʿibādaka
وَلَاand notwalā
يَلِدُوٓا۟they will begetyalidū
إِلَّاexceptillā
فَاجِرًۭاa wickedfājiran
كَفَّارًۭاa disbelieverkaffāran
28

رَّبِّ ٱغْفِرْ لِى وَلِوَٰلِدَىَّ وَلِمَن دَخَلَ بَيْتِىَ مُؤْمِنًۭا وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنَٰتِ وَلَا تَزِدِ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ إِلَّا تَبَارًۢا

My Lord, forgive me and my parents and whoever enters my house a believer and the believing men and believing women. And do not increase the wrongdoers except in destruction."

Word by Word
رَّبِّMy Lordrabbi
ٱغْفِرْForgiveigh'fir
لِىme
وَلِوَٰلِدَىَّand my parentswaliwālidayya
وَلِمَنand whoeverwaliman
دَخَلَentersdakhala
بَيْتِىَmy housebaytiya
مُؤْمِنًۭاa believermu'minan
وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَand the believing menwalil'mu'minīna
وَٱلْمُؤْمِنَٰتِand the believing womenwal-mu'mināti
وَلَاAnd (do) notwalā
تَزِدِincreasetazidi
ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَthe wrongdoersl-ẓālimīna
إِلَّاexceptillā
تَبَارًۢا(in) destructiontabāran

About This Surah

Surah Nuh records Noah’s persistent invitation through public and private methods, his call to seek forgiveness, his reflection on creation, and his final prayer after prolonged rejection. The chapter models perseverance without coercion. Its references to rain, wealth, children, gardens, and rivers after seeking forgiveness must not be marketed as a guaranteed prosperity or fertility formula.

Surah Nuh presents a messenger who warns his people before consequence arrives. Noah calls night and day, but many cover themselves, persist, and grow arrogant. He varies his method—publicly, privately, openly, and quietly—showing sustained communication rather than coercion.

Noah urges his people to seek forgiveness and mentions abundant rain, wealth, children, gardens, and rivers. These are part of his address to a particular community under divine promise. They do not establish a fixed repetition count or guarantee that every person who recites an istighfar formula will become wealthy, conceive a child, or avoid drought. Infertility, poverty, and delayed relief must not be blamed on insufficient faith.

The chapter points to creation in stages, layered heavens, moon, sun, growth from earth, return, and broad paths. These signs support worship and resurrection without functioning as a complete scientific account.

The final prayer comes after extraordinary prophetic persistence and hardened public rejection. It should not be used by private readers to pray for destruction upon relatives, critics, or rival communities. The conclusion asks forgiveness for Noah, his parents, believers entering his home, and believing men and women, preserving mercy within warning.

Core Themes

  • Persistent invitation without coercion
  • Public and private communication
  • Seeking forgiveness and divine generosity
  • Prosperity claims kept non-mechanical
  • Creation signs and resurrection
  • Final prayer after prolonged prophetic rejection

Structure

Verses 1-4: Commission, warning, worship, and response1-4

This section develops commission, warning, worship, and response across verses 1-4. Read it as part of Surah Nuh’s complete sequence; it does not independently create a private ruling, diagnosis, prediction, punishment power, or guaranteed outcome.

Verses 5-12: Public and private invitation and forgiveness5-12

This section develops public and private invitation and forgiveness across verses 5-12. Read it as part of Surah Nuh’s complete sequence; it does not independently create a private ruling, diagnosis, prediction, punishment power, or guaranteed outcome.

Verses 13-20: Creation signs and human return13-20

This section develops creation signs and human return across verses 13-20. Read it as part of Surah Nuh’s complete sequence; it does not independently create a private ruling, diagnosis, prediction, punishment power, or guaranteed outcome.

Verses 21-28: Elite influence, final rejection, and prayer21-28

This section develops elite influence, final rejection, and prayer across verses 21-28. Read it as part of Surah Nuh’s complete sequence; it does not independently create a private ruling, diagnosis, prediction, punishment power, or guaranteed outcome.

Reading Guide

Safety-focused reading step 1

Keep this boundary visible: Rain, wealth, children, gardens, and rivers are not guaranteed by a fixed istighfar count. Compare the relevant passage with the complete surah before drawing any contemporary conclusion.

Safety-focused reading step 2

Keep this boundary visible: Infertility, poverty, or drought must not be blamed on weak faith or insufficient recitation. Compare the relevant passage with the complete surah before drawing any contemporary conclusion.

Safety-focused reading step 3

Keep this boundary visible: Creation-stage passages are not a complete scientific model. Compare the relevant passage with the complete surah before drawing any contemporary conclusion.

Safety-focused reading step 4

Keep this boundary visible: No private reader may use Noah’s final prayer to target relatives, critics, or modern communities. Compare the relevant passage with the complete surah before drawing any contemporary conclusion.

Key Passages

Commission, warning, worship, and response 1-4

Verses 1-4 address commission, warning, worship, and response. Their placement in Surah Nuh supplies the immediate context; this overview identifies the movement without turning it into a stand-alone legal ruling, clinical diagnosis, current-event prediction, private enforcement authority, or guaranteed worldly result.

Public and private invitation and forgiveness 5-12

Verses 5-12 address public and private invitation and forgiveness. Their placement in Surah Nuh supplies the immediate context; this overview identifies the movement without turning it into a stand-alone legal ruling, clinical diagnosis, current-event prediction, private enforcement authority, or guaranteed worldly result.

Creation signs and human return 13-20

Verses 13-20 address creation signs and human return. Their placement in Surah Nuh supplies the immediate context; this overview identifies the movement without turning it into a stand-alone legal ruling, clinical diagnosis, current-event prediction, private enforcement authority, or guaranteed worldly result.

Elite influence, final rejection, and prayer 21-28

Verses 21-28 address elite influence, final rejection, and prayer. Their placement in Surah Nuh supplies the immediate context; this overview identifies the movement without turning it into a stand-alone legal ruling, clinical diagnosis, current-event prediction, private enforcement authority, or guaranteed worldly result.

Recitation Note

No exclusive time, fixed repetition count, or guaranteed worldly outcome is asserted here for reciting Surah Nuh. Reading it is worship and study; any claim about protection, healing, provision, family outcomes, or a prescribed number requires separate exact evidence and narrow wording.

Interpretation Limits

  • Rain, wealth, children, gardens, and rivers are not guaranteed by a fixed istighfar count.
  • Infertility, poverty, or drought must not be blamed on weak faith or insufficient recitation.
  • Creation-stage passages are not a complete scientific model.
  • No private reader may use Noah’s final prayer to target relatives, critics, or modern communities.

Quick Links

Sources