Ramadan Lecture Series 1445 A.H.

Presented by Al-Sayyid Abdul Malik Badruddin Al-Houthi

Lecture Twenty

Wednesday, 24 Ramadan 1445 A.H. (3 April 2024 A.D.)

The Story of Prophet Nuh (PBUH)
(Part One)
The Beginning of the Deviation from Monotheism and the Mission of Prophet Nuh!

I seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the outcast.

In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful.

Praise is to Allah, Lord of the Worlds. I believe that there is no god but Allah, the Sovereign and the Manifest Truth, and that Muhammad, our master, is His servant, Messenger, and Last Prophet.

O Allah! Confer Your salat and blessings upon Muhammad and the Family of Muhammad as You conferred Your salat and blessings upon Ibrahim and the Family of Ibrahim. You are Owner of Praise, Owner of Glory! And be pleased with Muhammad's good companions and all Your righteous servants and mujahidin.

O Allah! Guide us and grant us acceptance, for You are the Hearing, the Knowing; accept our repentance, for You are the Relenting and the Merciful.

Brothers and sisters, peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.

Today's lecture is about the story of the Prophet Nuh (PBUH) and his people. The story of Prophet Nuh and his people is mentioned in several surahs of the Holy Quran. It is found with great details in Surah Al-A'raf, Surah Hud, Surah Ash-Shu'ara, and Surah Nuh, while many others refer to the story to varying degrees. Prophet Nuh (PBUH) is mentioned in the Holy Quran perhaps more than thirty-five times.

The story of Prophet Nuh (PBUH) dates back to an early era in human history, to a very ancient time. Some of the results of those studies concerning the ship believed to be that of Prophet Nuh (PBUH) on Mount Judi, have suggested that the ship is over a hundred thousand years old. Thus, the story occurred in a significantly early stage of human history.

There is also no doubt that the time period between Prophet Adam and Prophet Nuh (PBUH) was a long period. Only Allah knows exactly how many years it spanned—whether it was thousands or hundreds of years. Historical accounts related to this cannot be relied upon with certainty. However, it was undoubtedly an extended era. In fact, the period of Prophet Nuh (PBUH) is considered a new phase in human history, due to the destruction of the disbelievers and the truth-deniers in the story of the flood followed by the resumption of human life again. We will speak about this point in more detail when we delve into the story, Allah willing.

It is said that Prophet Idris (PBUH) came between the time of Prophet Adam (PBUH) and Prophet Nuh (PBUH), during that long interval. This was a long time before the deviation and misguidance of humanity reached the level of associating partners with Allah (Glory be to Him) and outright disbelief in Him. That was because Prophet Adam (PBUH) brought the creed of monotheism and began his march on the earth, as well as his subsequent descendants, following the monotheistic belief. In other words, his descendants went on this path, as he was the prophet of Allah and the chosen one by Him. Furthermore, humanity remained on the path of monotheism and worshipping Allah for generations.

It is said that Prophet Idris (PBUH) had appeared during that stage: before humanity deviated to the level of associating partners with Allah and disbelieving in Him. Allah sent him to continue fulfilling the mission, the divine message, with which Allah sends His messengers and prophets. It is about guiding people, nurturing them with faith, and leading them through their lives according to Allah's guidance, law, and path. In addition to the efforts he exerted to reform human society, nurture it with pure and righteous faith, and deliver Allah's teachings to the people, Prophet Idris also contributed to the advancement of their living reality in their lives and their civilisation. Allah (Glory be to Him) taught him new skills needed for the improvement of their lives, such as sewing, as mentioned in some historical accounts, along with other skills and crafts that they needed to elevate the quality of their lives and living conditions.

The beginning of the deviation from monotheism and the mission of Prophet Nuh!

Then time continued to unfold, and generations succeeded; misguidance increased and deviation grew until humans' reality changed to a very unfortunate state, when the belief in polytheism emerged, with people taking deities besides Allah. Their deviation and misguidance kept intensifying and eventually reached such a level. This is always true when people persist in falsehood and misguidance: They go deeper and deeper in misguidance, falsehood, and deviation at all levels, including the doctrinal and practical levels.

