فَٱفْتَحْ بَيْنِى وَبَيْنَهُمْ فَتْحًا وَنَجِّنِى وَمَن مَّعِىَ مِنَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ 118
Translations
Then judge between me and them with decisive judgement and save me and those with me of the believers."
Transliteration
Faftah bayni wa baynahahum fathan wa najjini wa man ma'iya minal mu'minin
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah records Prophet Nuh's (Noah's) supplication to Allah for a decisive judgment between himself and his people who rejected his message, along with a plea for salvation for himself and the believers with him. Ibn Kathir explains that Nuh sought Allah's intervention after 950 years of preaching without success, asking for a clear distinction (fatah) between truth and falsehood through divine judgment. Al-Tabari emphasizes that this du'a reflects the prophet's patience exhausted and his trust in Allah's justice, leading to the command for building the Ark and the subsequent flood.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the narrative of Prophet Nuh within Surah Ash-Shu'ara, which presents stories of various prophets as reassurance to Prophet Muhammad during Meccan persecution. The surah's context shows Allah's pattern of supporting prophets against their opponents, with Nuh's story illustrating the consequences of rejecting divine guidance and the salvation granted to believers.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: 'The most patient of people is Nuh, for he called his people for 950 years and did not become angry' (narrated in At-Tabarani). Also relevant is the hadith in Sahih Muslim about du'a being the essence of worship, illustrating how Nuh's supplication exemplifies reliance upon Allah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that when facing overwhelming rejection or injustice, the ultimate recourse is sincere supplication to Allah, and that divine help comes to those who maintain faith and patience while striving in the path of truth. It reassures us that Allah distinguishes between the truthful and the liars, and protects those who believe despite widespread disbelief.