Lessons from the story of Prophet Nuh (AS): Prophet Nuh AS has many life teachings in his story and life of preaching. Prophet Nuh AS practiced the religion revealed to him by Allah SWT and preached it to his fellow people and his nation for almost 950 years.
He eventually concluded that the unbelievers were now deaf and blind to Allah’s message. Their existence was that of cancer that would eventually rot any goodness that existed around them and he asked Allah SWT to send down His punishment on them. He was instructed by Allah SWT to build and ark away from the sea as the disbelievers were to be drowned.
The ark carried 80 people and all animals in pairs so that they do not become extinct. The wife and son of Nuh AS did not join him on the ark and therefore died with the disbelievers. After that, the flood dried up and Nuh AS and his followers continued to live in peace.
What Can We Learn From The Story of Hazrat Nuh?
The story of Nuh AS is of great importance, which is signified by the narration of his story in the Qur’an. He is one of the few Prophets sent to earth who is mentioned in the Qur’an by name. His story is therefore filled with lessons and values that we can benefit from.
5 – Ignorance Overweighs Blood
The son and the wife of Prophet Nuh AS were drowned in the flood with the disbelievers for they were among the ignorant ones. Ignorance in the Islamic practice and the Arabic language is called Jahilliyah. The ignorant or the Jahil in Islam is not referring to academic backwardness or scientific/intellectual inferiority. Rather it is the ignorance of the self and the message of Allah with clear signs. Such ignorance is worse than the blindness of the eyes or the impairment of hearing as it only leads to hellfire.
Equally important is the fact that one’s blood is also a source of fitnah and a test that can lead one astray and cause one to err. This is surely out of the love and bond that Allah has created between us. However, these bonds act as chains that have the potential to bring us down or lift us in the ranks of piety and those favored by Allah SWT.
4 – Patience and Perseverance
Prophet Nuh AS was the first Prophet to warn against shirk, the first Prophet after his Grandfather Prophet Idris AS, and the first Prophet to be prosecuted by his nation. He preached the message of Allah to his nation for almost 1000 years without fail. This makes his dawah and mission a symbol of patience and perseverance.
Nuh AS was an excellent speaker and a patient and wise man and always spoke with great compassion. He was always clear in his message and did not misconstrue his words even at the cost of physical and verbal retaliation.
That did not affect his mannerism and sincerity when it came to warning his people. Even worse was the fact that his wife betrayed him and was among the disbelievers. She was not unfaithful to him rather rejected his prophetic message and conspired against him and his followers and with disbelievers. Here are some Beautiful Islamic Quotes on Patience.
3 – Gratefulness
Of all the characteristics of Nuh AS, his gratefulness and piety are most notable and mentioned and oft mentioned in the Qur’an. Nuh AS did not use his situation as an excuse to be ungrateful in face of the opposition and did not despair from his situation or the responsibility given to him.
He was grateful for Allah’s guidance and mercy. He understood very well that the arrogance and pride that his people had, and his humiliation was short-lived. It is of no comparison to Allah’s bounty and punishment of the hereafter which is everlasting and eternal. When compared to other Prophets, his followers were very few as most of his people were destroyed in the flood. This also did not sadden him as he understood that Allah’s punishment is just and wise.
Here are the most beautiful Islamic Quotes About Being Grateful.
2 – Value of Wisdom And Knowing to Let Go
In the Islamic tradition, Allah only brings down His punishment on earth when the nation has no hope of being guided. This happened to the nation of Lut AS, and many other Prophets. The punishment is also the mercy of Allah. This eliminates the wrongdoers from committing any more sins and violating their souls even further.
Also, the purpose of the punishment is also to eliminate the cancerous nature of such people who not only violate themselves but also are a threat of misguiding others with them. Nuh AS understood this very well and therefore did not grieve over the destruction or the loss of his wife and son.
The very nature of this world is to make it clear to us our decisions and our errors. Allah guides and showers His mercy over everyone and those that are misguided even after the message has been made clear to them are those who can not let go of their ego and ignorance. Nuh AS embodies this concept in the best way, as not only did he preach for over 1000 years consistently with compassion and love, but also is the only Prophet who prayed for the destruction of his people.
1 – Allah’s Bounty
Other lessons that are also of importance are that of Allah’s bounty. Allah is All-Knowing and All-Hearing and all that you endure in His cause does not go unnoticed. Nuh AS is also called the second Adam AS, as after Adam AS he is the direct ancestor of humanity.
This is because of those who survived in the Ark only Nuh AS had offspring who were fertile as the others were made barren by the command of Allah. Therefore, in essence, even if a small portion of his people followed his message and the majority rejected him, with time his bloodline replaced them and their ignorance. Thus, only Allah truly is the One who humiliates and honors.
All of us can learn and implement these lessons in our life – so Allah can be pleased with us.
