Tafseer Ibn Kathir of YUNUS [71]

71. And recite to them the news of Nuh. When he said to his people: ”O my people, if my stay (with you), and my reminding (you) of the Ayat of Allah is hard on you, then I put my trust in Allah. So devise your plot, you and your partners, and let not your plot be in confusion for you. Then pass your sentence on me and give me no respite. 72. ”But if you turn away, then no reward have I asked of you, my reward is only from Allah, and I have been commanded to be of the Muslims.'' 73. They denied him, but We delivered him, and those with him in the ship, and We made them generations, replacing one after another, while We drowned those who belied Our Ayat. Then see what was the end of those who were warned. Allah instructed His Prophet , saying:

(And recite to them) relate to the disbelievers of the Quraysh who belied you and rejected you,

(the news of Nuh) meaning, his story and news with his people who belied him. Tell them how Allah destroyed them and caused every last one of them all to drown. Let this be a lesson for your people, lest they will be destroyed like them.

(When he said to his people: ”O my people, if my stay (with you), and my reminding (you) of the Ayat of Allah is hard on you, then I put my trust in Allah.'') Meaning, `if you find that it is too much of an offense that I should live among you and preach to you the revelation of Allah and His signs and proofs, then I do not care what you think, and I will not stop inviting you.'

(So devise your plot, you and your partners), `get together with all of your deities (idols and statues) that you call upon beside Allah,'

(and let not your plot be in confusion for you) meaning, an`d do not be confused about this, rather come and let us settle this together if you claim that you are truthful,'

(and give me no respite.) `Do not give me respite even for one hour. Whatever you can do, go ahead and do it. I do not care, and I do not fear you, because you are not standing on anything.' This is similar to what Hud said to his people,

(I call Allah to witness, and you bear witness, that I am free from that which you ascribe as partners in worship with Him (Allah). So plot against me, all of you, and give me no respite. I put my trust in Allah, my Lord and your Lord!) (11:54-55) Nuh said,

(But if you turn away) if you belie the message and turn away from obedience.

(then no reward have I asked of you,) I have not asked you anything for my advice.

(My reward is only from Allah. And I have been commanded to be of the Muslims.) I submit to Islam. Islam is the religion of all of the Prophets from the first to the last. Their laws and their rules may be of different types but the religion is the same. Allah said:

(To each among you, We have prescribed a law and a clear way.)(5:48) Ibn `Abbas said: ”A way and a Sunnah.'' Here Nuh is saying:

(and I have been commanded to be of the Muslims.) Allah said about His friend, Ibrahim:

(When his Lord said to him, ”Submit (be a Muslim)!'' He said, ”I have submitted myself (as a Muslim) to the Lord of all that exists.'' And this was enjoined by Ibrahim upon his sons and by Ya`qub (saying), ”O my sons! Allah has chosen for you the (true) religion, then die not except as Muslims.'')(2:131-132) Yusuf said:

(My Lord! You have indeed bestowed on me of the sovereignty, and taught me something of the interpretation of dreams -- the (Only) Creator of the heavens and the earth! You are my Guardian in this world and in the Hereafter. Cause me to die as a Muslim, and join me with the righteous.)(12:101) Musa said:

(O my people! If you have believed in Allah, then put your trust in Him if you are Muslims.)(10:84) The magicians said:

(Our Lord! pour out on us patience, and cause us to die as Muslims.)(7:126) Bilqis said:

(My Lord! Verily, I have wronged myself, and I submit (I have become Muslim) together with Sulayman to Allah, the Lord of all that exists.) (27:44) Allah said:

(Verily, We did send down the Tawrah, therein was guidance and light, by which the Prophets, judged for the Jews.)(5:44) He also said:

(And when I (Allah) inspired Al-Hawariyyin to believe in Me and My Messenger, they said: ”We believe. And bear witness that we are Muslims.'') (5:111) The last of the Messengers and the leader of mankind said:

(Verily, my Salah, my sacrifice, my living, and my dying are for Allah, the Lord of all that exists. He has no partner. And of this I have been commanded, and I am the first of the Muslims.) (6:162-163) meaning, from this Ummah. He said, in an authentic Hadith:

(We, the Prophets are brothers with (the same father but) different mothers. Our religion is the same,) meaning, `we should worship Allah alone without partners while having different laws.' Allah said:

(They denied him, but We delivered him, and those with him) meaning on his religion,

(in the (Fulk) ship) Fulk refers to the ark, and,

(We made them generations replacing one after another) on earth,

(while We drowned those who belied Our Ayat. Then see what was the end of those who were warned.) meaning `O Muhammad, see how We saved the believers and destroyed the deniers!'