Surah Nuh ayat 23 Tafsir Quran 71:23

﴿وَقَالُوا لَا تَذَرُنَّ آلِهَتَكُمْ وَلَا تَذَرُنَّ وَدًّا وَلَا سُوَاعًا وَلَا يَغُوثَ وَيَعُوقَ وَنَسْرًا﴾
[ نوح: 23]

71:23 And said, 'Never leave your gods and never leave Wadd or Suwa' or Yaghuth and Ya'uq and Nasr.

and have said to the riffraff “Do not abandon your gods and do not abandon Wadd read Wadd or Wudd nor Suwā‘ nor Yaghūth and Ya‘ūq and Nasr” — these being the names of their idols.

They declared in explicit terms never to renounce their gods nor the idols, designated after legendary righteous men,: Waddun and Suwa`un, nor abandon Yaghutha, Ya`uqa and Nasrun

Nuh complains to His Lord about His People's Response Allah says that Nuh turned to Allah to inform Allah - the All Knowing from Whom nothing escapes - that he presented the clear call, as mentioned previously, and the comprehensive invitation in various ways.
He called them sometimes by encouragement and sometimes by intimidating warnings.
Yet, they disobeyed him, opposed him, denied him and followed the children of the world.
They were those who were heedless of the command of Allah and they possessed delights of wealth and children.
However, these things ( worldly benefits ) were also for gradual punishment and temporary respite, not for honor or blessing.
Thus, Allah says, وَاتَّبَعُواْ مَن لَّمْ يَزِدْهُ مَالُهُ وَوَلَدُهُ إِلاَّ خَسَاراً ( and followed one whose wealth and children give him no increase but loss. ) The meaning of Allah's statement, وَمَكَرُواْ مَكْراً كُبَّاراً ( And they have plotted a mighty plot. ) is that they plotted a deceptive plot for their followers tricking them into believing that they were following the truth and correct guidance.
This is like what they will say to them on the Day of Judgement, بَلْ مَكْرُ الَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ إِذْ تَأْمُرُونَنَآ أَن نَّكْفُرَ بِاللَّهِ وَنَجْعَلَ لَهُ أَندَاداً ( Nay, but it was your plotting by night and day: when you orderd us to disbelieve in Allah and set up rivals to Him! ) ( 34:33 ) For this reason He says here, The Idols of the People of Nuh and what happened to Him وَمَكَرُواْ مَكْراً كُبَّاراً - وَقَالُواْ لاَ تَذَرُنَّ ءَالِهَتَكُمْ وَلاَ تَذَرُنَّ وَدّاً وَلاَ سُوَاعاً وَلاَ يَغُوثَ وَيَعُوقَ وَنَسْراً ( And they have plotted a mighty plot.
And they have said: `You shall not leave your gods, nor shall you leave Wadd, nor Suwa`, nor Yaghuth, and Ya`uq and Nasr.' ) These are the names of their idols which they used to worship besides Allah.
Al-Bukhari recorded from Ibn `Abbas that he said, "The idols that were among the people of Nuh wound up among the Arabs afterwards.
In reference to Wadd, it became the idol of the people of Kalb in the area of Dawmat Al-Jandal.
Suwa` became the idol of the people of Hudhayl.
Yaghuth became the idol of the people of Murad, then the people of Bani Ghutayf at Al-Juruf in the area of Saba' worshipped it after them.
Ya`uq became the idol of the people of Hamdan.
Nasr became the idol of the people of Himyar for the family of Dhu Kala`.
These idols were all named after righteous men from the people of Nuh.
