Quranic Reflections - Islamic School of Stanford
Quranic Reflections - Islamic School of Stanford
Quranic Reflections - Islamic School of Stanford
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
It is rather a s<strong>of</strong>t and gentle tone that does not involve recklessness or harshness. Nuh<br />
(AS) articulated, ‘the problem is not between you and me. It is Allah Who will inflict<br />
torment upon you if He so wills.’<br />
Construct an Ark!<br />
Allah says what can be translated as, “And work out (i.e., make) the Ship(s)…<br />
(TMQ 11:37). The ayahs continue until we reach the verse in which Allah says what<br />
can be translated as, “And it was revealed to Nuh (that), “Never will any <strong>of</strong> your<br />
people believe, except him who has already believed; so do not feel chagrined for<br />
whatever they were performing (TMQ, 11:36).” In view <strong>of</strong> that, what are we to do<br />
O’ Lord Do we depart from them since they would drown Not yet, there are divine<br />
commandments still to come and the path ahead is far from over.<br />
Allah says what can be translated as, “And work out (i.e., make) the Ship(s)<br />
(Arabic fulk “ship” can mean singular or plural) under Our Eyes and by Our<br />
revelation, and do not address Me concerning the ones who have done injustice;<br />
surely they will be drowned”, (TMQ, 11:37).<br />
The manufacturing <strong>of</strong> an ark takes many long years. Nuh (AS) had lived in the desert<br />
and in order for him to construct a large ark, he needed to grow trees to build it with.<br />
Following that, he would take the wood from those trees to build an enormous ship<br />
that could accommodate all the believers and also carry two pairs from every type <strong>of</strong><br />
animal.<br />
That was a very difficult task and <strong>of</strong> long duration. Some scholars say that it took 100<br />
years, some say 200 years, and others said 300 years. One might ask a question at this<br />
point; why did Allah not punish the disbelievers <strong>of</strong> Nuh in the same way that He had<br />
punished other disbelievers before Why had Allah not miraculously sprout the trees<br />
between nightfall and its daybreak<br />
It is for you missionaries, so that you may learn about steadfastness and patience in<br />
obeying Allah, even if the results are not apparent and even if they have not yet been<br />
envisaged. Allah says what can be translated as, “And it was revealed to Nuh<br />
(that), “Never will any <strong>of</strong> your people believe, except him who has already<br />
believed; …”, (TMQ, 11:36).<br />
Nuh (AS) realized that none <strong>of</strong> his tribes were going to believe. However, he obeyed<br />
Allah’s orders and was patient. Such is a missionary <strong>of</strong> Allah. Allah ordered him to<br />
cultivate the field and he did so, even if it did not seem that the field would produce<br />
any harvest. What is essential is carrying out divine orders, spending vast efforts, and<br />
then leaving the outcome to Allah. The importance <strong>of</strong> the matter is that at the end,<br />
one would gain their reward from Allah, whether or not the field was fruitful.<br />
No Bias, Even Towards a Child<br />
You may be asking yourself now, where is the ‘no bias’ in the story <strong>of</strong> Nuh<br />
Where is the application <strong>of</strong> what Allah has ordered Allah says what can be translated<br />
as, “And do not (seek) support …”, (TMQ, 11:113)
Change language