The Fish Fossil on Mount Everest

 

Penemuan Fosil Ikan di Gunung Everest.

Ya, Al-Quran menyebut banjir pada zaman Nuh (Nuh) dan menggambarkan air bah itu naik menutupi gunung, walaupun ia tidak menyatakan secara eksplisit "jalan di atas semua gunung". 

Berikut adalah penjelasan yang lebih terperinci:

Kisah Banjir:

Al-Quran menceritakan kisah Nabi Nuh (Nuh) dan kaumnya, di mana Allah menurunkan banjir sebagai hukuman atas kefasikan dan kekufuran mereka. 

Tabut:

Nuh diperintahkan untuk membina sebuah bahtera, dan dia dan keluarganya, bersama-sama dengan sepasang binatang, telah diselamatkan di dalam bahtera semasa banjir. 

Banjir:

Al-Quran menyifatkan banjir itu sebagai peristiwa bencana di mana sumber air bumi digabungkan dengan hujan lebat sehingga menyebabkan banjir besar. 

Ombak seperti Gunung:

Al-Quran menggunakan frasa "gelombang seperti gunung" (وَهِيَ تَجۡرِي بِهِمۡ فِي مَوۡجٖ كَٱلۡجِبَالِ) untuk menggambarkan ketinggian dan keganasan ombak semasa banjir. 

Tempat Rehat Tabut:

Al-Quran menyatakan bahawa bahtera itu terletak di Gunung Judi (Judi) selepas air banjir surut.

Ayat Al-Quran:

"Sesungguhnya Kami telah mengutus Nuh kepada kaumnya, dan dia tinggal di antara mereka selama seribu tahun, kurang dari lima puluh tahun. Kemudian mereka ditimpa banjir, sedang mereka berterusan melakukan kezaliman." [Al-Ankabut 29:14] 

"Dan Tabut itu belayar bersama mereka melalui ombak seperti gunung." [Surah Hud 11:42] 

"Dan dikatakan, "Wahai bumi! Telan air anda. Dan wahai langit! Tahan ˹hujan awak˺.” Air banjir surut dan perintah itu dilaksanakan di atas gunung Judi, dan dikatakan: "Lepaskan orang-orang yang zalim!" (Surah Hud 36-48).

 

فَتَحْنَآ أَبْوَٰبَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ بِمَآءٍۢ مُّنْهَمِرٍۢ ١١

Maka Kami bukakan pintu-pintu langit, dengan menurunkan hujan yang mencurah-curah.

— Abdullah Muhammad Basmeih

(Surah Al Qamar : Ayat11)

 

وَفَجَّرْنَا ٱلْأَرْضَ عُيُونًۭا فَٱلْتَقَى ٱلْمَآءُ عَلَىٰٓ أَمْرٍۢ قَدْ قُدِرَ ١٢

Dan Kami jadikan bumi memancarkan mata air-mata air (di sana sini), lalu bertemulah air (langit dan bumi) itu untuk (melakukan) satu perkara yang telah ditetapkan.

 (Surah Al Qamar : Ayat12)

 

Kisah Kaum Nuh dan Pengajaran daripadanya

Allah Ta'ala berfirman,

كَذَّبَتْ

(diingkari) `di hadapan umatmu, wahai Muhammad,'

قَوْمُ نُوحٍ فَكَذَّبُواْ عَبْدَنَا

(kaum Nuh. Mereka mendustakan hamba Kami) bermaksud, mereka mendustakannya secara mutlak dan menuduhnya gila,

وَقَالُواْ مَجْنُونٌ وَازْدُجِرَ

(dan berkata: "Orang gila!" Wazdujir.) Mujahid berkata tentang Wazdujir: "Dia dihalau kerana dituduh gila." Dikatakan juga bahawa Wazdujir bermaksud, dia ditegur, dihalang, diancam dan diberi amaran oleh kaumnya dengan berkata:

لَئِنْ لَّمْ تَنْتَهِ ينُوحُ لَتَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْمُرْجُومِينَ

("Jika kamu tidak berhenti, wahai Nuh, kamu akan termasuk orang-orang yang akan direjam.") 26:116 Ini telah dikatakan oleh Ibn Zayd, dan ia adalah benar.

فَدَعَا رَبَّهُ أَنُّى مَغْلُوبٌ فَانتَصِرْ

(Kemudian dia berdoa kepada Tuhannya (sambil berkata): "Aku telah dikalahkan, maka tolonglah (aku)!") Maksudnya, `Aku lemah dan tidak dapat mengalahkan kaumku dan tidak dapat menentang kaumku, maka tolonglah agamaMu!' Allah Ta'ala berfirman,

فَفَتَحْنَآ أَبْوَبَ السَّمَآءِ بِمَاءٍ مُّنْهَمِرٍ

(Maka, Kami buka pintu-pintu langit dengan air Munhamir.) As-Suddi berkata tentang Munhamir, "Ertinya melimpah ruah."

