Surah Nuh
نوح
Surah Nuh is a Meccan surah of 28 verses devoted to the prophet Noah, told largely in his own words to Allah as he describes how he called his people and how they refused.
- Meaning
- Noah
- Surah
- 71 of 114
- Verses
- 28
- Revealed in
- Mecca
- Found in
- Juz 29
What Surah Nuh is about
Surah Nuh is the 71st surah of the Quran, revealed in Mecca, with 28 verses. It is named after the prophet Noah (Nuh), and unlike most surahs that mention him, it is about him from beginning to end. Most of it is Noah speaking to Allah, reporting on his mission.
Verse 1 sends Noah to warn his people before a painful punishment comes, and verses 2 to 4 give his message: worship Allah, be mindful of Him, and obey me, and He will forgive you and give you time until an appointed term. From verse 5 Noah describes his efforts. He called them night and day, but it only made them run further. Whenever he called them to forgiveness they put their fingers in their ears and covered themselves with their clothes. He called them openly, in public, and in private.
Verses 10 to 12 record what he told them: ask your Lord for forgiveness, for He is ever forgiving, and He will send abundant rain, increase your wealth and children, and give you gardens and rivers. Verses 13 to 20 point them to Allah's greatness in their own creation in stages, the seven heavens, the moon as a light and the sun as a lamp, and the earth spread out with roads to travel.
Verses 21 to 24 describe the people following their leaders instead, and telling one another not to abandon their idols, five of which are named in verse 23. Verse 25 says they were drowned because of their sins. The surah ends with Noah's prayer in verses 26 to 28, which closes by asking forgiveness for himself, his parents, whoever enters his home as a believer, and all believing men and women.
Main themes
A clear message
Noah's message in verses 2 to 4 is simple: worship Allah, be mindful of Him, and follow His messenger. In return Allah will forgive and give them time until their appointed term.
Verses 1–4Calling in every way
Noah describes calling his people by night and by day, openly and privately, and their response of blocking their ears and covering their faces. His account shows persistence without visible results.
Verses 5–9Seeking forgiveness brings blessing
Verses 10 to 12 link asking Allah for forgiveness with rain, wealth, children, gardens and rivers. Many Muslims cite these verses when speaking about the blessings of istighfar.
Verses 10–12Signs in creation
Noah points to people's growth in stages, the layered heavens, the moon and sun, and the earth spread out for travel. He compares people to plants grown from the earth, which will return to it and be brought out again.
Verses 13–20The end and Noah's prayer
The people hold on to their idols and are drowned. Noah's final prayer includes a request for forgiveness for himself, his parents, believers who enter his home, and all believing men and women.
Verses 21–28
Verses to know
وَإِنِّي كُلَّمَا دَعَوۡتُهُمۡ لِتَغۡفِرَ لَهُمۡ جَعَلُوٓاْ أَصَٰبِعَهُمۡ فِيٓ ءَاذَانِهِمۡ وَٱسۡتَغۡشَوۡاْ ثِيَابَهُمۡ وَأَصَرُّواْ وَٱسۡتَكۡبَرُواْ ٱسۡتِكۡبَارٗا ﴿٧﴾
Whenever I called them to Your forgiveness, they thrust their fingers into their ears, and wrapped themselves in their garments, and insisted, and became more and more arrogant.
A striking picture of refusal: people thrusting fingers into their ears and wrapping themselves in their clothes so they do not have to hear the call to forgiveness.
فَقُلۡتُ ٱسۡتَغۡفِرُواْ رَبَّكُمۡ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ غَفَّارٗا ﴿١٠﴾ يُرۡسِلِ ٱلسَّمَآءَ عَلَيۡكُم مِّدۡرَارٗا ﴿١١﴾ وَيُمۡدِدۡكُم بِأَمۡوَٰلٖ وَبَنِينَ وَيَجۡعَل لَّكُمۡ جَنَّـٰتٖ وَيَجۡعَل لَّكُمۡ أَنۡهَٰرٗا ﴿١٢﴾
10I said, ‘Ask your Lord for forgiveness; He is Forgiving. 11He will let loose the sky upon you in torrents. 12And provide you with wealth and children, and allot for you gardens, and allot for you rivers.
