Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged)

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

The Story of Nuh and His People Allah instructed His Prophet , saying: وَاتْلُ عَلَيْهِمْ (And recite to them) relate to the disbelievers of the Quraysh who belied you and rejected you, نَبَأَ نُوحٍ (the news of Nuh) meaning, his story and news with his people who belied him. Tell them how Allah destroyed them and caused every last one of them all to drown. Let this be a lesson for your people, lest they will be destroyed like them. إِذْ قَالَ لِقَوْمِهِ يَقَوْمِ إِن كَانَ كَبُرَ عَلَيْكُمْ مَّقَامِى وَتَذْكِيرِى بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ فَعَلَى اللَّهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ (When he said to his people: "O my people, if my stay (with you), and my reminding (you) of the Ayat of Allah is hard on you, then I put my trust in Allah.") Meaning, `if you find that it is too much of an offense that I should live among you and preach to you the revelation of Allah and His signs and proofs, then I do not care what you think, and I will not stop inviting you.' فَأَجْمِعُواْ أَمْرَكُمْ وَشُرَكَآءَكُمْ (So devise your plot, you and your partners), `get together with all of your deities (idols and statues) that you call upon beside Allah,' ثُمَّ لاَ يَكُنْ أَمْرُكُمْ عَلَيْكُمْ غُمَّةً (and let not your plot be in confusion for you) meaning, an`d do not be confused about this, rather come and let us settle this together if you claim that you are truthful,' وَلاَ تُنظِرُونَ (and give me no respite.) `Do not give me respite even for one hour. Whatever you can do, go ahead and do it. I do not care, and I do not fear you, because you are not standing on anything.' This is similar to what Hud said to his people, إِن نَّقُولُ إِلاَّ اعْتَرَاكَ بَعْضُ ءَالِهَتِنَا بِسُوءٍ قَالَ إِنِّى أُشْهِدُ اللَّهِ وَاشْهَدُواْ أَنِّى بَرِىءٌ مِّمَّا تُشْرِكُونَ - مِن دُونِهِ فَكِيدُونِى جَمِيعًا ثُمَّ لاَ تُنظِرُونِ إِنِّى تَوَكَّلْتُ عَلَى اللَّهِ رَبِّى وَرَبِّكُمْ (I call Allah to witness, and you bear witness, that I am free from that which you ascribe as partners in worship with Him (Allah). So plot against me, all of you, and give me no respite. I put my trust in Allah, my Lord and your Lord!) (11:54-55) Islam is the Religion of all of the Prophets Nuh said, فَإِن تَوَلَّيْتُمْ (But if you turn away) if you belie the message and turn away from obedience. فَمَا سَأَلْتُكُمْ مِّنْ أَجْرٍ (then no reward have I asked of you,) I have not asked you anything for my advice. إِنْ أَجْرِىَ إِلاَّ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَأُمِرْتُ أَنْ أَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ (My reward is only from Allah. And I have been commanded to be of the Muslims.) I submit to Islam. Islam is the religion of all of the Prophets from the first to the last. Their laws and their rules may be of different types but the religion is the same. Allah said: لِكُلٍّ جَعَلْنَا مِنكُمْ شِرْعَةً وَمِنْهَـجاً (To each among you, We have prescribed a law and a clear way.)(5:48) Ibn `Abbas said: "A way and a Sunnah." Here Nuh is saying: وَأُمِرْتُ أَنْ أَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ (and I have been commanded to be of the Muslims.) Allah said about His friend, Ibrahim: إِذْ قَالَ لَهُ رَبُّهُ أَسْلِمْ قَالَ أَسْلَمْتُ لِرَبِّ الْعَـلَمِينَ - وَوَصَّى بِهَآ إِبْرَهِيمُ بَنِيهِ وَيَعْقُوبُ يَـبَنِىَّ إِنَّ اللَّهَ اصْطَفَى لَكُمُ الدِّينَ فَلاَ تَمُوتُنَّ إَلاَّ وَأَنتُم مُّسْلِمُونَ (When his Lord said to him, "Submit (be a Muslim)!" He said, "I have submitted myself (as a Muslim) to the Lord of all that exists." And this was enjoined by Ibrahim upon his sons and by Ya`qub (saying), "O my sons! Allah has chosen for you the (true) religion, then die not except as Muslims.")