فَكَذَّبُوهُ فَنَجَّيْنَـٰهُ وَمَن مَّعَهُۥ فِى ٱلْفُلْكِ وَجَعَلْنَـٰهُمْ خَلَـٰٓئِفَ وَأَغْرَقْنَا ٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا۟ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا ۖ فَٱنظُرْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَـٰقِبَةُ ٱلْمُنذَرِينَ 73
Translations
And they denied him, so We saved him and those with him in the ship and made them successors, and We drowned those who denied Our signs. Then see how was the end of those who were warned.
Transliteration
Fa-kaththabuhu fa-najjaynahu wa-man ma'ahu fil-fulki wa-ja'alnáhum khalá'ifa wa-aghraqnal-ladhína kaththabú bi-áyátinà fa-nzur kayfa kána 'áqibatul-mundhireen
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah recounts how the people of Noah rejected him, yet Allah saved Noah and those who believed with him in the Ark, while drowning those who denied His signs. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari emphasize this as a decisive demonstration of divine justice and mercy—Noah's followers became the inheritors of the earth after the flood, establishing a new generation of believers. The ayah serves as a warning to the Meccan disbelievers, illustrating the inevitable consequences faced by those who reject divinely-sent messengers.
Revelation Context
Surah Yunus is a Meccan chapter revealed during the early period of Islam when the Prophet Muhammad faced intense opposition from the Quraysh. This ayah is part of a broader narrative (verses 71-73) detailing Noah's story, chosen as a parallel to the contemporary rejection faced by Prophet Muhammad. The reference to Noah's preservation and his people's drowning was meant to reassure the believers and warn the disbelievers of Mecca about the certainty of divine retribution.
Related Hadiths
The story of Noah is referenced in Sahih Muslim (2806) in a hadith where the Prophet mentions Noah as one of the five greatest messengers (Ulul-Azm). Additionally, Sunan Ibn Majah contains hadiths about Noah being the first messenger sent to humanity, establishing the pattern of rejection and divine salvation that this ayah illustrates.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that rejecting divine truth carries severe consequences while steadfastness with the Message brings divine protection and honor. For modern believers, it reinforces trust in Allah's ultimate justice and the importance of standing firm in faith despite societal opposition or ridicule.