The short answer
Noah in Islam is the story of Prophet Nuh, peace be upon him, who was sent to warn his people to serve Allah alone (Hud 11:25 to 26). This page follows his account in Hud 11:25 to 48 and in Surah Nuh 71: his calls, the ship, the water and his prayers. Each part is quoted from the Quran in the English translation on this site.
Who was Nuh?
Nuh is named in Hud 11:25 and Surah Nuh 71:1. The translation used on this site renders him as Noah. In Hud 11:25 Allah sends him to his people, and he tells them he is "a plain warner" to them. Surah Nuh opens with the same mission: "Warn your people before the painful doom come to them" (71:1).
وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا نُوحًا إِلَىٰ قَوْمِهِۦٓ إِنِّى لَكُمْ نَذِيرٌ مُّبِينٌ أَن لَّا تَعْبُدُوٓا۟ إِلَّا ٱللَّهَ ۖ إِنِّىٓ أَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ أَلِيمٍ
In Surah Nuh his message includes "Serve Allah and keep your duty to Him and obey me" (71:3). The surah adds that Allah "may forgive you somewhat of your sins" and give them respite to an appointed term (71:4).
إِنَّآ أَرْسَلْنَا نُوحًا إِلَىٰ قَوْمِهِۦٓ أَنْ أَنذِرْ قَوْمَكَ مِن قَبْلِ أَن يَأْتِيَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ قَالَ يَـٰقَوْمِ إِنِّى لَكُمْ نَذِيرٌ مُّبِينٌ أَنِ ٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَٱتَّقُوهُ وَأَطِيعُونِ يَغْفِرْ لَكُم مِّن ذُنُوبِكُمْ وَيُؤَخِّرْكُمْ إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى ۚ إِنَّ أَجَلَ ٱللَّهِ إِذَا جَآءَ لَا يُؤَخَّرُ ۖ لَوْ كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ
The order in these passages is not a dated timeline. This is our reading map:
| Account | Where to read it |
|---|---|
| Calling his people and their refusal | Hud 11:27 to 35; Surah Nuh 71:5 to 9 |
| The ship is ordered built | Hud 11:36 to 39 |
| The command, and the boarding | Hud 11:40 to 41 |
| The wave, and his son | Hud 11:42 to 43 and 11:45 to 47 |
| The ship comes to rest | Hud 11:44 |
| His prayers against the disbelievers | Surah Nuh 71:21 to 28 |
| Coming down with peace | Hud 11:48 |
How did his people respond?
Chieftains of his people who disbelieved said he was only "a mortal like us", and that only the most abject among them followed him (Hud 11:27). He tells them, "I ask of you no wealth" (11:29). He does not claim the treasures of Allah, knowledge of the Unseen, or to be an angel (11:31).
In Surah Nuh he says he has called his people "night and day", and that his calling "add to their repugnance" (71:5 to 6). When he calls them to forgiveness, they "thrust their fingers in their ears" (71:7). He says "I have called to them aloud", and that he has "appealed to them in private" (71:8 to 9).
قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّى دَعَوْتُ قَوْمِى لَيْلًا وَنَهَارًا فَلَمْ يَزِدْهُمْ دُعَآءِىٓ إِلَّا فِرَارًا وَإِنِّى كُلَّمَا دَعَوْتُهُمْ لِتَغْفِرَ لَهُمْ جَعَلُوٓا۟ أَصَـٰبِعَهُمْ فِىٓ ءَاذَانِهِمْ وَٱسْتَغْشَوْا۟ ثِيَابَهُمْ وَأَصَرُّوا۟ وَٱسْتَكْبَرُوا۟ ٱسْتِكْبَارًا ثُمَّ إِنِّى دَعَوْتُهُمْ جِهَارًا ثُمَّ إِنِّىٓ أَعْلَنتُ لَهُمْ وَأَسْرَرْتُ لَهُمْ إِسْرَارًا
They tell him to bring the punishment he threatens if he is truthful (Hud 11:32). He answers that only Allah will bring it, if He wills, and that his counsel will not profit them if Allah wills to keep them astray (11:33 to 34).
What does the account say about the ship?
Hud 11:36 says that none of his people will believe except those who have already believed, and he is told, "Be not distressed because of what they do". Then he is told to build the ship: "Build the ship under Our eyes and by Our inspiration". The wrongdoers, the verse says, "they will be drowned" (11:37). As he builds it, the chieftains pass by and mock him. He tells them they will learn to whom a punishment comes (11:38 to 39).