There is a serious issue about associating partners with Allah, in addition to being a false and terrifying belief that denies the greatest truths which are that we are servants of Allah (Glory be to Him) and that He alone is our God because He is our Lord, our Master, the Sovereign of the heavens and the earth, the Creator, and the only true God (Glory be to Him). It is a denial of the greatest and most important truths ever. It is also a denial of justice and mercy and a departure from fairness. This is true when a person submits himself to something other than Allah, to one who does not own anything in this or in heavens or the earth—not even a speck or threadbare skin on the date seed or the weight of an atom—turning away from Allah (Glory be to Him) and seeking other than his true Lord (the Creator, the rightful God, the King) in his worship. This eventually leads to deviation from Allah’s guidance, His message, and His teachings. This is a serious issue resulting from polytheism: It drives a person away from Allah's message and teachings, which then become wholly and utterly rejected. This is an extremely serious issue.

When misguidance intensified and falsehood proliferated to such an extent, Allah sent His Prophet Nuh (PBUH) to the human society of his time. During the era of Prophet Nuh (PBUH), human society was still limited and had not spread across many distant areas. Some narratives and narrations, including historical ones, indicate that the people of Nuh (PBUH) were concentrated in a part of Iraq, extending into regions of Turkey adjacent to Iraq and parts of Syria bordering Iraq. They were settled there, and Allah sent him to them. It is noteworthy that the story of Prophet Nuh (PBUH) is related to a phase in which that dangerous deviation emerged or intensified: the belief in and worship of other gods besides Allah (Glory be to Him). Therefore, it marks one of the earliest phases of deviation and misguidance to such an extent.

Another notable aspect of the story of Prophet Nuh (PBUH) is his long stay among his people, showing immense patience in the face of their stubbornness, denial, disbelief, and insistence on their falsehood. During that period, people still lived for hundreds of years, and yet he may have remained with them for more than one generation, as Allah (Glory be to Him) says, {'And We certainly sent Nuh to his people, and he remained among them a thousand years minus fifty years'}. This was the time he spent with them as a messenger, conveying Allah's messages, guiding them, and striving to save them: {'a thousand years minus fifty years'}. This is a long period—nine hundred and fifty years! {'Then the flood seized them while they were wrongdoers. But We saved him and the companions of the ship, and We made it a sign for the worlds'}.

Also, Prophet Nuh (PBUH) is considered the second father of humanity. After the extinction of the lineages of the believers whom Allah saved with him, their descendants eventually also died out. This means that the offspring of his companions, the believers whom Allah saved with him on the ship, did not continue in an unbroken line and died out. However, the lineage of his children continued, as Allah (Glory be to Him) said in Surah As-Saffat, {'And We made his descendants those remaining '}.

In reflecting upon the story of Prophet Nuh (PBUH), there's another significant point to consider: As we mentioned earlier, humanity, after the Flood, embarked on a new phase—one pure in faith, monotheism, and guided once again by divine teachings and instructions. It returned to its original state, much like it began with Adam (PBUH). However, over time, change and deviation emerged anew. Perhaps after a certain period or across generations, the state of deviation began to grow, spreading and intensifying once more. The human reality shifted thereafter, reverting to error, polytheism, and disbelief—a truly regrettable turn of events.

Prophet Nuh (PBUH) was one of the messengers endowed with steadfast resolve and held one of the highest ranks with Allah, the Almighty. He was patient, serving as a model for other prophets: He was a role model in endurance over a very long period in conveying Allah's messages, as he suffered from his people due to their denial, rejection, slander, accusations, and numerous abuses. Yet despite all that, he remained patient for an exceedingly long time.

A person might feel exhausted when facing challenges that are insignificant compared to what Prophet Nuh (PBUH) endured while working hard with unwavering diligence. We might tire after ten, twenty, or even thirty years of dedicated effort, but imagine working hard for 950 years to deliver Allah's messages with utmost sincerity, profound concern, and unwavering diligence. He was truly grateful. Allah praised him in the Holy Quran, describing him, {'He was a grateful servant'}. He consistently acknowledged Allah's blessings upon him, deeply appreciating them. He actively expressed his gratitude through his words, deeds, actions, dedication, and throughout his life journey.

Prophet Nuh also showed great diligence in his mission to convey Allah's messages, so he stands as a role model. His seriousness, dedication, and vigour provide an important lesson for all who strive in the path of Allah (the Almighty) and for all believers: how to be diligent in what is good and act according to Allah's guidance and instructions. He was intensely devoted to the salvation, guidance, and rescue of his people. Tirelessly, he worked to deliver Allah's messages, earnestly seeking to guide his people with profound desire and significant concern.