Noah's promise that seeking forgiveness from Allah brings rain, wealth, children, gardens and rivers. These verses are often quoted on the value of asking forgiveness.
وَقَالُواْ لَا تَذَرُنَّ ءَالِهَتَكُمۡ وَلَا تَذَرُنَّ وَدّٗا وَلَا سُوَاعٗا وَلَا يَغُوثَ وَيَعُوقَ وَنَسۡرٗا ﴿٢٣﴾
And they said, “Do not give up your gods; do not give up Wadd, nor Souwa, nor Yaghoos, and Yaooq, and Nassr.”
The verse names five idols of Noah's people. Sahih al-Bukhari reports from Ibn Abbas that these were names of righteous men whose images were later made and eventually worshipped.
رَّبِّ ٱغۡفِرۡ لِي وَلِوَٰلِدَيَّ وَلِمَن دَخَلَ بَيۡتِيَ مُؤۡمِنٗا وَلِلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ وَٱلۡمُؤۡمِنَٰتِۖ وَلَا تَزِدِ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ إِلَّا تَبَارَۢا ﴿٢٨﴾
My Lord! Forgive me and my parents, and anyone who enters my home in faith, and all the believing men and believing women; and do not increase the wrongdoers except in perdition.”
Noah's closing prayer for himself, his parents, believers in his home and all believing men and women, a prayer many Muslims still make.
Surah Nuh in Arabic and English
All 28 verses, with the Arabic, a transliteration to help you read it aloud, and the English translation by Talal Itani.
بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
- 1
إِنَّآ أَرۡسَلۡنَا نُوحًا إِلَىٰ قَوۡمِهِۦٓ أَنۡ أَنذِرۡ قَوۡمَكَ مِن قَبۡلِ أَن يَأۡتِيَهُمۡ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمࣱ
Inna arsalna noohan ila qawmihi an anthir qawmaka min qabli an yatiyahum AAathabun aleemun
We sent Noah to his people: “Warn your people before there comes upon them a painful punishment.”
- 2
قَالَ يَٰقَوۡمِ إِنِّي لَكُمۡ نَذِيرࣱ مُّبِينٌ
Qala ya qawmi innee lakum natheerun mubeenun
He said, “O my people, I am to you a clear warner.
- 3
أَنِ ٱعۡبُدُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَٱتَّقُوهُ وَأَطِيعُونِ
Ani oAAbudoo Allaha waittaqoohu waateeAAooni
Worship Allah and reverence Him, and obey me.
- 4
يَغۡفِرۡ لَكُم مِّن ذُنُوبِكُمۡ وَيُؤَخِّرۡكُمۡ إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٖ مُّسَمًّىۚ إِنَّ أَجَلَ ٱللَّهِ إِذَا جَآءَ لَا يُؤَخَّرُۚ لَوۡ كُنتُمۡ تَعۡلَمُونَ
Yaghfir lakum min thunoobikum wayuakhkhirkum ila ajalin musamman inna ajala Allahi itha jaa la yuakhkharu law kuntum taAAlamoona
And He will forgive you of your sins, and reprieve you until a stated term. Allah’s term cannot be deferred once it has arrived, if you only knew.”
- 5
قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّي دَعَوۡتُ قَوۡمِي لَيۡلٗا وَنَهَارٗا
Qala rabbi innee daAAawtu qawmee laylan wanaharan
He said, “My Lord, I have called my people night and day.
- 6
فَلَمۡ يَزِدۡهُمۡ دُعَآءِيٓ إِلَّا فِرَارٗا
Falam yazidhum duAAaee illa firaran
But my call added only to their flight.