وَأُوحِىَ إِلَىٰ نُوحٍ أَنَّهُۥ لَن يُؤْمِنَ مِن قَوْمِكَ إِلَّا مَن قَدْ ءَامَنَ فَلَا تَبْتَئِسْ بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَفْعَلُونَ وَٱصْنَعِ ٱلْفُلْكَ بِأَعْيُنِنَا وَوَحْيِنَا وَلَا تُخَـٰطِبْنِى فِى ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوٓا۟ ۚ إِنَّهُم مُّغْرَقُونَ وَيَصْنَعُ ٱلْفُلْكَ وَكُلَّمَا مَرَّ عَلَيْهِ مَلَأٌ مِّن قَوْمِهِۦ سَخِرُوا۟ مِنْهُ ۚ قَالَ إِن تَسْخَرُوا۟ مِنَّا فَإِنَّا نَسْخَرُ مِنكُمْ كَمَا تَسْخَرُونَ
The verses give no size, timber or design for the ship.
What happens when the command comes?
When the command comes and "the oven gushed forth water", Nuh is told to load two of every kind, his household except the one against whom the word has already gone forth, and those who believe (11:40). The verse says only a few believed with him. It does not explain what the oven was, so this page does not either. Nuh says, "In the name of Allah be its course and its mooring" (11:41).
حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا جَآءَ أَمْرُنَا وَفَارَ ٱلتَّنُّورُ قُلْنَا ٱحْمِلْ فِيهَا مِن كُلٍّ زَوْجَيْنِ ٱثْنَيْنِ وَأَهْلَكَ إِلَّا مَن سَبَقَ عَلَيْهِ ٱلْقَوْلُ وَمَنْ ءَامَنَ ۚ وَمَآ ءَامَنَ مَعَهُۥٓ إِلَّا قَلِيلٌ ۞ وَقَالَ ٱرْكَبُوا۟ فِيهَا بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ مَجْر۪ىٰهَا وَمُرْسَىٰهَآ ۚ إِنَّ رَبِّى لَغَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
The ship sails "amid waves like mountains". Nuh calls to his son, who stands apart, and asks him to ride with them. The son says he will go to a mountain to save himself, and "the wave came in between them". He is among the drowned (11:42 to 43).
وَهِىَ تَجْرِى بِهِمْ فِى مَوْجٍ كَٱلْجِبَالِ وَنَادَىٰ نُوحٌ ٱبْنَهُۥ وَكَانَ فِى مَعْزِلٍ يَـٰبُنَىَّ ٱرْكَب مَّعَنَا وَلَا تَكُن مَّعَ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ قَالَ سَـَٔاوِىٓ إِلَىٰ جَبَلٍ يَعْصِمُنِى مِنَ ٱلْمَآءِ ۚ قَالَ لَا عَاصِمَ ٱلْيَوْمَ مِنْ أَمْرِ ٱللَّهِ إِلَّا مَن رَّحِمَ ۚ وَحَالَ بَيْنَهُمَا ٱلْمَوْجُ فَكَانَ مِنَ ٱلْمُغْرَقِينَ
What does Nuh ask about his son?
Nuh calls to his Lord that "my son is of my household", and affirms that Allah's promise is the truth (11:45). The answer is that "he is not of your household"; "he is of evil conduct" (11:46). Nuh is told not to ask about what he has no knowledge of. He seeks refuge in Allah, and says that unless Allah forgives him and has mercy on him, he "shall be among the lost" (11:47).
وَنَادَىٰ نُوحٌ رَّبَّهُۥ فَقَالَ رَبِّ إِنَّ ٱبْنِى مِنْ أَهْلِى وَإِنَّ وَعْدَكَ ٱلْحَقُّ وَأَنتَ أَحْكَمُ ٱلْحَـٰكِمِينَ قَالَ يَـٰنُوحُ إِنَّهُۥ لَيْسَ مِنْ أَهْلِكَ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ عَمَلٌ غَيْرُ صَـٰلِحٍ ۖ فَلَا تَسْـَٔلْنِ مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِۦ عِلْمٌ ۖ إِنِّىٓ أَعِظُكَ أَن تَكُونَ مِنَ ٱلْجَـٰهِلِينَ قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّىٓ أَعُوذُ بِكَ أَنْ أَسْـَٔلَكَ مَا لَيْسَ لِى بِهِۦ عِلْمٌ ۖ وَإِلَّا تَغْفِرْ لِى وَتَرْحَمْنِىٓ أَكُن مِّنَ ٱلْخَـٰسِرِينَ
How does the account end?