(2:131-132) Yusuf said: رَبِّ قَدْ آتَيْتَنِى مِنَ الْمُلْكِ وَعَلَّمْتَنِى مِن تَأْوِيلِ الاٌّحَادِيثِ فَاطِرَ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ أَنتَ وَلِىِّ فِى الدُّنُيَا وَالاٌّخِرَةِ تَوَفَّنِى مُسْلِمًا وَأَلْحِقْنِى بِالصَّـلِحِينَ (My Lord! You have indeed bestowed on me of the sovereignty, and taught me something of the interpretation of dreams -- the (Only) Creator of the heavens and the earth! You are my Guardian in this world and in the Hereafter. Cause me to die as a Muslim, and join me with the righteous.)(12:101) Musa said: يقَوْمِ إِن كُنتُمْ ءامَنْتُمْ بِاللَّهِ فَعَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلُواْ إِن كُنْتُم مُّسْلِمِينَ (O my people! If you have believed in Allah, then put your trust in Him if you are Muslims.)(10:84) The magicians said: رَبَّنَآ أَفْرِغْ عَلَيْنَا صَبْرًا وَتَوَفَّنَا مُسْلِمِينَ (Our Lord! pour out on us patience, and cause us to die as Muslims.)(7:126) Bilqis said: رَبِّ إِنِّى ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِى وَأَسْلَمْتُ مَعَ سُلَيْمَـنَ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَـلَمِينَ (My Lord! Verily, I have wronged myself, and I submit (I have become Muslim) together with Sulayman to Allah, the Lord of all that exists.) (27:44) Allah said: إِنَّآ أَنزَلْنَا التَّوْرَاةَ فِيهَا هُدًى وَنُورٌ يَحْكُمُ بِهَا النَّبِيُّونَ الَّذِينَ أَسْلَمُواْ (Verily, We did send down the Tawrah, therein was guidance and light, by which the Prophets, judged for the Jews.)(5:44) He also said: وَإِذْ أَوْحَيْتُ إِلَى الْحَوَارِيِّينَ أَنْ ءَامِنُواْ بِى وَبِرَسُولِى قَالُواْ ءَامَنَّا وَاشْهَدْ بِأَنَّنَا مُسْلِمُونَ (And when I (Allah) inspired Al-Hawariyyin to believe in Me and My Messenger, they said: "We believe. And bear witness that we are Muslims.") (5:111) The last of the Messengers and the leader of mankind said: قُلْ إِنَّ صَلاَتِى وَنُسُكِى وَمَحْيَاىَ وَمَمَاتِى للَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَـلَمِينَ - لاَ شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَبِذَلِكَ أُمِرْتُ وَأَنَاْ أَوَّلُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ (Verily, my Salah, my sacrifice, my living, and my dying are for Allah, the Lord of all that exists. He has no partner. And of this I have been commanded, and I am the first of the Muslims.) (6:162-163) meaning, from this Ummah. He said, in an authentic Hadith: «نَحْنُ مَعْشَرَ الْأَنِبْيَاءِ أَوْلَادُ عَلَّاتٍ. وَدِينُنُا وَاحِد» (We, the Prophets are brothers with (the same father but) different mothers. Our religion is the same,) meaning, `we should worship Allah alone without partners while having different laws.' The Evil Goal and End of Criminals Allah said: فَكَذَّبُوهُ فَنَجَّيْنَاهُ وَمَن مَّعَهُ (They denied him, but We delivered him, and those with him) meaning on his religion, فِى الْفُلْكِ (in the (Fulk) ship) Fulk refers to the ark, and, وَجَعَلْنَاهُمْ خَلاَئِفَ (We made them generations replacing one after another) on earth, وَأَغْرَقْنَا الَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ بِآيَـتِنَا فَانْظُرْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الْمُنْذَرِينَ (while We drowned those who belied Our Ayat. Then see what was the end of those who were warned.) meaning `O Muhammad, see how We saved the believers and destroyed the deniers!'