- 7
وَإِنِّي كُلَّمَا دَعَوۡتُهُمۡ لِتَغۡفِرَ لَهُمۡ جَعَلُوٓاْ أَصَٰبِعَهُمۡ فِيٓ ءَاذَانِهِمۡ وَٱسۡتَغۡشَوۡاْ ثِيَابَهُمۡ وَأَصَرُّواْ وَٱسۡتَكۡبَرُواْ ٱسۡتِكۡبَارٗا
Wainnee kullama daAAawtuhum litaghfira lahum jaAAaloo asabiAAahum fee athanihim waistaghshaw thiyabahum waasarroo waistakbaroo istikbaran
Whenever I called them to Your forgiveness, they thrust their fingers into their ears, and wrapped themselves in their garments, and insisted, and became more and more arrogant.
- 8
ثُمَّ إِنِّي دَعَوۡتُهُمۡ جِهَارٗا
Thumma innee daAAawtuhum jiharan
Then I called them openly.
- 9
ثُمَّ إِنِّيٓ أَعۡلَنتُ لَهُمۡ وَأَسۡرَرۡتُ لَهُمۡ إِسۡرَارٗا
Thumma innee aAAlantu lahum waasrartu lahum israran
Then I appealed to them publicly, and I spoke to them privately.
- 10
فَقُلۡتُ ٱسۡتَغۡفِرُواْ رَبَّكُمۡ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ غَفَّارٗا
Faqultu istaghfiroo rabbakum innahu kana ghaffaran
I said, ‘Ask your Lord for forgiveness; He is Forgiving.
- 11
يُرۡسِلِ ٱلسَّمَآءَ عَلَيۡكُم مِّدۡرَارٗا
Yursili alssamaa AAalaykum midraran
He will let loose the sky upon you in torrents.
- 12
وَيُمۡدِدۡكُم بِأَمۡوَٰلٖ وَبَنِينَ وَيَجۡعَل لَّكُمۡ جَنَّـٰتٖ وَيَجۡعَل لَّكُمۡ أَنۡهَٰرٗا
Wayumdidkum biamwalin wabaneena wayajAAal lakum jannatin wayajAAal lakum anharan
And provide you with wealth and children, and allot for you gardens, and allot for you rivers.
- 13
مَّا لَكُمۡ لَا تَرۡجُونَ لِلَّهِ وَقَارٗا
Ma lakum la tarjoona lillahi waqaran
What is the matter with you, that you do not appreciate Allah’s greatness?
- 14
وَقَدۡ خَلَقَكُمۡ أَطۡوَارًا
Waqad khalaqakum atwaran
Although He created you in stages.
- 15
أَلَمۡ تَرَوۡاْ كَيۡفَ خَلَقَ ٱللَّهُ سَبۡعَ سَمَٰوَٰتٖ طِبَاقٗا
Alam taraw kayfa khalaqa Allahu sabAAa samawatin tibaqan
Do you not realize that Allah created seven heavens in layers?
- 16
وَجَعَلَ ٱلۡقَمَرَ فِيهِنَّ نُورٗا وَجَعَلَ ٱلشَّمۡسَ سِرَاجٗا
WajaAAala alqamara feehinna nooran wajaAAala alshshamsa sirajan
And He set the moon in their midst for light, and He made the sun a lamp.
- 17
وَٱللَّهُ أَنۢبَتَكُم مِّنَ ٱلۡأَرۡضِ نَبَاتٗا
WaAllahu anbatakum mina alardi nabatan
And Allah germinated you from the earth like plants.
- 18
ثُمَّ يُعِيدُكُمۡ فِيهَا وَيُخۡرِجُكُمۡ إِخۡرَاجٗا
Thumma yuAAeedukum feeha wayukhrijukum ikhrajan
Then He will return you into it, and will bring you out again.
- 19
وَٱللَّهُ جَعَلَ لَكُمُ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ بِسَاطٗا
WaAllahu jaAAala lakumu alarda bisatan
And Allah made the earth a spread for you.
- 20
لِّتَسۡلُكُواْ مِنۡهَا سُبُلٗا فِجَاجٗا
Litaslukoo minha subulan fijajan
That you may travel its diverse roads.’”
