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Every year, on the 10th of Muharram, Muslims in many countries commemorate the holiday of Ashura.

According to a Hadith, recorded by Ibn Abbas: when Muhammad (saws) came to Medina and saw the Jews fasting on the tenth day of Muharram, he asked, "What is this?" They said, "This is a good day, this is the day when Allah saved the Children of Israel from their enemy and Musa fasted on this day." He said, "We have more claim over Musa than you." So he fasted on the day and told the people to fast.

Another Muslim tradition tells us that Nuh (aws) rested with his ark on dry land at the end of the flood on the day of Ashura. He and his family celebrated the occasion by making a special meal with whatever leftovers they could find in the ark at the end of their long journey – mostly grains, beans, dried fruits and nuts. In Turkey, they still celebrate the day with this dish, and they call the meal aşure (ashure).

Nuh (aws) and those who were with him, had a good reason to celebrate. As the Qur’an (Hud 11:40) teaches, only a few believed in the days of Nuh (aws). Still, Al Latif (the Gentle) prepared salvation in the midst of the worldwide destruction for every one of those who did believe. As we will see, not only in the days of Nuh (aws), but every time Allah brings judgement upon people, He first warns them through His nabi, gives them a chance to change, and provides a safe way out for those who listen, believe and obey. Remember. Allah does not force anyone to be saved. Those who don’t listen, are destroyed. Those who walk on the straight path, are saved. Allah will go out of His way to provide an escape for them, even if there are only 8 of them in the world. If you choose to put your trust in Allah and follow Him, rest assured that He knows about it. Even if the whole world goes to destruction, and it does, as we will study later, Allah will take care of you.

Tawrat, Genesis 8:19.20

All the animals and all the creatures that move along the ground and all the birds—everything that moves on land—came out of the ark, one kind after another. Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and, taking some of all the clean animals and clean birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on it.

After all that loss of life in the flood, why was it required of Nuh (aws) to build an altar, and sacrifice even more life, halal animals and birds? It is an important question! Let us know what you think.

We learn many things about Allah from the story of the flood. Here is one of them.

Tawrat, Genesis 8:22

As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and nightwill never cease.

The world was changed after the flood. It seems that the whole planet was shaken during the flood, and from then on it orbits the way we know now. Seasons appeared, but Allah, in His endless wisdom, made provisions beforehand for the generations to come. All the deposits of coal and natural gas, used to heat our homes throughout the centuries, are a product of antediluvian plants and bodies of the uncountable victims of the worldwide flood.  The same is the source of all the oil which we use to run our cars, or the tarmac on which those cars drive.

Isn’t it mind blowing? Allah cared, provided for and repeatedly warned people who strayed from the Straight Path. He called Nuh (aws) to call to repentance and to build a boat before their eyes. This lasted 120 years. All of this failed to bring people to repentance. Allah then executed a terrible judgement. Yet, even as death took almost all that lives, Allah used even these deaths for something good – for taking care of many generations of those whom He saved – until our days.

Am I thankful for Allah’s provisions in this life?

Is there a safe ark today to take me to the next life, to akhirah?