In His infinite wisdom, Allah (SWT) sends signs in moments of life when faith is tested significantly, truth is challenged, and salvation can only be found by exhibiting patience and surrender. One of the oldest and most profound of these moments is found in the life of Prophet Nuh (AS) – a man who stood against the tide of disbelief, and whose ark became a symbol of divine protection. And on a day like no other, the 10th of Muharram, the Day of Ashura, his journey came to a turning point. It was on this sacred day, according to authentic narrations, that the Ark of Nuh (AS) came to rest on Mount Judi, after the greatest flood the earth had ever seen. But to understand the significance of that moment, we have to look at the long road that led to it.
The Quran gives us a remarkable glimpse into the perseverance of Prophet Nuh (AS) when He says, “Indeed, We sent Nuh to his people, and he remained among them for a thousand years, less fifty. Then the Flood overtook them, while they persisted in wrongdoing.” (The Clear Quran®, 29:14) For 950 years, Prophet Nuh (AS) called his people to the worship of Allah (SWT) alone, day and night, in public and in private. Yet the response was mockery, rejection, and arrogance. The world had become steeped in idolatry, corruption, and sin.
Despite the pain of seeing generations ignore the truth, Prophet Nuh (AS) never gave up. He embodied what it meant to be steadfast in dawah, even when the results were unseen. Eventually, by divine decree, the time came for a new beginning.
Allah (SWT) then revealed to Prophet Nuh (AS), “And build the Ark under Our watchful Eyes and directions, and do not plead with Me for those who have done wrong, for they will surely be drowned.” (The Clear Quran®, 11:37) Imagine the scene: a man building a massive ship in the middle of dry land, far from any river or sea. The people ridiculed him. Allah (SWT) has stated, “So he began to build the Ark, and whenever some of the chiefs of his people passed by, they mocked him. He said, ‘If you laugh at us, we will soon laugh at you similarly.’” (The Clear Quran®, 11:38)
But Prophet Nuh (AS) built not for rain, but for reliance. He knew that when the command of Allah (SWT) comes, it needs no worldly explanation. His tawakkul was absolute.
When the water gushed from the oven, and the heavens burst forth with rain, the believers entered the Ark just a few in number, along with pairs of animals. Prophet Nuh’s (AS) son, who refused to believe, drowned with the rest. This moment was not just a flood. It was a divine separation between truth and falsehood, between trust in Allah (SWT) and trust in the world.
According to a hadith narrated in Musnad Ahmad, the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said, “This is the day when the Ark of Nuh came to rest on Mount Judi, so he fasted this day in gratitude to Allah.” It was, of course, on the 10th of Muharram, also known as the Day of Ashura. After the flood had destroyed everything, this was the day that marked safety, survival, and a new beginning. Prophet Nuh (AS) and the believers stepped onto dry land once more, not just alive, but renewed. He fasted that day out of shukr.
Centuries later, our beloved Prophet Muhammad (SAW) would also fast on Ashura. He told the companions, “This is a great day. On this day, Allah (SWT) saved Musa and his people and drowned Pharaoh and his people.” (Sahih Muslim) It is a day of divine mercy, protection, and remembrance, a day on which Allah’s (SWT) help came to His most devoted servants.
The story of Nuh (AS) is not ancient history, it is timeless guidance.
- Patience has no expiration date: Prophet Nuh (AS) preached for centuries with little success. If you’re striving to stay on the straight path, don’t be discouraged by slow results.
- Build your Ark before it rains: Prepare your heart, your home, and your actions with obedience before the tests of life arrive.
- Storms are part of the journey: Believers aren’t saved from the storm, but through it with Allah’s (SWT) protection.
- Relief comes at the right time: Just as the Ark settled safely on Ashura, Allah’s (SWT) help arrives with perfect timing, when patience meets trust.
A flood may wash away the material, but it cannot drown the heart that clings to Allah (SWT). Prophet Nuh (AS) didn’t just weather the storm, he surrendered to the Divine and was guided to a shore of salvation. On the Day of Ashura, as his ark settled on the peak of Mount Judi, it wasn’t just a ship that found rest, but a message etched in history: faith, when anchored in trust and resilience, will always find its harbor.
After long nights of rejection, mockery, and loss, a single moment of Divine Mercy can restore everything. So worship with intention. Reflect with humility. Walk the road of the Prophets, and let your imaan carry you through every storm.
Because if a flood took everything from Nuh (AS), it was his faith that returned everything…and more.