The greatness of the divine message and the prophets!

At the beginning of the story, Allah (the Almighty) says, {'Indeed, We sent Nuh to his people, , "Warn your people before there comes to them a painful punishment"'}. In our discussion of the story, we are going to focus on various blessed verses, moving through passages from various chapters. Allah (Glory be to Him) states at the outset of Surah Nuh, {'Indeed, We sent Nuh to his people.'} He was sent by Allah, the Lord of the worlds, Sovereign of the heavens and the earth, Lord of humanity—their God and King—according to His planning of their affairs, since this is part of His administration of His servants' affairs: He conveys to them His instructions and guidance as part of His care and mercy. Out of His mercy for His servants, He sends messengers to them. Thus, He sent Nuh (PBUH) as part of this divine practice in guiding His servants—for their guidance, to warn them, and to give glad tidings to those who believe among them.

Prophethood is something that Allah gives. Indeed, prophethood comes from Allah, the Almighty. It is not a human effort wherein someone elevates himself through his interests to the rank of a messenger. Rather, it is a matter connected to Him, the Almighty, as it comes from Him. It is Allah (the Almighty) Who chooses and selects messengers from among His servants for people. He prepares them for this mission and to fulfil this role with exceptional readiness from the very beginning. Therefore, He says, {'Indeed, Allah chose Adam and Nuh and the family of Ibrahim and the family of ʿImran over the worlds'}. So Allah prepares them for this sacred mission.

Allah's messengers are distinguished by their perfection in their wisdom, their purity, their mercy, their eagerness to guide people, their patience with them, and their sincere counsel to them. Allah also grants them qualifications to carry out this mission: qualifications for conveying the message itself, delivering it in a high and elevated manner; qualifications for practical execution in reality; and so on in all that relates to it.

Therefore, the greatness of the message and the messengers and prophets lies in the fact that they are part of a magnificent and sacred mission to guide humanity and to save people, drawing them closer to Allah, the Almighty. They are a bridge between society and Allah (the Almighty), conveying His instructions and commands to people. Thus, it is not about them calling people to themselves or having personal interests or objectives they seek to impose on others for personal gain. They are a link connecting people to the guidance and instructions of Allah. They devote themselves to Allah, becoming role models for people in following divine instructions and adhering to them. Therefore, their mission is great and sacred, and they are a mercy from Allah and a tremendous blessing from Him. Their role is profound in their sacred mission, given how Allah has qualified them to embody that mission and provide the noble example within it and their great perfection, which represents the highest human perfection. In terms of human excellence, the highest perfection is that of the messengers and prophets. Therefore, they are a magnificent blessing from Allah.

Similarly, the Prophet and Messenger of Allah Nuh was a great blessing to his people, so they had no justification to disbelieve in him. Indeed, he conveyed the message and call of Allah to them and warned them: {'Warn your people before there comes to them a painful punishment.'} That is because persisting in falsehood and deviation from the guidance and instructions of Allah (the Almighty), associating partners with Allah, and disbelieving in Him have severe consequences for human society in this world and in the Hereafter—the painful punishment. In fact, Allah establishes His argument against His servants beforehand.

He turned to his people and warned them: {'He said, "O my people, indeed I am a clear warner to you"'}. Typically, the peoples of the prophets know a great deal about them. They recognise their trustworthiness, honesty, perfection, wisdom, purity, and insight. Furthermore, they know their morals, values, and righteousness. Thus, they are well-known figures in their communities for their perfection, purification, righteousness, wisdom, and moral and behavioural integrity. So Nuh warned his people, {'He said, "O my people, indeed I am a clear warner to you,"'} and he called them to worship only Allah, to abandon associating partners with Him and deviation: {'that you should worship none but Allah; surely, I fear for you the torment of a painful day'}. {'O my people, worship Allah; you have no deity other than Him. Surely, I fear for you the punishment of a tremendous day'}.

The main purpose of the divine messages: Liberating people from worshipping anyone other than Allah

When we read about the calls of the messengers to their peoples in the Holy Quran, we find—just as in these blessed verses of the story of Prophet Nuh (PBUH)—that the main and overarching theme of the divine message and the mission of the prophets and messengers is one that calls people to worship Allah (Glory be to Him) and reject worshipping others. In fact, the theme revolves around the oneness of Allah and worshipping only Him: {'Worship Allah; you have no deity other than Him.'}This theme is indeed significant and profound, and it is a precise theme that reflects the essence of the divine message both in general and in detail. At the same time, it represents the liberation of people from servitude to anyone other than Allah (Glory be to Him).

