Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

1686 - أصنافُ الأنبِياءِ عليهم السلام‏

1686. CATEGORIES OF PROPHETS (AS)

( وَمَا كَانَ لِبَشَرٍ أَنْ يُكَلِّمَهُ اللَّهُ إِلَّا وَحْياً أَوْ مِنْ وَرَاءِ حِجَابٍ أَوْ يُرْسِلَ رَسُولاً فَيُوحِيَ بِإِذْنِهِ مَا يَشَاءُ إِنَّهُ عَلِيٌّ حَكِيمٌ)1

“It is not [possible] for any human that Allah should speak to him except through revelation or from behind a curtain, or send a messenger who reveals by His permission whatever He wishes. Indeed He is all-exalted, all-wise.” 2

5927. الإمامُ الصّادقُ عليه السلام : الأنبياءُ والمُرسَلونَ على‏ أربَعِ طَبَقاتٍ : فنَبيٌّ مُنَبّأٌ في نَفسِهِ لا يَعدو غيرَها ونَبيٌّ يَرى‏ في النَّومِ ويَسمَعُ الصَّوتَ ولا يُعايِنُهُ في اليَقَظَةِ ، ولَم يُبعَثْ إلى‏ أحَدٍ وعلَيهِ إمامٌ ، مِثل ما كانَ إبراهيمُ على‏ لُوطٍ عليهما السلام ونَبيٌّ يَرى‏ في مَنامِهِ ويَسمَعُ الصَّوتَ ويُعايِنُ المَلَكَ ، وقد اُرسِلَ إلى‏ طائفةٍ قَلُّوا أو كَثُروا ، كيُونُسَ ، قالَ اللَّهُ ليونُسَ : (وأرْسَلْناهُ إلى‏ مِائةِ ألْفٍ أو يَزيدونَ)3 - قالَ : يَزيدونَ : ثلاثينَ ألفاً - وعليهِ إمامٌ والّذي يَرى‏ في نَومِهِ ويَسمَعُ الصَّوتَ ويُعايِنُ في اليَقَظَةِ وهُو إمامٌ مِثلُ اُولي العَزمِ وقد كانَ إبراهيمُ عليه السلام نَبيّاً وليسَ بإمامٍ حتّى‏ قالَ اللَّهُ : (إنّي جاعِلُكَ للنّاسِ إماماً ...)4 .5

5927. Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said, 'Prophets and Messengers are of four classes: a prophet who imparts the tidings to his own self and doe not extend to anyone else; a prophet who sees [the Unseen] in his sleep and hears sounds but does not see anything when awake, and he is not sent to anyone and he has a leader [Imam] over him, like how Prophet Abraham (AS) was to Prophet Lot (AS); a prophet who sees in his dream, and he hears and sees the angel, and he is sent to a group, be they small or large, like Prophet Jonah6 (AS). Allah said about Prophet Jonah (AS):“We sent him to a [community of] hundred thousand or more,” 7 [He continued], 'or more' by thirty thousand, and he has an Imam over him too; and a prophet who sees in his sleep, hears the voice, sees while awake, and he himself is an Imam [leader] like the arch-prophets, and Prophet Abraham (AS) was a prophet and not an Imam [leader] until Allah said,“I am making you the Imam of mankind” 89

Notes

1. الشورى‏ : 51

2. Quran 43 :51

3. الصافّات : 147

4. البقرة : 124

5. الكافي : 1 / 174 / 1

6. Prophet Jonah (AS) is known as Yunus in the Arabic tradition (ed.)

7. Quran 37 :147

8. Quran 2 :124

9. al-Kafi, v. 1, p. 174, no. 1

1687 - عِدَّةُ الأنبِياءِ عليهم السلام‏

1687. THE NUMBER OF PROPHETS (AS)

5928. رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله - لمّا سَأَله أبو ذرّ عن عدّة الأنبياءِ - : مِائةُ ألفٍ وأربَعةٌ وعِشرونَ ألفَ نَبيٍّ قلتُ : كَمِ المُرسَلونَ مِنهُم ؟ قالَ : ثلاثُمِائةٍ وثلاثةَ عَشَرَ جَمّاءَ غَفيراءَ قلتُ : مَن كانَ أوّلَ الأنبياءِ ؟ قالَ : آدمُ1

