The virtues of reading the Sura e Nuh
In a narration from prophet of Islam we read: The one who reads Sura e Nuh he is among the believers who follows the rays of the invitation of the prophet Nuh alaihis salam that brightens him.
In another hadis from imam Jafar Sadiq alaihis salam we read: The one who have faith in Almighty God and the day of judgement and read his book he must not leave to read the Sura e Nuh. The person who recites that Sura in the Obligatory and Supererogatory namaz نافله with the patience, the Compassionate God resides him in the abode of the virtues people. And gift him three gardens of the heaven along with his own garden as assign of respect.
إِنَّا أَرْسَلْنَا نُوحًا إِلَى قَوْمِهِ أَنْ أَنذِرْ قَوْمَكَ مِن قَبْلِ أَن يَأْتِيَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ (71:1)
71:1
Indeed, We sent Noah to his people, [saying], "Warn your people before there comes to them a painful punishment."
قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ إِنِّي لَكُمْ نَذِيرٌ مُّبِينٌ (71:2)
71:2
He said, "O my people, indeed I am to you a clear Warner,
أَنِ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ وَاتَّقُوهُ وَأَطِيعُونِ (71:3)
71:3
"That you should worship Allah (Alone), be dutiful to Him, and obey me,
يَغْفِرْ لَكُم مِّن ذُنُوبِكُمْ وَيُؤَخِّرْكُمْ إِلَى أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى إِنَّ أَجَلَ اللَّهِ إِذَا جَاء لَا يُؤَخَّرُ لَوْ كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ (71:4)
71:4
Allah will forgive you of your sins and delay you for a specified term. Indeed, the time [set by] Allah, when it comes, will not be delayed, if you only knew.' "

Definition
The first message of hazrat Nuh alaihis salam
We said this Sura is describing those situations of Nuh alaihis salam which is related to his invitation towards the God. It has attractive signs in the way of calling towards the right path to those who want to march in the divine path and turn their back to the obstinate unbelievers.
First it started from the issue of his prophetic mission’ s beginning and said: We send the Nuh to his people and informed before reaching them the torment of Majestic God.
إِنَّا أَرْسَلْنَا نُوحًا إِلَى قَوْمِهِ أَنْ أَنذِرْ قَوْمَكَ مِن قَبْلِ أَن يَأْتِيَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ (71:1)
This painful torment may be chastisement of the world or the punishment of the hereafter may be both, though by the framework of the last ayaat mostly is means
It is insisting upon the warning and giving the fear as the prophets were the contributors of the warning and the good news too but the word of warning are mostly effective, to guarantee in executing the law around the entire world as they rely upon the warning and punishment.
Nuh alaihis salam this prophet with religious laws, divine standards and the book with global invitation. After the attainment of the divine command he came towards his people and said: O People I am the one who gives you a clear warning.
قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ إِنِّي لَكُمْ نَذِيرٌ مُّبِينٌ (71:2)
My purpose is that you worship the One God and leave aside whatever except him, pursue the piety and follow my rules and orders which are sent by Dominant God.
أَنِ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ وَاتَّقُوهُ وَأَطِيعُونِ (71:3)
In fact Nuh alaihis salam summarized the principles of his invitation in the 3 sentences: The worship of One God, to be pious and to follow the divine rules and laws which he brought from the Omnipotent God that was the entire collection of the faith, morals and rules.
Then encouraged them and described the important result of the acceptance of this invitation in 2 short phrases and said: If you accept my invitation the Merciful God will forgive your sins.
يَغْفِرْ لَكُم مِّن ذُنُوبِكُمْ
Indeed the famous rule which is that, the Islam covers thoroughly whatever existing previously and eradicates it. It is the divine law which is in the Unique God’s religion; it is not merely related to Islam.
Next it adds: For a period of time gives you the respite and grant you a long life and cast away your punishment.
وَيُؤَخِّرْكُمْ إِلَى أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى
As when the final death reaches there will not be any delay, if you are alert of this fact.
إِنَّ أَجَلَ اللَّهِ إِذَا جَاء لَا يُؤَخَّرُ لَوْ كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ (71:4)
From this ayat the clear purpose is أَجَلٍ and the end of the human life is of two types one is أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى and another is نهائی اجل or in other words ادنی اجل means nearer or اقصی اجل farther or معلق اجل indirect حتمی اجل means total and unconditional.
أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى the first kind of death which can be changed. It Occurred by the evil deeds of man, may reach soon and the divine punishments are among them. On the contrary by the piousness, good acts and cautiousness can be postponed to great extent.
نهائی اجل cannot be changed at any cost this matter can be defined by an example that a man does not have the capability of an eternal life. The system of the body functioning efficiently finally reaches a stage that the heart ceases to work because of totally getting worn out. But by following the rules of hygiene and preventive measures of the diseases the man increases his life span. Whereas by ignoring them he may decrease his age.

