Al-Qamar (The Moon)

13. And We carried him on a [vessel] made of planks and nails,

14. The vessel upon which Noah (as) and his followers embarked Floated under Our Eyes. It was a Reward for him who had been denied.

The blessed twain Verses in question let go of the account of the tempest, since what had to be said is contained in the preceding blessed Verses.

Proceeding with the account of Noah's Ark, the blessed Verse 13 reads:

"We carried him on a [vessel] made of planks and nails." According to Raghib's Mufradat, the Arabic word dasur, the plural form of disar, originally denotes "shove, push off severely." Since nails are hammered with heavy strikes into the wood and the like, it is called disar. However, some exegetes maintain that the word designates rope, applied to the ropes of the sail and the like.

It is worthy of note that the Qur’anic expression employed herein is meaningful and significant, since it reflects that in such harsh tempest encompassing everything, We commanded some pieces of wood and some nails to rescue Noah (as) and his followers and these inanimate objects fulfilled their obligation in the best manner and the same reflects Divine Omnipotence.

The expression may also allude to the simplicity of the vessels of that time in comparison with modern sophisticated vessels. Nonetheless, according to historical sources, Noah's (as) Ark was sufficiently large for whose building he spent years and it could accommodate one pair of different animals.

The blessed Verse 14 is a reference to the special Favor bestowed upon Noah (as) by God Almighty saying that the Ark cleaves waves asunder before Our Eyes and under Our Supervision.

"Before Our Eyes"

is a delicate metaphorical expression alluding to special attention to and perfect preservation of something, as it is elsewhere¹ attested in the Holy Qur’an:

"And build the vessel under Our Eyes and with Our Revelation and call not upon Me on behalf of those who did wrong; they shall certainly be drowned."

The blessed Verse 14 further adds:

"It was a Reward for him who had been denied."

Prophet Noah (as) like all other Prophets enjoyed the Great Favors and Bounties of the Lord, but ignorant disbelievers denied his Prophetic Call.