5928. The Prophet (SAWA), when Abu Dharr asked about the number of prophets, said, 'One hundred and twenty four thousand prophets.' I asked, 'How many of them are Messengers?' The Prophet said, 'Three hundred and thirteen altogether.' I asked, 'Who was the first of prophets?' He said, 'Adam.'2

Notes

1. الخصال : 524 / 13

2. al-Khisal, p. 524, no. 13

1688 - اُولو العَزمِ من الأنبياء

1688. THE ARCH-PROPHETS (ULu AL-AZM)

( فَاصْبِرْ كَمَا صَبَرَ أُولُوا الْعَزْمِ مِنَ الرُّسُلِ وَلَا تَسْتَعْجِلْ لَهُمْ كَأَنَّهُمْ يَوْمَ يَرَوْنَ مَا يُوعَدُونَ لَمْ يَلْبَثُوا إِلَّا سَاعَةً مِنْ نَهَارٍ بَلَاغٌ فَهَلْ يُهْلَكُ إِلَّا الْقَوْمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ)1

“So be patient just as the resolute among the apostles were patient, and do not seek to hasten [the punishment] for them. The day when they see what they are promised, [it will be] as though they had remained only an hour of a day. This is a proclamation. So shall anyone be destroyed except the transgressing lot?” 2

5929. الإمامُ زين العابدينَ عليه السلام - لِبعضِ أصحابه - : مِنهُم خَمسَةٌ اُولو العَزمِ مِن الرُّسُلِ قُلنا : مَن هُم ؟ قالَ : نُوحٌ ، وابراهيمُ ، وموسى‏، وعيسى‏ ، ومحمّدٌ صلَّى اللَّهُ علَيهِم ، قُلنا لَهُ : ما معنى‏ اُولو العَزمِ ؟ قالَ : بُعِثوا إلى‏ شَرقِ الأرضِ وغَربِها ، جِنِّها وإنسِها3

5929. Imam Zayn al-Abidin (AS) said to some of his companions, 'From the Messengers there are five arch-prophets.' We asked, 'Who are they?' He said, 'Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad, peace of Allah be upon them.' We asked, 'What does Ulu al-Azm mean?' He said, 'They were sent to the east of the earth and the west, to its Jinn and its humans.'4

5930. الإمامُ الصّادقُ عليه السلام - لمّا سَأَله سماعةِ بن مِهران عن قوله تعالى : (فاصْبِرْ كَما صَبَرَ اُولو العَزْمِ مِنَ‏الرُّسُلِ) - : نُوحٌ ، وإبراهيمُ ؛ وموسى‏ ، وعيسى‏ ، ومحمّدٌ صلَّى اللَّه عَليهِ وآلهِ وعلَيهِم قلتُ : كيفَ صارُوا اُولي العَزمِ ؟ قالَ : لأنَّ نُوحاً بُعِثَ بكِتابٍ وشَريعَةٍ ، وكلُّ مَن جاءَ بعدَ نُوحٍ أخذَ بكِتابِ نُوحٍ وشَريعَتِهِ ومِنهاجِهِ ، حتّى‏ جاءَ إبراهيمُ عليه السلام بالصُّحُفِ وبعَزيمَةِ تَركِ كِتابِ نُوحٍ لا كُفراً بهِ .5

5930. Imam al-Sadiq (AS), when Sumaa b. Mihran asked him about Allah's verse in the Qur'an:“So be patient just as the resolute among the apostles were patient” , said, 'Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad, peace be upon him, his progeny and them.' [Sumaa said,] I asked, 'How did they become the arch-prophets?' He said, 'Because Noah was sent with a divine book and law (sharia), and all who came after him adopted Noah's book, law and teachings, until Abraham (AS) came with the Scriptures being commanded to leave Noah's book without disbelieving in it...'6

Notes

1. الأحقاف : 35

2. Quran 47 :35

3. بحار الأنوار : 11 / 33 / 25

4. Bihar al-Anwar, v. 11, p. 33, no. 25

5. الكافي : 2 / 17 / 2 ، اُنظر تمام الحديث

6. al-Kafi, v. 2, p. 17, no. 2

1689 - خَصائِصُ الأنبِياءِ عليهم السلام‏

1689. SPECIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PROPHETS (AS)

5931. رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله : إنّا مَعاشِرَ الأنبياءِ اُمِرنا أن نُكلِّمَ النّاسَ على‏ قَدرِ عُقولِهِم1