The spiritual causes of the long age and short age
The other point which is drawn here is that the effects of the sins, shortens the life span. It is told: If you bring faith and be pious then the Sovereign Lord will bless a long life and postpone your death. Certainly the sins may strike the body and soul continuously the horrifying blows which is easy for a man to realize them.
The Islamic narration stressed a great deal upon this issue as in a noteworthy hadis from imam Sadiq alaihis salam we read: The number of those who die by the consequences of the sins is more than the people who die by their own death. Those who achieve a long live by the result of the virtues acts are more than those who increase their age by the natural factors.
قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّي دَعَوْتُ قَوْمِي لَيْلًا وَنَهَارًا (71:5)
71:5
He said, "My Lord, indeed I invited my people [to truth] night and day.
فَلَمْ يَزِدْهُمْ دُعَائِي إِلَّا فِرَارًا (71:6)
71:6
"But all my calling added nothing but to (their) flight (from the truth).
وَإِنِّي كُلَّمَا دَعَوْتُهُمْ لِتَغْفِرَ لَهُمْ جَعَلُوا أَصَابِعَهُمْ فِي آذَانِهِمْ وَاسْتَغْشَوْا ثِيَابَهُمْ وَأَصَرُّوا وَاسْتَكْبَرُوا اسْتِكْبَارًا (71:7)
71:7
And indeed, every time I invited them that You may forgive them, they put their fingers in their ears, covered themselves with their garments, persisted, and were arrogant with [great] arrogance
ثُمَّ إِنِّي دَعَوْتُهُمْ جِهَارًا (71:8)
71:8
Then verily, I called to them openly (aloud);
ثُمَّ إِنِّي أَعْلَنتُ لَهُمْ وَأَسْرَرْتُ لَهُمْ إِسْرَارًا (71:9)
71:9
Then I announced to them and [also] confided to them secretly
Every chance I utilize it for their Guidance
In these ayaat in the persistence of the duty of prophetic mission hazrat Nuh alaihis salam for the invitation of his people, they are words from his own dialect when he was complaining before his Lord, it is quoted which is very instructive.
The statements of hazrat Nuh alaihis salam which can be helpful for all the religious propagators. It expressed: Nuh said “O Lord! I invited my people day and night towards you”.
قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّي دَعَوْتُ قَوْمِي لَيْلًا وَنَهَارًا (71:5)
I never missed a single moment for the propagation.
But my invitation increased nothing in them except their running away from me.
فَلَمْ يَزِدْهُمْ دُعَائِي إِلَّا فِرَارًا (71:6)
It is quite strange that the invitation towards something is the cause of their running away. The obstinate people and the enemies of truth while hearing the call of authenticity resist before it and this refusal makes them more far away from the Holy God. Made their infidelity more rigid and reinforce their hypocrisy.
Same as it is mentioned in the ayat 82 of Sura e Asra: Surat Al-'Isrā' (The Night Journey) - سورة الإسراء
وَنُنَزِّلُ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ مَا هُوَ شِفَاء وَرَحْمَةٌ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَلاَ يَزِيدُ الظَّالِمِينَ إَلاَّ خَسَارًا (17:82)
17:82
And we send down of the Qur'an that which is healing and mercy for the believers, but it does not increase the wrongdoers except in loss.
And we read in the ayaat of Quran, this divine book is the source of the guidance for the pious people.

A guidance to those who are the pious and righteous persons (who fear Allah much (abstain from all kinds of sins and evil deeds which He has forbidden).
For this reason it should be a stage of the piety though in the weak man to accept the truth. This stage is the same spirit of the truth seeking and ability for the acceptance of the true words.
Then hazrat Nuh alaihis salam adds in his words: O Lord! Whenever I invited them to bring the faith so that you bring them among the people who are forgiven, they insert their fingers into their ears and wrap themselves with their covering.
وَإِنِّي كُلَّمَا دَعَوْتُهُمْ لِتَغْفِرَ لَهُمْ جَعَلُوا أَصَابِعَهُمْ فِي آذَانِهِمْ وَاسْتَغْشَوْا ثِيَابَهُمْ وَأَصَرُّوا وَاسْتَكْبَرُوا اسْتِكْبَارًا (71:7)
They place their fingers in the ears for not hearing the voice of truth and enfold themselves totally in their apparels so that less and less the voice of Nuh alaihis salam reach their ear drum and from their no message could enter into their thoughts or they were covering their faces to avoid the sight of his celestial countenance. They were very much careful not to hear as well as see him.
Truly it is very astounding that the man their hostility reaches to such an extent in avoiding the truth that he does not permit himself to see and hear even for a while.
