Tafsir of Al-`Ankabut 29:14

This begins the exposition of the tribulations of the Prophets (peace be upon them) through the harm inflicted by their nations, following the exposition of the tribulations of the believers through the harm of the disbelievers. This is to emphasize the denial of those who think they will be left alone merely by believing, without being tested, and to urge them toward patience. For if the Prophets (peace be upon them) were tested by the various forms of adversity that befell them at the hands of their nations and yet remained patient, then these believers are all the more worthy and deserving of patience.

The "Wa" (And) is for conjunction, linking one narrative to another. Ibn Atiyyah said: "The oath therein is remote," meaning that the object of the oath has been deleted while its particle remains, and its answer would require the deletion of the genitive noun while keeping the preposition, whereas they (the grammarians) say the genitive noun must be mentioned.

The "Fa" (in fa-labitha - 'and he remained') is for sequential order. Thus, the immediate understanding is that he (peace be upon him) remained among his people for the aforementioned period immediately following his mission. This has been explicitly stated in some reports. Ibn Abi Shaybah, Abd ibn Humayd, Ibn al-Mundhir, Ibn Abi Hatim, Ibn Marduyah, and al-Hakim—who authenticated it—narrated from Ibn Abbas that he said: "Allah the Exalted sent Noah (peace be upon him) when he was forty years old. He remained among them for a thousand years less fifty, calling them to Allah the Exalted, and lived after the Flood for sixty years until people multiplied and spread." According to this narration, his age (peace be upon him) was one thousand and fifty years.

It is said that he lived longer than that. Ibn Jarir narrated from Awn ibn Abi Shaddad that he said: "Allah the Exalted sent Noah (peace be upon him) to his people when he was three hundred and fifty years old. He remained among them for a thousand years less fifty, and lived after that for three hundred and fifty years; thus, his age was one thousand six hundred and fifty years." Abd ibn Humayd narrated from Ikrimah that he said: "The age of Noah (peace be upon him) before he was sent to his people and after he was sent was one thousand seven hundred years." From Wahb, it is reported that he lived one thousand four hundred years. In Jami' al-Usul, it states that the duration of his prophethood was nine hundred and fifty years, and he lived after the drowning for fifty years, though it is also said two hundred years. The duration of the Flood was six months, ending on the day of Ashura.

Ibn Atiyyah said: "It is possible that what Allah the Exalted mentioned is the duration of his stay (peace be upon him) from his birth until the drowning of his people." It is also said that it is possible that this constitutes his entire life. It is not hidden that the sequential implication of the "Fa" suggests the former.

It has come down in some reports that he (peace be upon him) was the longest-lived of the Prophets. Ibn Abi al-Dunya narrated in Dhamm al-Dunya (Condemnation of the World) from Anas ibn Malik, who said: "The Angel of Death came to Noah (peace be upon them) and said: 'O longest-lived of the Prophets, how did you find the world and its pleasures?' He replied: 'Like a man who entered a house with two doors; he stayed in the middle of the house for a while, then exited through the other door.'"

Perhaps the divine order in stating the duration of his stay serves to indicate the completeness of the number and its being explicitly determined rather than metaphorical, for "nine hundred and fifty" might be applied to what is near it. Moreover, mentioning the "thousand" creates the impression of a long duration, as it is the first to strike the ear. The purpose of the story is to console the Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and to strengthen him against the hardship he receives from the disbelievers, and to expose the shallow reasoning of those who think they will be left without being tested.

The distinction between the two terms is that sanah (year) is applied to hardship and drought, unlike ‘aam (year). Therefore, sanah was chosen for the period of his call, during which he endured what he endured from his people.

{Then the Flood seized them} Meaning, immediately following the completion of the aforementioned period. Tufan (Flood) can be applied to anything that surrounds a thing in abundance and intensity, whether of rain, wind, or darkness. Al-Ajjaj said: "Until, when its day was fierce, the flood of darkness overwhelmed the Athab tree." However, it has become predominantly used for the Deluge, which is the intended meaning here.

{While they were wrongdoers} Meaning, they were continuing in their injustice, unaffected by the signs they heard from Noah (peace be upon him), and they did not refrain from the disbelief and disobedience they were upon during this prolonged period.