Tafsir of Surah Hood - Verse 49

The Explanation of These Stories is a Proof of the Revelation of Allah to His Messenger

Allah, the Exalted, says to His Prophet concerning these stories and their like,

مِنْ أَنبَآءِ الْغَيْبِ

(of the news of the Unseen) from the information of the unseen of the past. Allah revealed it to you (the Prophet ) in the way that it occurred, as if he witnessed it himself.

نُوحِيهَآ إِلَيْكَ

(which We reveal unto you;) This means, "We teach it to you (Muhammad) as revelation from Us to you."

مَا كُنتَ تَعْلَمُهَآ أَنتَ وَلاَ قَوْمُكَ مِن قَبْلِ هَـذَا

(neither you nor your people knew it before this.) This means that neither you (Muhammad ) nor anyone of your people, have any knowledge of this. This is so that no one who rejects you can say that you learned it from him. Rather, it was Allah Who informed you of it in conformity with the true situation (of the story), just as the Books of the Prophets who were before you testify to. Therefore, you should be patient with the rejection of your people and their harming you. For verily, We shall help you and surround you with Our aid. Then, We will make the (good) end for you and those who follow you in this life and the Hereafter. This is what We did with the Messengers when We helped them against their enemies.

إِنَّا لَنَنصُرُ رُسُلَنَا وَالَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ

(Verily, We will indeed make victorious Our Messengers and those who believe.) Allah also said,

وَلَقَدْ سَبَقَتْ كَلِمَتُنَا لِعِبَادِنَا الْمُرْسَلِينَ - إِنَّهُمْ لَهُمُ الْمَنصُورُونَ

(And, verily, Our Word has gone forth of old for Our servants, the Messengers, that they verily, would be made triumphant.) 37:171-172 Then, Allah says,

فَاصْبِرْ إِنَّ الْعَـقِبَةَ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ

(So be patient. Surely, the (good) end is for those who have Taqwa.)

To console the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، it was said at the end of the verse that there were so many open proofs to the fact that he was a prophet and messenger of Allah. If there were some unfortunate human beings that see the sun yet insist that they do not, even challenge him and confront him, then, he should look at the role model of his predecessor, Sayyidna Nuh (علیہ السلام) ، peace on him. He spent one thousand years of his long life suffering from pain inflicted by his people. He remained patient. Let him stay as patient as he was - because, it stands determined that success will ultimately kiss the hands of those patient and God-fearing.

When all the evil people were drowned, the flood abated. The water was gradually absorbed in the ground or drained away into the seas. Noah’s Ark ran aground on Mount Judi. Noah and his companions then disembarked. At God’s command the earth again became lush green and well-populated. The people among whom Noah appeared were those who believed in Adam’s prophethood. After Noah his people stayed on the right path, but only in the beginning. When later generations began to stray, prophets were again sent to them. These later prophets appeared in the communities who had accepted the prophethood of Noah. In spite of this, since they did not accept any prophet of their own times, and did not reform themselves, they were destroyed. This means that for the purpose of salvation, it is not enough to accept a prophet or to associate oneself with a prophet. Rather such Faith is required as is an active and live Faith, and has the power to turn a man’s life into one of righteous action. The history of Noah teaches the lesson that lovers of falsehood may appear to be all-powerful and they may be very long-lived, but they are nevertheless destined to face destruction. On the contrary, men of Faith may be very few in number and may appear to be quite powerless, but by God’s will, these are the very people who will ultimately share His graces in the present world, in the beginning and, finally, in the Hereafter.