Why Did Allah Instruct Nuh to Build a Ship?
لماذا أمر الله نوحا ببناء سفينة؟
His people were disbelievers and they transgressed, so Allah wanted to drown them all. He instructed Nuh to build a ship and take a pair, male and female, of each kind of animal on the ship with him, as well as the believers from his people. "So We inspired him: 'Build the Ark under Our ˹watchful˺ Eyes and directions. Then when Our command comes and the oven bursts ˹with water˺, take on board a pair from every species along with your family, except those against whom the decree ˹to drown˺ has already been passed. And do not plead with Me for those who have done wrong, for they will surely be drowned.'" (Surah Al-Muminun 23:27). Nuh's people mocked their Prophet again when they saw him build a ship. "And it was revealed to Noah, 'None of your people will believe except those who already have. So do not be distressed by what they have been doing. And build the Ark under Our ˹watchful˺ Eyes and directions, and do not plead with Me for those who have done wrong, for they will surely be drowned.' So he began to build the Ark, and whenever some of the chiefs of his people passed by, they mocked him. He said, 'If you laugh at us, we will ˹soon˺ laugh at you similarly.'" (Surah Hud 11:36-38). Nuh was not affected by this ridicule, but he remained steadfast in his position and trust in Allah, and he warned them about the punishment that would come to them.
إن قومه كفروا وطغوا وأراد الله أن يغرقهم جميعا، فأمر الله تعالى نوحا عليه السلام أن يصنع سفينة ويأخذ عليها المؤمنين من قومه، ويأخذ من كل حيوان زوجين، أنثى وذكرا. فَأَوْحَيْنَا إِلَيْهِ أَنِ اصْنَعِ الْفُلْكَ بِأَعْيُنِنَا وَوَحْيِنَا فَإِذَا جَاءَ أَمْرُنَا وَفَارَ التَّنُّورُ فَاسْلُكْ فِيهَا مِن كُلٍّ زَوْجَيْنِ اثْنَيْنِ وَأَهْلَكَ إِلَّا مَن سَبَقَ عَلَيْهِ الْقَوْلُ مِنْهُمْ ۖ وَلَا تُخَاطِبْنِي فِي الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا ۖ إِنَّهُم مُّغْرَقُونَ (سورة المؤمنون: 27). سخر قوم نوح من نبيهم مرة أخرى حين رأوه يبني سفينة. وَأُوحِيَ إِلَىٰ نُوحٍ أَنَّهُ لَن يُؤْمِنَ مِن قَوْمِكَ إِلَّا مَن قَدْ آمَنَ فَلَا تَبْتَئِسْ بِمَا كَانُوا يَفْعَلُونَ ﴿٣٦﴾ وَاصْنَعِ الْفُلْكَ بِأَعْيُنِنَا وَوَحْيِنَا وَلَا تُخَاطِبْنِي فِي الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا ۚ إِنَّهُم مُّغْرَقُونَ ﴿٣٧﴾ وَيَصْنَعُ الْفُلْكَ وَكُلَّمَا مَرَّ عَلَيْهِ مَلَأٌ مِّن قَوْمِهِ سَخِرُوا مِنْهُ ۚ قَالَ إِن تَسْخَرُوا مِنَّا فَإِنَّا نَسْخَرُ مِنكُمْ كَمَا تَسْخَرُونَ ﴿٣٨﴾ (سورة هود: 36-38). لم يتأثر نوح بتلك السخرية، وإنما ثبت على موقفه من الدعوة والثقة بالله عز وجل، وتوعدهم بما سيأتيهم من عقوبة.
1. A Ship Built Under Divine Supervision | سفينة بُنيت تحت إشراف إلهي
The Quran's phrase "under Our Eyes and Our Revelation" indicates this was no ordinary construction project; Allah Himself guided every stage of the ship's building. This detail explains how a single vessel could reliably carry Nuh, the believers, and a pair of every animal safely through the flood covered in What Punishment Did Allah Send to the People of Noah?
عبارة القرآن "بِأَعْيُنِنَا وَوَحْيِنَا" تدل على أن هذا لم يكن مشروع بناء عاديا؛ فقد أشرف الله بنفسه على كل مرحلة من بناء السفينة. وهذا التفصيل يفسر كيف استطاعت سفينة واحدة أن تحمل نوحا والمؤمنين وزوجين من كل حيوان بأمان عبر الطوفان الذي تناولناه في مقال ما العقاب الذي أرسله الله لقوم نوح؟
2. Mockery Aimed at an Absurd Sight | سخرية استهدفت مشهدا غريبا
Ibn Kathir explains that as Nuh built the ship, his people mocked him and denied the drowning he warned them of, giving them fresh material for ridicule beyond the accusations already covered in How Did Nuh's People React to His Call?
يبيّن ابن كثير أن قوم نوح كانوا يسخرون منه وهو يصنع السفينة، ويكذبون بما يتوعدهم به من الغرق، مما منحهم مادة جديدة للسخرية تتجاوز الاتهامات التي تناولناها في مقال كيف كان رد فعل قوم نوح على دعوته إلى الله؟
3. A Warning Answered With a Warning | تحذير قوبل بتحذير
Nuh's response to their mockery, "If you laugh at us, we will ˹soon˺ laugh at you similarly," was not an idle retort but a direct statement of what was coming. Ibn Kathir calls Nuh's reply a severe threat and a firm warning; he met their ridicule with calm certainty in Allah's promise, letting the outcome itself vindicate the warning.
رد نوح على سخريتهم، "إِن تَسْخَرُوا مِنَّا فَإِنَّا نَسْخَرُ مِنكُمْ كَمَا تَسْخَرُونَ"، لم يكن ردا عابرا بل تصريحا مباشرا بما كان قادما. ويصفه ابن كثير بأنه وعيد شديد وتهديد أكيد؛ فقد واجه نوح سخريتهم بيقين هادئ بوعد الله، تاركا النتيجة نفسها تُثبت صحة التحذير.
Frequently Asked Questions | الأسئلة الشائعة
Why did Allah instruct Nuh to build a ship?
To save the believers and a pair of every animal from the coming flood that would destroy the disbelievers.
How did Nuh's people react to him building the ship?
They mocked him whenever they passed by and denied the drowning he warned them of (Surah Hud 11:38).
How did Nuh respond to their mockery?
He remained steadfast, telling them that just as they laughed at him, they would soon see the truth of his warning.