In some of the Islamic interpretations it is mentioned that some of the men of his tribe holding the hands of their children, accompanying them to the Nuh alaihis salam and in this way telling them: keep away from this man and be cautious so that he may not misled you. (The father was telling his son)This is the last will of my father granted to me. Now I am suggesting it to you as well (To fulfil the obligation of the last wish and will of my father).
This ayat signify that Nuh alaihis salam with his prolong age, in which the numerous generations of his people passed away, his divine invitation continued and he did not got tired by any of these kinds of hurdles.
Meantime it illustrates one of the causes of their disaster which was the self-importance and pride. As they were distinguishing themselves higher before the man like them though he was the representative of the Benevolent God and his heart was the abode of knowledge, learning and godliness to submit before him. This egotism and self-importance is always the chief obstruction in the path of truth and its inauspicious fruits we see in the life of the unbelievers in the entire human history.
Nuh alaihis salam in the same manner, consistently before the God, said: O Lord! At times I had called them evidently towards the Unique God and his love.
ثُمَّ إِنِّي دَعَوْتُهُمْ جِهَارًا (71:8)
In the general meetings in the loud voice I called them towards the right believe.
I am not pleased with that only, but announced for them apparently and secretly the facts of monotheism and right belief.
ثُمَّ إِنِّي أَعْلَنتُ لَهُمْ وَأَسْرَرْتُ لَهُمْ إِسْرَارًا (71:9)
Quoted by some interpreters Nuh alaihis salam to influence those egoistic and obstinate masses of people carried on inviting them through three different ways: Sometimes he invited them alone secretly where he faced four types of reactions (1- they inserted fingers in the ears 2- They wrapped themselves with the clothes 3- They were insistence upon the wickedness and 4- They were determined in their blasphemy and in this object demonstrated their pride.) Sometimes he was single-handedly openly and candidly and at times he was using the secret and open method to preach them but none of them was of any use.
Basically the building of man is completed in such a manner that if he steps in the way of falsehood he goes ahead in it, the roots of the deterioration will get firm in his existence. And it influences in the depth of his personality and become his second nature and the invitation of the divinely people does not leave in him any effect and the heavenly messages are useless to give him any advantage.
In the above ayaat whatever mentioned about the invitation of the Nuh alaihis salam in addition it was the resource for consoling the prophet peace be upon him and the believers, in minority in the Mecca city who were united with their prophet. It is a general agenda for the future of all the religious missionaries in propagation of the way of Allah.
He was not hoping the people would accept his invitation and gather in a center for the general people. Then with a contented heart, as everybody was staring at his face to hear him, and give them the divine message. But by the tone of the ayaat it is adopted that (In some of the narrations it is mentioned) he was sometimes going towards the people in their houses or in the lanes and markets and calling them specifically to preach them with much kindness and patience. And at times he was visiting the ordinary congregations and get-togethers which were conducted for the common man like the celebrations and the mourning ceremonies and reciting for them the command of the Mighty God with loud and clear voice. But every now and then he used to face the unpleasant insulting and abusive reactions and at times by the hitting and wounding him, still he was never ceasing in his endeavor.
He possessed an extraordinary tolerance and extra strange sympathy along with the perseverance and the unparallel stamina. His wealth was in the path of invitation towards the divine laws.
The more peculiar fact is that through the period of 950 years of his invitation he brought into his faith only 80 person. If both of this the numbers are divided it will get obvious that for the guidance of each person approximately it took him almost 12 years of preaching.
If the Islamic propagators would have possess this kind of perseverance, determination and firmness then Islam with this rich and interesting content would have become famous all over the world.

Why running away from the fact
At times the man wonders and thinks: Is it possible under the sun that there are the people who are not ready to hear the words of truth and run away from it?
But the history reveals there exists abundantly the large number people.
The people of Nuh alaihis salam when he was preaching them not only inserting fingers in the ears and covering themselves to avoid seeing and hearing the truth but in the period of the prophet of Islam peace be upon him according to the noble Quran there were a group of people when the charismatic voice of the Prophet peace be upon him with the ayaat of Quran was rising and reaching them they were creating a great chaos by their loud whistling and hooting that no one was able to hear him.
Surat Fuşşilat (Explained in Detail) - سورة فصلت
وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَا تَسْمَعُوا لِهَذَا الْقُرْآنِ وَالْغَوْا فِيهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَغْلِبُونَ (41:26)
41:26
And those who disbelieve say: "Listen not to this Quran, and make noise in the midst of its (recitation) that you may overcome."
In the bloody history of Karbala it is mentioned too when Imam Husain alaihis salam the chief of the martyrs wanted to preach and awaken the perverted enemies, they created such a clamour that the voice of imam vanished in between their chaos.
Today this procedure is continued too though in form of other features of the supporters of illogical life and unhealthy entertainments, the destructive music, narcotic drugs and likewise formed such an environment that the people particularly the youth cannot hear the charismatic voice of the holy people.