وَفَجَّرْنَا الاٌّرْضَ عُيُوناً

(Dan Kami memancarkan mata air dari bumi.) Ertinya, dari segenap penjuru bumi, dan juga ketuhar yang menyala-nyala api - air dan mata air memancar.

فَالْتَقَى المَآءُ

(Maka bertemulah air), maksudnya, langit dan bumi,

عَلَى أَمْرٍ قَدْ قُدِرَ

(untuk perkara yang telah ditakdirkan.) Ibn Jurayj melaporkan daripada Ibn `Abbas:

فَفَتَحْنَآ أَبْوَبَ السَّمَآءِ بِمَاءٍ مُّنْهَمِرٍ

(Maka Kami bukakan pintu-pintu langit dengan air Munhamir), hujan yang deras, hanya air yang turun dari langit sebelum hari itu dan sesudah itu ialah dari awan. Tetapi pintu-pintu langit terbuka kepada mereka pada hari itu, dan oleh itu, air yang turun bukanlah dari awan. Maka bertemulah kedua-dua air (bumi dan langit) itu menurut satu perkara yang telah ditetapkan." Allah berfirman,

وَحَمَلْنَاهُ عَلَى ذَاتِ أَلْوَحٍ وَدُسُرٍ

(Dan Kami angkut dia di atas (kapal) yang terbuat dari papan dan paku (Dusur)), Ibnu `Abbas, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Al-Qurazi, Qatadah dan Ibnu Zayd berkata Dusur artinya paku. Ibn Jarir lebih menyukai pandangan ini. firman Allah,

تَجْرِى بِأَعْيُنِنَا

(Terapung di bawah Mata Kami), bermaksud, `dengan perintah Kami dan di bawah perlindungan dan pemerhatian Kami,'

جَزَآءً لِّمَن كَانَ كُفِرَ

(sebagai pahala bagi orang yang telah ditolak!) maksudnya, sebagai balasan bagi mereka kerana kekufuran mereka kepada Allah dan sebagai balasan untuk Nuh a.s. Allah Ta'ala berfirman,

وَلَقَدْ تَّرَكْنَـهَا ءايَةً

(Dan sesungguhnya Kami tinggalkan ini sebagai tanda.) Qatadah berkata, "Allah membiarkan kapal Nuh utuh sehingga generasi pertama umat ini dapat melihatnya." Namun, nampaknya maksud di sini ialah Allah memelihara kapal sebagai tanda. Sebagai contoh, Allah Ta'ala berfirman,

وَءَايَةٌ لَّهُمْ أَنَّا حَمَلْنَا ذُرِّيَّتَهُمْ فِى الْفُلْكِ الْمَشْحُونِ - وَخَلَقْنَا لَهُمْ مِّن مِّثْلِهِ مَا يَرْكَبُونَ

(Dan satu tanda bagi mereka ialah Kami angkut zuriat mereka di dalam bahtera yang sarat, dan Kami ciptakan untuk mereka dari yang serupa itu, yang mereka tunggangi.) (36:41-42)

إِنَّا لَمَّا طَغَا الْمَآءُ حَمَلْنَـكُمْ فِى الْجَارِيَةِ - لِنَجْعَلَهَا لَكُمْ تَذْكِرَةً وَتَعِيَهَآ أُذُنٌ وَعِيَةٌ

(Sesungguhnya tatkala air itu naik melampaui batasnya, Kami angkut kamu di dalam perahu itu, supaya Kami menjadikannya pelajaran bagimu dan supaya ia dapat dipelihara oleh telinga yang mendengar.) (69:11-12) Firman Allah di sini,

فَهَلْ مِن مُّدَّكِرٍ

Maka adakah orang yang ingat) bermaksud, `adakah orang yang akan menerima peringatan dan peringatan. Imam Ahmad meriwayatkan bahawa `Abdullah bin Mas`ud berkata, "Nabi membacakan kepadaku,

فَهَلْ مِن مُّدَّكِرٍ

(Maka adakah orang yang ingat)" Al-Bukhari mengumpulkan Hadis yang serupa dari `Abdullah bahawa dia berkata, "Saya membacakan kepada Nabi (فَهَلْ مِن مُّذَّكِرٍ) (maka adakah orang yang ingat) dan Nabi bersabda,

فَهَلْ مِن مُّدَّكِرٍ

(Maka adakah orang yang ingat)" firman Allah,

فَكَيْفَ كَانَ عَذَابِى وَنُذُرِ

(Maka bagaimana (dahsyatnya) azab-Ku dan amaran-amaran-Ku) bermaksud, `Alangkah dahsyatnya azab-Ku yang telah Aku timpakan kepada orang-orang yang kafir kepada-Ku dan mendustakan rasul-rasul-Ku, yang tidak menghiraukan peringatan-peringatan-Ku. Bagaimana pertolongan-Ku yang telah Aku sampaikan kepada Rasul-rasul-Ku dan pembalasan yang dikenakan untuk mereka,'