Then when these men died, Shaytan inspired his ( Nuh's ) people to erect statues in honor of them at their gathering places where they used to come and sit, and to name these statues after these men ( with their names ).
So they did this ( as Shaytan suggested ), but these statues were not worshipped until after those people ( the ones who built them ) had died and the knowledge was lost.
Then, those statues were later worshipped." This has also been similarly reported from `Ikrimah, Ad-Dahhak, Qatadah and Ibn Ishaq.
`Ali bin Abi Talhah reported from Ibn `Abbas that he said, "These are statues that were worshipped in the time of Nuh." Ibn Jarir recorded from Muhammad bin Qays that he said concerning Yaghuth, Ya`uq and Nasr, "They were righteous people between the time of Adam and Nuh, and they had followers who used to adhere to their guidance.
Then, when they died, their companions who used to follow them said, `If we make images of them, it will increase our desire to perform worship when we remember them.' So they made images of them.
Then, when those people died and other people came after them, Iblis approached them and said, `They ( your predecessors ) used to worship these statues and they were granted rain by their worship of them.' Thus, they ( the latter people ) worshipped them." The Supplication of Nuh against His People and for whoever believed in Him وَقَدْ أَضَلُّواْ كَثِيراً ( And indeed they have led many astray. ) meaning, by the idols that they took for worship, they mislead a large number of people.
For verily, the worship of those idols continued throughout many generations until our times today, among the Arabs, the non-Arabs and all the groups of the Children of Adam.
Al-Khalil ( Prophet Ibrahim ) said in his supplication, وَاجْنُبْنِى وَبَنِىَّ أَن نَّعْبُدَ الاٌّصْنَامَرَبِّ إِنَّهُنَّ أَضْلَلْنَ كَثِيرًا مِّنَ النَّاسِ ( And keep me and my sons away from worshipping idols."O my Lord! They have indeed led astray many among mankind..." ) ( 14:35,36 ) Allah then says, وَلاَ تَزِدِ الظَّـلِمِينَ إِلاَّ ضَلاَلاً ( Grant no increase to the wrongdoers save error. ) This is a supplication from him ( Nuh ) against his people due to their rebellion, disbelief and obstinacy.
This is just as Musa supplicated against Fir`awn and his chiefs in his statement, رَبَّنَا اطْمِسْ عَلَى أَمْوَلِهِمْ وَاشْدُدْ عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ فَلاَ يُؤْمِنُواْ حَتَّى يَرَوُاْ الْعَذَابَ الاٌّلِيمَ ( Our Lord ! Destroy their wealth, and harden their hearts, so that they will not believe until they see the painful torment. ) ( 10:88 ) Verily, Allah responded to the supplication of both of these Prophets concerning their people and He drowned their nations due to their rejection of what he ( that Prophet ) had come with. مِّمَّا خَطِيئَـتِهِمْ أُغْرِقُواْ فَأُدْخِلُواْ نَاراً فَلَمْ يَجِدُواْ لَهُمْ مِّن دُونِ اللَّهِ أَنصَاراً - وَقَالَ نُوحٌ رَّبِّ لاَ تَذَرْ عَلَى الاٌّرْضِ مِنَ الْكَـفِرِينَ دَيَّاراً - إِنَّكَ إِن تَذَرْهُمْ يُضِلُّواْ عِبَادَكَ وَلاَ يَلِدُواْ إِلاَّ فَاجِراً كَفَّاراً - رَّبِّ اغْفِرْ لِى وَلِوَلِدَىَّ وَلِمَن دَخَلَ بَيْتِىَ مُؤْمِناً وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَـتِ وَلاَ تَزِدِ الظَّـلِمِينَ إِلاَّ تَبَاراً

