Tafsir of Hud 11:49

Surah Hud (11): Verse 49

{تِلْكَ مِنْ أَنْبَاءِ الْغَيْبِ نُوحِيهَا إِلَيْكَ وَمَا كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُهَا أَنْتَ وَلَا قَوْمُكَ مِنْ قَبْلِ هَذَا فَاصْبِرْ إِنَّ الْعَاقِبَةَ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ}

Translation and Exegesis:

{تِلْكَ مِنْ أَنْبَاءِ الْغَيْبِ}

• That is, these verses we have mentioned, and these details we have explained, are among the news of the unseen (al-Ghayb).
• This means they are reports that were hidden from creation.
• The word {تِلْكَ} (That) is in the nominative case (as the subject). {مِنْ أَنْبَاءِ الْغَيْبِ} (from the news of the unseen) is the predicate. {نُوحِيهَا إِلَيْكَ} (We reveal it to you) is a second predicate, and what follows is also a third predicate.

{وَمَا كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُهَا أَنْتَ وَلَا قَوْمُكَ مِنْ قَبْلِ هَذَا}

• Meaning: You did not know this story, nor did your people know it before this revelation.
• This is analogous to telling someone: "You and the people of your town did not know this issue."

Addressing a Potential Objection:

• Objection: Was not the story of Noah’s Flood famous among the people of knowledge?
• Response: The story, in its general outline, was known. However, the specific details mentioned here were not known.

{فَاصْبِرْ إِنَّ الْعَاقِبَةَ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ}

• Meaning: O Muhammad, be patient, you and your people, against the harm inflicted by these disbelievers, just as Noah and his people were patient against the harm inflicted by those disbelievers.
• This serves as an indication that the consequence of patience is victory, triumph, joy, and delight, as was the case for Noah (peace be upon him) and his people.

Addressing the Repetition of the Story:

• Question: Allah mentioned this story in Surah Yunus, yet He repeated it here. What is the benefit of this repetition?
• Answer: A single story can be beneficial for multiple reasons:
  1. In the first Surah (Yunus): The disbelievers were hastening the descent of punishment. Allah mentioned Noah’s story to show that his people disbelieved him because the punishment did not appear immediately, but it eventually manifested. This is similar to the situation of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
  2. In this Surah (Hud): The disbelievers were exaggerating in causing distress and alienation. Allah mentioned this story to demonstrate that the disbelievers' aggression in harming and alienating Noah had occurred before. However, when Noah (AS) remained patient, he achieved success and victory. Therefore, O Muhammad, be like him so that you may attain your goal.
• Since the benefit derived from this story in each Surah stems from a different aspect, its repetition was not devoid of purpose.

Surah Hud (11): Verses 50-51

{وَإِلَى عَادٍ أَخَاهُمْ هُودًا قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مَا لَكُمْ مِنْ إِلَٰهٍ غَيْرُهُ ۖ إِنْ أَنْتُمْ إِلَّا مُفْتَرُونَ * يَا قَوْمِ لَا أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا ۖ إِنَّ أَجْرِيَ إِلَّا عَلَى الَّذِي فَطَرَنِي ۖ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ}

Translation:

• And to 'Ad [We sent] their brother Hud. He said, "O my people, worship Allah; you have no deity other than Him. You are not but inventors [of falsehood].
• "O my people, I ask of you no reward for it. My reward is only from the One who created me. Then will you not reason?"