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

The Story of Nuh and His People Allah instructed His Prophet , saying: وَاتْلُ عَلَيْهِمْ (And recite to them) relate to the disbelievers of the Quraysh who belied you and rejected you, نَبَأَ نُوحٍ (the news of Nuh) meaning, his story and news with his people who belied him. Tell them how Allah destroyed them and caused every last one of them all to drown. Let this be a lesson for your people, lest they will be destroyed like them. إِذْ قَالَ لِقَوْمِهِ يَقَوْمِ إِن كَانَ كَبُرَ عَلَيْكُمْ مَّقَامِى وَتَذْكِيرِى بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ فَعَلَى اللَّهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ (When he said to his people: "O my people, if my stay (with you), and my reminding (you) of the Ayat of Allah is hard on you, then I put my trust in Allah.") Meaning, `if you find that it is too much of an offense that I should live among you and preach to you the revelation of Allah and His signs and proofs, then I do not care what you think, and I will not stop inviting you.' فَأَجْمِعُواْ أَمْرَكُمْ وَشُرَكَآءَكُمْ (So devise your plot, you and your partners), `get together with all of your deities (idols and statues) that you call upon beside Allah,' ثُمَّ لاَ يَكُنْ أَمْرُكُمْ عَلَيْكُمْ غُمَّةً (and let not your plot be in confusion for you) meaning, an`d do not be confused about this, rather come and let us settle this together if you claim that you are truthful,' وَلاَ تُنظِرُونَ (and give me no respite.) `Do not give me respite even for one hour. Whatever you can do, go ahead and do it. I do not care, and I do not fear you, because you are not standing on anything.' This is similar to what Hud said to his people, إِن نَّقُولُ إِلاَّ اعْتَرَاكَ بَعْضُ ءَالِهَتِنَا بِسُوءٍ قَالَ إِنِّى أُشْهِدُ اللَّهِ وَاشْهَدُواْ أَنِّى بَرِىءٌ مِّمَّا تُشْرِكُونَ - مِن دُونِهِ فَكِيدُونِى جَمِيعًا ثُمَّ لاَ تُنظِرُونِ إِنِّى تَوَكَّلْتُ عَلَى اللَّهِ رَبِّى وَرَبِّكُمْ (I call Allah to witness, and you bear witness, that I am free from that which you ascribe as partners in worship with Him (Allah). So plot against me, all of you, and give me no respite. I put my trust in Allah, my Lord and your Lord!) (11:54-55) Islam is the Religion of all of the Prophets Nuh said, فَإِن تَوَلَّيْتُمْ (But if you turn away) if you belie the message and turn away from obedience. فَمَا سَأَلْتُكُمْ مِّنْ أَجْرٍ (then no reward have I asked of you,) I have not asked you anything for my advice. إِنْ أَجْرِىَ إِلاَّ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَأُمِرْتُ أَنْ أَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ (My reward is only from Allah. And I have been commanded to be of the Muslims.) I submit to Islam. Islam is the religion of all of the Prophets from the first to the last. Their laws and their rules may be of different types but the religion is the same. Allah said: لِكُلٍّ جَعَلْنَا مِنكُمْ شِرْعَةً وَمِنْهَـجاً (To each among you, We have prescribed a law and a clear way.)(5:48) Ibn `Abbas said: "A way and a Sunnah." Here Nuh is saying: وَأُمِرْتُ أَنْ أَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ (and I have been commanded to be of the Muslims.) Allah said about His friend, Ibrahim: إِذْ قَالَ لَهُ رَبُّهُ أَسْلِمْ قَالَ أَسْلَمْتُ لِرَبِّ الْعَـلَمِينَ - وَوَصَّى بِهَآ إِبْرَهِيمُ بَنِيهِ وَيَعْقُوبُ يَـبَنِىَّ إِنَّ اللَّهَ اصْطَفَى لَكُمُ الدِّينَ فَلاَ تَمُوتُنَّ إَلاَّ وَأَنتُم مُّسْلِمُونَ (When his Lord said to him, "Submit (be a Muslim)!" He said, "I have submitted myself (as a Muslim) to the Lord of all that exists." And this was enjoined by Ibrahim upon his sons and by Ya`qub (saying), "O my sons! Allah has chosen for you the (true) religion, then die not except as Muslims.")