And indeed, among his followers

(Meaning: from among those who followed Noah and adhered to him in the fundamental principles of religion) for Abraham (even if the secondary ordinances of their two laws differed; or, from among those who followed him in being steadfast in the religion of Allah the Exalted and in enduring the deniers. This has been narrated from Ibn Abbas. It is also suggested that there may have been total or majority agreement between their two laws, and the majority carries the ruling of the whole. I have seen in some books—though I do not know now which book it is—that Noah, upon him be peace, was sent only with monotheism and the like from the fundamental dogmas, and was not sent with secondary ordinances. It is said: There were two prophets between Abraham and him, upon them both be peace, namely Hud and Salih, and no others. Perhaps by "prophet" here is meant "messenger," not what is more general than that. This is based on the view that Shem was a prophet, and there were—according to Jami' al-Usul—one thousand one hundred and forty-two years between them; and it is said: two thousand six hundred and forty years.

Al-Farra’ held the view that the pronoun in "his followers" refers to our Prophet Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. However, the manifest meaning is what we have indicated, which is what is narrated from Ibn Abbas, Mujahid, Qatada, and al-Suddi; for it is rarely said of someone who came before that he is a follower of someone who came after. From this is the saying of al-Kumayt al-Asghar ibn Zayd: "And I have no followers except the family of Ahmad, and I have no path of truth except the path of truth." The story of Abraham, upon him be peace, is mentioned after the story of Noah because he is like the third Adam in relation to the prophets and messengers after him, for they are from his progeny—except for Lot, who is in the status of his son, upon them both be peace. The beauty of this sequence is increased by the fact that Allah the Exalted saved Noah from drowning, and Allah the Exalted saved Abraham from burning.