قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّىٓ أَعُوذُ بِكَ أَنْ أَسْـَٔلَكَ مَا لَيْسَ لِى بِهِۦ عِلْمٌ ۖ وَإِلَّا تَغْفِرْ لِى وَتَرْحَمْنِىٓ أَكُن مِّنَ ٱلْخَـٰسِرِينَ 47
Translations
[Noah] said, "My Lord, I seek refuge in You from asking that of which I have no knowledge. And unless You forgive me and have mercy upon me, I will be among the losers."
Transliteration
Qala Rabbi inni aAAoodhu bika an asalaka ma laysa li bihi AAilmun wa-illa taghfir li watarhamni akun mina alkhasisreen
Tafsir (Explanation)
Prophet Nuh (Noah) seeks refuge with Allah from asking Him for something he has no knowledge of, and humbly entreats Allah for forgiveness and mercy, fearing he would be among the losers if denied these. This ayah demonstrates Nuh's profound humility, piety, and awareness of his dependence on Allah—he recognizes the limits of human knowledge and the danger of requesting divine matters without proper understanding. Classical scholars like Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir emphasize this as a model of proper servitude, where even the greatest prophets acknowledge their need for Allah's guidance and mercy.
Revelation Context
This verse occurs in the narrative of Nuh's supplication during the flood, after his son refuses to board the ark. The broader context of Surah Hud deals with the stories of various prophets and divine trials. This specific ayah reflects Nuh's response when faced with the tragedy of his son's drowning—rather than question Allah's wisdom, he reaffirms his trust and submission, seeking only what is within the bounds of divine knowledge.
Related Hadiths
The hadith in Sahih Muslim from Abdullah ibn Mas'ud describes the Prophet Muhammad saying, 'No one is more patient with harm they hear than Allah,' reflecting the same theme of submitting to Allah's will without complaint. Additionally, the Quranic principle in 17:36 about not following that which you have no knowledge of complements this ayah's message.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers to recognize the boundaries of their understanding and to approach Allah with humility and trust rather than presumption; in difficult circumstances, seeking Allah's forgiveness and mercy is more beneficial than questioning His wisdom.