5931. The Prophet (SAWA) said, 'We the prophets have been commanded to speak to people according to the capacity of their intellects.'2

5932. رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله : إنّا مَعاشِرَ الأنبياءِ تَنامُ عُيونُنا ولا تَنامُ قُلوبُنا ، ونَرى‏ مِن خَلفِنا كما نَرى‏ مِن بَينِ أيدِينا3

5932. The Prophet (SAWA) said, 'We the prophets are such that our eyes sleep but our hearts do not sleep, and we see behind us as we see in front of us.'4

5933. رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله : مِن أخلاقِ النَّبيِّينَ والصِّدِّيقينَ البَشاشَةُ إذا تَراءوا ، والمُصافَحَةُ إذا تَلاقوا5

5933. The Prophet (SAWA) said, 'From the morals of the prophets and the righteous ones is smiling when they see people, and shaking hands when they meet each other.'6

5934. قَتادَة : ما بَعَثَ اللَّهُ نَبيّاً قَطُّ إلّا بَعَثَهُ حَسَنَ الوَجهِ ، حَسَنَ الصَّوتِ7

5934. Qatada narrated, 'Allah has never sent a prophet without sending him with a handsome face and a pleasant voice.'8

5935. الإمامُ عليٌّ عليه السلام - في صِفَةِ الأنبياءِ عليهم السلام - : كانُوا قَوماً مُستَضعَفِينَ ، قدِ اختَبرَهُمُ اللَّهُ بالمَخمَصَةِ ، وابتَلاهُم بالمَجهَدَةِ ، وامتَحَنَهُم بالمَخاوِفِ ، ومَخَضَهُم بالمَكارِهِ

ولَو أرادَ اللَّهُ سبحانَهُ لأنبيائهِ حَيثُ بَعَثَهُم أن يَفتَحَ لَهُم كُنوزَ الذِّهْبانِ ، ومَعادِنَ العِقْيانِ ، ومَغارِسَ الجِنانِ لَفعَلَ ، ولَو فَعَلَ لَسَقَطَ البَلاءُ ، وبَطَلَ الجَزاءُ

ولكنَّ اللَّهَ سبحانَهُ جَعَلَ رُسُلَهُ اُولي قُوَّةٍ في عَزائمِهِم ، وضَعَفةً فيما تَرَى الأعيُنُ مِن حالاتِهِم ، مَعَ قَناعَةٍ تَملَأُ القُلوبَ والعُيونَ غِنىً ، وخَصاصَةٍ تَملَأُ الأبصارَ والأسماعَ أذىً9

5935. Imam Ali (AS), describing the prophets (AS), said, 'They were abased people, whom Allah had tried with hunger, afflicted with difficulty, tested with fear, and shaken with troubles. If Allah had wished to open for His prophets treasures of gold, mines of pure gold and grounds of gardens wherever He sent them... He would have done so, but if He did, tests would be invalid, and reward would be inapplicable. Rather, Allah the Glorified, made His prophets strong in their determination, and weak in their appearance as seen from the eyes, with contentment that fills the hearts and eyes with richness, and with poverty that pains the eyes and ears.'10

5936. الإمامُ الصّادقُ عليه السلام : ما بَعَثَ اللَّهُ نَبيّاً قَطُّ حتّى‏ يَستَرعِيَهُ الغَنَمَ ، يُعَلِّمُهُ بذلكَ رِعْيَةَ النّاسِ11

5936. Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said, 'Allah never sent a prophet unless He had made him herd sheep [first], through which He taught him how to manage people.'12

5937. الإمامُ الكاظمُ عليه السلام : ما بَعَثَ اللَّهُ عَزَّوجلَّ نَبيّاً ولا وَصِيّاً إلّا سَخِيّاً13

5937. Imam al-Kazim (AS) said, 'Allah, Almighty, did not send a prophet or a successor unless he was generous.'14

5938. الإمامُ الرِّضا عليه السلام : مِن أخلاقِ الأنبياءِ التَّنَظُّفُ15

5938. Imam al-Rida (AS) said, 'Cleanliness is of the morals of the prophets.'16

5939. الإمامُ الرِّضا عليه السلام : الطِّيبُ مِن أخلاقِ الأنبياءِ17

5939. Imam al-Rida (AS) said, 'Perfume is of the morals of the prophets.'18

(اُنظر) البلاء : باب 263

(See also: THE ORDEAL: section 263)