وَلَقَدْ يَسَّرْنَا الْقُرْءَانَ لِلذِّكْرِ

(Dan sesungguhnya telah Kami mudahkan Al-Quran untuk difahami dan diingati); Maksudnya, `Kami telah memudahkan Al-Quran untuk dibaca dan difahami bagi mereka yang mencari sifat-sifat ini, untuk mengingatkan manusia,' sebagaimana firman Allah,

كِتَـبٌ أَنزَلْنَـهُ إِلَيْكَ مُبَـرَكٌ لِّيَدَّبَّرُواْ ءَايَـتِهِ وَلِيَتَذَكَّرَ أُوْلُو الاٌّلْبَـبِ

(Ini adalah) sebuah kitab yang Kami turunkan kepadamu penuh dengan berkah supaya mereka memperhatikan ayat-ayatnya dan supaya mendapat pelajaran orang-orang yang mempunyai fikiran. (38:29)

فَإِنَّمَا يَسَّرْنَـهُ بِلَسَانِكَ لِتُبَشِّرَ بِهِ الْمُتَّقِينَ وَتُنْذِرَ بِهِ قَوْماً لُّدّاً

(Maka Kami mudahkan Al-Quran ini dengan bahasa kamu sendiri, melainkan supaya kamu memberi khabar gembira kepada orang-orang yang bertakwa dan memberi peringatan dengannya kepada orang-orang yang suka bertengkar.) (19:97) Allah berfirman,

فَهَلْ مِن مُّدَّكِرٍ

(maka adakah orang yang ingat), maksudnya, `adakah orang yang ingat melalui Al-Quran ini, yang Kami mudahkan untuk menghafal dan mudah difahami' Muhammad bin Ka`b Al-Qurazi mengomentari Ayat ini, "Adakah orang yang menjauhi kemungkaran"

 

The Story of the People of Nuh (علیہ السلام) and the Lesson Learnt from it

 مَجْنُونٌ وَازْدُجِرَ‌ 

(dan berkata, "(Dia) orang gila", dan dia diancam..

[Surah Al Qamar : Ayat 9]

Perkataan wazdujira secara literal bermaksud 'dia telah ditegur'. Ia merujuk kepada sikap kaum Nuh علیہ السلام yang menegur dan mengancamnya supaya menghalangnya daripada berdakwah. Pada kesempatan lain dalam Al-Quran, kita membaca bahawa kaum Nuh (علیہ السلام) mengancam dan memberi amaran kepadanya bahawa jika dia tidak berhenti menyebarkan dakwahnya, dia akan direjam dengan batu hingga mati.

Abd Ibn Humaid melaporkan daripada Mujahid bahawa apabila sebahagian daripada kaumnya menjumpainya di suatu tempat, mereka akan mencekiknya, akibatnya dia akan tidak sedarkan diri. Tetapi apabila dia sembuh, dia akan berdoa kepada Allah, 'Ya Allah! Ampunilah umatku, kerana mereka tidak mengetahui kebenaran'. Dengan cara ini, dia menanggung penganiayaan terhadap umatnya dengan sabar selama sembilan ratus lima puluh tahun, berdoa untuk pengampunan dan pemahaman mereka tentang kebenaran. Akhirnya, apabila keadaan menjadi tidak tertahankan, dan dia tidak dapat melawan kaumnya lagi, dia memohon kepada Allah untuk menolongnya melawan mereka. Akibatnya, Allah membuka pintu-pintu langit dengan hujan yang lebat, dan seluruh umat itu tenggelam yang disebut dalam ayat yang akan datang.

 Para pemimpin masyarakat Nuh, yang dimakan oleh prestise palsu, tidak bersedia untuk menerima Nuh. Akibatnya mereka ditimpa azab Allah. Hukuman ini datang ke atas mereka dalam bentuk banjir yang dahsyat. Seluruh manusia dan tempat tinggal mereka tenggelam di dalamnya. Tetapi, Nuh dan para sahabatnya, seperti yang diperintahkan oleh Tuhan, menaiki sebuah bahtera. Kapal ini belayar dan berhenti di Gunung Judi di banjaran Gunung Ararat. Ararat berada di Turki. Gunung tertinggi di rantau ini, ia meningkat kepada 16, 853 kaki. Juruterbang kapal terbang tertentu mendakwa bahawa, semasa terbang di atas puncak Ararat yang dilitupi salji, mereka telah melihat beberapa benda seperti bot terperangkap dalam salji di sana. Jika ini betul, maka sama seperti mayat Firaun (zaman Musa) telah dikeluarkan dari piramidnya pada akhir abad kesembilan belas dan menjadi tanda Tuhan:

فَٱلْيَوْمَ نُنَجِّيكَ بِبَدَنِكَ لِتَكُونَ لِمَنْ خَلْفَكَ ءَايَةًۭ ۚ وَإِنَّ كَثِيرًۭا مِّنَ ٱلنَّاسِ عَنْ ءَايَـٰتِنَا لَغَـٰفِلُونَ ٩٢

Pada hari ini Kami akan memelihara mayat kamu supaya kamu menjadi contoh1 bagi orang-orang yang datang selepas kamu. Dan sesungguhnya kebanyakan manusia lalai dari contoh-contoh Kami.”

