سُوْرَةُ هُوْدٍ
Surah Hud (11) — Ayah 38
وَيَصْنَعُ ٱلْفُلْكَ وَكُلَّمَا مَرَّ عَلَيْهِ مَلَأٌ مِّن قَوْمِهِۦ سَخِرُوا۟ مِنْهُ ۚ قَالَ إِن تَسْخَرُوا۟ مِنَّا فَإِنَّا نَسْخَرُ مِنكُمْ كَمَا تَسْخَرُونَ ﴿38﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And as he was constructing the ship, whenever the chiefs of his people passed by him, they mocked at him. He said: "If you mock at us, so do we mock at you likewise for your mocking.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَيَصْنَعُ
wayaṣnaʿu
And he was constructing
ٱلْفُلْكَ
l-ful'ka
the ship
وَكُلَّمَا
wakullamā
and every time
مَرَّ
marra
passed
عَلَيْهِ
ʿalayhi
by him
مَلَأٌۭ
mala-on
(the) chiefs
مِّن
min
of
قَوْمِهِۦ
qawmihi
his people
سَخِرُوا۟
sakhirū
they ridiculed
مِنْهُ ۚ
min'hu
[of] him
قَالَ
qāla
He said
إِن
in
If
تَسْخَرُوا۟
taskharū
you ridicule
مِنَّا
minnā
us
فَإِنَّا
fa-innā
then we
نَسْخَرُ
naskharu
can ridicule
مِنكُمْ
minkum
you
كَمَا
kamā
as
تَسْخَرُونَ
taskharūna
you ridicule
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 38) ➊ { وَ يَصْنَعُ الْفُلْكَ:} The incident of the past has been described using the present tense. From this, it is established that he continued building that large ship for several days, as the verb {’’كَانَ‘‘ }, which is in the past tense, when used with the present tense, indicates continuity in the past. Therefore, the translation is: "And he kept building the ship." Some scholars have said that Allah Almighty used the present tense to depict the scene, as if we are seeing that Noah (peace be upon him) is building the ship and the people of his nation are mocking him. This meaning is also sound.
➋ { وَ كُلَّمَا مَرَّ عَلَيْهِ مَلَاٌ مِّنْ قَوْمِهٖ سَخِرُوْا مِنْهُ …: } They would mock him, saying, "Since when did the old man become a carpenter, and now his mind has become so disturbed that he is making arrangements for protection from drowning in water on dry land?" Noah (peace be upon him) would laugh at this, thinking that instead of seeking protection from Allah's punishment through faith and obedience, these people are, on the contrary, insisting on disbelief and disobedience and inviting punishment by mocking Allah's signs. It is also possible that Noah (peace be upon him) said, "Just as you are mocking us, the time is very near when you will be drowning and we will be mocking you, just as you are mocking us." Shah Abdul Qadir (may Allah have mercy on him) writes: "He (Noah, peace be upon him) laughed at this because death was looming over them and they were laughing." (Muwadhih)
➋ { وَ كُلَّمَا مَرَّ عَلَيْهِ مَلَاٌ مِّنْ قَوْمِهٖ سَخِرُوْا مِنْهُ …: } They would mock him, saying, "Since when did the old man become a carpenter, and now his mind has become so disturbed that he is making arrangements for protection from drowning in water on dry land?" Noah (peace be upon him) would laugh at this, thinking that instead of seeking protection from Allah's punishment through faith and obedience, these people are, on the contrary, insisting on disbelief and disobedience and inviting punishment by mocking Allah's signs. It is also possible that Noah (peace be upon him) said, "Just as you are mocking us, the time is very near when you will be drowning and we will be mocking you, just as you are mocking us." Shah Abdul Qadir (may Allah have mercy on him) writes: "He (Noah, peace be upon him) laughed at this because death was looming over them and they were laughing." (Muwadhih)
