The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 3) — Page 137
CH. 11 وَهِيَ تَجْرِى بِهِمْ فِي مَوْجٍ كَالْجِبَالِ PT. 12 HŪD 43. And it moved along with them on waves like mountains. قف وَنَادَى نُوحٌ ابْنَهُ وَكَانَ فِي مَعْزِلٍ تُبنى And Noah cried unto his son ارْكَبُ مَّعَنَا وَلَا تَكُنْ مَّعَ الْكَفِرِينَ قَالَ سَاوِى إِلَى جَبَلٍ يَعْصِمُنِي مِنَ while he was keeping apart, ‘O my son, embark with us and be not with the disbelievers. ' 1423 44. He replied, 'I shall soon betake myself to a mountain الْمَاءِ - قَالَ لَا عَاصِمَ الْيَوْمَ مِنْ أَمْرِ اللهِ which will shelter me from the water. He said, 'There is no إِلَّا مَنْ رَّحِمَ ۚ وَحَالَ بَيْنَهُمَا الْمَوْجُ shelter for anyone this day from فَكَانَ مِنَ الْمُغْرَقِيْنَ the decree of Allah, excepting those to whom He shows mercy. ' And the wave came in between the two; so he was among the drowned. 1424 meant that as few animals were to be taken as were absolutely necessary. The words, except those against whom the word has already gone forth, do not mean "except those of whom thou hast been informed," but "except those against whom God's judgement has already been passed. " 1423. Commentary: Commentators differ as to whether the person referred to in this verse as Noah's son was his real son or only a near relative. According to some, he was his stepson. Ibn Mas'ud, Ibn 'Abbās, 'Ikrimah, Ad-Daḥḥāk, Ibn Jubair and many other commentators, however, are inclined to view that he was Noah's own son. But discussion of this subject seems to be super- fluous and unnecessary. ed the authenticity of this incident on the ground that it does not agree with the Biblical account. But the authenticity of the Bible itself as a historical record is open to doubt and it is unreasonable to accept or reject an incident on its authority alone. 1424. Important Words: is آدی (I shall betake myself) ساوی derived from 5. They say all i. e. he betook himself to or repaired or resorted to it; he betook himself to it or repaired to it for lodging, covert or refuge. means, he took up his abode in the house; he lodged or dwelt in it. The Quranic expression, 3 means, when the young men betook themselves to the cave for refuge. means, a place to which one repairs for lodging, covert Christian annotators have question- or refuge (Lane). 1345