— Dr Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran

"Maka pada hari ini, Kami biarkan engkau (hai Firaun) terlepas dengan badanmu (yang tidak bernyawa, daripada ditelan laut), untuk menjadi tanda bagi orang-orang yang di belakangmu (supaya mereka mengambil itibar). Dan (ingatlah) sesungguhnya kebanyakan manusia lalai daripada (memerhati dan memikirkan) tanda-tanda kekuasaan Kami!".

— Abdullah Muhammad Basmeih

( Surah Yunus: Ayat 92 )

 begitu juga, mungkibegitu juga, mungkin bahtera Nuh boleh ditemui dan menjadi tanda Tuhan bagi manusia.n bahtera Nuh boleh ditemui dan menjadi tanda Tuhan bagi manusia.

Banjir Nuh .

 وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا نُوحًا إِلَىٰ قَوْمِهِۦ فَلَبِثَ فِيهِمْ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ إِلَّا خَمْسِينَ عَامًۭا فَأَخَذَهُمُ ٱلطُّوفَانُ وَهُمْ ظَـٰلِمُونَ ١٤

Indeed, We sent Noah to his people, and he remained among them for a thousand years, less fifty. Then the Flood overtook them, while they persisted in wrongdoing.

— Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran

Dan sesungguhnya Kami telah mengutus Nabi Nuh kepada kaumnya, maka tinggalah ia dalam kalangan mereka selama sembilan ratus lima puluh tahun; akhirnya mereka dibinasakan oleh taufan sedang mereka berkeadaan zalim (dengan kufur derhaka).

— Abdullah Muhammad Basmeih

[Surah Al-`Ankabūt: Ayat 14]. 

 

The Prophet Nuh (as) was sent to his people by Allah. They had distanced themselves from the commandments of the Lord and ascribed partners to Him. The Prophet Nuh (as) warned them that they should serve Allah alone and abandon the false worship which they had established in their community. Although the Prophet Nuh (as) called on his people with great eloquence and wisdom, and warned them against the punishment of Allah, they rejected the Prophet and continued to associate partners to Him. At this, Allah told the Prophet Nuh (as) that He would punish the deniers by drowning them. But He also informed His Messenger that His mercy would save the believers, those who embraced true religion and worshipped the One and Only God. 

 

The destruction of the people of Nuh and the salvation of the believers is described thus in the Qur'an: 

 

 

فَكَذَّبُوهُ فَأَنجَيْنَـٰهُ وَٱلَّذِينَ مَعَهُۥ فِى ٱلْفُلْكِ وَأَغْرَقْنَا ٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا۟ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَآ ۚ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا۟ قَوْمًا عَمِينَ ٦٤

But they rejected him, so We saved him and those with him in the Ark, and drowned those who rejected Our signs. They were certainly a blind people.

— Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran

Mereka terus mendustakannya, lalu Kami selamatkan dia dan orang-orang yang bersamanya di dalam bahtera, dan Kami karamkan orang-orang yang mendustakan ayat-ayat kami. Sesungguhnya mereka adalah kaum yang buta (matahatinya daripada melihat kebenaran)

— Abdullah Muhammad Basmeih

[Al-'A'rāf:64]. 

 

When the time of punishment came, the water in the ground combined with violent rains to cause a giant flood. (Allah knows best.) It is revealed that before the flood came, Allah spoke to the Prophet Nuh (as): 

 

 

فَأَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَيْهِ أَنِ ٱصْنَعِ ٱلْفُلْكَ بِأَعْيُنِنَا وَوَحْيِنَا فَإِذَا جَآءَ أَمْرُنَا وَفَارَ ٱلتَّنُّورُ ۙ فَٱسْلُكْ فِيهَا مِن كُلٍّۢ زَوْجَيْنِ ٱثْنَيْنِ وَأَهْلَكَ إِلَّا مَن سَبَقَ عَلَيْهِ ٱلْقَوْلُ مِنْهُمْ ۖ وَلَا تُخَـٰطِبْنِى فِى ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوٓا۟ ۖ إِنَّهُم مُّغْرَقُونَ ٢٧

 

{We revealed to him: Build the Ship under Our supervision and as We reveal. When Our command comes and water bubbles up from the earth, load into it a pair of every species, and your family-except for those among them against whom the word has already gone ahead. And do not address Me concerning those who do wrong. They shall be drowned} 

Lalu Kami wahyukan kepadanya: "Buatlah bahtera dengan pengawasan serta kawalan Kami, dan dengan panduan wahyu Kami (tentang cara membuatnya); kemudian apabila datang hukum Kami untuk membinasakan mereka, dan air memancut-mancut dari muka bumi (yang menandakan kedatangan taufan), maka masukkanlah ke dalam bahtera itu dua dari tiap-tiap jenis haiwan (jantan dan betina), dan bawalah ahlimu (dan pengikut-pengikutmu) kecuali orang yang telah ditetapkan hukuman azab atasnya di antara mereka (disebabkan kekufurannya); dan janganlah engkau merayu kepadaku untuk menolong kaum yang zalim itu, kerana sesungguhnya mereka akan ditenggelamkan dengan taufan sehingga mati lemas.

