فَلَمْ يَزِدْهُمْ دُعَآءِىٓ إِلَّا فِرَارًا 6
Translations
But my invitation increased them not except in flight [i.e., aversion].
Transliteration
Falam yaziduhum dua'i illa firara
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah expresses Prophet Noah's lament that his sincere calls to Allah (du'a) and preaching to his people for 950 years only increased them in flight and aversion from the message. Ibn Kathir explains that the people's hearts became harder and more resistant the more Noah warned them, turning away from his message rather than responding to it. This demonstrates the reality that divine guidance benefits only those whose hearts are open to it, while those who reject it become more entrenched in their disbelief.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears within Surah Nuh, which recounts Noah's account of his mission and the people's rejection. The surah documents Noah's patient preaching over nine and a half centuries and the futility he experienced, establishing the historical precedent for the mockery and rejection faced by prophets. This contextualizes the broader Meccan message to the Prophet Muhammad about persisting despite opposition.
Related Hadiths
The hadith in Sahih Muslim (#2365) where the Prophet Muhammad said 'The example of the message with which Allah sent me is like rain falling on the earth; some of it was fertile land which absorbed the water and brought forth abundant vegetation,' illustrating how people respond differently to divine guidance, similar to Noah's experience.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that a sincere caller to Islam should not measure success by immediate acceptance, but by faithfulness to the message itself, trusting that Allah judges hearts and intentions. It reminds believers that our responsibility is to convey the message clearly, while the outcome remains with Allah alone.