Ash-Shu'araa (The Poets)

119. “So We delivered him, and those with him, in the laden Ark.”

120. “Then We drowned the rest afterwards.”

121. “Verily in that is a sign, but most of them do not believe.”

122. “And verily your Lord, He is the Mighty, the Merciful.”

The invocation of the prophets and that of the oppressed are accepted.

The story of the deliverance of Noah and his followers, while their opponents and disbelievers were drowned, is an example for Allah’s way of treatment due to helping the right and defeating wrong.

The objective of the Qur’anic phrase /alfulkil mašhun/ is that Noah (as) put whatever was needed in the Ark.

Imam Baqir (as) says:

“/alfulkil mašhun/ is an equipped ship which is ready to start.”

Ali (as) said:

“There were 90 places built in that ship (Noah’s Ark) for the animals.”1

However, the grace of Allah came to help Noah and, on the other hand, His painful punishment came to annihilate the rejecters, as the Qur’an says:

“So We delivered him, and those with him, in the laden Ark.” “Then We drowned the rest afterwards.”

The Arabic word /mašhun/ is derived from /šahn/ which means ‘to fill’, and sometimes it has been used in the sense of ‘to equip'. The Arabic word /šahna’/ is used for the means and tools which fill all parts of a person, and the purpose here is that the Ark was full of individuals and all means so that there was not any deficiency.

That is, when the Ark was completely ready to move, Allah sent the flood and there was no worriness for Noah and those who embarked the Ark with him. This was one of the favours of Allah over them.

At the end of this explanation, the Qur’an repeats the same words which were mentioned at the end of the stories of Moses (as) and Abraham (as). It implies that in the circumstance of the event of Noah and his constant invitation to the truth, his patience, and, finally, the destiny of his opponents who were drowned and destroyed, there is a sign for all mankind.

The verse says:

“Verily in that is a sign, but most of them do not believe.”

Therefore, the Prophet (S) should not be upset from the aversion and obstinacy of the pagans among his people; he must persevere for his destiny and that of his companions for it is like the destiny of Noah and his followers, and the fate of the disbelievers is the same fate that those drowned people had.

Then, the verses says:

“And verily your Lord, He is the Mighty, the Merciful.”

His Mercy requires that He gives them chance and respites them with enough time and completes the argument; and His Might causes you, at last, to be victorious and to make them encounter defeat.

Thus, if He gives respite to the disbelievers, it is because of His Mercy, not for the existence of any weakness.