— Abdullah Muhammad Basmeih

[Surah Al-Mu'minūn: Ayat 27]

 

Apart from those who boarded Prophet Nuh's (as) Ark, the entire tribe was drowned. The dead included the Prophet's son who thought he could escape by seeking shelter on a mountain;

 

 

وَقِيلَ يَـٰٓأَرْضُ ٱبْلَعِى مَآءَكِ وَيَـٰسَمَآءُ أَقْلِعِى وَغِيضَ ٱلْمَآءُ وَقُضِىَ ٱلْأَمْرُ وَٱسْتَوَتْ عَلَى ٱلْجُودِىِّ ۖ وَقِيلَ بُعْدًۭا لِّلْقَوْمِ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ ٤٤

{It was said, Earth, swallow up your water!  And, Heaven, hold back your rain! And the water subsided and the affair was concluded and the Ark came to land on al-Judi, And it was said, Away with the people of the wrongdoers!} 

 

[Dan (setelah binasanya kaum kafir itu) diperintahkan kepada bumi dan langit dengan berkata: "Wahai bumi telanlah airmu, dan wahai langit berhentilah dari curahan hujanmu". Dan (ketika itu) surutlah air, serta terlaksanalah perintah (Allah) itu. Dan bahtera Nabi Nuh itupun berhenti di atas gunung "Judi" serta diingatkan (kepada kaum kafir umumnya bahawa): "Kebinasaanlah akhirnya bagi orang-orang yang zalim].

— Abdullah Muhammad Basmeih

[Surah Hūd: Ayat 44]

 

Compared to the flood accounts contained in Jewish scriptures, and indeed the various cultural beliefs of other peoples, the Qur'anic account, which was revealed by Allah and is the only divine text to have remained uncorrupted, stands as the most reliable of all these accounts. The Torah, a corrupted text, says that this flood was universal and covered the whole world. On the contrary, it appears from the relevant verses that the flood was a regional one and punished not the whole world but only the tribe that rejected the Prophet Nuh (as). Those who were destroyed in it were the people who rejected the message of the Prophet Nuh (as) and persisted in their denial. There is no indication in the Qur'an that the flood was universal. The verses on the subject read: 

 

 

{We sent Nuh to his people: I am a clear Warner to you. Worship none but Allah, I fear for you the punishment of a painful day}

 

 [Surah Hūd: Ayat 25-26]. 

 

 

 

{But they denied him so We rescued him and those with him in the Ark, And We drowned the people who denied Our Signs. They were a blind people} 

 

[Al-'A`rāf:64] 

 

 

{So We rescued him and those with him by mercy from Us, and We cut off the last remnant of those who denied Our Signs and were not believers} 

 

[Al-'A`rāf:72]

 

