Noah and the Tale of His Son

Noah and His Son in the Quran:

Yes, Noah had a big problem with His son.

Noah was one of the great Messengers.
His son was unbeliever.
This is the problem that ended up with dramatic death of His son.

Herein, the story of Noah and His son according to the Quran:

Noah was sent to his nation.
Noah told them to worship Allah.
Most of the people refused to accept Noah on the assumption that Noah is just a human being like them and his followers are inferior to them.
They denied Noah and thought that He is a liar.
Noah lived about 1000 years.
He had disputed the unbelievers for many hundreds of years.
Allah said to Noah that none of his nation will believe except whosoever has already believed.
Allah commanded Noah to build the ark and do not speak to Allah concerning the evil doers; they all shall be drowned.
Allah commanded Noah to take on board (the ark) a pair from every species and his family (except he of whom the word has already been spoken) and those who believe.
His son refused to get in the ark, Noah cried out to his son, who was standing apart, 'embark with us, my son, and do not be with the unbelievers! '
His son said: 'I shall seek refuge on a mountain, which will protect me from the water.
The waves came between them, and his son was drowned.
Noah called out to Allah, saying: 'o lord, my son was of my family, and your promise is surely the truth.
Allah said: 'Noah, he is not of your family, he is not a good deed. Do not ask me about things of which you have no knowledge.
Noah said immediately Noah apologized to Allah asking Him to forgive him and have mercy on him,

This is the story of Noah and his son in the Quran.

Surah 11:25-49

25 we sent Noah to his nation. (Noah said :) 'I am a Warner for you, and a bearer of glad tidings.

26 worship none except Allah. I fear for you the punishment of a painful day. '

27 the unbelieving council of his nation said: 'we do not see you other than a human like ourselves. we see your followers are none but the lowliest amongst us, and their opinion is not to be considered. we do not see you superior to us, rather, we consider you liars. '

28 he said: 'what do you think my nation? If I have a clear proof from my lord and he has given me mercy from him, though it is hidden from you, can we compel you to accept it when you hate it?

29 my nation, for this I do not ask you for your wealth for my wage is only with Allah. Nor will I drive away the believers, for they will surely meet their lord. But, I can see that you are ignorant.

30 and, o my people! Who will help me against Allah if I drive them away? Will you not then mind?

31 I do not say to you that I possess the treasuries of Allah, and I do not know the unseen. I do not say I am an angel, nor do I say to those whom you despise; Allah will not give them any good. Allah knows best what is in their hearts. Indeed, if this were so then I would be amongst the harm and evil doers.

32 they said: 'o Noah, you have disputed, and disputed too much, with us. bring (down) upon us that which you promised us, if what you say is true! '

33 he replied: 'Allah will bring it (down) upon you if he will; you will never frustrate him.

34 nor will my sincere counsel benefit you if I sincerely desire to counsel you if Allah desires to lead you astray. He is your lord, and to him you shall return. '

35 or do they say: 'he has fabricated it (himself)? ' say: 'if i had fabricated it, then the sin rests upon me. i reject the sins you do. '

36 and it was revealed to Noah: 'none of your nation will believe except whosoever has already believed. Do not distress yourself with what they may do.

37 build the ark with our seeing (and protection), and as we reveal. Do not speak to me concerning the evildoers; they shall be drowned. '

38 whenever an assembly of his nation passed by him as he was building the ark, they mocked him. Whereupon he said: 'if you mock us, we shall indeed mock you, just as you mock.

39 you shall know to whom a degrading punishment will come, and upon whom an everlasting punishment will fall. '

40 and when our command came and the oven gushed (forth with water), we said (to Noah): 'take on board (the ark) a pair from every species and your family, except he of whom the word has already been spoken, and those who believe. And none except a few believed with him.

41 he (Noah) said: 'embark. In the name of Allah will be its course and berthing. Indeed, my lord is forgiving, the most merciful. '

42 and so it (the ark) ran with them amidst the mountainous waves, and Noah cried out to his son, who was standing apart, 'embark with us, my son, and do not be with the unbelievers! '

43 but he replied: 'I shall seek refuge on a mountain, which will protect me from the water. 'He (Noah) said: 'today, there is no defender from the command of Allah, except those to whom he has mercy. 'And the waves came between them, and he was drowned.

44 and it was said: 'earth, swallow up your waters. Heaven, cease! 'The water subsided and the matter was accomplished. And the ark came to rest upon (the mountain of) "aljudi", and it was said: 'be gone, evildoing nation! '

45 Noah called out to his lord, saying: 'o lord, my son was of my family, and your promise is surely the truth. You are the most just of judges. '

46 he said: 'Noah, he is not of your family, he is not a good deed. Do not ask me about things of which you have no knowledge. I reproach you lest you become among the ignorant. '

47 he said: 'my lord, i seek refuge with you from asking you of that which I have no knowledge. if you do not forgive me and have mercy on me, I shall be among the losers. '

48 it was said: 'o Noah, descend with peace from us and blessings on you and on the nations of those with you; and nations we shall give them enjoyment, and then from us they shall be visited with a painful punishment. '

49 that is from the news of the unseen which we reveal to you; neither you nor your nation knew this before now. have patience; the outcome is for the cautious.

There are many big differences between the story of Noah and his son in the Bible versus the Quran.

The Bible does not say that Noah disputed his nation for many hundreds of years.
It seems likely that Noah would not live silent for many hundreds of years and never warned them.
The Bible does not say that Noah told his nation to worship the Great Almighty Lord.
The Bible never says that some of the believers were not belonged to Noah family. The Bible claims that the believers were Noah and his family. The Quran says that the believers were Noah and his family and some others who are not belonged to Noah's family.
The Bible says that the problem between Noah and his son was because he gets drunk, and lies around naked in his tent. His son, Ham saw him in this condition. This was the problem of Noah with his son as the Bible claims.
This Biblical story put the "Perfect, just and righteous" Noah down and dishonors him as a man who gets drunk and did foolish acts.
The problem of Noah with his son according to the Quran was because his son was unbeliever and he died. The merciful Noah felt sorry for his son but Allah told him not to feel sorry about him because he is an evil doer.
It is very interesting that the Quran never mentions the names of Noah's sons.
On the other hand, the Bible named them and categorized them to good and bad and to black and white and cursed one of them because of the "drunken" Noah as the Bible claims. Unfortunately, many millions of innocent people had been killed, slaved and abused because of this Biblical claim. It is suspicious that this Biblical story puts the roots of racism, color discrimination and the slavery.

In conclusion, Moslems believe that Noah was one of the great Messengers. Moslems do not believe that Noah was "drunk" and cursed his grandson. Moslems believe that Noah's son was unbeliever and he died.

This article aimed to compare the cause of the problem of Noah and his son in the Bible versus the Quran.
However, the complete story of Noah needs another article.

Back to the main topic of my series of articles (1- 56); this is my question to you smart readers: "Is the Quran quoted from the Bible "?