Notes

1. بحار الأنوار : 77 / 140 / 19

2. Bihar al-Anwar, v. 77, p. 140, no. 19

3. بحار الأنوار:16 / 172 / 7

4. Ibid. v. 16, p. 172, no. 7

5. تنبيه الخواطر : 1 / 29

6. Tanbih al-Khawatir, v. 1, p. 29

7. الطبقات‏الكبرى‏: 1 / 376

8. al-Tabaqat al-Kubra, v. 1, p. 376

9. نهج البلاغة : الخطبة 192

10. Nahj al-Balagha, Sermon 192

11. علل الشرائع : 32 / 2

12. Ilal al-Shara'i, p. 32, no. 1

13. الكافي : 4 / 39 / 4

14. al-Kafi, v. 4, p. 39, no. 4

15. تحف العقول : 442

16. Tuhaf al-Uqul, p. 442

17. الكافي : 6 / 510 / 1

18. al-Kafi, v. 6, p. 510, no. 1

370 - النُّبُوَّةُ (2) «النبوّة الخاصّة »

370. PROPHETHOOD (2)

Specific Prophethood

1690 - آدَمُ عليه السلام‏

1690. Adam (AS)

( يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اتَّقُوا رَبَّكُمُ الَّذِي خَلَقَكُمْ مِن نَفْسٍ وَاحِدَةٍ وَخَلَقَ مِنْها زَوْجَهَا وَبَثَّ مِنْهُمَا رِجَالاً كَثِيراً وَنِسَاءً وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ الَّذِي تَسَاءَلُونَ بِهِ وَالْأَرْحَامَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَيْكُمْ رَقِيباً)1

“O mankind! Be wary of your Lord who created you from a single soul, and created its mate from it, and, from the two of them, scattered numerous men and women. Be wary of Allah, in whose Name you adjure one another, and the wombs. Indeed Allah is watchful over you.” 2

5940. الإمامُ عليٌّ عليه السلام - في صِفَةِ خَلقِ آدَمَ عليه السلام - : ثُمّ جَمَعَ سبحانَهُ مِن حَزْنِ الأرضِ وسَهْلِها ، وعَذْبِها وسَبَخِها ، تُربَةً سَنَّها (سَنّاها) بالماءِ حتّى‏ خَلَصَت ، ولاطَها بالبَلَّةِ حتّى‏ لَزِبَت ، فَجَبَلَ مِنها صُورَةً ذاتَ أحناءٍ ووُصولٍ ، وأعضاءٍ وفُصولٍ ، أجمَدَها حتَّى استَمسَكَت ، وأصلَدَها حتّى‏ صَلْصَلَت ، لِوَقتٍ مَعدودٍ وأمَدٍ مَعلومٍ ثُمّ نَفَخَ فيها مِن رُوحهِ فَمَثُلَت (فتَمثّلَت) إنساناً ذا أذهانٍ يُجيلُها وفِكَرٍ يَتَصَرّفُ بها مَعجوناً بطِينَةِ الألوانِ المُختَلِفَةِ ، والأشباهِ المُؤتَلِفَةِ ، والأضدادِ المُتَعادِيَةِ ، والأخلاطِ المُتَبايِنَةِ ، مِن الحَرِّ والبَردِ ، والبَلَّةِ والجُمودِ3

5940. Imam Ali (AS), describing the creation of Adam, said, 'Allah collected the hard, soft, sweet and sour of the earth, [making it into] clay by dipping it into water until it became pure, and then kneaded it with moisture till it became gluey. From it He carved an image with curves, joints, limbs and parts. He solidified it until it dried up, for a fixed time and a known duration. Then, He blew into it out of His Spirit whereupon it took the pattern of a human being with a mind that governs him, intelligence which he makes use of.... a mixture of clay of different colours, cohesive materials, divergent contraries and differing properties like heat and cold, softness and hardness.'4

5941. الإمامُ عليٌّ عليه السلام : فلَمّا مَهَدَ أرضَهُ ، وأنفَذَ أمرَهُ ، اختارَ آدَمَ عليه السلام خِيَرَةً مِن خَلقِهِ ، وجَعَلَهُ أوّلَ جِبِلَّتِهِ‏5 .6