As we have seen, we are told in the Qur'an that only the people of the Prophet Nuh (as) were destroyed, not the whole world. The corrected states of the corrupted accounts in Christian and Jewish scriptures in the Qur'an prove that it is, in its entirety, a book sent down by Allah. Excavations in the region where the flood is believed to have occurred also show that the flood was not a universal event, but a wide-scale disaster that affected part of Mesopotamia. When the waters subsided, the Ark came to rest. As revealed in the Qur'an, the resting place of the ark was al-Judi. The word "judi" is sometimes taken to mean a particular mountain, although the Arabic word itself means "high place, hill." From that point of view, the word "judi" can refer to the waters reaching only up to a certain height and not to the covering of all the land. In other words, we learn from the Qur'an that the flood did not swallow up all the land and all the mountains on Earth-as is related in Jewish scriptures and other legends-but only one particular region. Archaeological Evidence for the Flood According to the archaeological findings, Nuh’s Flood took place on the Mesopotamian Plain, the shape of which was very different to that of today. The present-day limits of the plain are shown with a dotted red line in the above diagram. The wide region beyond that line is known to have been part of the sea at that time. If a natural disaster, sudden migration or war, for example, should result in the destruction of a civilization, traces of that civilization are well-protected. The houses people lived in and the objects people used in their daily lives are quickly buried under the earth. These are thus conserved for long periods without being touched by human hands. For students of the past, they provide invaluable clues when they are finally brought to light. In recent times, the discovery of a large amount of evidence concerning Nuh's Flood has come to the attention of the world's most prominent archaeologists and historians. The Flood, believed to have occurred around 3000 B.C., destroyed an entire civilization and allowed an entirely new one to be founded in its place. That evidence of the Flood was preserved for thousands of years provides a deterrent to those people who have come after this punishment of the wicked. Many excavations have been carried out to study the flood, which was localised on and around the Mesopotamian Plains. Digs in the region have encountered traces of a flood in four main cities on the Mesopotamian Plain: Ur, Erech, Kish and Shuruppak. Excavations in these cities have shown that these cities were hit by flooding around 3000 B.C. The oldest of the remains of the civilization in the city of Ur-today known as Tell al Muqqayar-date back to 7000 B.C. The city of Ur, one of the oldest human civilizations, was a settlement region in which consecutive civilizations were born and died. The archaeological discoveries which came from study of Ur unearthed information which clearly informs us that a civilization there was interrupted by a terrible flood and that new civilizations gradually sprang up in its place. Leonard Woolley led a joint excavation by the British Museum and the University of Pennsylvania in the desert area between Baghdad and the Persian Gulf. Woolley's excavations are described by the German archaeologist Werner Keller as follows: "The graves of the kings of Ur" - so Woolley, in the exuberance of his delight at discovering them, had dubbed the tombs of Sumerian nobles whose truly regal splendor had been exposed when the spades of the archaeologists attacked a fifty-foot mound south of the temple and found a long row of superimposed graves. The stone vaults were veritable treasure chests, for they were filled with all the costly goblets, wonderfully shaped jugs and vases, bronze tableware, mother of pearl mosaics, lapis lazuli, and silver surrounded these bodies which had mouldered into dust. Harps and lyres rested against the walls… When after several days some of Woolley's workmen called out to him, "We are on ground level", he let himself down onto the floor of the shaft to satisfy himself. Woolley's first thought was "This is it at last". It was sand, pure sand of a kind that could only have been deposited by water. They decided to dig on and make the shaft deeper. Deeper and deeper went the spades into the ground: three feet, six feet - still pure mud. Suddenly, at ten feet, the layer of mud stopped as abruptly as it had started. Under this clay deposit of almost ten feet thick, they had struck fresh evidence of human habitation… The Flood - that was the only possible explanation of this great clay deposit beneath the hill at Ur, which quite clearly separated two epochs of settlement… Excavations in the Mesopotamian Plain revealed the presence of a layer of mud and clay at a depth of 2.5 metres (8 feet). This stratum in all probability consisted of clay carried by the waters of the Flood, and is to be found only under the Mesopotamian Plain. Microscopic analysis revealed that this great clay deposit beneath the hill at Ur had accumulated here as a result of a flood, one so large and powerful as to annihilate ancient Sumerian civilisation. The epic of Gilgamesh and the story of Nuh were united in this shaft dug deep under the Mesopotamian desert. Max Mallowan related the thoughts of Leonard Woolley, who said that such a huge mass of alluvium formed in a single time-slice could only be the result of a huge flood disaster. Woolley also described the flood layer, which separated the Sumerian city of Ur from the city of Al-Ubaid whose inhabitants used painted pottery, as the remains of the Flood. These facts demonstrated that the city of Ur was one of those places affected by the Flood. The German archaeologist Werner Keller also described the importance of the excavation in question. He has gone on record to say that the yield of city-remains beneath a muddy layer in the archaeological excavations made in Mesopotamia proves that there was indeed a flood in the region. Another Mesopotamian city to bear the traces of the Flood is the "Kish of the Sumerians," the present-day Tall Al-Uhaimer. Ancient Sumerian records describe this city as the "seat of the first postdiluvian dynasty." The southern Mesopotamian city of Shuruppak, the present-day Tall Fa'rah, also bears evident traces of the Flood. Archaeological investigations were carried out in this city between 1920 and 1930 by Erich Schmidt of the University of Pennsylvania. These excavations uncovered three layers of habitation which stretched from the late prehistoric period to the 3rd dynasty of Ur (2112-2004 B.C.). The most distinctive finds were ruins of well-built houses along with cuneiform tablets of administrative records and lists of words, indicating a highly developed society already in existence toward the end of the 4th millennium B.C.221 When one examines the opinions of these learned scientists, it is clear that they believe that the evidence which supports the Flood account is overwhelming. According to this opinion, this terrible flood took place in or around 3000-2900 B.C. According to Mallowan's account, 4-5 metres below the earth, Schmidt had reached a yellow soil layer (formed by flood) made up of a mixture of clay and sand. This layer was closer to the plain level than the tumulus profile and it could be observed all around the tumulus. Schmidt defined this layer made up of a mixture of clay and sand, which remained from the time of Ancient Kingdom of Cemdet Nasr, as "a sand with its origins in the river" and associated it with Nuh's Flood. In short, the excavations in the city of Shuruppak once again revealed the traces of a flood around 3000-2900 B.C. Together with the other cities, Shuruppak was in all probability struck by the Flood. The last settlement containing evidence of being struck by the Flood is the city of Erech, south of Shuruppak. Today, it is known as Tall Al-Warka. As in the other cities, a flood layer was also discovered here. Like the other cities, this flood layer has been dated to 3000-2900 B.C. The Euphrates and Tigris rivers divide Mesopotamia from one end to the other. It appears that in the era in question, these two rivers overflowed, together with all other water sources, great and small, combining with rainwater to create an enormous flood. This phenomenon is reported in these terms in the Qur'an: {So We opened the gates of heaven with torrential water and made the earth burst forth with gushing springs. And the waters met together in a way which was decreed. We bore him on a planked and well-caulked ship} [Al-Qamar:11-13]. When the clues obtained from the research are evaluated, they indicate that the Flood covered all of the Mesopotamian plains. When we look at the succession of cities-Ur, Erech, Shuruppak and Kish-that bear the traces of the Flood, we see that they all lie in a line. In addition, the geographical structure of the Mesopotamian Plain was very different in around 3000 B.C. compared to its constitution today. At that time, the bed of the River Euphrates was much further to the east than it is today, lying on a line passing through Ur, Erech, Shuruppak and Kish. It therefore appears that the Euphrates burst its banks in this region and destroyed the four cities. (Allah knows best.) Allah imparted the news of Nuh's Flood in order that it should act as a deterrent for those of that time and a valuable lesson to those who were to come after, people like us. By means of the Prophets and books, He sent guidance to different societies. However, each time the texts which were brought to the people by Allah's Prophets were corrupted from their original forms. Men added cultural, mystical or mythological elements to the true account of the Flood. The Qur'an, because it is from Allah and because He preserves it eternally, is the only source compatible with the archaeological findings of the past. 

