He is the first amongst the Messengers of Allah to the people of the earth:

It was narrated on the authority of Abu Hurairah, may Allaah be pleased with him, that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said in the Hadeeth of the Intercession: "…They will go to Noah and say; 'O Noah! You are the first amongst the messengers of Allah, The Almighty, to the people of the earth, and Allah, The Almighty, named you a thankful slave. Do not you see in what a (miserable) state we are and to what condition we have reached? Will you not intercede for us with your Lord? Noah will reply: 'Today my Lord has become so angry as he had never been before and will never be in the future Myself! Myself! Go to Ibraaheem, may Allah exalt his mention..." (1).

How many years were there between Adam and Noah, may Allah exalt their mention?

It was narrated that Ibn ‘Abbaas, may Allaah be pleased with them, said: "The period between Adam and Noah was ten centuries. All of them were on the religion of faith. Then, they differed and thus Allah, The Almighty, sent the prophets as bringers of good tidings and warners." (2).

It was narrated that Abu Umaamah, may Allaah be pleased with him, said: "A man said, “O Messenger of Allah, was Adam a Prophet?” He, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Yes, and Allah spoke to him.” The man asked, “How much (time) was there between him and Nooh?” He, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Ten centuries.” (3).

He said: "The same thing was indicated in the recitation of ‘Abdullah: {Mankind was [of] one religion [before their deviation]…} [Quran 2: 213]"

Ibn Jareer, may Allaah have mercy upon him, said: "Then they differed in their religion and thus Allah sent the Prophets, may Allah exalt their mention, as bringers of good tidings and warners and sent down with them the Scripture in truth to judge between the people concerning that in which they differed out of his mercy towards his creation and they may have no excuse on the Day of Resurrection.

It is possible that the time in which people were only one nation is from the time of Adam, may Allah exalt his mention, to that of Noah, may Allah exalt his mention, as it was reported by ‘Ikrimah from Ibn ‘Abbaas and as stated by Qataadah, may Allaah be pleased with them.

It is also possible that this was when the offspring of Adam, may Allah exalt his mention, was shown to him and it is possible that this was in a time other than this. There is no proof from the Noble Quran or narration from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, that can prove that this occurred in one of such times. It is not possible to say something in it except what Allah, The Almighty, said that Mankind was [of] one religion [before their deviation]; then Allah sent the prophets when they differed and there is no harm in not knowing the exact time of this and we will get no benefit if we know it as it is not related to any act of worship." (4).

Idols that the people of Noah, may Allah exalt his mention, worshiped:

It was narrated that ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbaas, may Allaah be pleased with them, said: "All the idols which were worshipped by the people of Noah, may Allah exalt his mention, were worshipped by the Arabs later on. As for the idol Wadd, it was worshipped by the tribe of Kalb at Daumat Al-Jandal; Suwaa‘ was the idol of (the tribe of) Murad and then by Ban, Ghutaif at Al-Jurf near Saba;  Yaghuth was the idol of Hamthaan, and Nasr was the idol of Himyr, the branch of Thi Al-Kalaa‘. The names (of the idols) formerly belonged to some pious men of the people of Noah, and when they died Satan inspired their people to (prepare and place idols at the places where they used to sit, and to call those idols by their names. The people did so, but the idols were not worshipped till those people (who initiated them) had died and the origin of the idols had become obscure, whereupon people began worshipping them." (5).

Noah, may Allah exalt his mention, warned his people against Ad-Dajjaal:

It was narrated that ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar, may Allaah be pleased with them, said: "Once the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, stood amongst the people, glorified and praised Allah, The Almighty, as He deserved and then mentioned Ad-Dajjal saying, "l warn you against him (i.e. Ad-Dajjal) and there was no prophet but warned his nation against him. No doubt, Noah, may Allah exalt his mention, warned his nation against him but I tell you about him something of which no prophet told his nation before me. You should know that he is one-eyed, and Allah, The Almighty, is not one-eyed." (6).

It was narrated on the authority of Abu Hurairah, may Allaah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:"Shall I not tell you about the Ad-Dajjaal a story of which no prophet told his nation? Ad-Dajjaal is one-eyed and will bring with him what will resemble Hell and Paradise, and what he will call Paradise will be actually Hell; so I warn you (against him) as Noah, may Allah exalt his mention, warned his nation against him." (7).

Severity of Harm that He Used to Get from His People:

It was narrated that ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ood, may Allaah be pleased with him, said: "When the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, divided the booty of Hunayn at Ji‘raanah, the people crowded up against him. Then the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, 'Allah, The Almighty, sent on of His slaves to a people and they rejected him and wounded him in the head. He wiped the blood from his brow, saying, "O Allah, forgive my people for they do not know." (8).

‘Abdullah, may Allaah be pleased with him, added: "As if I saw the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, wiping his forehead like this slave of Allah (i.e. who was sent to his people)." The wording of the Hadeeth is reported by Imam Ahmad, may Allaah have mercy upon him. 

Imam Al-Bukhaari, may Allaah have mercy upon him, reported a variant wording: "As if I saw the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, talking about one of the prophets whose nation had beaten him and caused him to bleed, while he was cleaning the blood off his face and saying, "O Allah! Forgive my nation, for they do not know." (9).

It is apparent that the prophet whom the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, talked about his condition while wiping the blood is our dear Prophet Noah, may Allah exalt his mention. This is the opinion adopted by ‘Ubayd ibn ‘Umayr Al-Laythi as it was stated by Ibn Ishaaq in Al-Mubtada', Ibn Abi Haatim in the commentary of Soorat Ash-Shu‘araa'.  (10).

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(1) It was previously verified. It was narrated on the authority of Anas ibn Maalik, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "The first prophet was sent was Noah, may Allah exalt his mention." It was also reported by Ibn ‘Asaakir and Ad-Daylami. The Hadeeth is Saheeh (authentic) because it has a witness from the Hadeeth of Abu Hurairah, may Allaah be pleased with him.

(2) It was reported by Al-Haakim (2/546-547) and said: "It is Saheeh Hadeeth according to the condition of Imam Al-Bukhaari but they did not report it and Ath-Thahabi agreed with him. As-Suyuti said in Ad-Durr (1/94): 'It was reported by Ibn Haatim."

(3) It was reported by Ibn Hibaan in his book As-Saheeh (14/69) and Al-Haakim (2/262) and said it is Saheeh Hadeeth according to the condition of Imam Muslim and Ath-Thahabi agreed with him and Ibn Katheer said in Al-Bidaayah wa An-Nihaayah (1/94): "This is according to the condition of Imam Muslim but he did not report it."

(4) It was reported by Ibn Jareer in At-Tafseer (4048) and Al-Haakim in Al-Mustadrak (2: 546- 547) and said: "It is Saheeh according to the condition of Imam Al-Bukhaari but they did not report it and Ath-Thahabi agreed with him."

(5) It was reported by Ibn Jareer in At-Tafseer (4/280).

(6) It was reported by Imam Al-Bukhaari No. (4920).

(7) It was reported by Imam Al-Bukhaari No. (3337 and 4402) and Muslim No. (169).

(8) It was reported by Imam Al-Bukhaari No. (3338) and Muslim No. (2936).

(9) It was reported by Imam Al-Bukhaari No. (3477 and 6929) and Muslim No. (1792).

(10) For more details, kindly refer to Fat-h Al-Baari (6/521). 

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