5941. Imam Ali (AS) said, 'When He had prepared the earth and enforced His commands, He chose Adam (AS) as the best of His creation and made him the first of human creation.'7

5942. الإمامُ الصّادقُ عليه السلام : إنّما سُمِّيَ آدَمُ آدَمَ لأ نّهُ خُلِقَ مِن أديمِ الأرضِ8

5942. Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said, 'Adam was named Adam because he was created from the surface (adim) of the earth.'9

5943. أبو المِقدامِ : سألتُ أباجعفرٍ عليه السلام: مِن أيِّ شي‏ءٍ خَلقَ اللَّهُ حَوّاءَ - : أيَّ شي‏ءٍ يقولُ هذاالخَلقُ؟

قلتُ : يقولونَ : إنّ اللَّهَ خَلَقَها من ضِلعٍ مِن أضلاعِ آدَمَ فقالَ : كَذَبوا ، كانَ يُعجِزُهُ أن يَخلُقَها مِن غَيرِ ضِلعهِ ؟! فقلتُ : جُعِلتُ فِداكَ يا ابنَ رسولِ اللَّهِ، مِن أيِّ شي‏ءٍ خَلَقَها ؟ فقالَ : أخبَرَني أبي عن آبائهِ : قالَ : قالَ رسولُ اللَّهِ : إنّ اللَّهَ تباركَ وتعالى‏ قَبَضَ قَبضَةً مِن طِينٍ فخَلَطَها بيَمينِهِ - وكِلتا يَدَيهِ يَمينٌ - فخَلَقَ مِنها آدَمَ ، وفَضلََت فَضلَةٌ مِن الطِّينِ فخَلَقَ مِنها حَوّاءَ10

5943. Abu al-Miqdam said, 'I asked Abu al-Jafar [Imam al-Baqir] (AS), 'What did Allah create Eve from?' He asked, 'What do people say about this?' I said, 'They say that Allah created her from one of the ribs of Adam.' He (AS) said, 'They lie, was He incapable of creating her from something other than his rib.' I said, 'May I be sacrificed for you, O son of the Prophet (SAWA), what did He create her from?' He (AS) said, 'My father told me, informing me from his fathers (AS) that the Prophet (SAWA) said, 'Allah, Blessed and most High, grabbed a handful of clay and mixed it with His right hand - and both His hands are right - and from it He created Adam, and with the rest of the clay He created Eve.'11

5944. الإمامُ الرِّضا عليه السلام - وقد سألَهُ البَزَنطيُّ عن كيفيَّةِ تَناسُلِ النّاسِ مِن آدمَ - : حَمَلَت حَوّاءُ هابِيلَ واُختاً لَهُ في بَطنٍ ، ثمّ حَمَلَت في البَطنِ الثّاني قابِيلَ واُختاً له في بَطنٍ ، فزُوّجَ هابِيلُ الّتي معَ قابِيلَ ، وتَزوَّجَ قابِيلُ الّتي مَع هابِيلَ ، ثُمّ حَدَثَ التَّحريمُ بعدَ ذلكَ12

5944. Imam al-Rida (AS) said in reply to al-Bazanti who asked about the offspring of Adam, 'Eve conceived Habil and a sister in one womb, and then Qabil and a sister in another womb. Habil got married with the twin that was with Qabil, and Qabil got married to the one that was with Habil, then after this it became prohibited.'13

Notes

1. النساء : 1

2. Quran 4:1

3. نهج البلاغة : الخطبة 1

4. Nahj al-Balagha, Sermon 1

5. أي خلقته

6. نهج البلاغة : الخطبة 91

7. Ibid. Sermon 91

8. علل الشرائع : 14 / 1

9. Ilal al-Shara'i, p. 13, no. 1

10. بحار الأنوار: 11 / 116 / 46

11. Bihar al-Anwar, v. 11, p. 116, no. 46

12. قرب الإسناد : 366 / 1311

13. al-Ihtijaj, v. 2, p. 143, no.180

1691 - إدريسُ عليه السلام‏

1691. ENOCH [IDRiS] (AS)

( وَاذْكُرْ فِي الْكِتَابِ إِدْرِيسَ إِنَّهُ كَانَ صِدِّيقاً نَبِيَّاً * وَرَفَعْنَاهُ مَكَاناً عَلِيَّاً)1

