Tafseer Ibn Kathir of AL MU'MINUUN [26]

26. He said: ”O my Lord! Help me because they deny me.'' 27. So, We revealed to him: ”Construct the ship under Our Eyes and under Our revelation. Then, when Our command comes, and (water) gushes forth from the oven, take on board of each kind two, and your family, except those thereof against whom the Word has already gone forth. And address Me not in favor of those who have done wrong. Verily, they are to be drowned.'' 28. ”And when you have embarked on the ship, you and whoever is with you, then say: `All the praise be to Allah, Who has saved us from the people who are wrongdoers.'' 29. ”And say: `My Lord! Cause me to land at a blessed landing place, for You are the Best of those who bring to land.''' 30. Verily, in this, there are indeed Ayat, for sure We are ever putting (men) to the test. as Allah mentions in another Ayah:

(Then he invoked his Lord (saying): ”I have been overcome, so help (me)!'') ﴿54:10﴾. Here he says:

(O my Lord! Help me because they deny me.) At that point, Allah commanded him to build a boat and to make it strong and firm, and to carry therein of every kind two, i.e., a male and a female of every species of animals, plants and fruits etc. He was also to carry his family,

(except those thereof against whom the Word has already gone forth.) meaning, those whom Allah had already decreed were to be destroyed. These were the members of his family who did not believe in him, such as his son and his wife. And Allah knows best.

(And address Me not in favor of those who have done wrong. Verily, they are to be drowned.) means, `when you witness the heavy rain falling, do not let yourself be overcome with compassion and pity for your people, or hope for more time for them so that they may believe, for I have decreed that they will be drowned and will die in their state of disbelief and wrongdoing.' The story has already been told in detail in Surah Hud, and there is no need to repeat it here.

(And when you have embarked on the ship, you and whoever is with you, then say: `All the praise be to Allah, Who has saved us from the people who are wrongdoers.') This is like the Ayah:

(and has appointed for you ships and cattle on which you ride: In order that you may mount on their backs, and then may remember the favor of your Lord when you mount thereon, and say: ”Glory to Him Who has subjected this to us, and we could never have it (by our efforts). And verily, to Our Lord we indeed are to return!'') ﴿43:12-14﴾ So, certainly, Nuh adhered to what he was commanded, as Allah says elsewhere:

(And he said: ”Embark therein: in the Name of Allah will be its (moving) course and its (resting) anchorage...'')﴿11:41﴾ So Nuh mentioned Allah at the beginning of his journey and at the end, and Allah said:

(And say: `My Lord! Cause me to land at a blessed landing place, for You are the Best of those who bring to land.'')

(Verily in this, there are indeed Ayat,) means in this event, which is the saving of the believers and the destruction of the disbelievers there are signs, i.e., clear evidence and proof that the Prophets speak the truth in the Message they bring from Allah, may He be exalted, and that Allah does what He wills, and He is able to do all things and knows all things.

(for sure We are ever putting (men) to the test.) means, `We try Our servants by means of sending the Messengers.'