Worshipping others besides Allah (Glory be to Him) arises from multiple aspects. At the level of belief, this is evident in those peoples who believed there were partners with Allah in divinity—gods alongside Him. They believed they had certain roles in managing the affairs of creation. Moreover, they thought that, despite their misguided belief that they were gods, they were also bringing them closer to Allah (Glory be to Him) and that they had a strong relationship with Him. Actually, they believed in the existence of multiple gods while still acknowledging Allah; this reflects the situation of those peoples.

One strange and noticeable thing in the books of stories, even in the TV series that discuss the stories of peoples and prophets is that they present an inaccurate image of the reality of these peoples. They present them as if they had been completely ignorant of Allah and had denied Him entirely, which is not true. It becomes clear through the Quranic verses that they acknowledged Allah (Glory be to Him), even the polytheists among the Arabs. When the Messenger of Allah Muhammad bin Abdullah (PBUH&F), the Seal of the Prophets, was sent to them, they were not denying the divinity of Allah. They acknowledged that He was the One Who created the heavens and the earth, Who created humanity, and Who created them. {'And if you asked them who created them, they would surely say, "Allah"'}. Indeed, they acknowledged Allah and recognised Him as the Creator of the heavens and the earth, the Lord of the worlds, and so on. They acknowledged that He was the One Who created, provided sustenance, gave life, and caused death. However, they held the false belief that there were multiple gods and that there were other gods alongside Allah. Their beliefs differed; each (according to their false beliefs) had specific gods and claimed they were partners with Allah in divinity. This is why what they practised is termed associating partners with Allah, as they believed there were partners with Allah in divinity, assisting Him in the affairs of creation from a position of divinity, considering that they were gods alongside Him. This is a deviation at the doctrinal level in worshipping others besides Allah. Consequently, it has led to further issues: They rejected Allah's teachings that came with the prophets and messengers and instead followed superstitions, beliefs, and ideas, based on which they practised worship.

Another form of deviation in worshipping others besides Allah (Glory be to Him) is the submission of oneself to what one views as a substitute for Allah's law and path. Allah (Glory be to Him) is our Lord Who has the authority to determine what is lawful or unlawful for us to do and Who is our Owner and our King. He is the One Who draws for us the way that we should follow in this life, clarifying what is lawful and unlawful, as well as the commitments and responsibilities we have in this life. Therefore, anyone who rejects Allah's laws (Glory be to Him) and submits himself to an alternative path instead of following the path and guidance of Allah and His commands and teachings, is effectively making himself a slave to other than Allah. He is giving the right to obedience, among other rights of Allah (Glory be to Him), to others. Such a person believes that others have the right to dictate his actions and to have authority over him and impose their will, instead of adhering to Allah's path, guidance, and instructions.

Therefore, at the level of belief, there are those who worship others besides Allah, which is then reflected in practical reality—where individuals completely turn away from Allah's path, guidance, and message. At a practical level, this manifests as a complete rejection of Allah's guidance, teachings, and message, fully submitting oneself to other than Allah (Glory be to Him) in ways that replace His path, laws, and faith.

The prophets seek to free people because they convey Allah's instructions to them and rescue them from associating partners with Allah. Consequently, in terms of obedience and actions, they guide people according to the divine message, encompassing its teachings, commands, and prohibitions.

The message of Allah is to liberate people from the bondage of taghut: {'And We certainly sent into every nation a messenger, , "Worship Allah and avoid taghut"'}. It is a salvation that frees people from devoting themselves both in belief and in practice to any deity other than Allah, the one true God. Therefore, this is a comprehensive, clear theme that perfectly expresses the content and essence of the divine message.

Prophet Nuh's call to his people and their response!

So how did they respond to his message and invitation? Nuh’s community—like much of the human society at that time—was a tribal community rather than a formal state with a government or centralised authority. It was a tribal community, and people were closely linked to their tribal leaders and prominent figures.

In his effort as a messenger, he addressed everyone among his people, speaking to both the leaders and the common folk alike. He reached out to all of them, delivering Allah’s message to all of them. This approach is a tradition among all prophets and messengers: to convey Allah’s message to all people, not just to the influential or the elite, ensuring that they deliver divine guidance and instructions to everyone.

