سُوْرَةُ يٰسٓ
Surah Yaseen (36) — Ayah 41
وَءَايَةٌ لَّهُمْ أَنَّا حَمَلْنَا ذُرِّيَّتَهُمْ فِى ٱلْفُلْكِ ٱلْمَشْحُونِ ﴿41﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And an Ayâh (sign) for them is that We bore their offspring in the laden ship [of Nûh (Noah)].
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَءَايَةٌۭ
waāyatun
And a Sign
لَّهُمْ
lahum
for them
أَنَّا
annā
(is) that
حَمَلْنَا
ḥamalnā
We carried
ذُرِّيَّتَهُمْ
dhurriyyatahum
their offspring
فِى
fī
in
ٱلْفُلْكِ
l-ful'ki
the ship
ٱلْمَشْحُونِ
l-mashḥūni
laden
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 41) ➊ The literal meaning of { وَ اٰيَةٌ لَّهُمْ اَنَّا حَمَلْنَا ذُرِّيَّتَهُمْ … : ’’ذُرِّيَّةٌ‘‘} is offspring. In {’’ ذُرِّيَّتَهُمْ ‘‘}, the pronoun in {’’هُمْ‘‘} refers to human beings. {’’ الْمَشْحُوْنِ ‘‘} means filled, and by this is meant the Ark of Noah (peace be upon him). That is, another sign for them is that We carried the progeny of mankind in a filled ship, and that water which does not even lift an iron needle or a wooden stick, rather it drowns them, that very water, according to Our instruction, lifted the ship made of iron or wood, which was well filled with people, a pair of every animal, and the necessities they required.
➋ Here is a question: not only the offspring but also their fathers were aboard the ship, so why did Allah say, "We carried their offspring in the filled ship," instead of saying, "We carried them in the filled ship"? The answer is that before Noah (peace be upon him), the fathers did not know the method of making a ship, nor could they travel by sea. After Adam (peace be upon him), all his offspring whom Allah intended to preserve were all aboard that ship, and after the flood, only they remained on the earth; all others were drowned, as Allah said about Noah (peace be upon him): « وَ جَعَلْنَا ذُرِّيَّتَهٗ هُمُ الْبٰقِيْنَ » [الصافات : ۷۷ ] "And We made his offspring the survivors." Therefore, here it is said {’’ اَنَّا حَمَلْنَا ذُرِّيَّتَهُمْ فِي الْفُلْكِ الْمَشْحُوْنِ‘‘}. (Nazm al-Durr) Elsewhere, the same ship is mentioned in these words: « اِنَّا لَمَّا طَغَا الْمَآءُ حَمَلْنٰكُمْ فِي الْجَارِيَةِ (11) لِنَجْعَلَهَا لَكُمْ تَذْكِرَةً وَّ تَعِيَهَاۤ اُذُنٌ وَّاعِيَةٌ » [ الحآقۃ : ۱۱، ۱۲ ] "Indeed, it is We who, when the water overflowed, carried you in the ship, so that We might make it for you a reminder and that a listening ear might remember it."
➋ Here is a question: not only the offspring but also their fathers were aboard the ship, so why did Allah say, "We carried their offspring in the filled ship," instead of saying, "We carried them in the filled ship"? The answer is that before Noah (peace be upon him), the fathers did not know the method of making a ship, nor could they travel by sea. After Adam (peace be upon him), all his offspring whom Allah intended to preserve were all aboard that ship, and after the flood, only they remained on the earth; all others were drowned, as Allah said about Noah (peace be upon him): « وَ جَعَلْنَا ذُرِّيَّتَهٗ هُمُ الْبٰقِيْنَ » [الصافات : ۷۷ ] "And We made his offspring the survivors." Therefore, here it is said {’’ اَنَّا حَمَلْنَا ذُرِّيَّتَهُمْ فِي الْفُلْكِ الْمَشْحُوْنِ‘‘}. (Nazm al-Durr) Elsewhere, the same ship is mentioned in these words: « اِنَّا لَمَّا طَغَا الْمَآءُ حَمَلْنٰكُمْ فِي الْجَارِيَةِ (11) لِنَجْعَلَهَا لَكُمْ تَذْكِرَةً وَّ تَعِيَهَاۤ اُذُنٌ وَّاعِيَةٌ » [ الحآقۃ : ۱۱، ۱۲ ] "Indeed, it is We who, when the water overflowed, carried you in the ship, so that We might make it for you a reminder and that a listening ear might remember it."