- 21
قَالَ نُوحࣱ رَّبِّ إِنَّهُمۡ عَصَوۡنِي وَٱتَّبَعُواْ مَن لَّمۡ يَزِدۡهُ مَالُهُۥ وَوَلَدُهُۥٓ إِلَّا خَسَارٗا
Qala noohun rabbi innahum AAasawnee waittabaAAoo man lam yazidhu maluhu wawaladuhu illa khasaran
Noah said, “My Lord, they have defied me, and followed him whose wealth and children increase him only in perdition.”
- 22
وَمَكَرُواْ مَكۡرٗا كُبَّارٗا
Wamakaroo makran kubbaran
And they schemed outrageous schemes.
- 23
وَقَالُواْ لَا تَذَرُنَّ ءَالِهَتَكُمۡ وَلَا تَذَرُنَّ وَدّٗا وَلَا سُوَاعٗا وَلَا يَغُوثَ وَيَعُوقَ وَنَسۡرٗا
Waqaloo la tatharunna alihatakum wala tatharunna waddan wala suwaAAan wala yaghootha wayaAAooqa wanasran
And they said, “Do not give up your gods; do not give up Wadd, nor Souwa, nor Yaghoos, and Yaooq, and Nassr.”
- 24
وَقَدۡ أَضَلُّواْ كَثِيرٗاۖ وَلَا تَزِدِ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ إِلَّا ضَلَٰلٗا
Waqad adalloo katheeran wala tazidi alththalimeena illa dalalan
They have misled many, so do not increase the wrongdoers except in confusion.
- 25
مِّمَّا خَطِيٓـَٰٔتِهِمۡ أُغۡرِقُواْ فَأُدۡخِلُواْ نَارٗا فَلَمۡ يَجِدُواْ لَهُم مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ أَنصَارٗا
Mimma khateeatihim oghriqoo faodkhiloo naran falam yajidoo lahum min dooni Allahi ansaran
Because of their wrongs, they were drowned, and were hurled into a Fire. They did not find apart from Allah any helpers.
- 26
وَقَالَ نُوحࣱ رَّبِّ لَا تَذَرۡ عَلَى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ مِنَ ٱلۡكَٰفِرِينَ دَيَّارًا
Waqala noohun rabbi la tathar AAala alardi mina alkafireena dayyaran
Noah said, “My Lord, do not leave of the unbelievers a single dweller on earth.
- 27
إِنَّكَ إِن تَذَرۡهُمۡ يُضِلُّواْ عِبَادَكَ وَلَا يَلِدُوٓاْ إِلَّا فَاجِرٗا كَفَّارٗا
Innaka in tatharhum yudilloo AAibadaka wala yalidoo illa fajiran kaffaran
If You leave them, they will mislead Your servants, and will breed only wicked unbelievers.
- 28
رَّبِّ ٱغۡفِرۡ لِي وَلِوَٰلِدَيَّ وَلِمَن دَخَلَ بَيۡتِيَ مُؤۡمِنٗا وَلِلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ وَٱلۡمُؤۡمِنَٰتِۖ وَلَا تَزِدِ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ إِلَّا تَبَارَۢا
Rabbi ighfir lee waliwalidayya waliman dakhala baytiya muminan walilmumineena waalmuminati wala tazidi alththalimeena illa tabaran
My Lord! Forgive me and my parents, and anyone who enters my home in faith, and all the believing men and believing women; and do not increase the wrongdoers except in perdition.”
Surah Nuh PDF
The whole surah on printable pages: Arabic, transliteration and English side by side. Free to download, print and share.
Questions about Surah Nuh
How many verses are in Surah Nuh?
Surah Nuh has 28 verses. It is a Meccan surah and the 71st in the Quran.
Which verses of Surah Nuh are about istighfar?
Verses 10 to 12 record Noah telling his people to ask their Lord for forgiveness, and that He will send rain, increase their wealth and children, and give them gardens and rivers.
What are the idols named in Surah Nuh?
Verse 23 names Wadd, Suwa, Yaghuth, Ya'uq and Nasr. Sahih al-Bukhari reports from Ibn Abbas that these were originally the names of righteous men from Noah's people.
What is the dua of Prophet Nuh in the Quran?
Verse 28 of Surah Nuh is his prayer asking forgiveness for himself, his parents, whoever enters his home as a believer, and all believing men and women.