(71:23) They said: 'Do not abandon your deities; do not abandon Wadd, nor Suwa, nor Yaghuth, nor Yauq, nor Nasr. *17

And said, 'Never leave your gods and meaning

*17) Of the gods of the Prophet Noah's people only those gods have been mentioned whom later the people of Arabia also had started worshipping and whose shrines were found all over the country at the advent of Islam.
It is not impossible that the later generations heard the names of the ancient gods of Noah's people from the people who were saved from the flood, and when ignorance once again spread among their children, they made idols of the same gods and started worshipping them again.
Wadd was the god of the Bani Kalb bin Wabash, a branch of the Quda`ah tribe, whose shrine had been built at Daumat al-Jandal.
In the ancient Arabian inscriptions he has been named as Waddam ibam ( father Wadd ).
Kalbi has stated that the image built to him was of a tnan of enormous size.
The Quraish also acknowledged him as god and called him Wudd.
It is after him that a person has been named 'Abd-i Wudd ( slave of Wudd ) in history.
Suwa was the goddess of the Hudhayl tribe and her idol was a female figure.
Her temple was situated at Ruhat near Yanbu.
Yaghuth was the god of An'um, a branch of the Tay tribe, and of some branches of the Madhjih tribe.
The people of Madhjih had installed its idol, the image of a lion, at Jurash, a place between Yaman and Hijaz.
Among the Quraish also some people had been named `Abd-i Yaghuth.
Ya'uq was the god of Khaywan, a branch of the Hamdan tribe, in the territory of Hamdan in Yaman; its idol was of the horse's figure.
Nasr was the god of AI-i dhul-Kula', a branch of the Himyar tribe, in the territory of Himyar; it had its idol installed at Balkha` and had the image of the vulture.
In the ancient inscriptions of Saba its name has been written as Nasor.
Its temple was called bayt Nasor ( house of Nasor ) and its devotees ahl Nasor ( people of Nasor ).
The ruins of the ancient temples that are found in Arabia and in the adjoining lands have the image of the vulture made on the doors of most of them.

 