The water subsides, the command is fulfilled, and the ship "came to rest upon (the mount) Al-Judi" (11:44). The verse names the mount but gives no location. Nuh is told to go down "with peace from Us and blessings upon you" (11:48). The same verse says nations will spring from those with him, and that other nations will be given enjoyment for a while before a painful doom overtakes them.
قِيلَ يَـٰنُوحُ ٱهْبِطْ بِسَلَـٰمٍ مِّنَّا وَبَرَكَـٰتٍ عَلَيْكَ وَعَلَىٰٓ أُمَمٍ مِّمَّن مَّعَكَ ۚ وَأُمَمٌ سَنُمَتِّعُهُمْ ثُمَّ يَمَسُّهُم مِّنَّا عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ
What does Nuh pray in Surah Nuh?
Nuh says, "they have disobeyed me" (71:21), and the surah says, "Because of their sins they were drowned" (71:25). Nuh then says "Do not leave one of the disbelievers in the land" (71:26). He asks forgiveness for himself, his parents, "him who enters my house believing", and believing men and women (71:28).
وَقَالَ نُوحٌ رَّبِّ لَا تَذَرْ عَلَى ٱلْأَرْضِ مِنَ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ دَيَّارًا إِنَّكَ إِن تَذَرْهُمْ يُضِلُّوا۟ عِبَادَكَ وَلَا يَلِدُوٓا۟ إِلَّا فَاجِرًا كَفَّارًا رَّبِّ ٱغْفِرْ لِى وَلِوَٰلِدَىَّ وَلِمَن دَخَلَ بَيْتِىَ مُؤْمِنًا وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنَـٰتِ وَلَا تَزِدِ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ إِلَّا تَبَارًۢا
What can readers take from these passages?
These are reading prompts, each tied to a passage. They are not rulings, and they promise nothing about the reader's life.
| Theme to notice | What supports it |
|---|---|
| Calling again and again | Nuh's night and day calling and his open and private appeals (71:5 to 9), and the instruction not to be distressed by what they do (11:36). |
| Turning to Allah for forgiveness | Nuh tells his people to seek pardon of their Lord (71:10), his own prayer for forgiveness (71:28) and his request for mercy (11:47). |
| The limits of a messenger's role | He denies the treasures, the Unseen and angelhood (11:31), and says the outcome is Allah's will (11:33 to 34). |
| Faith, not family ties alone | The son is said not to be of his household, and the verse says he is of evil conduct (11:46). |
| Acting in Allah's name | The ship's course and mooring are in the name of Allah (11:41). |
At primary school, the story of Nuh was mostly animals going in two by two. The same week the imam at our mosque told it as one man calling his people for years and being laughed at. I went home confused and asked my mum which version was right.
Try it: three questions
Pick an answer; each one explains itself.
1Which passage has Nuh saying he is a plain warner, in Surah Nuh?
Answer: Surah Nuh 71:2. Surah Nuh 71:2 has him describe himself as a plain warner to his people. Hud 11:25 gives the same description in its opening verse.
2Do the passages quoted on this page give the number of years Nuh called his people?
Answer: No, no number of years is given. None of the quoted verses gives a number of years, and the page does not add one from another passage.
3What does Hud 11:46 say about Nuh's son?
Answer: He is not of his household, and his conduct is evil. Hud 11:46 says he is not of Nuh's household and is of evil conduct. Nuh is then told not to ask about what he has no knowledge of.
Questions people ask
Is Nuh the same as Noah?
The Arabic name is Nuh, as in Hud 11:25. The translation used on this site renders the name as Noah, so the two are the same prophet in this English text.
How many years did Nuh call his people?
None of the quoted passages gives a number of years, and this page adds none from another passage.
How big was the ship, and what was it made of?
Nothing in the quoted verses gives a size, material or design. Allah tells Nuh to build the ship under His eyes and by His inspiration (Hud 11:37), and nothing more about its construction is given there.
Where did the ship come to rest?
In Hud 11:44 the ship comes to rest upon the mount Al-Judi. The verse gives no modern location, so this page does not name one.
Did Nuh's son survive?
Hud 11:43 has the wave come between Nuh and his son, and the son is among the drowned. Hud 11:46 says he is not of Nuh's household, because of his conduct.
Sources
Every claim on this page comes from one of these. Gradings are reported with the scholar's name; we do not grade hadith ourselves.
- Q
Quran Arabic and English for Hud 11:25 to 48 and Surah Nuh 71:1 to 28, as quoted on this page. Every quoted English fragment is cut from the translation on this site.
Tanzil Project Uthmani text, CC BY 3.0. English: adapted from Marmaduke Pickthall's translation (1930), modernised and checked against modern translations.
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