(2:131-132) Yusuf said: رَبِّ قَدْ آتَيْتَنِى مِنَ الْمُلْكِ وَعَلَّمْتَنِى مِن تَأْوِيلِ الاٌّحَادِيثِ فَاطِرَ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ أَنتَ وَلِىِّ فِى الدُّنُيَا وَالاٌّخِرَةِ تَوَفَّنِى مُسْلِمًا وَأَلْحِقْنِى بِالصَّـلِحِينَ (My Lord! You have indeed bestowed on me of the sovereignty, and taught me something of the interpretation of dreams -- the (Only) Creator of the heavens and the earth! You are my Guardian in this world and in the Hereafter. Cause me to die as a Muslim, and join me with the righteous.)(12:101) Musa said: يقَوْمِ إِن كُنتُمْ ءامَنْتُمْ بِاللَّهِ فَعَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلُواْ إِن كُنْتُم مُّسْلِمِينَ (O my people! If you have believed in Allah, then put your trust in Him if you are Muslims.)(10:84) The magicians said: رَبَّنَآ أَفْرِغْ عَلَيْنَا صَبْرًا وَتَوَفَّنَا مُسْلِمِينَ (Our Lord! pour out on us patience, and cause us to die as Muslims.)(7:126) Bilqis said: رَبِّ إِنِّى ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِى وَأَسْلَمْتُ مَعَ سُلَيْمَـنَ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَـلَمِينَ (My Lord! Verily, I have wronged myself, and I submit (I have become Muslim) together with Sulayman to Allah, the Lord of all that exists.) (27:44) Allah said: إِنَّآ أَنزَلْنَا التَّوْرَاةَ فِيهَا هُدًى وَنُورٌ يَحْكُمُ بِهَا النَّبِيُّونَ الَّذِينَ أَسْلَمُواْ (Verily, We did send down the Tawrah, therein was guidance and light, by which the Prophets, judged for the Jews.)(5:44) He also said: وَإِذْ أَوْحَيْتُ إِلَى الْحَوَارِيِّينَ أَنْ ءَامِنُواْ بِى وَبِرَسُولِى قَالُواْ ءَامَنَّا وَاشْهَدْ بِأَنَّنَا مُسْلِمُونَ (And when I (Allah) inspired Al-Hawariyyin to believe in Me and My Messenger, they said: "We believe. And bear witness that we are Muslims.") (5:111) The last of the Messengers and the leader of mankind said: قُلْ إِنَّ صَلاَتِى وَنُسُكِى وَمَحْيَاىَ وَمَمَاتِى للَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَـلَمِينَ - لاَ شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَبِذَلِكَ أُمِرْتُ وَأَنَاْ أَوَّلُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ (Verily, my Salah, my sacrifice, my living, and my dying are for Allah, the Lord of all that exists. He has no partner. And of this I have been commanded, and I am the first of the Muslims.) (6:162-163) meaning, from this Ummah. He said, in an authentic Hadith: «نَحْنُ مَعْشَرَ الْأَنِبْيَاءِ أَوْلَادُ عَلَّاتٍ. وَدِينُنُا وَاحِد» (We, the Prophets are brothers with (the same father but) different mothers. Our religion is the same,) meaning, `we should worship Allah alone without partners while having different laws.' The Evil Goal and End of Criminals Allah said: فَكَذَّبُوهُ فَنَجَّيْنَاهُ وَمَن مَّعَهُ (They denied him, but We delivered him, and those with him) meaning on his religion, فِى الْفُلْكِ (in the (Fulk) ship) Fulk refers to the ark, and, وَجَعَلْنَاهُمْ خَلاَئِفَ (We made them generations replacing one after another) on earth, وَأَغْرَقْنَا الَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ بِآيَـتِنَا فَانْظُرْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الْمُنْذَرِينَ (while We drowned those who belied Our Ayat. Then see what was the end of those who were warned.) meaning `O Muhammad, see how We saved the believers and destroyed the deniers!'