Nuh complains to His Lord about His People's Response Allah says that Nuh turned to Allah to inform Allah - the All Knowing from Whom nothing escapes - that he presented the clear call, as mentioned previously, and the comprehensive invitation in various ways.
He called them sometimes by encouragement and sometimes by intimidating warnings.
Yet, they disobeyed him, opposed him, denied him and followed the children of the world.
They were those who were heedless of the command of Allah and they possessed delights of wealth and children.
However, these things ( worldly benefits ) were also for gradual punishment and temporary respite, not for honor or blessing.
Thus, Allah says, وَاتَّبَعُواْ مَن لَّمْ يَزِدْهُ مَالُهُ وَوَلَدُهُ إِلاَّ خَسَاراً ( and followed one whose wealth and children give him no increase but loss. ) The meaning of Allah's statement, وَمَكَرُواْ مَكْراً كُبَّاراً ( And they have plotted a mighty plot. ) is that they plotted a deceptive plot for their followers tricking them into believing that they were following the truth and correct guidance.
This is like what they will say to them on the Day of Judgement, بَلْ مَكْرُ الَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ إِذْ تَأْمُرُونَنَآ أَن نَّكْفُرَ بِاللَّهِ وَنَجْعَلَ لَهُ أَندَاداً ( Nay, but it was your plotting by night and day: when you orderd us to disbelieve in Allah and set up rivals to Him! ) ( 34:33 ) For this reason He says here, The Idols of the People of Nuh and what happened to Him وَمَكَرُواْ مَكْراً كُبَّاراً - وَقَالُواْ لاَ تَذَرُنَّ ءَالِهَتَكُمْ وَلاَ تَذَرُنَّ وَدّاً وَلاَ سُوَاعاً وَلاَ يَغُوثَ وَيَعُوقَ وَنَسْراً ( And they have plotted a mighty plot.
And they have said: `You shall not leave your gods, nor shall you leave Wadd, nor Suwa`, nor Yaghuth, and Ya`uq and Nasr.' ) These are the names of their idols which they used to worship besides Allah.
Al-Bukhari recorded from Ibn `Abbas that he said, "The idols that were among the people of Nuh wound up among the Arabs afterwards.
In reference to Wadd, it became the idol of the people of Kalb in the area of Dawmat Al-Jandal.
Suwa` became the idol of the people of Hudhayl.
Yaghuth became the idol of the people of Murad, then the people of Bani Ghutayf at Al-Juruf in the area of Saba' worshipped it after them.
Ya`uq became the idol of the people of Hamdan.
Nasr became the idol of the people of Himyar for the family of Dhu Kala`.
These idols were all named after righteous men from the people of Nuh.
Then when these men died, Shaytan inspired his ( Nuh's ) people to erect statues in honor of them at their gathering places where they used to come and sit, and to name these statues after these men ( with their names ).
So they did this ( as Shaytan suggested ), but these statues were not worshipped until after those people ( the ones who built them ) had died and the knowledge was lost.
Then, those statues were later worshipped." This has also been similarly reported from `Ikrimah, Ad-Dahhak, Qatadah and Ibn Ishaq.
`Ali bin Abi Talhah reported from Ibn `Abbas that he said, "These are statues that were worshipped in the time of Nuh." Ibn Jarir recorded from Muhammad bin Qays that he said concerning Yaghuth, Ya`uq and Nasr, "They were righteous people between the time of Adam and Nuh, and they had followers who used to adhere to their guidance.
Then, when they died, their companions who used to follow them said, `If we make images of them, it will increase our desire to perform worship when we remember them.' So they made images of them.
Then, when those people died and other people came after them, Iblis approached them and said, `They ( your predecessors ) used to worship these statues and they were granted rain by their worship of them.' Thus, they ( the latter people ) worshipped them." The Supplication of Nuh against His People and for whoever believed in Him وَقَدْ أَضَلُّواْ كَثِيراً ( And indeed they have led many astray. ) meaning, by the idols that they took for worship, they mislead a large number of people.
For verily, the worship of those idols continued throughout many generations until our times today, among the Arabs, the non-Arabs and all the groups of the Children of Adam.
Al-Khalil ( Prophet Ibrahim ) said in his supplication, وَاجْنُبْنِى وَبَنِىَّ أَن نَّعْبُدَ الاٌّصْنَامَرَبِّ إِنَّهُنَّ أَضْلَلْنَ كَثِيرًا مِّنَ النَّاسِ ( And keep me and my sons away from worshipping idols."O my Lord! They have indeed led astray many among mankind..." ) ( 14:35,36 ) Allah then says, وَلاَ تَزِدِ الظَّـلِمِينَ إِلاَّ ضَلاَلاً ( Grant no increase to the wrongdoers save error. ) This is a supplication from him ( Nuh ) against his people due to their rebellion, disbelief and obstinacy.
This is just as Musa supplicated against Fir`awn and his chiefs in his statement, رَبَّنَا اطْمِسْ عَلَى أَمْوَلِهِمْ وَاشْدُدْ عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ فَلاَ يُؤْمِنُواْ حَتَّى يَرَوُاْ الْعَذَابَ الاٌّلِيمَ ( Our Lord ! Destroy their wealth, and harden their hearts, so that they will not believe until they see the painful torment. ) ( 10:88 ) Verily, Allah responded to the supplication of both of these Prophets concerning their people and He drowned their nations due to their rejection of what he ( that Prophet ) had come with. مِّمَّا خَطِيئَـتِهِمْ أُغْرِقُواْ فَأُدْخِلُواْ نَاراً فَلَمْ يَجِدُواْ لَهُمْ مِّن دُونِ اللَّهِ أَنصَاراً - وَقَالَ نُوحٌ رَّبِّ لاَ تَذَرْ عَلَى الاٌّرْضِ مِنَ الْكَـفِرِينَ دَيَّاراً - إِنَّكَ إِن تَذَرْهُمْ يُضِلُّواْ عِبَادَكَ وَلاَ يَلِدُواْ إِلاَّ فَاجِراً كَفَّاراً - رَّبِّ اغْفِرْ لِى وَلِوَلِدَىَّ وَلِمَن دَخَلَ بَيْتِىَ مُؤْمِناً وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَـتِ وَلاَ تَزِدِ الظَّـلِمِينَ إِلاَّ تَبَاراً

( And they have said ) i.e. the chieftains said to the communality of the people: ( Forsake not your gods ) forsake not the worship of your Lord. ( Forsake not Wadd ) forsake not the worship of Wadd, ( nor Suwa’ ) nor the worship of Suwa’, ( nor Yaghuth and Ya’uq and Nasr ) nor the worship of Yaghuth and Ya’uq and Nasr. These were idols which Noah’s folk worshipped.

"And they have said: 'You shall not leave your gods, nor shall you leave Wadd, nor Suwa', nor Yaghuth, nor Ya'uq, nor Nasr (names of the idols);

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