فَقُلْتُ اسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّكُمْ إِنَّهُ كَانَ غَفَّارًا (71:10)
71:10
"I said (to them): 'Ask forgiveness from your Lord; Verily, He is a eternal Forgiver.
يُرْسِلِ السَّمَاء عَلَيْكُم مِّدْرَارًا (71:11)
71:11
'He will send rain to you in abundance;
وَيُمْدِدْكُمْ بِأَمْوَالٍ وَبَنِينَ وَيَجْعَل لَّكُمْ جَنَّاتٍ وَيَجْعَل لَّكُمْ أَنْهَارًا (71:12)
71:12
And give you increase in wealth and children and provide for you gardens and provide for you rivers.
مَّا لَكُمْ لَا تَرْجُونَ لِلَّهِ وَقَارًا (71:13)
71:13
What is the matter with you, [that you fear not Allah (His punishment), and] you hope not for reward (from Allah or you believe not in His Oneness).
وَقَدْ خَلَقَكُمْ أَطْوَارًا (71:14)
71:14
While He has created you in stages?

The worldly reward
Hazrat Nuh alaihis salam in the continuance of his effective preaching for the guidance of those stubborn and immovable people this time relied upon the glad tiding and encouragement and emphatically promised them that if they penitently leave the polytheism and the sins, the merciful God will open the doors of his kindness from everywhere before them and said: O Lord I told them: Before your Benevolent God ask for the forgiveness as he is the best Forgiver.
فَقُلْتُ اسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّكُمْ إِنَّهُ كَانَ غَفَّارًا (71:10)
Not only He purifies you from the sins but if you do this He will pour for you the perpetual rains from the sky.
يُرْسِلِ السَّمَاء عَلَيْكُم مِّدْرَارًا (71:11)
In short He will pour his merciful spiritual rains as well as the abundant rain shower.
The most interesting matter is that it said: Pour upon you the rains from the sky in much abundance, plentifully.
He sends them in the manner, as if the sky is descending upon them while the kind of rain of blessings is such that it never has any destruction and damage instead every where it is the source of the vegetation, freshness and cheerfulness.
And I increase your children and wealth
وَيُمْدِدْكُمْ بِأَمْوَالٍ وَبَنِينَ
And nurture the fresh gardens and gushed the streams of rivers for you.
وَيَجْعَل لَّكُمْ جَنَّاتٍ وَيَجْعَل لَّكُمْ أَنْهَارًا (71:12)
Like this way one great spiritual favor and other five blessings were promised to them. The one great favor is spiritual and that is his forgiveness of the sins and to get cleansed from the contamination which is polytheism and transgression. And the five favors are material that are the pouring of the valuable timely rains that creates abundance, the rise in wealth, increase in the children (the human wealth) and the gardens blessed with plenty and rivers over flowing with water.
Yea belief and piety according to the view of noble Quran flourish and prosper the world and the hereafter as well.
In some of the narrations it is stated that when those obstinate people of Nuh alaihis salam turned down to accept the invitation of their prophet, draught, shortage of food and water scarcity prevailed over them. They lost most of their wealth and children and their womenfolk got infertile and childless as they were conceiving very fewer children. Nuh alaihis salam told them: If you bring faith, all these hardships and adversaries will come to an end from the life of you all But they did not paid any heed and similarly they showed pigheadedness to him. So the final punishment reached and reaped them all.
After that once again he turned to preach them and said: Why do not you fear the Glorious God? And do not accept the grandeur of Magnificent God.
مَّا لَكُمْ لَا تَرْجُونَ لِلَّهِ وَقَارًا (71:13)
While God had figured you in the various phases;
وَقَدْ خَلَقَكُمْ أَطْوَارًا (71:14)
Initially you were only valueless semen, and in a short period of time the Fashioner God
gave you the face of علقه embryo (fertilized egg) and after that made you in form of مضغه foetus then shaped you in the figure of man then clothed your body with the dress of existence blessed with soul, senses and movements. Similarly you improved one after another in many stages of foetus. Subsequently you acquired the complete face and your mother gave you birth. For a second time you carried on the ways of life in varied outward appearances and stages until the end of time. You had been always under the command of his lordship. You are constantly renovating by the God who provides you every time a new profile.
How before the splendid threshold of the Excellent Creator you cannot bow your heads?
It takes not only different forms physically but your soul and life is constantly in the renovation. Each one of you possesses ability, in every character there is a refinement and in each heart there exists love. All of you constantly get altered, the sentiments of childhood take the place of the youthful emotions and that too give its place to the feelings of the old age and laziness.
Similarly he is with you everywhere and guides you at every step with all his kindness and compassion then why there is so much disrespect and blasphemy?

The connection of the piety with the civilisation
From the different ayaat of Quran like the above ayaat, this point is reveals that faith and justice are the ground for the prosperity of the civilizations whereas the blasphemy, oppression and sins are the foundation of the devastation and destruction.