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

The Story of Nuh and His People Allah instructed His Prophet , saying: وَاتْلُ عَلَيْهِمْ (And recite to them) relate to the disbelievers of the Quraysh who belied you and rejected you, نَبَأَ نُوحٍ (the news of Nuh) meaning, his story and news with his people who belied him. Tell them how Allah destroyed them and caused every last one of them all to drown. Let this be a lesson for your people, lest they will be destroyed like them. إِذْ قَالَ لِقَوْمِهِ يَقَوْمِ إِن كَانَ كَبُرَ عَلَيْكُمْ مَّقَامِى وَتَذْكِيرِى بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ فَعَلَى اللَّهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ (When he said to his people: "O my people, if my stay (with you), and my reminding (you) of the Ayat of Allah is hard on you, then I put my trust in Allah.") Meaning, `if you find that it is too much of an offense that I should live among you and preach to you the revelation of Allah and His signs and proofs, then I do not care what you think, and I will not stop inviting you.' فَأَجْمِعُواْ أَمْرَكُمْ وَشُرَكَآءَكُمْ (So devise your plot, you and your partners), `get together with all of your deities (idols and statues) that you call upon beside Allah,' ثُمَّ لاَ يَكُنْ أَمْرُكُمْ عَلَيْكُمْ غُمَّةً (and let not your plot be in confusion for you) meaning, an`d do not be confused about this, rather come and let us settle this together if you claim that you are truthful,' وَلاَ تُنظِرُونَ (and give me no respite.) `Do not give me respite even for one hour. Whatever you can do, go ahead and do it. I do not care, and I do not fear you, because you are not standing on anything.' This is similar to what Hud said to his people, إِن نَّقُولُ إِلاَّ اعْتَرَاكَ بَعْضُ ءَالِهَتِنَا بِسُوءٍ قَالَ إِنِّى أُشْهِدُ اللَّهِ وَاشْهَدُواْ أَنِّى بَرِىءٌ مِّمَّا تُشْرِكُونَ - مِن دُونِهِ فَكِيدُونِى جَمِيعًا ثُمَّ لاَ تُنظِرُونِ إِنِّى تَوَكَّلْتُ عَلَى اللَّهِ رَبِّى وَرَبِّكُمْ (I call Allah to witness, and you bear witness, that I am free from that which you ascribe as partners in worship with Him (Allah). So plot against me, all of you, and give me no respite. I put my trust in Allah, my Lord and your Lord!) (11:54-55) Islam is the Religion of all of the Prophets Nuh said, فَإِن تَوَلَّيْتُمْ (But if you turn away) if you belie the message and turn away from obedience. فَمَا سَأَلْتُكُمْ مِّنْ أَجْرٍ (then no reward have I asked of you,) I have not asked you anything for my advice. إِنْ أَجْرِىَ إِلاَّ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَأُمِرْتُ أَنْ أَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ (My reward is only from Allah. And I have been commanded to be of the Muslims.) I submit to Islam. Islam is the religion of all of the Prophets from the first to the last. Their laws and their rules may be of different types but the religion is the same. Allah said: لِكُلٍّ جَعَلْنَا مِنكُمْ شِرْعَةً وَمِنْهَـجاً (To each among you, We have prescribed a law and a clear way.)(5:48) Ibn `Abbas said: "A way and a Sunnah." Here Nuh is saying: وَأُمِرْتُ أَنْ أَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ (and I have been commanded to be of the Muslims.) Allah said about His friend, Ibrahim: إِذْ قَالَ لَهُ رَبُّهُ أَسْلِمْ قَالَ أَسْلَمْتُ لِرَبِّ الْعَـلَمِينَ - وَوَصَّى بِهَآ إِبْرَهِيمُ بَنِيهِ وَيَعْقُوبُ يَـبَنِىَّ إِنَّ اللَّهَ اصْطَفَى لَكُمُ الدِّينَ فَلاَ تَمُوتُنَّ إَلاَّ وَأَنتُم مُّسْلِمُونَ (When his Lord said to him, "Submit (be a Muslim)!" He said, "I have submitted myself (as a Muslim) to the Lord of all that exists." And this was enjoined by Ibrahim upon his sons and by Ya`qub (saying), "O my sons! Allah has chosen for you the (true) religion, then die not except as Muslims.")