سُوْرَةُ الْعَنْكَبُوْتِ
Surah Al-Ankaboot (29) — Ayah 15
فَأَنجَيْنَـٰهُ وَأَصْحَـٰبَ ٱلسَّفِينَةِ وَجَعَلْنَـٰهَآ ءَايَةً لِّلْعَـٰلَمِينَ ﴿15﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Then We saved him and those with him in the ship, and made it (the ship) an Ayâh (a lesson, a warning) for the ‘Âlamîn (mankind, jinn and all that exists).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
فَأَنجَيْنَـٰهُ
fa-anjaynāhu
But We saved him
وَأَصْحَـٰبَ
wa-aṣḥāba
and (the) people
ٱلسَّفِينَةِ
l-safīnati
(of) the ship
وَجَعَلْنَـٰهَآ
wajaʿalnāhā
and We made it
ءَايَةًۭ
āyatan
a Sign
لِّلْعَـٰلَمِينَ
lil'ʿālamīna
for the worlds
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 15) ➊ {فَاَنْجَيْنٰهُ وَ اَصْحٰبَ السَّفِيْنَةِ :} This incident is mentioned in detail in Surah Hud (37 to 48).
➋ { وَ جَعَلْنٰهَاۤ اٰيَةً لِّلْعٰلَمِيْنَ :} This sentence can have several meanings. One is that We made this incident a sign for all the worlds so that whoever hears it may take a lesson from it. The second is that We made this ship a sign for all the worlds, that this is the way to be saved from drowning in water. Thus, after this, in all eras, humans made ships like it to arrange for safety from drowning and for traveling in the sea. This subject is also mentioned in these verses: «{ وَ اٰيَةٌ لَّهُمْ اَنَّا حَمَلْنَا ذُرِّيَّتَهُمْ فِي الْفُلْكِ الْمَشْحُوْنِ (41) وَ خَلَقْنَا لَهُمْ مِّنْ مِّثْلِهٖ مَا يَرْكَبُوْنَ (42) وَ اِنْ نَّشَاْ نُغْرِقْهُمْ فَلَا صَرِيْخَ لَهُمْ وَ لَا هُمْ يُنْقَذُوْنَ (43) اِلَّا رَحْمَةً مِّنَّا وَ مَتَاعًا اِلٰى حِيْنٍ }» [ یٰسٓ : ۴۱ تا ۴۴ ] “And a sign for them is that indeed We carried their offspring in a laden ship. And We created for them similar things on which they ride. And if We will, We could drown them, then there would be no one to respond to their cry, nor would they be saved. Except as a mercy from Us and for an enjoyment for a time.” Shah Abdul Qadir writes: “At the time this Surah was revealed, many of your (Prophet’s) companions, being distressed by the persecution of the disbelievers, boarded a ship and went towards the land of Abyssinia. When you (Prophet) migrated to Madinah, those companions who had traveled by ship also joined safely.” (Mawduh) Thus, the history of Nuh (peace be upon him) and the Ark of Nuh was repeated in this manner.
A third meaning could be that the ship remained for centuries on the peak of Mount Judi and continued to inform later generations that such a flood had once come to this land, due to which such a large ship reached the top of the mountain. Even now, news of expeditions searching for this ship continues to appear in newspapers. This meaning is supported by Allah’s statement: «{ وَ حَمَلْنٰهُ عَلٰى ذَاتِ اَلْوَاحٍ وَّ دُسُرٍ (13) تَجْرِيْ بِاَعْيُنِنَا جَزَآءً لِّمَنْ كَانَ كُفِرَ (14) وَ لَقَدْ تَّرَكْنٰهَاۤ اٰيَةً فَهَلْ مِنْ مُّدَّكِرٍ }» [ القمر : ۱۳ تا ۱۵ ] “And We carried him on a (ship) made of planks and nails. Sailing under Our eyes, as a reward for him who had been denied. And verily, We left it as a sign, so is there any who will take heed?” A fourth meaning could be that We saved Nuh (peace be upon him) and those who were aboard the ship, and made this salvation a sign for all the worlds, which was a sign in many respects: first, that the ship was prepared before the flood came; second, that Nuh (peace be upon him) stored provisions for himself and all the humans and animals on the ship; third, that before the food ran out, the water was absorbed into the earth and dried up, whereas such a vast sea, as deep as the height of mountains, never dries up in such a short time—if the water had not been absorbed so quickly, none of them would have survived; fourth, that the ship remained safe for such a long period from the blows of the wind and attacks of dangerous sea creatures. In all these matters, neither the ship nor its occupants had any merit; it was We who arranged all these things and saved Nuh (peace be upon him) and the people of the ship, and made this salvation a sign for all the worlds. In reality, there is no contradiction among these four meanings; all four can be intended at the same time.