In the ayat of the 96 Araf we read:سورة الأعراف Al-A'raf (The Heights)
وَلَوْ أَنَّ أَهْلَ الْقُرَى آمَنُواْ وَاتَّقَواْ لَفَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِم بَرَكَاتٍ مِّنَ السَّمَاء وَالأَرْضِ وَلَـكِن كَذَّبُواْ فَأَخَذْنَاهُم بِمَا كَانُواْ يَكْسِبُونَ (7:96)
7:96
And if only the people of the cities had believed and feared Allah, We would have opened upon them blessings from the heaven and the earth; but they denied [the messengers], so we seized them for what they were earning."
In the 41 ayat of Sura e Rum we read: Surat Ar-Rūm (The Romans) - الروم سورة
ظَهَرَ الْفَسَادُ فِي الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ أَيْدِي النَّاسِ
30:41
Corruption has appeared throughout the land and sea by [reason of] what the hands of people have earned
Dishonesty appeared in the land and the sea by whatsoever the people earned.
Surat Ash-Shūraá (The Consultation) - لشورى ا سورة
وَمَا أَصَابَكُم مِّن مُّصِيبَةٍ فَبِمَا كَسَبَتْ أَيْدِيكُمْ
And whatever of misfortune befalls you, it is because of what your hands have earned.
Al-Ma'idah (The Table Spread)
وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ أَقَامُواْ التَّوْرَاةَ وَالإِنجِيلَ وَمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيهِم مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ لأكَلُواْ مِن فَوْقِهِمْ وَمِن تَحْتِ أَرْجُلِهِم
5:66
And if only they upheld [the law of] the Torah, the Gospel, and what has been revealed to them from their Lord, they would have consumed [provision] from above them and from beneath their feet.
The abundant blessings of the earth and the sky will prevail over them.
This connection is not only a spiritual relation but in addition to its spiritual effects we observe clearly the existence of its material benefits as well.
The blasphemy and faithlessness is the fountain head of the absence in the sense of duty, breaking of law and forgetfulness in the moral values. It is the cause of the disunity in the society, trembles the base of the reliability and confidence in the people; it devastates the human and economic power and causes the collision in the social balance.
It is quite clear that the society where these matters prevails will proceed towards the recession in high speed and go forward in the way of destruction and fall down.
If we come across the societies that in spite of their faithlessness and treachery possess the advanced prosperous living conditions that too are indebted to their obedience before the linage of some of the basic moral rules which is the heritage of earlier prophets and it is the result of the hardwork of the spiritual leaders, learned men and the scholars in the time-span of the centuries.
Besides the above ayaat in the Islamic narrations too stressed upon this issue that استغفار ‘asking forgiveness’ and abandoning the sins will increase the provisions رزق our daily bread and improve the well being of the life, as well as in a hadis related to Ali alaihis salam who said: ask forgiveness more and more to attract the most excellent rain showers of sustenance towards you.
In another narration from the most honourable and generous prophet Muhammad peace be upon him it is quoted such that: The one whom the provider God blessed him the affluence he should thank the Bestower God and the one whose providence is delayed he must ask forgiveness to the great God as much as he can. The person who is disheartened by any disaster he must always recite:

In The Nahjul Balagha too we read: The Protector God caused, استغفار ‘ asking for the forgiveness’ the means of increase in the providence رزق and the kindness of the people and said: From your Lord ask for forgiveness as he is the most forgiving and he will send the rains full of abundance.
The fact is that the punishment of the most of the sins is the scarcity in this world and when the man ask forgiveness and follow the clean path and piety, the Praiseworthy God erase away all his punishments
أَلَمْ تَرَوْا كَيْفَ خَلَقَ اللَّهُ سَبْعَ سَمَاوَاتٍ طِبَاقًا (71:15)
71:15
Do you not consider how Allah has created seven heavens in layers
وَجَعَلَ الْقَمَرَ فِيهِنَّ نُورًا وَجَعَلَ الشَّمْسَ سِرَاجًا (71:16)
71:16
And made the moon therein a [reflected] light and made the sun a burning lamp?
وَاللَّهُ أَنبَتَكُم مِّنَ الْأَرْضِ نَبَاتًا (71:17)
71:17
And Allah has brought you forth from the (dust of) earth.
ثُمَّ يُعِيدُكُمْ فِيهَا وَيُخْرِجُكُمْ إِخْرَاجًا (71:18)
71:18
Afterwards He will return you into it (the earth), and bring you forth (again on the Day of Resurrection)?
وَاللَّهُ جَعَلَ لَكُمُ الْأَرْضَ بِسَاطًا (71:19)
71:19
And Allah has made for you the earth wide spread (an expanse).
لِتَسْلُكُوا مِنْهَا سُبُلًا فِجَاجًا (71:20)
71:20
So that you might walk thereon on spacious paths.