(2:131-132) Yusuf said: رَبِّ قَدْ آتَيْتَنِى مِنَ الْمُلْكِ وَعَلَّمْتَنِى مِن تَأْوِيلِ الاٌّحَادِيثِ فَاطِرَ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ أَنتَ وَلِىِّ فِى الدُّنُيَا وَالاٌّخِرَةِ تَوَفَّنِى مُسْلِمًا وَأَلْحِقْنِى بِالصَّـلِحِينَ (My Lord! You have indeed bestowed on me of the sovereignty, and taught me something of the interpretation of dreams -- the (Only) Creator of the heavens and the earth! You are my Guardian in this world and in the Hereafter. Cause me to die as a Muslim, and join me with the righteous.)(12:101) Musa said: يقَوْمِ إِن كُنتُمْ ءامَنْتُمْ بِاللَّهِ فَعَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلُواْ إِن كُنْتُم مُّسْلِمِينَ (O my people! If you have believed in Allah, then put your trust in Him if you are Muslims.)(10:84) The magicians said: رَبَّنَآ أَفْرِغْ عَلَيْنَا صَبْرًا وَتَوَفَّنَا مُسْلِمِينَ (Our Lord! pour out on us patience, and cause us to die as Muslims.)(7:126) Bilqis said: رَبِّ إِنِّى ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِى وَأَسْلَمْتُ مَعَ سُلَيْمَـنَ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَـلَمِينَ (My Lord! Verily, I have wronged myself, and I submit (I have become Muslim) together with Sulayman to Allah, the Lord of all that exists.) (27:44) Allah said: إِنَّآ أَنزَلْنَا التَّوْرَاةَ فِيهَا هُدًى وَنُورٌ يَحْكُمُ بِهَا النَّبِيُّونَ الَّذِينَ أَسْلَمُواْ (Verily, We did send down the Tawrah, therein was guidance and light, by which the Prophets, judged for the Jews.)(5:44) He also said: وَإِذْ أَوْحَيْتُ إِلَى الْحَوَارِيِّينَ أَنْ ءَامِنُواْ بِى وَبِرَسُولِى قَالُواْ ءَامَنَّا وَاشْهَدْ بِأَنَّنَا مُسْلِمُونَ (And when I (Allah) inspired Al-Hawariyyin to believe in Me and My Messenger, they said: "We believe. And bear witness that we are Muslims.") (5:111) The last of the Messengers and the leader of mankind said: قُلْ إِنَّ صَلاَتِى وَنُسُكِى وَمَحْيَاىَ وَمَمَاتِى للَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَـلَمِينَ - لاَ شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَبِذَلِكَ أُمِرْتُ وَأَنَاْ أَوَّلُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ (Verily, my Salah, my sacrifice, my living, and my dying are for Allah, the Lord of all that exists. He has no partner. And of this I have been commanded, and I am the first of the Muslims.) (6:162-163) meaning, from this Ummah. He said, in an authentic Hadith: «نَحْنُ مَعْشَرَ الْأَنِبْيَاءِ أَوْلَادُ عَلَّاتٍ. وَدِينُنُا وَاحِد» (We, the Prophets are brothers with (the same father but) different mothers. Our religion is the same,) meaning, `we should worship Allah alone without partners while having different laws.' The Evil Goal and End of Criminals Allah said: فَكَذَّبُوهُ فَنَجَّيْنَاهُ وَمَن مَّعَهُ (They denied him, but We delivered him, and those with him) meaning on his religion, فِى الْفُلْكِ (in the (Fulk) ship) Fulk refers to the ark, and, وَجَعَلْنَاهُمْ خَلاَئِفَ (We made them generations replacing one after another) on earth, وَأَغْرَقْنَا الَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ بِآيَـتِنَا فَانْظُرْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الْمُنْذَرِينَ (while We drowned those who belied Our Ayat. Then see what was the end of those who were warned.) meaning `O Muhammad, see how We saved the believers and destroyed the deniers!'

