Quranic theme
ark
38 verses
Before a single drop of the flood fell, Noah was commanded to construct a vessel out of planks and nails, working entirely under divine sight and inspiration (11:37, 54:13). He had warned his people plainly of an impending, painful punishment, yet they consistently rejected his message and called him a liar (7:64, 71:1-2). The Ark became both the physical means of rescue for a small group of followers and the strict dividing line between those who accepted the warning and those who remained willfully blind.
How was the Ark built?
The construction of the Ark was not left to human trial and error. God instructed Noah to build it according to direct revelation, explicitly stating that it was being constructed under His watchful eyes (11:37, 23:27). Physically, the text describes the vessel simply as one made of planks and nails (54:13). Yet the building process itself was deeply public and drew intense ridicule from the local hierarchy. Whenever the leaders of his people passed by the construction site, they laughed at him (11:38). In response to their mockery, Noah stated that the believers would eventually scorn these leaders just as they were being scorned in that moment. Even as he hammered the planks together, God established an absolute boundary regarding the fate of the mockers: Noah was commanded not to plead for the evildoers, because the sentence had already been passed and their drowning was inevitable (11:37, 23:27).
Who was allowed on board?
The passenger manifest of the Ark was defined by God exactly as the cataclysm began. When the divine command arrived and water gushed up out of the earth, Noah received his loading instructions: he was to place a pair of every species onto the vessel (11:40, 23:27). Alongside the animals, he brought his family, but with a critical divine exception. Any family member against whom the sentence of destruction had already been passed was barred from entering the safety of the ship (11:40). Blood relations offered no protection from the flood. The final group allowed on board consisted of those who had accepted the message, though it is noted that only a few actually believed with him (11:40).
What happened when the flood came?
The sudden eruption of water gushing from the earth signaled the execution of the divine judgment (23:27). As the floodwaters rose high, the Ark took to the surface, carrying Noah and his small community (69:11). Its safe passage through the surging waves was not attributed merely to the physical strength of its planks, but to the fact that it floated under God's watchful eye (54:14). This preservation of the ship and its passengers is described as a direct reward for the messenger who had been entirely rejected by his nation. While Noah and his companions were saved and allowed to survive, the people who had denied the revelations were drowned (10:73).
The preservation of the Ark stands as a stark declaration about the final end of those who receive a clear forewarning but choose willful blindness (7:64, 10:73). God saved Noah and those with him on the vessel, making the floating ship an enduring sign for all people (29:15, 69:11).
Verses
All 38 verses, in mushaf order.
فَكَذَّبُوهُ فَأَنجَيْنَـٰهُ وَٱلَّذِينَ مَعَهُۥ فِى ٱلْفُلْكِ وَأَغْرَقْنَا ٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا۟ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَآ ۚ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا۟ قَوْمًا عَمِينَ
but they called him a liar. We saved him, and those who were with him, on the Ark and We drowned those who rejected Our revelations- they were wilfully blind.
فَكَذَّبُوهُ فَنَجَّيْنَـٰهُ وَمَن مَّعَهُۥ فِى ٱلْفُلْكِ وَجَعَلْنَـٰهُمْ خَلَـٰٓئِفَ وَأَغْرَقْنَا ٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا۟ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا ۖ فَٱنظُرْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَـٰقِبَةُ ٱلْمُنذَرِينَ
But they rejected him. We saved him and those with him on the Ark and let them survive; and We drowned those who denied Our revelations- see what was the end of those who were forewarned!
وَٱصْنَعِ ٱلْفُلْكَ بِأَعْيُنِنَا وَوَحْيِنَا وَلَا تُخَـٰطِبْنِى فِى ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوٓا۟ ۚ إِنَّهُم مُّغْرَقُونَ
Build the Ark under Our [watchful] eyes and with Our inspiration. Do not plead with Me for those who have done evil- they will be drowned.’
وَيَصْنَعُ ٱلْفُلْكَ وَكُلَّمَا مَرَّ عَلَيْهِ مَلَأٌ مِّن قَوْمِهِۦ سَخِرُوا۟ مِنْهُ ۚ قَالَ إِن تَسْخَرُوا۟ مِنَّا فَإِنَّا نَسْخَرُ مِنكُمْ كَمَا تَسْخَرُونَ
So he began to build the Ark, and whenever leaders of his people passed by, they laughed at him. He said, ‘You may scorn us now, but we will come to scorn you:
حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا جَآءَ أَمْرُنَا وَفَارَ ٱلتَّنُّورُ قُلْنَا ٱحْمِلْ فِيهَا مِن كُلٍّ زَوْجَيْنِ ٱثْنَيْنِ وَأَهْلَكَ إِلَّا مَن سَبَقَ عَلَيْهِ ٱلْقَوْلُ وَمَنْ ءَامَنَ ۚ وَمَآ ءَامَنَ مَعَهُۥٓ إِلَّا قَلِيلٌ
When Our command came, and water gushed up out of the earth, We said, ‘Place on board this Ark a pair of each species, and your own family- except those against whom the sentence has already been passed- and those who have believed,’ though only a few believed with him.
فَأَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَيْهِ أَنِ ٱصْنَعِ ٱلْفُلْكَ بِأَعْيُنِنَا وَوَحْيِنَا فَإِذَا جَآءَ أَمْرُنَا وَفَارَ ٱلتَّنُّورُ ۙ فَٱسْلُكْ فِيهَا مِن كُلٍّ زَوْجَيْنِ ٱثْنَيْنِ وَأَهْلَكَ إِلَّا مَن سَبَقَ عَلَيْهِ ٱلْقَوْلُ مِنْهُمْ ۖ وَلَا تُخَـٰطِبْنِى فِى ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوٓا۟ ۖ إِنَّهُم مُّغْرَقُونَ
and so We revealed to him: ‘Build the Ark under Our watchful eye and according to Our revelation. When Our command comes and water gushes up out of the earth,take pairs of every species on board, and your family, except for those on whom the sentence has already been passed- do not plead with me for the evildoers: they will be drowned-
فَأَنجَيْنَـٰهُ وَأَصْحَـٰبَ ٱلسَّفِينَةِ وَجَعَلْنَـٰهَآ ءَايَةً لِّلْعَـٰلَمِينَ
We saved him and those with him on the Ark. We made this a sign for all people.
وَحَمَلْنَـٰهُ عَلَىٰ ذَاتِ أَلْوَٰحٍ وَدُسُرٍ
We carried him along on a vessel of planks and nails
تَجْرِى بِأَعْيُنِنَا جَزَآءً لِّمَن كَانَ كُفِرَ
that floated under Our watchful eye, a reward for the one who had been rejected.
إِنَّا لَمَّا طَغَا ٱلْمَآءُ حَمَلْنَـٰكُمْ فِى ٱلْجَارِيَةِ
But when the Flood rose high, We saved you in the floating ship,
إِنَّآ أَرْسَلْنَا نُوحًا إِلَىٰ قَوْمِهِۦٓ أَنْ أَنذِرْ قَوْمَكَ مِن قَبْلِ أَن يَأْتِيَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ
We sent Noah to his people: ‘Warn your people, before a painful punishment comes to them.’
قَالَ يَـٰقَوْمِ إِنِّى لَكُمْ نَذِيرٌ مُّبِينٌ
And so he said, ‘My people, I am here to warn you plainly.
أَنِ ٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَٱتَّقُوهُ وَأَطِيعُونِ
Serve God, be mindful of Him and obey me.
يَغْفِرْ لَكُم مِّن ذُنُوبِكُمْ وَيُؤَخِّرْكُمْ إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى ۚ إِنَّ أَجَلَ ٱللَّهِ إِذَا جَآءَ لَا يُؤَخَّرُ ۖ لَوْ كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ
He will forgive you your sins and spare you until your appointed time––when God’s appointed time arrives it cannot be postponed. If only you understood!’
قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّى دَعَوْتُ قَوْمِى لَيْلًا وَنَهَارًا
He said, ‘My Lord, I have called my people night and day,
فَلَمْ يَزِدْهُمْ دُعَآءِىٓ إِلَّا فِرَارًا
but the more I call them, the further they run away:
وَإِنِّى كُلَّمَا دَعَوْتُهُمْ لِتَغْفِرَ لَهُمْ جَعَلُوٓا۟ أَصَـٰبِعَهُمْ فِىٓ ءَاذَانِهِمْ وَٱسْتَغْشَوْا۟ ثِيَابَهُمْ وَأَصَرُّوا۟ وَٱسْتَكْبَرُوا۟ ٱسْتِكْبَارًا
every time I call them, so that You may forgive them, they thrust their fingers into their ears, cover their heads with their garments, persist in their rejection, and grow more insolent and arrogant.
ثُمَّ إِنِّى دَعَوْتُهُمْ جِهَارًا
I have tried calling them openly.
