Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged)

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

وَمَآ أَنَاْ بِطَارِدِ الَّذِينَ ءامَنُواْ (I am not going to drive away those who have believed.) This alludes to the fact that they (the disbelievers) requested Nuh to disassociate himself from the believers, because they were averse to them and felt themselves too important to sit with them. This is similar to the request of disbelievers to the seal of the Messengers ﷺ to disassociate himself from a group of the people who were considered weak in their social status. They wanted the Prophet to sit with them in a special gathering of the elite. Therefore, Allah revealed, وَلاَ تَطْرُدِ الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ رَبَّهُمْ بِالْغَدَاةِ وَالْعَشِىِّ (And turn not away those who invoke their Lord, morning and afternoon.) Allah also says, وَكَذلِكَ فَتَنَّا بَعْضَهُمْ بِبَعْضٍ لِّيَقُولواْ أَهَـؤُلاءِ مَنَّ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِم مِّن بَيْنِنَآ أَلَيْسَ اللَّهُ بِأَعْلَمَ بِالشَّـكِرِينَ (Thus We have tried some of them with others, that they might say: "Is it these (poor believers) whom Allah has favored from among us" Does not Allah know best those who are grateful)6:53

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

The People's Request of Nuh to bring the Torment and His Response to Them Allah, the Exalted, informs that the people of Nuh sought to hasten Allah's vengeance, torment, anger and the trial (His punishment). This is based on their saying, قَالُواْ ينُوحُ قَدْ جَادَلْتَنَا فَأَكْثَرْتَ جِدَالَنَا (They said: "O Nuh! You have disputed with us and much have you prolonged the dispute with us...") They meant by this, "You (Nuh) have argued with us long enough, and we are still not going to follow you." فَأْتِنَا بِمَا تَعِدُنَآ (now bring upon us what you threaten us with,) What he (Nuh) promised is referring to the vengeance and torment (from Allah). They were actually saying, "Supplicate against us however you wish, and let whatever you have supplicated come to us." إِن كُنتَ مِنَ الصَّـدِقِينَقَالَ إِنَّمَا يَأْتِيكُمْ بِهِ اللَّهُ إِن شَآءَ وَمَآ أَنتُمْ بِمُعْجِزِينَ ("...if you are of the truthful." (In reply to this,) He said: "Only Allah will bring it (the punishment) on you, if He wills, and then you will escape not.)11:32-33 This means, `It is only Allah Who can punish you and hasten your punishment for you. He is the One from Whom nothing escapes. ' وَلاَ يَنفَعُكُمْ نُصْحِى إِنْ أَرَدْتُّ أَنْ أَنصَحَ لَكُمْ إِن كَانَ اللَّهُ يُرِيدُ أَن يُغْوِيَكُمْ (And my advice will not profit you, even if I wish to give you good counsel, if Allah's will is to keep you astray.) This means: something that could be useful to you (in acceptance) of my preaching to you, warning you and advising you. إِن كَانَ اللَّهُ يُرِيدُ أَن يُغْوِيَكُمْ (if Allah's will is to keep you astray.) This means: your deception and your ultimate destruction. هُوَ رَبُّكُمْ وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ (He is your Lord! and to Him you shall return.) He is the Owner of the finality of all matters. He is the Controller, the Judge, the Most Just and He does not do any injustice. Unto Him belongs the creation and the command. He is the Originator and the Repeater (of the creation). He is the Owner of this life and the Hereafter.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