“And mention in the Book Idris. Indeed he was a truthful one, a prophet, and We raised him to a station exalted.” 2

5945. رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله : أنزَلَ اللَّهُ على‏ إدريسَ ثَلاثينَ صَحيفَةً3 .4

5945. The Prophet (SAWA) said, 'Allah sent down onto Idris thirty Books.'5 ,6

5946. رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله : أوّلُ مَن خَطَّ بالقَلمِ إدريسُ7

5946. The Prophet (SAWA) said, 'The first person who wrote by pen is Enoch (Idris) (AS).8

5947. الإمامُ الصّادقُ عليه السلام : مَسجِدُ السَّهلَةِ مَوضِعُ بَيتِ إدريسَ النَّبيِّ عليه السلام الّذي كانَ يَخِيطُ فيهِ9

5947. Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said, 'Al-Sahla mosque is where the house of Prophet Enoch (AS) was, wherein he would sew.'10

Notes

1. مريم : 56 و 57

2. Quran 19 :56,57

3. وفي خبر : . أنزل على‏ إدريس خمسين صحيفة ، وهو اُخنوخ ، وهو أوّل من خطّ بالقلم (بحار الأنوار : 11 / 60 / 68 )

4. بحار الأنوار : 11 / 277 / 5

5. In another tradition: He sent down fifty Books, and he is Ukhnukh, and he is the first person who wrote with a pen. Bihar al-Anwar, v. 11, p. 60, no. 68

6. Bihar al-Anwar. v. 11, p. 277, no. 5

7. كنزالعمّال : 32269

8. Kanz al-Ummal 32269

9. بحار الأنوار : 11 / 284 / 12

10. Bihar al-Anwar, v. 11, p. 284, no. 12

1692 - نوحٌ عليه السلام‏

1692. NOAH (AS) [Nuh]

( لَقَدْ أَرْسَلنَا نُوحَاً إِلَى‏ قَوْمِهِ فقَالَ يَا قَوْمِ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مَالَكُمْ مِنْ إِلهٍ غَيْرُهُ إِنِّي أَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍ)1

“Certainly We sent Noah to his people. He said, 'O my people, worship Allah! You have no other god besides Him. Indeed I fear for you the punishment of a tremendous day.” 2

( وَاتْلُ عَلَيْهِمْ نَبَأَ نُوحٍ إِذْ قَالَ لِقَوْمِهِ يَا قَوْمِ إِنْ كَانَ كَبُرَ عَلَيْكُمْ مَقَامِي وَتَذْكِيري بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ فَعَلَى اللَّهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ )3

“Relate to them the account of Noah when he said to his people, 'O my people! If my stay [among you] be hard on you and [also] my reminding you of Allah's signs, [for my part] I have put my trust in Allah.” 4

(اُنظر) هود : 25 - 48 والأنبياء : 76 ، 77 والمؤمنون : 23 - 30 والشعراء : 105 - 122 والعنكبوت : 14 ، 15 والصافّات : 75 - 82 والذاريات : 46 والقمر : 9 - 17 والتحريم : 10 ونوح : 1 - 28

(See also: 11:25-48, 21:76-77, 23:23-30, 26:105-122, 29: 14-15, 37:75-82, 51:46, 54:9-17, 66:10, 71:1-28)

5948. رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله : أوّلُ نَبيٍّ اُرسِلَ نُوحٌ5

5948. The Prophet (SAWA) said, 'The first prophet to be sent down as a messenger was Noah.'6

5949. رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله : بَعَثَ اللَّهُ نُوحاً لأربَعينَ سَنةً ، ولَبِثَ في قَومهِ ألفَ سَنةٍ إلّا خَمسينَ عاماً يَدعُوهم ، وعاشَ بعدَ الطُّوفانِ سِتّينَ سَنةً حتّى‏ كَثُرَ النّاسُ وفَشَوا7

5949. The Prophet (SAWA) said, 'Allah sent Noah as a prophet for forty years, and he stayed among his people for one thousand years minus fifty, calling them [to the truth]. He stayed alive for sixty years after the flood until the number of people increased and they spread out.'8

5950. الإمامُ الباقرُ عليه السلام - في قولهِ تعالى‏ : (وما آمَنَ مَعَهُ إلّا قَليلٌ)9 - : كانوا ثمانِيَةً10

