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 40
Translations
[So it was], until when Our command came and the oven overflowed, We said, "Load upon it [i.e., the ship] of each [creature] two mates and your family, except those about whom the word [i.e., decree] has preceded, and [include] whoever has believed." But none had believed with him, except a few.
Transliteration
Hattá ithá jáa amrná wa fára al-tannúru qulná ihmil fíhá min kulli zawjayni ithnayni wa ahlaka illá man sabáqa alayhi al-qawlu wa man ámana wa má ámana maahu illá qalíl
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the moment when Allah's command for the Flood came and the oven (tannur) began to gush forth with water—a sign of the impending catastrophe. Prophet Nuh was commanded to board the Ark with pairs of every creature and his family, except those against whom the word (of punishment) had already been decreed, and the believers with him were few in number. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari note that the 'tannur' (oven) served as a sign to commence boarding, with interpretations varying between literal ovens boiling over and metaphorical references to the earth's springs bursting forth.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the narrative of Prophet Nuh (Noah) in Surah Hud, a Meccan surah that extensively covers the stories of earlier prophets and their peoples. The context follows Nuh's 950 years of preaching to his people, after which only a small group believed. This ayah specifically marks the moment of divine judgment when the natural order breaks down and the punishment begins.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) mentioned in various hadiths the patience of Nuh and the rejection he faced. In Sahih Bukhari, there is mention of the Flood and Nuh's ark. Additionally, hadiths in Sunan Ibn Majah discuss the signs of the Hour and reference the Flood as a historical reality, emphasizing the consequence of rejecting the message.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds us that faith is demonstrated through action and obedience—Nuh and the believers were saved by following Allah's command precisely, while the vast majority perished due to their rejection. For modern readers, it underscores the importance of heeding divine guidance and recognizing that true believers are often few in number, yet they alone inherit salvation.