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

Meaning; Then after Nuh We sent Messengers to their people. They brought them clear proofs. and evidences of the truth that they came with. فَمَا كَانُواْ لِيُؤْمِنُواْ بِمَا كَذَّبُواْ بِهِ مِن قَبْلُ (But they would not believe what they had already rejected beforehand) meaning the nations did not believe what their Messengers brought to them because they already rejected it from the beginning. Allah said: وَنُقَلِّبُ أَفْئِدَتَهُمْ وَأَبْصَـرَهُمْ (And We shall turn their hearts and their eyes away (from guidance).) (6:110) He then said here, كَذَلِكَ نَطْبَعُ عَلَى قُلوبِ الْمُعْتَدِينَ (Thus We seal the hearts of the transgressors.) This means that as Allah has set seals on the hearts of those people, such that they would not believe since they previously rejected faith, He would also set seals on the hearts of the people that are like them, who will come after them. They would not believe until they see the severe torment. This means that Allah destroyed the nations after Nuh. He destroyed the nations that rejected the Messengers and saved those who believed from among them. From the time of Adam to Nuh, people followed Islam. Then they invented the worship of idols. So Allah sent Nuh to them. That is why the believers will say to him on the Day of Resurrection, "You are the first Messenger Allah sent to the people of the earth." Ibn `Abbas said: "There were ten generations between Adam and Nuh, and all of them were following Islam." Allah also said: وَكَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا مِنَ الْقُرُونِ مِن بَعْدِ نُوحٍ (And how many generations have We destroyed after Nuh!) (17:17) This was a serious warning to the Arab pagans, who rejected the leader and last of the Messengers and Prophets. If the people before them who rejected their Messengers had received this much punishment, then what did they think will happen to them since they perpetrated even greater sins than others before them

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

The Story of Musa and Fira`wn Allah said: ثُمَّ بَعَثْنَا (Then after them We sent ) meaning ofter these Messengers, مُّوسَى وَهَـرُونَ إِلَى فِرْعَوْنَ وَمَلَئِهِ (Musa and Harun to Fir`awn and his chiefs,) meaning his people بِـَايَـتِنَآ (with Our Ayat.) meaning; `Our proofs and evidences.' فَاسْتَكْبَرُواْ وَكَانُواْ قَوْماً مُّجْرِمِينَ (But they behaved arrogantly, and were a people who were criminals.) meaning they were too arrogant to follow the truth and submit to it, and they were criminals. فَلَمَّا جَآءَهُمُ الْحَقُّ مِنْ عِندِنَا قَالُواْ إِنَّ هَـذَا لَسِحْرٌ مُّبِينٌ (So, when came to them the truth from us, they said: "This is indeed clear magic.") They were as if they gave an oath that what they had said was the truth. But they knew that what they were saying was a mere lie. As Allah said: وَجَحَدُواْ بِهَا وَاسْتَيْقَنَتْهَآ أَنفُسُهُمْ ظُلْماً وَعُلُوّاً (And they belied them wrongfully and arrogantly, though they themselves were convinced thereof. )(27:14) Musa criticized them saying: أَتقُولُونَ لِلْحَقِّ لَمَّا جَآءَكُمْ أَسِحْرٌ هَـذَا وَلاَ يُفْلِحُ السَّـحِرُونَقَالُواْ أَجِئْتَنَا لِتَلْفِتَنَا ("Say you (this) about the truth when it has come to you Is this magic But the magicians will never be successful." They said: "Have you come to us to turn us away...) عَمَّا وَجَدْنَا عَلَيْهِ ءابَاءَنَا (from that we found our fathers following) their religion. وَتَكُونَ لَكُمَا (and that you two may have...) الْكِبْرِيَآءُ (greatness) means grandeur and leadership فِى الاٌّرْضِ وَمَا نَحْنُ لَكُمَا بِمُؤْمِنِينَ (...in the land, We are not going to believe you two!")