Given their tribal status, their leaders and notable figures stood out in opposing the call of Allah's Prophet Nuh (PBUH) and the divine message. They denied him, levelled accusations against him, and launched campaigns against him. There is a long list of their doubts, accusations, and smear campaigns regarding his message. {'The elite among his people said,}—the elite from his people took the lead in responding to him and opposing his delivery of the message—{"Indeed, we see you in clear error"'}. They accused him of being misguided and expressed doubts about his mission, insisting that he was in clear error, while they themselves were the ones in clear error. They labelled his call to worship Allah alone as a clear form of misguidance.

Why did the elite take such a stance? Usually, the elite have interests tied to the prevailing situation of the people. Therefore, in that state of ignorance and falsehood, the elite among Nuh's people developed interests linked to that reality, those circumstances, and the condition of his people. They built their influence and benefits in an improper manner, relying on misleading and tempting people so that their persistence in such a state of misguidance and falsehood would serve their interests. This allowed them to maintain their influence and control, and at times, it even involved material gains:

• Some people, for instance, were buying and selling idols; their livelihood and work depended on the production and sale of these idols. So they believed that if people were to embrace faith and abandon idols, their trade would cease to exist. Thus, they wanted to maintain their material interests by keeping people in such a terrible state of misguidance and serious deviation.
• Others, in their influence, relied on injustice, oppressive practices, extortion, and humiliating others to obtain money and material gains unlawfully. So they knew that the message and teachings of Allah (Glory be to Him) would not allow them to continue their unjust actions, extortion, and acquiring wealth through illegitimate means. They perceived this as a threat to their interests, among other considerations.
• Additionally, some individuals were worried that believing in Nuh (PBUH) would mean people would be attracted to him, granting him superiority in society. Consequently, their communities would be more attached to him than to them, which they did not want. They were arrogant and had delusional interests, despite the fact that the true benefit for everyone—both the young and the old, their notable figures, communities, and citizens—lies in responding to Allah (Glory be to Him). He grants every deserving person his due, and everyone can have his value and significance based on his faith, which is far more important than pursuing illusory interests or relying on other unlawful matters.

They responded to him with accusations and believed that they had the authority to define the position that should be taken. They believed that once they established their stance, others should adhere to their incorrect viewpoint, considering themselves the foundation of society, the ones with wisdom, experience, and decision-making power. So they firmly took their position based on this. They viewed his call as misguided and expressed doubts about his message. Their accusations were not based on any evidence; they merely relied on their personal opinions. They considered that to be sufficient to judge his message, without any recourse to argument, proof, or evidence.

{' said, "O my people, there is not error in me, but I am a messenger from the Lord of the worlds'}. This is because nothing in what he presented indicated that he had been led astray, deviated from the truth, or stepped out from the right path. In his message and his call to them, including the details and its general title—as the Holy Quran even summarises the titles of his message for us, and under these titles, it delves into the specifics of his dialogue with his people—there is nothing in what he presented that leads to misguidance.

{'But I am a messenger from the Lord of the worlds. I convey to you the messages of my Lord’} . This is because Allah is your Lord, the Lord of all worlds; therefore, it is incumbent upon people to accept His message. The matter is not left to people's opinions, personal inclinations, or the personal whims of individuals, such as saying that they do not desire or want this. The message of Allah (Glory be to Him) is the truth, the guidance, light, and goodness for people; it is not based on personal opinions and ideas stemming from personal whims, which society may rely on instead of relying on the message of Allah.

{'I convey to you the messages of my Lord and advise you'}, this is because what he presented to them was sincerely aimed at advising them; it was pure and true advice. {'And I know from Allah what you do not know’} . Nuh knew from Allah (Glory be to Him)—His guidance and teachings—what they were ignorant of and in need of, and he delivered it to them. He was also aware of the consequences of their denial and the punishment they would face; he was concerned for them. {'Then do you wonder that there has come to you a reminder from your Lord through a man from among you, that he may warn you and that you may fear Allah so you might receive mercy?'}

We will continue with this story in the next lectures, Allah willing.

We ask Allah (Glory be to Him) to grant us success in seeking what pleases Him. O Allah! Have mercy on our virtuous martyrs, heal the wounded among us, set free our captives, and grant us victory. You are the Hearer of Prayer!

Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.