Prophets Ādam, Nūḥ and Hūd: The Patience of the Prophets
Section 12 of 30 · Lives of the Prophets
Ask Forgiveness From Your Lord
Sayyidunā Nūḥ told his people about the value of istighfār.
فَقُلْتُ ٱسْتَغْفِرُوا۟ رَبَّكُمْ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ غَفَّارًا يُرْسِلِ ٱلسَّمَآءَ عَلَيْكُم مِّدْرَارًا وَيُمْدِدْكُم بِأَمْوَٰلٍ وَبَنِينَ وَيَجْعَل لَّكُمْ جَنَّـٰتٍ وَيَجْعَل لَّكُمْ أَنْهَـٰرًا
“So I said, ‘Pray to your Lord for your forgiveness,- Indeed He is Very-Forgiving, - and He will cause the heavens to rain upon you in abundance, and will help you with riches and sons, and will cause gardens to grow for you, and cause rivers to flow for you.” (71:10–12)
Fa-qultu-staghfirū rabbakum innahu kāna ghaffārā: I said to them, ask forgiveness from your Lord; verily He is Oft-Forgiving. And listen to the benefits of istighfār. Nūḥ is telling his people the benefits of istighfār: if you make istighfār, this is what will happen. Yursili al-samāʾa ʿalaykum midrārā: He will send rain to you in abundance. Wa yumdidkum bi-amwālin wa banīna wa yajʿal lakum jannātin wa yajʿal lakum anhārā: and give you increase in wealth and children, and bestow on you gardens, and bestow on you rivers. All of these are results of istighfār. Astaghfirullāh. Nastaghfirullāh al-ʿAẓīm wa natūbu ilayh.
And he also turned their attention to the creation of Allah (swt) around them, because the creation of Allah is a mirror of the attributes of Allah (swt). He told them:
أَلَمْ تَرَوْا۟ كَيْفَ خَلَقَ ٱللَّهُ سَبْعَ سَمَـٰوَٰتٍ طِبَاقًا وَجَعَلَ ٱلْقَمَرَ فِيهِنَّ نُورًا وَجَعَلَ ٱلشَّمْسَ سِرَاجًا وَٱللَّهُ أَنۢبَتَكُم مِّنَ ٱلْأَرْضِ نَبَاتًا ثُمَّ يُعِيدُكُمْ فِيهَا وَيُخْرِجُكُمْ إِخْرَاجًا وَٱللَّهُ جَعَلَ لَكُمُ ٱلْأَرْضَ بِسَاطًا لِّتَسْلُكُوا۟ مِنْهَا سُبُلًا فِجَاجًا
“Did you not see how Allah has created seven heavens one upon another, and has made the moon a light therein, and made the sun a lamp? And Allah has caused you to grow well out of the earth, then He will send you back into it, and will bring you forth once again. And Allah has made the earth a spread for you, so that you may go about its broad ways.’”” (71:15–20)
A-lam taraw kayfa khalaqa Allāhu sabʿa samāwātin ṭibāqā: see you not how Allah has created seven heavens, one above the other? Wa jaʿala al-qamara fīhinna nūran wa jaʿala al-shamsa sirājā: and has made the moon a light therein, and made the sun a lamp? Wa-llāhu anbatakum min al-arḍi nabātā, thumma yuʿīdukum fīhā wa yukhrijukum ikhrājā: and Allah has brought you forth from the dust of the earth; afterwards He will return you into the earth, and bring you forth again on the Day of Resurrection. Wa-llāhu jaʿala lakumu al-arḍa bisāṭā, li-taslukū minhā subulan fijājā: and Allah has made for you the earth widespread, that you may go about therein in broad roads. These are some of the ayat of Allah (swt) that he turned their attention to.