Overview (Verses 9 - 17)

Far Back in History

After this powerful opening, the surah begins to portray scenes of the punishment meted out to earlier communities of unbelievers, who traversed the same way as the Arabs who denied the Prophet Muhammad's message: Before them, Noah's people rejected the truth. They rejected Our servant, saying: He is mad!' and he was harshly rebuffed. Therefore, he called out to his Lord: 'I am overcome. Grant me help!' So We opened the gates of heaven with water pouring down in torrents, and caused the earth to burst forth with springs. Thus the waters met for a preordained purpose. We carried him in a vessel made of planks and nails which floated under Our eyes: a reward for him who had been rejected We have left this as a sign: will anyone take heed? How grievous was My punishment and how true were My warnings. We have made the Qur'an easy to bear in mind: will anyone take heed? (Verses 9-17)

"Before them, Noah's people rejected the truth." (Verse 9) They rejected the divine message and the signs given to them. "They rejected Our servant," Noah, and said, "He is mad'" just like the Quraysh unjustly said of Muhammad (peace be upon him), threatening to stone him, but still ridiculing him and demanding that he desist. "And he was harshly rebuffed." (Verse 9) They though should have been the ones who took heed and desisted.

Having suffered all this rejection, Noah referred to his Lord who had entrusted him with His message requiring him to deliver it to his people. He submitted his report on how things stood between him and his people and the results of his efforts. He wanted the decision to be made by God after he himself had exerted every effort: "Therefore, he called out to his Lord: 'I am overcome. Grant me help!" (Verse 10) I have done my best and I am now powerless. I can do no more. You are the One to grant help and support to Your message. All power belongs to You and the decision is Yours.

Hardly is the word uttered and the matter handed over to the Almighty when God's mighty hand points to the great universe and its crushing wheel starts to roll: "So We opened the gates of heaven with water pouring down in torrents, and caused the earth to burst forth with springs. Thus the waters met for a preordained purpose." (Verses 11-12) This is a huge and overwhelming universal action described in well-chosen words and phrases. It begins by attributing the action directly to God: "We opened', so that we see that it is the hand of the Almighty that opened "the gates of heaven," in the plural, "with water pouring down in torrents," one wave after another. By the same token and movement, We "caused the earth to burst forth with springs". We see through the words water bursting forth everywhere, as though the whole earth has become an immense and gushing spring. Thus the water pouring from the skies and the water gushing from the earth "met for a preordained purpose". These waters met in implementation of what God had preordained, obeying His divine command and bringing it to fulfilment.

When it was a huge flood, covering the face of the land, washing off the dirt that had lingered for long until the messenger despaired of ever being able to remove it, the Mighty and Compassionate hand was extended to that messenger ensuring his safety and giving him the honour he deserved: "We carried him in a vessel made of planks and nails which floated under Our eyes: a reward for him who had been rejected. (Verses 13-14) It is clear in the phraseology of these verses that it is intended to impart an air of grandeur to the vessel, which is described as having planks and nails. It is only described, rather than named, to add to its importance. It floats under God's own eyes and care. This is all "a reward for him who had been rejected', and threatened. It is a reward that replaces people's rejection by divine care and ridicule by honour. It describes the great power at the disposal of one who is defeated after having done his best. This is what is available to those who exert their maximum efforts in advocating His cause, and also then put the matter to Him praying for His help. All powers in the universe are mobilized to support such people, and all, with God's permission and under His guidance.

This scene of truth's complete victory and the total eradication of advocates of unbelief is followed by an address to those who look at it as if it were happening before their very eyes: "We have left this as a sign: will anyone take heed?" (Verse 15) This great event, with its well-known circumstances and results, is left as a sign and a reminder for future generations. Will any take heed? Then another gesture is added to awaken people's hearts telling them that the warnings given to them are all correct and the punishment that might be inflicted is severe indeed: "How grievous was My punishment and how true were My warnings." (Verse 16)

It all took place as the Qur'an describes. The Qur'an remains present, available to all, easy to understand, attractive by its sincerity and straightforwardness, consistent with nature, full of wonders and always retaining its power. Never is it weakened by familiarity. But rather whenever it is contemplated, it gives more of its treasures. The more it is read, the better we are comforted by it: "We have made the Qur'an easy to bear in mind: will anyone take heed?" (Verse 17)

This last verse provides the comment that occurs after each scene. The surah uses it by way of a pause inviting hearts to reflect after they have been shown one of the calamities that befell earlier deniers of the truth.