The Gardener of our creation raised us like a blossom
Hazrat Nuh alaihis salam in his deep effecting and influencing speeches before the resolute and determined polytheists, held their hands and took them in the depth of their inner self to observe the signs of Almighty in their soul, the real self. Then as it is mentioned in the previous ayaat, he turned their attention to understand the signs of the Praise worthy God that are present in the world of existence and made them to tour beyond the horizon in the space.
In the beginning it starts from the sky and said: He formed the seven skies one upon another.
أَلَمْ تَرَوْا كَيْفَ خَلَقَ اللَّهُ سَبْعَ سَمَاوَاتٍ طِبَاقًا (71:15)
طِبَاقً means to place one object upon another and often presents the meaning of the likeness of two things, here both the meanings are true.
According to the previous meaning the seven skies are arranged one upon another, in the definition of the seven skies in the past we defined an interesting definition that is: whatever we see with the our own eyes or with the help of the apparatus, the stars and the planets, they all come under the first sky and they are another six skies above each other which is out of the knowledge of the today’s man. May be in the future he may obtain the ability to discover the other six skies, the wonderful and wide universe, one after another.
While the second guess of the noble Quran is the coordination and harmonization of the seven skies in their greatness, system and the beauty.
Then it adds: The Creator God made the moon as a means of light in between the skies and established the sun as a radiant lamp
وَجَعَلَ الْقَمَرَ فِيهِنَّ نُورًا وَجَعَلَ الشَّمْسَ سِرَاجًا (71:16)
It is true that in the seven skies there exists millions of bright stars which are brighter than the sun and the moon but the matter which is important for us is that the sun, moon and the solar system influences our life, the moon brightens our environment in the night and the sun radiate our days.
سِرَاجً means lamp which is the sun it is because the light of the sun spread from its inside like a lamp but the light of the moon is not from within. It reflects the light of the sun similarly like the mirror, the term light had common meaning so it is used for it. This difference is sighted in the other ayaat too, like Sura e Yunus.
Once again turned towards the existence of man and included: God like a plant had grown you from the soil.
وَاللَّهُ أَنبَتَكُم مِّنَ الْأَرْضِ نَبَاتًا (71:17)
أَنبَاتَ means to grow as about the man, his initial creation is from the earth and secondly whatever man eats, with the help of that food he raise up and get nurtured they are entirely from the earth directly like vegetations, fruits and food grains or indirectly like cattle’s meat. Thirdly there is a lot of resemblance between the man and the vegetation as most of the laws and regulations for the reproduction, development and growth of the vegetation are ruling over the man also.
These expressions in the description of man are extremely meaningful, it indicates that the purpose of the guidance of the Almighty is not only like the teacher and the student but He is like the gardener who cultivates the seed in the suitable ambiance so the same way he do with the hidden abilities of man to get his talents exposed.
About hazrat Mariam alaihis salam ‘Mary’ in the ayat 37 of Al e Imran we read: Surat 'Āli `Imrān (Family of Imran) - سورة آل عمران
فَتَقَبَّلَهَا رَبُّهَا بِقَبُولٍ حَسَنٍ وَأَنبَتَهَا نَبَاتًا حَسَنًا
So her Lord accepted her with good acceptance and caused her to grow in a good manner.
This ayat indicates towards that delicate point.
Then turned towards the topic of the judgment day which was another complicated crisis for the polytheists and said: Then, from the soil He you grew up and once again He will send you back from there.
ثُمَّ يُعِيدُكُمْ فِيهَا وَيُخْرِجُكُمْ إِخْرَاجًا (71:18)
In the beginning you were soil and once again He you returns you back to the soil. The one who has power to produce you from the soil, after getting into the soil he had the domination to give you the attire of life once again.
This movement of resurrection day is one of the ayaat of monotheism towards the judgment day which beautifully reflected to prove the close relation of the monotheism and judgment day, like this way it confirms the fact of resurrection.
Once again in the ayat relating to cosmos which are the signs of one God in the universe and explained the blessings of the earth and said:
وَاللَّهُ جَعَلَ لَكُمُ الْأَرْضَ بِسَاطًا (71:19)
The earth is not such rough that you are unable to rest and travel upon it not such soft that to penetrate into it and incapable to move upon it.
Not such hot and burning that the heat brings you adversities not such cold and freezing that become hard to live upon it. Besides it is infinite, immeasurable, constantly ready and prepared to provide every kind of your need.
The lands are like an extensive carpet and the mountains, their valleys and the extremely wide splits in them, from which we are able to pass. The purpose of these spacious gaps in the mountains is to provide us the wide roads and make us capable to pass from there and go wherever we want.
لِتَسْلُكُوا مِنْهَا سُبُلًا فِجَاجًا (71:20)
فِجَاجً means a valley in between the two mountains and it is called the wide roads too.
