۞ كَذَّبَتْ قَبْلَهُمْ قَوْمُ نُوحٍ فَكَذَّبُوا۟ عَبْدَنَا وَقَالُوا۟ مَجْنُونٌ وَٱزْدُجِرَ 9
Translations
The people of Noah denied before them, and they denied Our servant and said, "A madman," and he was repelled.
Transliteration
Kaththabat qablahum qawmu Noohin fakath-thaboo AAabdana wa qaaloo majnoonun wazdujir
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah recounts how the people of Noah rejected him before the addressees of this surah rejected the Prophet Muhammad, calling Noah mad and driving him away with threats and ridicule. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this verse establishes a pattern of rejection: just as Noah's people denied their messenger despite his clear signs and patience for 950 years, so too did the Quraysh reject Muhammad, demonstrating that the denial of truth is a recurring human tendency throughout history.
Revelation Context
Surah Al-Qamar is a Meccan surah that emphasizes the inevitability of Allah's punishment upon those who reject His messengers. This ayah begins a series of historical examples (verses 9-48) showing how previous nations rejected their prophets—Noah, 'Ad, Thamud, Lot, and Pharaoh—and subsequently faced divine destruction. The Meccan context suggests this was revealed to comfort the Prophet Muhammad amid the Quraysh's rejection and mockery.
Related Hadiths
In Sahih Bukhari, the Prophet Muhammad said regarding Noah: 'Among the messengers, Noah was sent first to mankind' (Hadith 3156). Additionally, the Quran states that Noah preached for 950 years (29:14), and Surah Ash-Shu'ara (26:118) records Noah's prayer against those who rejected him, showing the context of persistent denial.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that rejection of truth and those who convey it is not new; it is a timeless pattern rooted in human nature and pride. Modern believers should recognize that opposition to faith is inevitable, find solace in knowing that faithful messengers faced similar trials, and remain steadfast in their conviction that Allah's justice ultimately prevails over denial.