The People's Request of Nuh to bring the Torment and His Response to Them Allah, the Exalted, informs that the people of Nuh sought to hasten Allah's vengeance, torment, anger and the trial (His punishment). This is based on their saying, قَالُواْ ينُوحُ قَدْ جَادَلْتَنَا فَأَكْثَرْتَ جِدَالَنَا (They said: "O Nuh! You have disputed with us and much have you prolonged the dispute with us...") They meant by this, "You (Nuh) have argued with us long enough, and we are still not going to follow you." فَأْتِنَا بِمَا تَعِدُنَآ (now bring upon us what you threaten us with,) What he (Nuh) promised is referring to the vengeance and torment (from Allah). They were actually saying, "Supplicate against us however you wish, and let whatever you have supplicated come to us." إِن كُنتَ مِنَ الصَّـدِقِينَقَالَ إِنَّمَا يَأْتِيكُمْ بِهِ اللَّهُ إِن شَآءَ وَمَآ أَنتُمْ بِمُعْجِزِينَ ("...if you are of the truthful." (In reply to this,) He said: "Only Allah will bring it (the punishment) on you, if He wills, and then you will escape not.)11:32-33 This means, `It is only Allah Who can punish you and hasten your punishment for you. He is the One from Whom nothing escapes. ' وَلاَ يَنفَعُكُمْ نُصْحِى إِنْ أَرَدْتُّ أَنْ أَنصَحَ لَكُمْ إِن كَانَ اللَّهُ يُرِيدُ أَن يُغْوِيَكُمْ (And my advice will not profit you, even if I wish to give you good counsel, if Allah's will is to keep you astray.) This means: something that could be useful to you (in acceptance) of my preaching to you, warning you and advising you. إِن كَانَ اللَّهُ يُرِيدُ أَن يُغْوِيَكُمْ (if Allah's will is to keep you astray.) This means: your deception and your ultimate destruction. هُوَ رَبُّكُمْ وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ (He is your Lord! and to Him you shall return.) He is the Owner of the finality of all matters. He is the Controller, the Judge, the Most Just and He does not do any injustice. Unto Him belongs the creation and the command. He is the Originator and the Repeater (of the creation). He is the Owner of this life and the Hereafter.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

The People's Request of Nuh to bring the Torment and His Response to Them Allah, the Exalted, informs that the people of Nuh sought to hasten Allah's vengeance, torment, anger and the trial (His punishment). This is based on their saying, قَالُواْ ينُوحُ قَدْ جَادَلْتَنَا فَأَكْثَرْتَ جِدَالَنَا (They said: "O Nuh! You have disputed with us and much have you prolonged the dispute with us...") They meant by this, "You (Nuh) have argued with us long enough, and we are still not going to follow you." فَأْتِنَا بِمَا تَعِدُنَآ (now bring upon us what you threaten us with,) What he (Nuh) promised is referring to the vengeance and torment (from Allah). They were actually saying, "Supplicate against us however you wish, and let whatever you have supplicated come to us." إِن كُنتَ مِنَ الصَّـدِقِينَقَالَ إِنَّمَا يَأْتِيكُمْ بِهِ اللَّهُ إِن شَآءَ وَمَآ أَنتُمْ بِمُعْجِزِينَ ("...if you are of the truthful." (In reply to this,) He said: "Only Allah will bring it (the punishment) on you, if He wills, and then you will escape not.)11:32-33 This means, `It is only Allah Who can punish you and hasten your punishment for you. He is the One from Whom nothing escapes. ' وَلاَ يَنفَعُكُمْ نُصْحِى إِنْ أَرَدْتُّ أَنْ أَنصَحَ لَكُمْ إِن كَانَ اللَّهُ يُرِيدُ أَن يُغْوِيَكُمْ (And my advice will not profit you, even if I wish to give you good counsel, if Allah's will is to keep you astray.) This means: something that could be useful to you (in acceptance) of my preaching to you, warning you and advising you. إِن كَانَ اللَّهُ يُرِيدُ أَن يُغْوِيَكُمْ (if Allah's will is to keep you astray.) This means: your deception and your ultimate destruction. هُوَ رَبُّكُمْ وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ (He is your Lord! and to Him you shall return.) He is the Owner of the finality of all matters. He is the Controller, the Judge, the Most Just and He does not do any injustice. Unto Him belongs the creation and the command. He is the Originator and the Repeater (of the creation). He is the Owner of this life and the Hereafter.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

An Interruption to verify the Truthfulness of the Prophet This is presented in the middle of the story to affirm the story itself. It is as if Allah, the Exalted, is saying to Muhammad , "Or do these obstinate disbelievers say that he fabricated this and invented it himself" قُلْ إِنِ افْتَرَيْتُهُ فَعَلَىَّ إِجْرَامِى (Say: "If I have fabricated it, upon me be my crimes...") This means: such sin would be mine alone. وَأَنَاْ بَرِىءٌ مِّمَّا تُجْرَمُونَ (but I am innocent of (all) those crimes which you commit.) This story is not invented, or fabricated falsely. Because he (the Prophet) knows better the punishment of Allah for one who lies on Allah.