Tafseer Ibn Kathir of HUUD [36]

36. And it was revealed to Nuh: ”None of your people will believe except those who have believed already. So be not sad because of what they used to do. 37. ”And construct the ship under Our Eyes and with Our revelation, and address Me not on behalf of those who did wrong; they are surely to be drowned.'' 38. And as he was constructing the ship, whenever the chiefs of his people passed by him, they mocked at him. He said: ”If you mock at us, so do we mock at you likewise for your mocking.'' 39. ”And you will know who it is on whom will come a torment that will cover him with disgrace and on whom will fall a lasting torment.'' Allah, the Exalted, sent revelation to Nuh when his people hastened the vengeance and punishment of Allah upon themselves. Then, Nuh supplicated against them, as Allah mentioned, when He said;

(My Lord! Leave not one of the disbelievers inhabiting the earth!) ï´¿71:26ï´¾ And he said,

(Then he invoked his Lord (saying): ”I have been overcome, so help (me)!'')﴿54:10﴾ At this point Allah revealed to him,

(None of your people will believe except those who have believed already.) Therefore, do not grieve over them and do not be concerned with their affair.

(And construct the ship.) The word Fulk here means ship.

(under Our Eyes) This means under Our vision.

(and with Our revelation,) This means, ”We will teach you (Nuh) what to do.''

(and address Me not on behalf of those who did wrong; they are surely to be drowned.) Muhammad bin Ishaq mentioned from the Tawrah, ”Allah commanded him (Nuh) to make it (the ship) from Indian oak wood. Then He commanded him to make its length eighty cubits and its width fifty cubits. Allah then commanded him to coat its interior and exterior with tar and to make it with a slanted bow to part the water (as it sailed). Its height was thirty cubits into the sky. It had three levels and each level was ten cubits high. The lowest level was for the animals, both tame and wild, the second level was for the human beings and the highest level was for the birds. Its door was in the center of it and it had a cover on top of it that covered the entire ship. Concerning Allah's statement,

(And as he was constructing the ship, whenever the chiefs of his people passed by him, they mocked at him.) This means that they teased him and rejected his threat that they would drown (in the forthcoming flood).

(He said: ”If you mock at us, so do we mock at you likewise...'') This is a severe threat and a serious warning.

(who it is on whom will come a torment that will cover him with disgrace) This means that it (the torment) will humiliate him in this life.

(and on whom will fall a lasting torment.) that is continuous and everlasting.