Like this way hazrat Nuh alaihis salam in his speech sometime pointed towards the skies and the stars of the fashioner God and at times indicated towards the various heavenly favors upon the earth sphere and often illustrated the structure of human body and the matters of life which is a proof to realize the Exalted God and verify the resurrection day.
But not his previous warnings and the encouragements nor the logical prove did any effect upon the black hearts of these obstinate people.
قَالَ نُوحٌ رَّبِّ إِنَّهُمْ عَصَوْنِي وَاتَّبَعُوا مَن لَّمْ يَزِدْهُ مَالُهُ وَوَلَدُهُ إِلَّا خَسَارًا (71:21)
71:21
Nuh (Noah) said: "My Lord! They have disobeyed me, and followed one whose wealth and children give him no increase but only loss.
وَمَكَرُوا مَكْرًا كُبَّارًا (71:22)
71:22
"And they have plotted a mighty plot.
وَقَالُوا لَا تَذَرُنَّ آلِهَتَكُمْ وَلَا تَذَرُنَّ وَدًّا وَلَا سُوَاعًا وَلَا يَغُوثَ وَيَعُوقَ وَنَسْرًا (71:23)
71:23
"And they have said: 'You shall not leave your gods, nor shall you leave Wadd, nor Suwa', nor Yaghuth, nor Ya'uq, nor Nasr (names of the idols);
وَقَدْ أَضَلُّوا كَثِيرًا وَلَا تَزِدِ الظَّالِمِينَ إِلَّا ضَلَالًا (71:24)
71:24
And already they have misled many. And, [my Lord], do not increase the wrongdoers except in error."
مِمَّا خَطِيئَاتِهِمْ أُغْرِقُوا فَأُدْخِلُوا نَارًا فَلَمْ يَجِدُوا لَهُم مِّن دُونِ اللَّهِ أَنصَارًا (71:25)
71:25
Because of their sins they were drowned and put into the Fire, and they found not for themselves besides Allah [any] helpers.

The kind and Merciful God treated with you leniently
At last in his mission when Nuh alaihis salam in the length of hundreds of years preached his people except a small number all of them refused their prophet’s invitation. The same way it continued and they stressed upon their polytheism, perversion, corruption and blasphemy. Nuh alaihis salam got disappointed and in his whole hearted supplications he pleaded the Responsive God for the chastisement of his people.
Nuh alaihis salam said: O Lord they disobeyed me and followed the one who except loss in their wealth and children increased them nothing.
قَالَ نُوحٌ رَّبِّ إِنَّهُمْ عَصَوْنِي وَاتَّبَعُوا مَن لَّمْ يَزِدْهُ مَالُهُ وَوَلَدُهُ إِلَّا خَسَارًا (71:21)
Indicated towards the leaders of his tribe and said they never serve the people except in the way of corruption and contamination and they are not humble before the creator and all these plentiful prosperity and riches just increased their rebellion and disobedience.
If we have a glimpse in the human history most of the heads of the various nations were among these categories of people. They are the people whose solitary distinction is only their constant accumulation of the illegal wealth and its fostering and giving the ill character sons and daughters to the society. And subsequently in their riots and disturbing the society they finally influence their thoughts upon the masses of the weak people and make them captives in their bloody claws.
Then it adds: These gone astray leaders always put all their efforts to spread the enormous traps for misleading the people.
وَمَكَرُوا مَكْرًا كُبَّارًا (71:22)
The word كُبَّارًا indicates that their vast devilish titanic plans for the deception of the people and obstructing the people in the acceptance of the invitation of Nuh alaihis salam but what kind of plans were their?
Most probably that issue was the idol worshipping as according to some of the narrations, before the period of Nuh alaihis salam there was not any idol worshipping but the people of Nuh alaihis salam brought it into existence and the idol worshipping started between the period of prophet Adam alaihis salam and Nuh alaihis salam they were living the pious divinely persons whom the people were attached dearly, devil (and the devilish people) exploited these feelings of affections and regards, he encouraged them to build the idols of those great people and pay those idols homage and respects.
However in the period of time the coming generations had forgotten their past relations to the history and believed these idols are the respected figures to be worshiped. Like this way they got engaged in the idol worship, the cruel rich bigheaded self-centered people by this way misguided to captured them and hold the control over them and this was the great deception.
The next ayat can be the eyewitness of it, as after indicating vaguely towards this great cheating, added: the chiefs said: do not depart from the Gods and the idols.

They never accepted the invitation of the Nuh alaihis salam towards the one God and included: The god which cannot be touched by hands and observed by the eyes.
They stood firmly upon their faith specifically towards the five idols and stated: Do not depart from the idols of وَدًّا, سُوَاعًا, يَغُوثَ, يَعُوقَ and نَسْرًا Vaddan’ Sova’an, Yaghusa, Ya’ooqa and the Nasran.
