Surah Nuh, peace be upon him.

Its purpose is to indicate the completeness of the ability to fulfill what was warned against by the last one, "He asked" (p-423) regarding the destruction of the warners and the replacement of good from them. It also indicates the ability to bring about the Day of Resurrection, which they have long been warned about while they are turning away from it, denying it, and being heedless of it. Its naming after Nuh, peace be upon him, is the clearest evidence of that. For his matter regarding the destruction of his people due to their denial of him in his story in this [Surah] is established and recorded. (In the name of Allah, to whom belongs all perfection, from majesty and honor, the Most Gracious, who has encompassed all with what He has bestowed from apparent blessings, the Most Merciful, who has specifically honored His allies with the obligation of obedience [at the beginning] and the completion of blessings at the end.

* *When "He asked" was concluded with a warning to the disbelievers, and they were idol worshippers, with the punishment of this world and the Hereafter, it was followed by the greatest punishment that was in this world for denying the messengers in the story of Nuh, peace be upon him. His people were idol worshippers, and they mocked him. They were more rebellious than Quraysh, more ignorant, stronger, and more numerous. Nothing benefited them from that when the calamity descended and the wrath came upon them, and the punishment came to them. He began with the warning to frighten them from the consequences of denying him. He said, confirming for the sake of their denial that the messenger should be human or to place them in the position of deniers from the point that they acknowledged his message and criticized the message of others while being equal in humanity: (p-424) "Indeed, we" meaning by what we have of overwhelming greatness, "sent Nuh" who is the first messenger to come after the division of the children of Adam, peace be upon him, in the religion of their most upright father, "to his people" meaning those who were in the utmost strength in carrying out what they attempted while they were on the verge of responding to him and honoring him due to their kinship in lineage and language. They were all the inhabitants of the earth from the human beings.

And when it became clear that the sender, the messenger, and those sent to them were present, and that the sending included the meaning of the saying, he began to explain it as a clarification for what was sent with it. He said: "To warn" meaning to warn with a profound and great warning "your people" from continuing in disbelief.

And when the purpose was "to inform them of that" at certain times, for a person must have times of occupation with himself, such as sleeping, eating, and others, he came with the preposition for ease upon him and kindness to him, peace be upon him, saying: "Before a painful punishment comes to them" meaning for what they are upon of vile actions.

Imam Abu Ja'far ibn al-Zubair said: When Allah, the Most High, commanded His Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, to be patient with his people in His saying: "So be patient with a good patience" [Al-Ma'arij: 5] and the greatness of overlooking in His saying: "So let them engage and play" [Al-Ma'arij: 42], He followed that with the story of Noah, peace be upon him, and the repetition of his calling his people to faith. He specifically mentioned in his account his state during the long duration of remembrance and supplication because that is the intended purpose in this context as consolation for His Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, and so that he may take him as an example in patience, gentleness, and supplication as he was told in other contexts: "So be patient as the resolute among the messengers were, and do not be in haste for them" [Al-Ahqaf: 35] "So let not your soul be consumed with grief for them" [Fatir: 8]. Indeed, the duration of Noah's supplication, peace be upon him, with his people was longer than yours, and despite that, it did not increase them except in flight. "He said: My Lord, indeed I have called my people night and day" [Noah: 5] "And my supplication only increased them in flight" [Noah: 6] "And indeed, whenever I called them to seek Your forgiveness, they put their fingers in their ears and covered themselves with their garments and persisted and were arrogant with great arrogance" [Noah: 7]. Then the verses of the surah continued on this path of renewing the report of his prolonged struggle, peace be upon him, and the repetition of his supplication, and it did not increase them except in distance and determination upon their disbelief until Allah seized them, and He responded to the supplication of His Prophet, Noah, peace be upon him: "My Lord, do not leave upon the earth any of the disbelievers" [Noah: 26], and that was due to his despair of their success. This led to encouraging our Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, to be patient with his people and to endure from them as it was explicitly stated in His saying: "Take what is given freely, and enjoin what is good, and turn away from the ignorant" [Al-A'raf: 199] and as he was told before: "So be patient for the judgment of your Lord, and do not be like the companion of the fish" [Al-Qalam: 48] "And all that We relate to you of the news of the messengers is that by which We make firm your heart" [Hud: 120].