Nuh عليه السلام

He was Nuh ibn Lamik ibn Mitoshilkh ibn Enoch ibn Yard ibn Mahlabil ibn Qinan ibn Anoush ibn Seth ibn ‘Adam, the Father of Mankind alayhis-salam.

For many generations Nuh AS’s people had been worshipping statues that they called gods. Originally these were the names of good people who had lived among them. After their deaths, statues of them were erected to keep their memories alive. After sometime, however, people began to worship these statues. Later generations did not even know why they had been erected; they only knew their parents had prayed to them. That is how idol worshipping developed.

Allah is His Mercy sent His messenger Nuh AS to guide his people. Nuh AS was an excellent speaker and a very patient man. He pointed out to his people the mysteries of life and the wonders of the universe. He pointed out to this people, there cannot have been more than one deity. The people listened to him in silence.

Nuh AS’s people were divided into two groups after his warning. His words touched the hearts of the weak, the poor, and the miserable and soothed their wounds with its mercy. As for the rich, the strong, the mighty and the rulers they looked upon the warning with cold distrust. They believed they would be better off if things stayed as they were. Therefore they started their war of words against Nuh AS.

First they accused Nuh AS of being only human like themselves.

فَقَالَ ٱلْمَلَأُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ مِن قَوْمِهِۦ مَا نَرَىٰكَ إِلَّا بَشَرًا مِّثْلَنَا
“The chiefs of the disbelievers among his people said: ‘We see you but a man like ourselves.'” [Hud 11: 27]

He, however, had never said anything other than that. He asserted that, indeed, he was only a human being; Allah had sent a human messenger because the earth was inhabited by humans. If it had been inhabited by angels Allah would have sent an angelic messenger.

The contest between the polytheists and Nuh AS continued. The rulers had thought at first that Nuh AS’s call would soon fade on its own. When they found that his call attracted the poor, the helpless and common labourers, they started to verbally attack and taunt him,

وَمَا نَرَىٰكَ ٱتَّبَعَكَ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ أَرَاذِلُنَا بَادِىَ ٱلرَّأْىِ
The disbelieving chiefs of his people said, “We see you only as a human being like ourselves, and we see that no one follows you except the lowliest among us, who do so ˹hastily˺ without thinking. [Hud 11: 27]

Thus the conflict between Noah and the heads of his people intensified. The disbelievers tried to bargain: “Listen Nuh, if you want us to believe in you, then dismiss your believers. They are meek and poor, while we are elite and rich; no faith can include us both.” Nuh AS listened to the heathens of his community and realized they were being obstinate. However, he was gentle in his response. He explained to his people that he could not dismiss the believers as they were not his guests but Allah’s.
وَمَآ أَنَا۠ بِطَارِدِ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓ
And I will never dismiss the believers … [Hud 11: 29]

Nuh AS thus refuted the arguments of the disbelievers with the noble knowledge of the Prophets AS. It is the logic of intellect that rids itself of personal pride and interests.

Lesson to Learn:
The story is not yet complete, but there is an important lesson to point out. Today in our families we often only want to associate with and be with the rich and famous amongst them. We only attend their functions and only invite them to ours, just like how the Kuffar in the time of Nuh AS asked him to disassociate from the poor and only mix with them, the rich. This is an evil practice which we should avoid!