 

Question:

Is it true that during the great flood in the time of Prophet Noah AS, all mankind is destroyed?

 Answer:

Alhamdulillah, praise and thanks to Allah for the countless blessings He has blessed us all with. Blessings and salutations to the Prophet Muhammad PBUH, his wives, his family, companions and all those that follow his teachings to the day of judgement.

The great flood during the time of Prophet Noah AS has been detailed clearly in the Quran, where all humans and animals are destroyed with the exception of humans and animals who are on board in Prophet Noah’s ark and are saved from the flood by Allah SWT.

There are a few surahs that explained this incident. Here, we include several narrations of this incident in the Quran:

First: In Surah al-Syu’aara, Allah SWT states:

فَأَنجَيۡنَٰهُ وَمَن مَّعَهُۥ فِي ٱلۡفُلۡكِ ٱلۡمَشۡحُونِ ١١٩  ثُمَّ أَغۡرَقۡنَا بَعۡدُ ٱلۡبَاقِينَ 120

“So, We saved him and those with him in the laden ship. Then We drowned thereafter the remaining ones.”

Surah al-Syu’aara (119-120)

Second: In Surah Hud. Allah SWT states:

 

حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا جَآءَ أَمۡرُنَا وَفَارَ ٱلتَّنُّورُ قُلۡنَا ٱحۡمِلۡ فِيهَا مِن كُلّٖ زَوۡجَيۡنِ ٱثۡنَيۡنِ وَأَهۡلَكَ إِلَّا مَن سَبَقَ عَلَيۡهِ ٱلۡقَوۡلُ وَمَنۡ ءَامَنَۚ وَمَآ ءَامَنَ مَعَهُۥٓ إِلَّا قَلِيل 

“[So it was], until when Our command came and the oven overflowed, We said, "Load upon the ship of each [creature] two mates and your family, except those about whom the word has preceded, and [include] whoever has believed." But none had believed with him, except a few.”

Surah Hud (40)

Third: In Surah Yunus. Allah SWT states:

 

فَكَذَّبُوهُ فَنَجَّيۡنَٰهُ وَمَن مَّعَهُۥ فِي ٱلۡفُلۡكِ وَجَعَلۡنَٰهُمۡ خَلَٰٓئِفَ وَأَغۡرَقۡنَا ٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ بِ‍َٔايَٰتِنَاۖ فَٱنظُرۡ كَيۡفَ كَانَ عَٰقِبَةُ ٱلۡمُنذَرِينَ

“And they denied him, so We saved him and those with him in the ship and made them successors, and We drowned those who denied Our signs. Then see how was the end of those who were warned.”

Surah Yunus (73)

Fourth: In Surah al-Saffaat. Allah SWT states:

 

وَجَعَلۡنَا ذُرِّيَّتَهُۥ هُمُ ٱلۡبَاقِينَ ٧٧  وَتَرَكۡنَا عَلَيۡهِ فِي ٱلۡأٓخِرِينَ ٧٨ سَلَٰمٌ عَلَىٰ نُوحٖ فِي ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ ٧٩  إِنَّا كَذَٰلِكَ نَجۡزِي ٱلۡمُحۡسِنِينَ ٨٠ إِنَّهُۥ مِنۡ عِبَادِنَا ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ ٨١

“And We made his descendants those remaining [on the earth]. And left for him [favorable mention] among later generations: "Peace upon Noah among the worlds." Indeed, We thus reward the doers of good. Indeed, he was of Our believing servants.”

