Juz 18: Al-Muʾminūn to Al-Furqān 20
Section 4 of 18 · Tafsir of the Qur’an · Mufti Abdul Rahman Mangera
4. Stories of Prophets: Nuh, Hud, Salih, Musa, Harun and Isa
After presenting cosmic and biological evidence of Allah's power, Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala turns to historical evidence through the experiences of various prophets. These anecdotes serve to strengthen the Prophet Muhammad's (peace be upon him) resolve and remind believers of the consistent pattern in the struggle between truth and falsehood throughout history.
The narrative begins with Prophet Nuh (peace be upon him), whose story exemplifies patient persistence in the face of obstinate rejection. The Quran presents a brief account of his interaction with his people and their dismissive response:
فقال الملأ الذين كفروا من قومه ما هذا إلا بشر مثلكم يريد أن يتفضل عليكم
“So the chiefs of his people who disbelieved said, 'This is but a human being like you. He wishes to impose his superiority over you.'”
The passage recounts how Nuh was commanded to build the ark, and Allah instructed him about who to take aboard. After the flood subsided, Nuh praised Allah for delivering them from the wrongdoing people. This narrative, though brief compared to other Quranic accounts of Nuh, focuses on the essential elements of rejection, divine intervention, and ultimate salvation of the believers.
Following Nuh's story, the Quran mentions Prophet Hud (peace be upon him), who was sent to the people of 'Ad. Similarly, Prophet Salih (peace be upon him) was sent to Thamud. Both faced rejection from their respective communities who refused to abandon their false deities and recognize the oneness of Allah.
The passage then references Prophets Musa and Harun (peace be upon them), who were sent with clear signs to Pharaoh and his nobles. Despite witnessing miraculous evidence, they responded with arrogance and rejected the message:
فاستكبروا وكانوا قوما عالين
“But they showed arrogance and they were a haughty people.”
Prophet Isa (Jesus, peace be upon him) and his mother Maryam are also mentioned as signs from Allah. They were given shelter on an elevated piece of land with springs of water—a place of comfort and security.
After recounting these prophetic narratives, Allah addresses all messengers collectively:
يا أيها الرسل كلوا من الطيبات واعملوا صالحا إني بما تعملون عليم
“O messengers, eat from the pure foods and do righteous deeds. Indeed I am fully aware of what you do.”
This universal address emphasizes the unity of prophetic mission across time. Allah follows this with a profound statement: "And indeed this community of yours is one community, and I am your Lord, so fear Me." This verse establishes that despite differences in time, place, and specific legal codes, all prophets belong to one brotherhood of faith, united in the core message of monotheism and moral righteousness.
Yet, as the passage laments, people divided themselves into factions after receiving guidance, each group satisfied with their own interpretation while rejecting others. This historical pattern of unity followed by division serves as both a warning and guidance for the Muslim community to maintain cohesion around the essential principles of faith.
Through these prophetic narratives, Allah provides spiritual and psychological support to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and the believers, showing that the challenges they faced were not unique but part of an age-old struggle between truth and falsehood.