Parentage of Noah (Peace Be Upon Him)
The lineage of Noah (Peace Be Upon Him) is traced back to Noah bin Lamech bin Methuselah—who is identified as Enoch—bin Jared bin Mahalalel bin Cainan bin Enosh bin Seth bin Adam. Historical accounts indicate that his father was named Lamech. It has been mentioned that the period between Noah’s birth and Adam’s death was one hundred and forty-six years. Additionally, some reports suggest a span of ten generations between Noah and Adam (Peace Be Upon Them), during which all individuals adhered to Islam and monotheism. However, it is noted that some descendants of Cain deviated from the path of monotheism and began to worship fire. In summary, Allah Most High sent His prophet Noah to guide his people toward monotheism after idol worship had become widespread among them, along with a fervent desire to seek closeness to these false deities instead of to Allah Almighty.
Noah’s Patience with His People
The story of Prophet Noah (Peace Be Upon Him) is narrated in the Holy Quran. It describes Noah’s steadfast commitment to calling his people to monotheism, employing various methods in his efforts. Noah tirelessly preached both day and night, using both secret and open invitations, expressing the blessings of Allah and warning them of His wrath. Despite his persistent efforts, his people disbelieved and rejected him, with only a small number—estimated to be around eighty individuals—who believed in God. This challenging situation unfolded over a staggering period of nine hundred and fifty years of relentless calling to faith.
Divine Will in the Destruction of the Disbelievers
As the disbelief of the disbelievers continued unabated, Allah commanded His Prophet to construct an ark from wood and iron. While Noah diligently worked on the vessel, his people mocked him as they passed by. When the decree of Allah arrived, Noah, along with those who believed in him—including his three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth—boarded the ship. One of his sons, identified as Canaan, refused to join them. Following this, Noah took pairs of each species of animal aboard the ark. Then Allah commanded the earth to release its waters and the heavens to pour down abundant rain, flooding everything on the ground. Thus, Allah saved His Prophet and the believers from the deluge.