5950. Imam al-Baqir (AS), with regard to Allah's verse in the Qur'an:“And none believed with him except a few” 11 , said, 'They were eight.'12

5951. الإمامُ الباقرُ عليه السلام : إنّ نُوحاً عليه السلام لَمّا غَرَسَ النَّوى‏ مَرَّ علَيهِ قَومُهُ فجَعلوا يَضحَكونَ ويَسخَرونَ ويقولونَ : قد قَعَدَ غَرّاساً ! حتّى‏ إذا طالَ النَّخلُ وكانَ جَبّاراً طُوالاً قَطَعَهُ ثُمّ نَحَتَهُ فقالوا : قد قَعَدَ نَجّاراً ! ثُمّ ألّفَهُ فجَعَلَهُ سَفينَةً فمَرُّوا علَيهِ فجَعلوا يَضحَكونَ ويسخَرونَ ويقولونَ : قد قَعَدَ مَلّاحاً في فَلاةٍ من الأرضِ ! حتّى‏ فَرَغَ مِنها13

5951. Imam al-Baqir (AS) said, 'When Noah (AS) planted a seed a group of people walked by him and started to laugh and mock him, saying, 'He has now become a gardener!' When the palm tree grew and became great and high, he cut it down and worked it, and they said, 'He has become a carpenter!' He then made these into a boat, and a group of people came by, laughing and mocking, saying to him, 'He has now become a sailor in the desert of the earth!', until he finished [building] it.'14

5952. الإمامُ الباقرُ عليه السلام : كانَ بينَ آدَمَ وبينَ نُوحٍ عليهما السلام عَشرَةُ آباءٍ كلُّهُم أنبياءُ اللَّهِ15

5952. Imam al-Baqir (AS) said, 'There were ten fathers between Adam and Noah (AS), and all of them were prophets.'16

قِصّتُهُ عليه السلام فِي القُرآنِ : بَعثُهُ وإرسالُهُ

His story in the Quran Sending him as a Prophet with a Message

كان الناس بعد آدم عليه السلام يعيشون اُمةً واحدةً على‏ بساطة وسذاجة وهم علَى الفطرة الإنسانيّة ؛ حتّى‏ فشا فيهم روح الاستكبار وآل إلَى استعلاء البعض على‏ البعض تدريجيّاً .

فشاع في زمن نوح عليه السلام الفساد في الأرض ، وأعرض الناس عن دين التوحيد وعن سنّة العدل الاجتماعيّ ، وأقبلوا على‏ عبادة الأصنام وقد سمَّى اللَّه سبحانه منها وَدّاً وسُواعاً ويَغوث ويَعوق ونَسراً (سورة نوح)

وتباعدت الطبقات ؛ فصار الأقوياء بالأموال والأولاد يضيّعون حقوق الضعفاء ، والجبابرة يستضعفون مَن دونهم ويحكمون عليهم بما تهواه أنفسهم (الأعراف - هود - نوح)

فبعث اللَّه نوحاً عليه السلام وأرسله إليهم بالكتاب والشريعة يدعوهم إلى‏ توحيد اللَّه سبحانه وخلع الأنداد والمساواة فيما بينهم (البقرة : 213) بالتبشير والإنذار

People after Adam were living as one nation very simply and guilelessly preserving their human nature, until a feeling of haughtiness spread among them and they gradually tried to rise above each other. Corruption spread during the time of Noah (AS) and people turned away from religion and monotheism, and from the tradition of social justice. They began to worship idols, and Allah Almighty mentioned some of them, like Wadd, Suwa, Yaghuth, Yauq, and Nasr (Surah Nuh).

Classes in society moved farther away from each other. Those who were strong, with wealth and children, bean to neglect the rights of the weak, and the tyrants began to humiliate those below them and rule over them as their desires dictated to them (Surah al-Araf, Hud, Nuh).

So, Allah sent Noah to them with a divine book and law, calling them to the Oneness of Allah Almighty, and to refute a partner to Him, and to bring equity to the society through giving glad tidings and warnings to them (Quran 2:213).