➋ { وَ جَعَلْنٰهَاۤ اٰيَةً لِّلْعٰلَمِيْنَ :} This sentence can have several meanings. One is that We made this incident a sign for all the worlds so that whoever hears it may take a lesson from it. The second is that We made this ship a sign for all the worlds, that this is the way to be saved from drowning in water. Thus, after this, in all eras, humans made ships like it to arrange for safety from drowning and for traveling in the sea. This subject is also mentioned in these verses: «{ وَ اٰيَةٌ لَّهُمْ اَنَّا حَمَلْنَا ذُرِّيَّتَهُمْ فِي الْفُلْكِ الْمَشْحُوْنِ (41) وَ خَلَقْنَا لَهُمْ مِّنْ مِّثْلِهٖ مَا يَرْكَبُوْنَ (42) وَ اِنْ نَّشَاْ نُغْرِقْهُمْ فَلَا صَرِيْخَ لَهُمْ وَ لَا هُمْ يُنْقَذُوْنَ (43) اِلَّا رَحْمَةً مِّنَّا وَ مَتَاعًا اِلٰى حِيْنٍ }» [ یٰسٓ : ۴۱ تا ۴۴ ] “And a sign for them is that indeed We carried their offspring in a laden ship. And We created for them similar things on which they ride. And if We will, We could drown them, then there would be no one to respond to their cry, nor would they be saved. Except as a mercy from Us and for an enjoyment for a time.” Shah Abdul Qadir writes: “At the time this Surah was revealed, many of your (Prophet’s) companions, being distressed by the persecution of the disbelievers, boarded a ship and went towards the land of Abyssinia. When you (Prophet) migrated to Madinah, those companions who had traveled by ship also joined safely.” (Mawduh) Thus, the history of Nuh (peace be upon him) and the Ark of Nuh was repeated in this manner.
A third meaning could be that the ship remained for centuries on the peak of Mount Judi and continued to inform later generations that such a flood had once come to this land, due to which such a large ship reached the top of the mountain. Even now, news of expeditions searching for this ship continues to appear in newspapers. This meaning is supported by Allah’s statement: «{ وَ حَمَلْنٰهُ عَلٰى ذَاتِ اَلْوَاحٍ وَّ دُسُرٍ (13) تَجْرِيْ بِاَعْيُنِنَا جَزَآءً لِّمَنْ كَانَ كُفِرَ (14) وَ لَقَدْ تَّرَكْنٰهَاۤ اٰيَةً فَهَلْ مِنْ مُّدَّكِرٍ }» [ القمر : ۱۳ تا ۱۵ ] “And We carried him on a (ship) made of planks and nails. Sailing under Our eyes, as a reward for him who had been denied. And verily, We left it as a sign, so is there any who will take heed?” A fourth meaning could be that We saved Nuh (peace be upon him) and those who were aboard the ship, and made this salvation a sign for all the worlds, which was a sign in many respects: first, that the ship was prepared before the flood came; second, that Nuh (peace be upon him) stored provisions for himself and all the humans and animals on the ship; third, that before the food ran out, the water was absorbed into the earth and dried up, whereas such a vast sea, as deep as the height of mountains, never dries up in such a short time—if the water had not been absorbed so quickly, none of them would have survived; fourth, that the ship remained safe for such a long period from the blows of the wind and attacks of dangerous sea creatures. In all these matters, neither the ship nor its occupants had any merit; it was We who arranged all these things and saved Nuh (peace be upon him) and the people of the ship, and made this salvation a sign for all the worlds. In reality, there is no contradiction among these four meanings; all four can be intended at the same time.
