Surah Yasin V.36:41 (ذُرِّيَّتَهُمْ ) and (الْفُلْكِ الْمَشْح )

[Ruhi_Rose]

 




   dear everyone.


I need your opinion on the interpretation of Verse 36:41 of Surah Yasin.  After reading the original Arabic, I read four of its translations by Sahih International, Pickthall, Abdel Haleem and also Yusuf Ali.   

Quoting the translation as follows, also quoting V.36:42 to help understand V.36:41.


"And a sign for them is that We carried their forefathers in a laden ship.   36:41
And We created for them from the likes of it that which they ride."   36:42 
(Translation Sahih International)


"And a token unto them is that We bear their offspring in the laden ship,  36:41 
And have created for them of the like thereof whereon they ride."    36:42 
(Translation Pickthall)


"Another sign for them is that We carried their seed in the laden Ark  (36:41)
and We have made similar things for them to ride in."   (36:42)
(Translation Abdel Haleem)


"And a Sign for them is that We bore their race (through the Flood) in the loaded Ark;   36:41
And We have created for them similar (vessels) on which they ride."    36:42 
(Translation Yusuf Ali)


The word ذُرِّيَّتَهُمْ   ( dhurriyyatahum ) in original Arabic of V.36:41  is translated as "offspring" in the Corpus dictionary. 

The word الْفُلْكِ الْمَشْحُونِ  ( al-ful'ki  al-mashḥūni )  in original Arabic of V.36:41 is translated as "ship laden" (meaning laden ship) in Corpus dictionary.

So, I'm trying to grasp which "offspring" and which "laden ship" is The Almighty referring to in Verse 36:41.

Also, different translators have picked different English words for the original  ذُرِّيَّتَهُمْ   Sahih International has used the word "forefathers," Pickthall has used the term "offspring,"  Abdel Haleem has mentioned "seed," and Yusuf Ali translates it as "race."   As I stated, Corpus dictionary also translates it as "offspring."   Which one would you think is the most accurate translation?   The Sahih International translation got me more confused because if you note, the term "forefathers" they mentioned in the translation means the opposite of "offspring." 

Your feedback would be immensely helpful.

 

[Heba E. Husseyn]

Walaikum AsSalam sister Ruhi.  Very good observation.   Verse 36:41 requires a bit of reflection to understand correctly.  There is an allusion to a very significant event here.  Laden ship quite apparently refers to the Ark or Prophet Noah's Ark.   To carry (or bear) the offspring of humankind on the laden ship is a connotation to the entire human race who are believers.  All of those believing people of later times are the descendants (or progeny or offspring) of the ones that boarded Prophet Noah's Ark.  In my opinion, the reference is to descendants in Faith or brethren in Faith.  This is what I understand up to Verse 36:41.   Coming to Verse 36:42, The Almighty informs that after Noah's Ark, He enabled the descendants of those in the Ark (that is, humans of later times) to build similar vessels as the Ark on which they make their voyages.   

Sahih International is not word by word translation.  It's a general translation that attempts to keep the basic substance of the every Verse as simple as possible with the easiest translation.  I would think it translates the original Arabic "dhurriyyatahum" as 'forefathers,' to keep the translation easy for the reader to understand and thus the Sahih translation seems to bypass the historical connotation. 

[Ruhi_Rose]

Oh, I see !    I now get it.  Thanks much for the careful interpretation Sister.   This is really helpful.

[N. Truth Seeker]

Walaykum Salam.  Thanks from me too sister Heba.  Indeed very helpful.  Also shukran for the very good question sister Ruhi. 

Btw, some commentators assume that Verse 36:42 refers to Noah's Ark as the first vessel ever made in the world.  Prior to that, there were no water carriers to take humankind across rivers and seas.  That The Almighty bestowed the capability and knowhow to Prophet Noah to construct sailing ships was the start of the history of sailing.  After that, the followers of Prophet Noah who were in the Ark (and rescued from the deluge) and their descendants began building similar vessels for their sea travels.  Only Allah knows best, what is your opinion?

[Heba E. Husseyn]

Another good point.  I'm sure it's true that after the era of the Ark, people of later times in the region learned the methods of constructing vessels a lot more efficiently than before.  It's also very likely that with the passage of time their technical skills were borrowed by communities farther away, and the technical expertise of building ships improved with the passing generations.  This aspect is pretty much inherent of human nature.  It's happening now too in various fields of technology.  While the level of technology keeps changing, the approach remains the same, which is something innate of the human mind in all fields of learning.  This can definitely be included as an allusion in Verse 36:42.   However, I don't see any specific references in this Verse to assume that people who lived before Prophet Noah didn't know about sea travel at all.  Only The Almighty knows it best as you rightly said, in my humble opinion, Verse 36:42 implies a new era in the history of voyages with better or more superior vessels constructed on the lines of the Ark. 

[N. Truth Seeker]

Right sister .... very wisely perceived.

[Ruhi_Rose]

That's a very interesting elucidation of Verse 36:42.  I was so engrossed with the preceding Verse that I didn't focus on V.36:42.

[Zainab_M]

Excellent information in this thread.  Thank you my wise sisters and brother.  Allah bless all of you, ameen.