Surah Nuh, Ayah 18

Nuh complains about his Encounter with His People

Allah tells about His servant and Messenger, Nuh, and that he complained to his Lord about the response he received from his people, and how he was patient with them for this long period of time -- which was nine hundred and fifty years. He complained due to his explaining and clarifying matters for them and his calling them to guidance and the straightest path. So he (Nuh) said,

رَبِّ إِنِّى دَعَوْتُ قَوْمِى لَيْلاً وَنَهَاراً

(O my Lord! Verily, I have called to my people night and day,) meaning, `I did not abandon calling them night and day, carrying out Your command and in obediance to You.'

لَمْ تَرَ‌وْا كَيْفَ خَلَقَ اللَّـهُ سَبْعَ سَمَاوَاتٍ طِبَاقًا وَجَعَلَ الْقَمَرَ‌ فِيهِنَّ نُورً‌ا

(Did you not see how Allah has created seven heavens one upon another, and has made the moon a light therein? ....71:15-16)

These verses are adduced as proof positive of Divine Oneness and His power. He has created seven heavens, one on top of the other, and placed the moon as a light in them. The prepositional phrase in the verse apparently indicates that the moon is placed in the body of the heavens. The subject is fully discussed in Surah Al-Furqan under the following verse:

تَبَارَ‌كَ الَّذِي جَعَلَ فِي السَّمَاءِ بُرُ‌وجًا وَجَعَلَ فِيهَا سِرَ‌اجًا وَقَمَرً‌ا مُّنِيرً‌ا

Glorious is the One who made stellar formations in the sky and placed therein a lamp (sun) and a bright moon. [ 25:61] Complaining about his people, Prophet Nuh (علیہ السلام) said:

وَمَكَرُ‌وا مَكْرً‌ا كُبَّارً‌ا (and they devised an enormous plan....71:22). In other words, they hatched a mighty plot. They rejected the message and persecuted Prophet Nuh (علیہ السلام) . In addition, they let loose hooligans and hoodlums on him. They agreed that they will not abandon their gods, especially the five major idols whose names appear in the following verse:

Literally ‘Why do you deny the greatness of God?’ This has been explained by ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas thus, ‘You do not accept the Majesty of God as it should be accepted.’ This shows that Noah’s people did accept God, but the consciousness of the Majesty of God had not become ingrained as it should have done. The fact is that this acceptance of God’s greatness is the real standard of God-worship. One who is living in the knowledge of the Majesty of God is a real God-worshipper, while one whose heart is not immersed in God’s greatness is not a true believer.