By Ishola Balogun

Last Wednesday was Ashura day, although there were views that it fell on last Tuesday going by the different calculations of when the new moon actually appeared. But Wednessday seemed to be widely accepted as the 10th day of Muharram.  The Ashura day has important historical significance and some spiritual connotations.  The Prophet advised that Muslims should fast on that day.

This is no other reason than seeking the pleasure of Allah and cleansing ourselves from several sins we have committed.  It was on this day that Allah accepted the repentance of Adam after his exile from al-janah; Allah saved Nuh and those who accepted his message as the ark berth in Mount Judiyy in Iraq on 10th of Muharram;  Ayub (Job) was healed of his affliction on that day; Yunusa was taken out from the belly of the whale; Allah spoke directly to Moses and gave him the commandments we also learnt that the red sea was divided as the nation of Israel was delivered from captivity of Pharaoh (Firaun) who was destroyed with his army in the sea.

Further research revealed that  Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) was thrown into a furnance and Allah turned the fire into a cool soothing phenomenon coming out unhurt, Yusuf (Joseph) was rescued from a well; and Prophets Idris (Enoch) and Issa (Jesus) were raised to Heavens.

God actually blessed the Umah of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) a lot by providing this and many other opportunities in order to decipher the truth and align ourselves to Allah. The Prophet said in an hadiths related by Abu Qatadah: “Fasting on the 10th day of Muharram atones for the sins of the preceding year.  How did you sped the day? May Allah give us longetivity of life to witness more of the day.

Story of Prophet Nuh

Among the several historical occurences mentioned above, I will attempt to relate the story of Prophet Nuh who spent almost a millenium preaching the message of God to a recalcitrant people.

It was about a thousand years after Adam era; a community again was at the threshold of a catastrophe as a result of disobedience to call to the right path. They abandoned worshiping one God; they had become a community of pagans. Adultery spread, the powerful were oppressing the weak, justice was reduced to nonsense and humanity was no better than hyenas in the wildness.

God sent Prophet Nuh to guide them to the right path and turn them away from their evil ways. The Holy Qur’an in Chapters 57 (Nuh), 11 (Hud), and 23 (Mu’minun), and many other verses amply relate the story of Prophet Nuh (a.s)

God sent Prophet Nuh to these people to warn them against the punishment that would befall them if they do not return to monotheism. Prophet Nuh who began his evangelism at the age of 50 spent another 900 years calling them to monotheism. The people were so rebellious that they did not only shun the message but also they hauled vituperations on him. Each century showed more enmity to Prophet Noah and his followers than the previous one.

Prophet Nuh said to his people, “O my people worship God for He is the only One Who deserves to be worshipped.” He said, “if you do not repent and leave out blasphemy, then await for a day in which a severe torture will come upon you.”

He did not despair even though only a few people responded to his call. But when God revealed to Prophet Nuh that no one else of his people would believe, he supplicated to God to destroy all those who did not believe, a supplication which was fulfilled by Allah.

God ordered Prophet Nuh to build an ark. While building the ark, the people mocked him for building an ark on a desert where there was no trace of water.  Following God’s instruction and specification, Nuh built an ark. The Ark has the same proportions as a modern cargo ship. “And construct the ship under Our Eyes and with Our Inspiration”(Suratul-Hud:37-48),

Rather than heeding the call to salvation, they chose to denigrate the message, defecating all over the ark. As usual, God gave them enough period to change but they refused. God afflicted them with a skin disease as punishment for denigrating the word and messenger of God. They turned every where for cure without success, yet defecating inside the ark.

Their feces almost filled the 80 feet wide and 50 feet high ark. One important episode occurred during this period, as one of them was defecating, he was disturbed by a fly and on attempting to smash the fly, he fell inside the feces. His kinsmen came to lift him out of the feces, but to their utter consternation, he became cured of the skin disease.

In fact, they took turn to dip themselves into the feces and they were cured until the ark was cleaned again. The episode, notwithstanding did not make any difference in their beliefs. They were more impugned than ever. Allah was angered, and at a point, Nuh was barred not to speak for them again. “…and address
Me not in respect of those who are unjust; for verily they shall be drowned (in the flood).” — Holy Qur’an, 23:27

Allah asked Nuh to start loading the ark and for 40 days and 40 nights, it rained.

Again, he called them into the ark but only a few obliged. His wife Umzrah bint Barakil and his son Kan’an were among the unbelievers.  Prophet Nuh took a pair of everything reacheable (male and female)  including  animals.

Dangerous animals

At this point all the wild and dangerous animals were subdued by the power of God with “Bisimillah Rahmani Raheem, as-salama ala Nuhi.” (This can be used to subdue any wild and dangerous animal.) The believers numbering about 80 (according to some books while others stated 60, and 40) went into the ark.

Water sprang out of the earth in large quantities causing the ark to rise. The rain fell continually and mountains were shattered, houses were destroyed. Nuh and the believers sailed away saying: We qala arkabu fiha bismillahi Mujiraha, wamur saha, ina robi la Gafurun Raheem. After six months the rain stopped by the commandment of Allah after which the ark rested on mount Judiyy in Iraq from where another phase of life began.

And it was said, “O earth, swallow your water, and O sky, withhold [your rain].” And the water subsided, and the matter was accomplished, and the ship came to rest on the mountain of Judiyy. And it was said, “Away with the wrongdoing people.”