We welcome your thoughtful and respectful comments

To comment as a guest, use guest@maninwhite.me

Bismillahi ar-rahmani ar-rahim

Al-Qamar (54) 13-15

وَحَمَلْنَاهُ عَلَى ذَاتِ أَلْوَاحٍ وَدُسُرٍتَجْرِي بِأَعْيُنِنَا جَزَاءً لِّمَن كَانَ كُفِرَوَلَقَد تَّرَكْنَاهَا آيَةً فَهَلْ مِن مُّدَّكِرٍ

We carried him on a [ship] with boards and caulking (sealant). It sailed with our eyes upon it as a compensation for those who were rejected. And we left it as a sign. Will anyone remember?

The story of Nuh (aws) is a children’s favourite. They remember it well. Will we remember it? The above ayah tells us that Nuh’s story is a sign (آيَةٌ, ayatun) from Allah. Sura Al-Mu’minūn also confirms that the story of Nuh (aws) is a sign for future generations, and goes on to say:

Al-Mu’minūn (23) 44

ثُمَّ أَرْسَلْنَا رُسُلَنَا تَتْرَى كُلَّ مَا جَاءَ أُمَّةً رَّسُولُهَا كَذَّبُوهُ فَأَتْبَعْنَا بَعْضَهُم بَعْضًا وَجَعَلْنَاهُمْ أَحَادِيثَ فَبُعْدًا لِّقَوْمٍ لَّا يُؤْمِنُونَ

Then we sent our messengers, one after another. Whenever their messenger came to a nation, they rejected him, so we made them follow each other. We made them stories. Away with people who do not believe.

Somebody once said: We all learn from mistakes, but happy are those people, who can learn from mistakes made by others. Are you one of these? Do you pay attention to the ayahs given by Allah for us to learn from? One of those who remembered this sign of Allah well was nabi Isa (aws). He said:

Injil, Matthew 24:37-39

The coming of Sayyid Al-Bashar will be like it was in the days of Nuh. In the days before the flood, people kept eating, drinking, getting married, and being given in marriage. But on the day Nuh entered the ark, people were jahil (knew nothing about what would happen) until the flood came and took them all. The coming of Sayyid Al-Bashar will be this way.

Sayyid Al-Bashar (Master of Men, also Son of Man) is a very ancient title of Isa Ibn-Maryam (aws). He speaks here about his second coming at the end of this World. His teaching is very important, because it does not speak only about the past. It shows us the way to be ready when he comes back again to announce the long-anticipated Qiyamat (Judgement).

Reading and remembering stories of old prophets is: (based on the above ayahs, choose one correct answer)

a) a dangerous act, which turns a Muslim into a kāfir (an unbeliever)

b) the way to remember the signs of Allah, from which to gain wisdom and life

c) a boring, useless activity and a waste of time

Do I want to be remembered for choosing the straight path of Allah, or do I want my heritage to be a story of a jahil and a fool? I have a choice to make. My life here and in the akhirah, and the lives of those upon whom I have influence, may depend on my choice.