ثُمَّ إِنِّىٓ أَعْلَنتُ لَهُمْ وَأَسْرَرْتُ لَهُمْ إِسْرَارًا
I have tried preaching to them in public and speaking to them in private.
فَقُلْتُ ٱسْتَغْفِرُوا۟ رَبَّكُمْ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ غَفَّارًا
I said, “Ask forgiveness of your Lord: He is ever forgiving.
يُرْسِلِ ٱلسَّمَآءَ عَلَيْكُم مِّدْرَارًا
He will send down abundant rain from the sky for you;
وَيُمْدِدْكُم بِأَمْوَٰلٍ وَبَنِينَ وَيَجْعَل لَّكُمْ جَنَّـٰتٍ وَيَجْعَل لَّكُمْ أَنْهَـٰرًا
He will give you wealth and sons; He will provide you with gardens and rivers.
مَّا لَكُمْ لَا تَرْجُونَ لِلَّهِ وَقَارًا
What is the matter with you? Why will you not fear God’s majesty,
وَقَدْ خَلَقَكُمْ أَطْوَارًا
when He has created you stage by stage?
أَلَمْ تَرَوْا۟ كَيْفَ خَلَقَ ٱللَّهُ سَبْعَ سَمَـٰوَٰتٍ طِبَاقًا
Have you ever wondered how God created seven heavens, one above the other,
وَجَعَلَ ٱلْقَمَرَ فِيهِنَّ نُورًا وَجَعَلَ ٱلشَّمْسَ سِرَاجًا
placed the moon as a light in them and the sun as a lamp,
وَٱللَّهُ أَنۢبَتَكُم مِّنَ ٱلْأَرْضِ نَبَاتًا
how God made you spring forth from the earth like a plant,
ثُمَّ يُعِيدُكُمْ فِيهَا وَيُخْرِجُكُمْ إِخْرَاجًا
how He will return you into it and then bring you out again,
وَٱللَّهُ جَعَلَ لَكُمُ ٱلْأَرْضَ بِسَاطًا
and how He has spread the Earth out for you
لِّتَسْلُكُوا۟ مِنْهَا سُبُلًا فِجَاجًا
to walk along its spacious paths?” ’
قَالَ نُوحٌ رَّبِّ إِنَّهُمْ عَصَوْنِى وَٱتَّبَعُوا۟ مَن لَّمْ يَزِدْهُ مَالُهُۥ وَوَلَدُهُۥٓ إِلَّا خَسَارًا
Noah said, ‘My Lord, they have disobeyed me and followed those whose riches and children only increase their ruin;
وَمَكَرُوا۟ مَكْرًا كُبَّارًا
who have made a grand plan,
وَقَالُوا۟ لَا تَذَرُنَّ ءَالِهَتَكُمْ وَلَا تَذَرُنَّ وَدًّا وَلَا سُوَاعًا وَلَا يَغُوثَ وَيَعُوقَ وَنَسْرًا
saying, “Do not renounce your gods! Do not renounce Wadd, Suwa, Yaghuth, Yauq, or Nasr!”
وَقَدْ أَضَلُّوا۟ كَثِيرًا ۖ وَلَا تَزِدِ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ إِلَّا ضَلَـٰلًا
They have led many astray. Lord, bring nothing but destruction down on the evildoers!’
مِّمَّا خَطِيٓـَٔـٰتِهِمْ أُغْرِقُوا۟ فَأُدْخِلُوا۟ نَارًا فَلَمْ يَجِدُوا۟ لَهُم مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ أَنصَارًا
They were drowned and sent to Hell for their evildoings: they found no one to help them against God.
وَقَالَ نُوحٌ رَّبِّ لَا تَذَرْ عَلَى ٱلْأَرْضِ مِنَ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ دَيَّارًا
And Noah said, ‘Lord, do not leave any of the disbelievers on the earth-
إِنَّكَ إِن تَذَرْهُمْ يُضِلُّوا۟ عِبَادَكَ وَلَا يَلِدُوٓا۟ إِلَّا فَاجِرًا كَفَّارًا
if you leave them they will lead Your servants astray and beget only sinners and disbelievers-
رَّبِّ ٱغْفِرْ لِى وَلِوَٰلِدَىَّ وَلِمَن دَخَلَ بَيْتِىَ مُؤْمِنًا وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنَـٰتِ وَلَا تَزِدِ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ إِلَّا تَبَارًۢا
Lord, forgive me, my parents, and whoever enters my house as a believer. Forgive believing men and women but bring nothing but ruin down on the evildoers!’