Nuh (AS)

Nuh (AS) called his people for an extraordinarily long time — 950 years. He used every method: private counsel, public preaching, day and night, appealing to intellect, to the signs of nature, to the heart. 'My Lord, indeed I invited my people to truth night and day.' (71:5) Yet the leaders of his people blocked their ears and hearts. They mocked him. They taught their children to reject him. They covered themselves with their garments when he spoke. Only a small group believed.

When Allah's decree came, He commanded Nuh (AS) to build a great ship — in a place far from any sea. Passersby mocked him constantly. 'And he constructed the ship, and whenever an assembly of the eminent of his people passed by him, they ridiculed him.' (11:38) Nuh accepted their mockery with patience, saying: 'If you ridicule us, then we will ridicule you just as you ridicule.' (11:38) He continued building, trusting completely in Allah's command.

When the time came, Allah commanded Nuh to board the Ark with the believers and pairs of all animals. 'And it sailed with them through waves like mountains.' (11:42) Even Nuh's own son refused to board, thinking he could find safety on a mountain. Nuh called to him: 'Come aboard with us and be not with the disbelievers.' But the son refused, and was drowned with the rest. Nuh cried out to Allah in grief for his son, and Allah reminded him that his son was not of his family in the spiritual sense — because he was an unbeliever.

When the waters receded, the Ark came to rest on Mount Judi. Allah said: 'O Nuh, disembark in security from Us and blessings upon you and upon nations from those with you.' (11:48) From the small group of believers who survived, the earth was repopulated. Nuh (AS) is thus, after Adam (AS), a father figure to all of humanity. His patience and perseverance over a millennium-long mission stands as one of the greatest examples of servitude to Allah in all of human history.