Tafseer of The Believers · Al-Muminoon · 23:27
So We inspired to him, "Construct the ship under Our observation, and Our inspiration, and when Our command comes and the oven overflows, put into the ship from each [creature] two mates and your family, except those for whom the decree [of destruction] has proceeded. And do not address Me concerning those who have wronged; indeed, they are to be drowned.
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
And His word: فَأَوْحَيْنَا إِلَيْهِ أَنِ اصْنَعِ الْفُلْكَ بِأَعْيُنِنَا وَوَحْيِنَا (We revealed to him: Build the ship under Our eyes and Our revelation) — that is to say: We said to him, when he asked Us for help against the unbelievers of his people: Build the ship — that is, the vessel — under Our eyes, that is to say: in Our presence and under Our supervision, and Our revelation, that is to say: and through Our instruction to you in the craft of building it. فَإِذَا جَاءَ أَمْرُنَا (Then when Our command comes) — that is to say: when Our decree concerning your people comes, namely their punishment and destruction — وَفَارَ التَّنُّورُ (and the oven overflows). We have elsewhere already mentioned the disagreement of the scholars concerning the description of the overflowing of the oven, as well as the most correct view about it with the indications for it, so that there is no need to repeat this here.
فَاسْلُكْ فِيهَا مِنْ كُلٍّ زَوْجَيْنِ اثْنَيْنِ (Then bring into it of every living creature a pair) — that is to say: cause to enter into the vessel and load it. The word "hā" in فِيهَا refers to the vessel. One says: "salaktuhu fī kadhā" (I brought him into it) and "aslaktuhu fīhi" (I brought him into it), and for "salaktuhu" applies the saying of the poet:
"And I was the firm ally of your adversary, who does not yield, and they have brought you into a terrible day."
Some say: "aslaktu" with the alif, and for this applies the saying of the Hudhalī:
"Until they, when they had driven them into the mountain pass, drove them off as the camel-drivers drive off the fugitives."
And in accordance with what we said about this spoke the scholars of tafsīr.
Mention of those who said this:
Muḥammad ibn Saʿd related to me; he said: my father related to me; he said: my uncle related to me; he said: my father related to me, on the authority of his father, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning the word of Allah: فَاسْلُكْ فِيهَا مِنْ كُلٍّ زَوْجَيْنِ اثْنَيْنِ — Allah says to Nūḥ: Bring into the ship of every pair two, وَأَهْلَكَ (and your household) — these are his children and their wives — إِلا مَنْ سَبَقَ عَلَيْهِ الْقَوْلُ (except him against whom the word has already been pronounced) — from Allah, that he will perish together with those of your people who will perish; so do not bring him along. That is Yām, who drowned.
And by مِنْهُمْ (of them) He means: of your household; the word "minhum" refers to the household.
And His word: وَلا تُخَاطِبْنِي (the Āya) — that is to say: do not ask Me to save those who disbelieve in Allah.
إِنَّهُمْ مُغْرَقُونَن (They will be drowned) — that is to say: I have decreed concerning them that I will drown them all.