MUSLIM VILLA - QURAN ONLY

 BismEm


"And verily we sent Noah (as Our messenger) unto his folk, and he continued with them for a thousand years save fifty years;  and the flood engulfed them, for they were wrong-doers."  (29:14)  Surah Al-Ankabut.


As-salam Alaykum folks:

Modern skeptics are quick to gasp with cynical comments on Prophet Noah's mission of 950 years and his unusually lengthy life.  According to the limitations of the human mind and ability, to stretch the lifespan up to 950 years of any human being is inconceivable.  Not even the best doctor, scientist or researcher will be able to achieve even one-quarter of that length of lifespan for anything they may boast to create in their surrogate labs (despite always borrowing the seed for creation from natural sources already created by Allah).   The reason for their astonishment at this Quranic information is their hard disbelief that limits their thoughts locked within earthly rules of practical application.  As they are unable to find reasons by looking beyond their own limited abilities, they attribute the same limitations to Allah, as if the abilities of Allah is similarly restricted as the abilities of humans.  Their disbelief hinders them from recognizing the True Existence of Allah, that is, His Limitless Power of "kun-faya-kun" or "Be and it is." (http://muslimvilla.smfforfree.com/index.php?topic=4494.0)     

"The Originator of the Heavens and the Earth.  When He decrees a matter, He only says to it, 'Be,' and it is."  (2:117).

It's as simple as that.    Do not limit the Limitless.   To access this article directly, please visit Islam from inside. (http://www.islamfrominside.com/Pages/Articles/Be_and_it_is.html)  This very relevant piece on Kun-Faya-Kun is truly worth reading; a very important one for clarity to all believers.

Quoting Abu Alaa Maududi in regard to Verse 29:14, "The occurrence of certain events and things in a usual form and manner is no proof that the event or thing cannot happen in an unusual and extraordinary way. To break these assumptions there exists a long list of unusual events and things that have taken place in every kind of creation in every part of the universe. In particular, the person who has a clear concept of God's being AII-Powerful, cannot be involved in the misunderstanding that it is not possible for God, Who is the Creator of life and death, to grant a life of a thousand years or so to any one He pleases.  The fact is that man of his own will and wish cannot live even for a moment, but if Allah wills, He can make him live for as long as He wishes."

It should also be known that the miracles of Allah or His portents were more frequent during the era of the coming of His messengers, who went through their difficult missions to warn humankind of the Truth.  With the coming of the final messenger, Prophet Muhammed (pbuh), Allah Almighty has decided to end that chain and no more warners will appear until the Day of Judgment.  Reference - "Seal of the Prophets" Verse 33:40.  All messengers of the past have fulfilled their duties over a long period of time throughout history.  And now, the Noble Quran is protected in Lawh Mahfooz  or guarded tablet (reference Verse 85:21-22 Surah Al-Burooj) until the Day of Judgment.  This means, the guidance of Allah - in its true and original form - will always exist and be available for people to acquire, whoever wants it for the benefit of their own soul.  With the presence of the Quran - perfect,complete and original - there is no need for any more messengers to come.

Actually Verse 29:14 would imply that Prophet Noah lived longer than 950 years.  The duration of 950 years is the period of his appointment to Prophethood by the Divine Power which includes the period of the Flood and later, until the time he continued making efforts for the reformation of the wicked people of his community.  Obviously Prophet Noah (pbuh) must have been born prior to the period when he was chosen as messenger.  He never gave up even though his mission was very difficult and he suffered much persecution.  This is basically a comparison presented to the people of Medina and all Muslims of Prophet Muhammed's (pbuh) era who were also suffering bitter persecution by the authorities in Mecca.   The comparison elucidates that such persecution by the majority is no unusual thing when you call them to worship Allah only.  The specific example of Noah likely elucidates the longest period of persecution that continued for over nine centuries.  That's how stubborn the vast majority of human nature can be.
 

Exactly Sister Heba.

 


My take.

Another possibility ..


“And verily we sent Noah (as Our messenger) unto his folk, and he continued with them for a thousand years save fifty years; and the flood engulfed them, for they were wrong-doers.”   29:14

“And We rescued him and those with him in the ship, and made of it a portent for the peoples.”   29:15

The point people keep arguing about is whether the 950 years of Prophet Noah’s (pbuh) lifetime are literal or a connotation of the duration of his teachings.  As already very succinctly explicated by Sister Ruhi, The Almighty can cause anything to happen or unhappen in an instant.  That goes without saying.  Nonetheless it worthwhile to explore the Quranic information on this topic, in case we find some additional information or possibility we had not focused on earlier. We will take all information only and directly from the Noble Quran.

Additionally, following are the Quranic Verses on the complete history of Prophet Noah’s  (pbuh) mission.

“We sent Noah (of old) unto his people, and he said: O my people! Serve Allah. You have no other Allah save Him. Indeed! I fear for you the retribution of an Awful Day.”  7:59

“The chieftains of his people said: Indeed! we see you surely in plain error.”  7:60

“He said: O my people! There is no error in me, but I am a messenger from the Rab of the Worlds.”  7:61

“I convey unto you the messages of my Rab and give good counsel unto you, and know from Allah that which you know not.”  7:62

“Marvel you that there should come unto you a Reminder from your Rab by means of a man among you, that he may warn you, and that you may keep from evil, and that haply you may find mercy.”  7:63

“But they denied him, so We saved him and those with him in the ship, and We drowned those who denied Our tokens. Indeed! they were blind folk.”  7:64

“And he was building the ship, and every time that chieftains of his people passed him, they made mock of him. He said: Though you make mock of us, yet We mock at you even as ye mock;”   11:38

“And you shall know to whom a punishment that will confound him comes, and upon whom a lasting doom will fall.”   11:39

“(Thus it was) till, when Our commandment came to pass and the oven gushed forth water, We said: Load therein two of every kind, a pair (the male and female), and your household, save him against whom the word has gone forth already, and those who believe. And but a few were they who believed with him.”   11:40

“And he said: Embark therein! In the name of Allah be its course and its mooring. Indeed! my Rab is Forgiving, Merciful.”  11:41

“And it sailed with them amid waves like mountains, and Noah cried unto his son - and he was standing aloof - O my son! Come ride with us, and be not with the disbelievers.”  11:42

“He said: I shall take refuge on some mountain that will save me from the water. (Noah) said: There is no protector today from the decree of Allah , except for whom He gives mercy. And the wave came in between them, so he was among the drowned.”   11:43

Noah called and implored his people to serve Allah only, and said that nobody but Allah could save them. Noah said that the time of the deluge was appointed and could not be delayed, and that the people had to submit to Allah only.  Allah Almighty commanded Noah to build a ship, the Ark, and as he was building it, the chieftains passed by mocking.

Upon the completion of the Ark, the people who got on board were Noah's household, others who believed in Allah and submitted, and also pairs of every animal.   The people who denied the message of Noah were left behind and drowned which included Noah's son.

Therefore coming to Verses 29:14-15 on the life span of Prophet Noah as 950 years may not be literal.  The Quran does not mention what happened to Prophet Noah after he disembarked at al-Judi along with his small circle of believers. Nor does the Quran mention how old he was then.  It’s possible he lived for some years after arriving in al-Judi prior to passing away.  But his teachings continued with those few believers and their descendants for 950 years until other generations (from the same ancestors) sprung up and got deviated.   This is only an opinion and a possibility.  Only Allah has the final answer.

Many thanks sisters.   May Allah Almighty bless and guide all of us.