Surah Al A'raf Tafseer

The Story of Nuh and His People

After Allah mentioned the story of Adam in the beginning of this Surah, He started mentioning the stories of the Prophets, the first then the latter of them.

Allah mentioned the story of Nuh, because he was the first Messenger Allah sent to the people of the earth after Adam. His name was Nuh bin Lamak bin Matushalakh bin Khanukh.

And Khanukh was, as they claim, the Prophet Idris. And Idris was the first person to write letters using pen, and he was the son of Barad bin Mahlil, bin Qanin bin Yanish bin Shith bin Adam, upon them all be peace.

This lineage is mentioned by Muhammad bin Ishaq and other Imams who document lineage.

Abdullah bin Abbas and several other scholars of Tafsir said that;

the first idol worship began when some righteous people died and their people built places of worship over their graves. They made images of them so that they could remember their righteousness and devotion, and thus, imitate them. When time passed, they made statues of them and later on worshipped these idols, naming them after the righteous people:Wadd, Suwa, Yaghuth, Ya`uq and Nasr.

After this practice became popular, Allah sent Nuh as a Messenger, all thanks are due to Him.

Allah tells;

لَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا نُوحًا إِلَى قَوْمِهِ فَقَالَ

Indeed, We sent Nuh to his people and he said:

Nuh commanded his people to worship Allah alone without partners, saying,

يَا قَوْمِ اعْبُدُواْ اللَّهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنْ إِلَـهٍ غَيْرُهُ إِنِّيَ أَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍ

"O my people! Worship Allah! You have no other god but Him. Certainly, I fear for you the torment of a Great Day!"

the torment of the Day of Resurrection, if you meet Allah while associating others with Him