71. Nuh

We sent Noah to his People (with theCommand): “Do thou warn thy People before there comes to them a grievousPenalty.”

He said: “O my People! I am to you aWarner, clear and open:

“That ye should worship Allah, fear Himand obey me:

“So He may forgive you your sins andgive you respite for a stated Term: for when the Term given by Allah isaccomplished, it cannot be put forward: if ye only knew.”

He said: “O my Lord! I have called to myPeople night and day:

“But my call only increases (their)flight (from the Right).

“And every time I have called to them,that Thou mightest forgive them, they have (only) thrust their fingers intotheir ears, covered themselves up with their garments, grown obstinate, andgiven themselves up to arrogance.

“So I have called to them aloud;

“Further I have spoken to them in publicand secretly in private,

“Saying, ‘Ask forgiveness from yourLord; for He is Oft-Forgiving;

“‘He will send rain to you in abundance;

“‘Give you increase in wealth and sons;and bestow on you gardens and bestow on you rivers (of flowing water).

“‘What is the matter with you, that yeplace not your hope for kindness and long-suffering in Allah,-

“‘Seeing that it is He that has createdyou in diverse stages?

“‘See ye not how Allah has created theseven heavens one above another,

“‘And made the moon a light in theirmidst, and made the sun as a (Glorious) Lamp?

“‘And Allah has produced you from theearth growing (gradually),

“‘And in the End He will return you intothe (earth), and raise you forth (again at the Resurrection)?

“‘And Allah has made the earth for youas a carpet (spread out),

“‘That ye may go about therein, inspacious roads.'”

Noah said: “O my Lord! They havedisobeyed me, but they follow (men) whose wealth and children give them noincrease but only Loss.

“And they have devised a tremendousPlot.

“And they have said (to each other),’Abandon not your gods: Abandon neither Wadd nor Suwa’, neither Yaguth norYa’uq, nor Nasr’;-

“They have already misled many; andgrant Thou no increase to the wrong- doers but in straying (from theirmark).”

Because of their sins they were drowned(in the flood), and were made to enter the Fire (of Punishment): and theyfound- in lieu of Allah. none to help them.

And Noah, said: “O my Lord! Leave not ofthe Unbelievers, a single one on earth!

“For, if Thou dost leave (any of) them,they will but mislead Thy devotees, and they will breed none but wickedungrateful ones.

“O my Lord! Forgive me, my parents, allwho enter my house in Faith, and (all) believing men and believing women:and to the wrong-doers grant Thou no increase but in perdition!”