71.28 Prophet Nuh's supplication for the believers and against the wrongdoers
Every Quranic supplication is special. They are all different, but all important and full of valuable lessons. This supplication from the Book of Allah is unique in that it combines vitally important requests concerning both this world and the eternal world. Another feature of this supplication is that the one who turned to Allah the Almighty with it asked for good not only for himself or those close to him, but for all believers.
And the first lesson this supplication can teach us is that we should not forget to turn to the Lord in supplication not only for ourselves and for the people we know and love, but for all our brothers and sisters in faith in general. Even for those who live in other countries and even on other continents, and even for those we have never seen and perhaps never will. This wonderful supplication teaches us an important truth: we should care not only for ourselves and for those who are dear to us and to whom we are bound by ties of kinship or friendship, but also for those to whom we are bound by ties of brotherhood in faith. All these people have a right to our love, to our kindness and to our turning to Allah the Almighty with good supplications for them.
The man who called upon the Lord of the worlds with this beautiful supplication was the noble prophet of God, Nuh (peace be upon him). And this supplication is given in the surah named after this very wise, steadfast and patient prophet, who called his people to the truth for nearly a thousand years.
This supplication, like other Quranic supplications, has its own story. Nuh (peace be upon him) called upon the Lord of the worlds with these words after the Lord had revealed to him that no more of his people would believe except those who had already believed. In other words, Allah the Almighty informed Nuh (peace be upon him) that the call he had addressed to his people for so many years would bear no fruit other than what it had already borne. The number of his people who had believed would not increase, and no one else would heed his call and open their heart to the truth.
It was then that Nuh (peace be upon him) turned to the Almighty Lord with this supplication, asking Him to punish and destroy the disbelievers, giving as the reason for his request that if these people remained alive, they would do nothing but try to lead others astray and inspire in them an aversion to religion, and that if they brought anyone into the world, it would only be those like themselves, of whom it was already known that faith would not enter their hardened hearts and that there was no good in them.
Although Nuh (peace be upon him) was a prophet of God, protected from sins, he still began his supplication by asking Allah for forgiveness. On his part this was an expression of modesty, humility and courtesy towards the Almighty Creator. Moreover, these words of his were meant to teach his followers the importance of asking Allah for forgiveness. For we are all His servants and we are in need of His mercy and forgiveness.
It is important to note that after asking forgiveness for himself, Nuh then asked forgiveness for his parents. This too is an important lesson and a confirmation of the high position that Islam gives to parents. So this supplication reminds us of the importance of treating our parents with reverence and respect, of observing their rights and obeying them in what does not contradict religion, and also that we should turn more often to the Almighty with good supplications for them.
Next, Nuh (peace be upon him) asked for forgiveness for those of his people who had believed. This supplication reminds us how important it is for each of us to have good company, how important it is to see around us sincerely believing, righteous people and to associate with them.
For devout, pious, God-fearing and good-natured people support and strengthen one another like bricks in a single building, and strive to give one another whatever help they can. Besides, their presence allows a believer not to feel alone. And even the hardest path becomes easier if one travels it with good companions. What, then, of the main path of our whole life, the path to salvation, to the pleasure of the Lord and to Paradise?..