Surah al-Saffaat (77-81)

We include the following commentaries of the mufassirun (scholars in tafseer) for the above verses of the Quran:

• Al-Imam Ibn Kathir (w.774H) Rahimahullah explained the following in his commentaries: “Ali bin Abi Talhah narrated from Ibn Abbas R.Anhuma: “Nothing remains after the great flood except the offspring of the Prophet Noah AS.” (See Tafsir Al-Quran Al-‘Azhim. Dar al-Taybah, 7/22)
• The same is stated by Qatadah Rahimahullah: “All of mankind is from the offspring of the Prophet Noah AS.” (See Tafsir Al-Quran Al-‘Azhim. Dar al-Taybah, 7/22)
• The followers of the Prophet Noah AS did not have any ancestry of their own (died of the flood or are not remained). The only human descendants after the great flood is the children of the Prophet Noah AS from his children; Saam, Haam and Yaafith. (See Ibn Kathir. Al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah. Dar al-Ihya’ al-Turath al-’Arabi, 1/130)
• Ibn ‘Asyour Rahimahullah wrote the commentaries of the above verses stating: “Dhomir (pronoun) for the word هُمُ الْبَاقِينَ is in the form of al-Hasr (specification of something), which means there is nothing that remains among humans except those Allah SWT has saved along with the Prophet Noah in his ark and then they give birth to mankind today. Furthermore, the only offspring of Adam left are the people saved in the Prophet Noah AS’s ark and none of them give birth with the exception of the three children of the Prophet Noah AS (Saam, Haam and Yaafith).” (See Al-Tahrir wa al-Tanwir. Al-Dar al-Tunisiyyah li al-Nashr, 23/47)
• Al-‘Allamah al-Syeikh al-Amin al-Syanqiti Rahimahullah also stated in his commentaries that the children together with the Prophet Noah AS passed away with the exception of the offspring of Prophet Noah AS. (See Adhwa’ al-Bayan, 3/13)

As for the duration of the great flood, through our research, we found that it happened for 150 days. We include the narration from al-Imam Ibn Kathir (w.774H) Rahimahullah in his book al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah: “‘Ilba’ bin Ahmar narrated from Ikrimah, while he narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas R.Anhuma, he said: The people together with Noah in his ark are 80 men with their families and they are on board for 150 days…”

The same is stated by Qatadah Rahimahullah where he said: “They aboard the ark on the tenth day of Rejab and set sail for 150 days and anchored on mount al-Judiyy for a month. They finally disembark the ark on the tenth day of Muharram and Ibn Jarir al-Tabari narrated by narration which is attributed to the Prophet PBUH (marfu’) that they were fasting at the time.” (See al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah. Dar Hajr, 1/272-273)

Regarding the issue of the destruction of mankind, some scholars hold the opinion that the great flood did not affect all mankind, which means not all humans and animals are affected by the flood. However, this opinion is general (umum) in compared to the majority of the scholars (jumhur), in which they referred to evidences which are more specific (khusus). They (the minority opinion) only referred to a general verse of the Quran that states:

وَمَا كُنَّا مُعَذِّبِينَ حَتَّىٰ نَبۡعَثَ رَسُولا

“And never would We punish until We sent a messenger.”

Surah al-Isra’ (15)

Conclusion

According to the above discussion, in our opinion the great flood in the time of Prophet Noah AS destroyed everyone with the exception of the followers of the Prophet Noah AS in his ark.

However, this is not the matter that we should really focused on. We should take lessons from the punishment of Allah SWT towards people who disobey the messenger that has bent sent to them. The wisdom from this incident is for us to uphold and obey everything that the prophets have taught especially following their commandments and avoiding their prohibitions.

May Allah SWT bless us with guidance in our lives and we pray that every one of us will be able to receive mardhatillah. Amin.

Wallahua’lam.

 

(See Harun Yahya, , Ta - Ha Publishers, 2002) ------- 217. Werner Keller, Und die Bibel hat doch recht (The Bible as History; a Confirmation of the Book of Books) (New York: William Morrow: 1964), 25-29. 218. Max Mallowan, Noah’s Flood Reconsidered (Iraq: XXVI-2: 1964), 70. 219. Keller, Und die Bibel hat doch recht, 23-32. 220. “Kish,” Britannica Micropaedia 6, 893. 221. “Shuruppak,” Britannica Micropaedia 10, 772 222. Max Mallowan, Early Dynastic Period in Mesopotamia, Cambridge Ancient History 1-2, (Cambridge: 1971), 238. 223. Joseph Campbell, Eastern Mythology, 129. 224. Bilim ve Utopya (Science and Utopia), July 1996, 176. Footnote, 19: bibliography   Source: http://miraclesofthequran.com/historical_06.html

 

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