وَلَا تَذَرُنَّ وَدًّا وَلَا سُوَاعًا وَلَا يَغُوثَ وَيَعُوقَ وَنَسْرًا (71:23)
By the old confirmations it is proved that those five idols were of high merits, they were most popular among those misguided people. For this reason their opportunist leaders relied upon the worshiping of those idols.
Regarding the commencement of the idols, from where they had originated? They are many explanations:
1 Some defined those are the names of five pious men who were living before hazrat Nuh alaihis salam when they died, by the instigation of the devil, people established their idols and appreciated them. Then gradually that trend changed into the idol worshipping.
2 Some defined: these are the names of the five sons of prophet Adam, when they died the people built their idols to remember them. But after a phase of time it had been forgotten and the wave of their idol worshiping commenced.
3 Some others believe that these were the names of the idols built in the era of hazrat Nuh alaihis salam itself. It came into existence as hazrat Nuh alaihis salam used to prevent his people from the circumambulation of the grave of the Adam alaihis salam, a group of the people by the initiating the devil started to build the statues and began to worship them.
In due course, these five idols transferred to the Arabs in the period of ignorance and every tribe selected an idol for themselves. It is far from the fact that those idols were transferred there. But it is evident that the names were transmitted there. But some of the interpreters quoted the Ibn Abbas that these five idols were buried in the sand in the floods of the Nuh alaihis salam and in the period of ignorant Arabs the Satan took them out and provoked the people to worship them.
There are statements in each of the Arab tribe about their divisions:
Some declared وَدًّا belonged to the tribe of Bani Kalb in the territory of Daumatul Jandal ( a city near the Tabuk which is called today Jauf). سُوَاعًا is related to the Hazil tribe in the area of Rahath. And the idol of يَغُوثَ was worshiped by the tribe of Bani Qateef or Bani Mazjah and يَعُوقَ was adored by the tribe of Hamdan and نَسْرًا were belonged to the Zeekalala sect from the tribe of Hameer.
Altogether from these five idols three idols (يَغُوثَ, يَعُوقَ, نَسْرًا) were in the territory of Yaman by the command of the Zunavas it was destroyed and people were converted to the Jewish religion.
Vaqadi a historian defines: The idol of وَدًّا was in the physique of guy and the idol سُوَاعًا was in the appearance of woman and يَغُوث in stature of tiger and يَعُوقَ in the form of horse and نَسْرًا in the figure of hawk.
Though the ignorant Arab (before Islam) in particular, the natives of Mecca were possessing the other statues too as the deity of Hubal was considered as their largest idol erected inside the house of Ka’ba.Its length was 18 zara (cubit - an ancient linear unit based on the length of the forearm, from elbow to the tip of the middle finger, usually from 17 to 21 in. (43 to 53 cm).) and the idol of Asaf before the Hajr Asvad and the idol of Naila infront of the Rukn Yamani (the southern corner of the house of Ka’ba) same way the idols of the Lat and Uza.
Then Nuh alaihis salam included: O Lord! These deceptive and self-interested leaders misinformed numerous groups of the people.

O Lord! Do not increase the tyrant except their wrong steps.
وَلَا تَزِدِ الظَّالِمِينَ إِلَّا ضَلَالًا (71:24)
The meaning of increasing the wrong steps and leading astray the oppressors, it is the same denial of their achievement and grace from the Almighty which is the root of all their misfortunes or the punishments which they acquire for their dictatorship, the Dominant God snatches away the light of the faith from their hearts and made the darkness its inheritor .
This is the nature of their deeds that is related to Majestic God as every creature has its own character but these characters are only defined by the Strong God. (Point to be noted).
In conclusion in the last ayat of the discussion the Benevolent God likewise expressed the final statement on this subject and said: They were drowned for their sins and entered into the fire. They did not get any supporter except the Merciful God. To defend them before their eyes.
مِمَّا خَطِيئَاتِهِمْ أُغْرِقُوا فَأُدْخِلُوا نَارًا فَلَمْ يَجِدُوا لَهُم مِّن دُونِ اللَّهِ أَنصَارًا (71:25)
The meaning of the ayat shows that after sinking in the floods they instantly penetrated into the fire. It is a very strange thing that they enter straight from the water into the fire. This fire is the fire of the Limbo (indeterminate state of soul after death برزخ before the judgment day). As according to the ayaat of Quran a certain group of people, after the death in the state of Limbo, get their punishments. Since affirmed by the narrations, the grave is one of the gardens among the gardens of heaven or one of the fire pits from the pits of the Hells fire.
May be it is possible that it is the fire of Resurrection day but as the occurrence of the judgment day is predetermined, it is not far away.
Some guessed it as fire of the worldly life. They say by the command of God, in that same waves of floods, a fire came into existence and swallowed them all.