Accompanying Ramadan 4

Noah

Bible

The story of Noah is found in Genesis 6:5 – 9-29.

The Lord sees that wickedness has spread among mankind and he resolves: “I will rid the earth’s face of man, my own creation…and of animals also, for I regret having made them” (Gen. 6:7.).

“But Noah had found favour with the Lord” (Gen 6:8). Noah was a man of integrity, who walked with God (cf. Gen. 6:9).

God had decided to cause a flood to wipe out humanity, but he told Noah to build an ark, giving detailed instructions as to how this should be done. His own family, and representatives of all creatures, were to accompany him in the ark and so be saved. They all boarded the ark “and the Lord closed the door behind Noah” (Gen. 7:16).

A flood of forty days occurred. Then the waters subsided. Noah sent out a raven and then a dove; when the dove returned with a new olive-branch in its beak, “Noah realized that the waters were receding” (Gen. 8:11). The ark settled on Mount Ararat.

God instructed Noah to come out of the ark. He did so and made an offering of thanksgiving to God. God made a Covenant with Noah, with the rainbow as its sign, “There shall be no flood to destroy the earth again” (Gen. 9:11).

Noah was a tiller of the soil and the first to plant the vine. He tasted of its fruit and became drunk, in this state uncovering himself. One of his sons mocked him; the other two covered their father out of respect. Noah lived after the flood 350 years, finally dying at the age of 950.

Jesus refers to Noah in his discourse about the Last Days (Mt 24:37-39; Lk 17:26-27). People were ignorant, carrying on with their lives, mocking Noah for building the Ark, unheeding the warning of the flood. In 2 P 2:5 Noah is called “a preacher of righteousness”, so he is recognized as a prophet.

Qur’an

The story of Noah (Nuh) is found in the Qur’an in two places: Q 7:59-64 and more fully in Q 11: 25-49.

There are many other references to Nuh

Sura 71 bears the name Nuh.and tells his story briefly.

Nuh was sent to his people to warn them: “My people, I am here to warn you plainly. Serve God, be mindful of Him and obey me” (Q 11:2-3).

We can see Nuh as a foreshadower of Prophet Muhammad who was a “clear warner” (Q 15:89) and who was told:

Say, ‘If you love God, follow me, and God will love you and forgive you your sins; God is most forgiving, most merciful:’ Say, Obey God and the Messenger’ (Q 3:31-32)

Noah’s son refuses to board the Ark, seeking refuge on a high mountain instead of in God, and is drowned (Q 11: 42-43). The water subsides and the Ark comes to rest on Mount Judi (Q  11:44).