إجتهادُهُ عليه السلام في دَعوتِهِ

His Effort in Propagation

وكان عليه السلام يدعو قومه إلَى الإيمان باللَّه وآياته ، ويبذل في ذلك غاية وسعه ؛ فيندبهم إلَى الحقّ ليلاً ونهاراً وإعلاناً وإسراراً ، فلا يجيبونه إلّا بالعناد والاستكبار

لَبْثُهُ عليه السلام في قَومِهِ

...and he (AS) would propagate to his people to believe in Allah and His signs, and he tried his hardest to do so. He called them to the truth day and night, and they did not respond to his call other than with arrogance and haughtiness...

لبث عليه السلام في قومه ألف سنة إلّا خمسين عاماً يدعوهم إلَى اللَّه سبحانه ، فلم يجيبوه إلّا بالهزء والسخرية ورميه بالجنون وأ نّه يقصد به أن يتفضّل عليهم ، حتّى‏ استنصر ربّه (سورة العنكبوت) .

Staying Among his People

He (AS) stayed among his people for nine hundred and fifty years calling them to Allah Almighty, and they only answered him with mockery and sarcasm. They called him insane and said that he only wanted to rule over them, until he sought help from his Lord (Surah al-AnkAbut).

صَنْعُهُ عليه السلام الفُلْكَ

Making the Ark

أمره اللَّه تعالى‏ أن يصنع الفلك بتأييده سبحانه وتسديده فأخذ في صنعها

Allah Almighty ordered him to make an ark with His guidance and protection.

نُزولُ العَذابِ ومَجي‏ءُ الطوفانِ

The Descent of Punishment and the Starting of the Flood

حتّى‏ إذا تمّت صنعة الفلك وجاء أمر اللَّه وفار التنّور أوحَى اللَّه تعالى‏ إليه أن يحمل في السفينة من كلٍّ من الحيوان زوجَين اثنَين ، وأن يحمل أهله إلّا من سبق عليه القول الإلهيّ بالغرق وهو امرأته الخائنة وابنه الذي تخلّف عن ركوب السفينة ، وأن يحمل الذين آمنوا (سورتا هود والمؤمنون) ، فلمّا حملهم وركبوا جميعاً فتح اللَّه أبواب السماء بماء منهمر وفجّر الأرض عيوناً فالتقَى الماء على‏ أمر قد قُدِر (سورة القمر) وعلا الماءُ وارتفعت السفينة عليه وهي تسير في موج كالجبال (سورة هود)

When the ark was completed, the command of Allah came and water gushed forth from the valley, Allah revealed to him to carry to his boat a pair of every animal and all his family members save those whom Allah had decreed to drown, who were his treacherous wife and his son who refused to board the ark. He was also ordered to take the believers (Surah Hud, al-Mu'minun). When they all got onto the boat Allah opened the doors of the sky with pouring water and exploded the springs of water from the earth, meeting each other according to a designated measure (Surah al-Qamar). The water came up and the boat rose on it, floating above the waves like mountains (Surah Hud).

قَضاءُ الأمرِ ونُزولُهُ ومَن مَعه عليه السلام إلَى‏الأرضِ

Fulfilling of the Command and his Descent onto the Ground with those Accompanying him

فلمّا عمّ الطوفان وأغرق الناس (كما يظهر من سورة الصافّات آية77 ) أمر اللَّه الأرض أن تبلع ماءها والسماء أن تقلع وغِيضَ الماء و استوت السفينة على‏ جبل الجُوديّ .17

When the flood encompassed everything and everyone drowned (as is mentioned in Surah al-Saffat:77) Allah ordered the earth to swallow its water and the sky to suck up the water, and the boat settled on the mountain of Judiy...18

Notes

1. الأعراف : 59

2. Quran 7:59

3. يونس : 71

4. Quran 10:71

5. كنز العمّال : 32391

6. Kanz al-Ummal, no. 32391

7. المستدرك على الصحيحين : 2 / 595 / 4005

8. al-Mustadrak ala al-Sahihayn, v. 2, p. 595, no. 4005

9. هود : 40

10. بحار الأنوار : 11 / 336 / 64

11. Quran 11:40

12. Bihar al-Anwar, v. 11, p. 336, no. 64

13. الكافي : 8 / 283 / 425

14. al-Kafi, v. 8, p. 283, no. 425

15. كمال الدين : 214 / 2

16. Kamal al-Din, p. 214, no. 2

17. تفسير الميزان : 10 / 270

18. Tafsir al-Mizan, v. 10, p. 270