Tafsir of Nuh 71:5

Surah Nuh (70:5)

[The preceding verses discuss the call of Nuh (Noah) to his people.]

[The following section is an exegesis on the concept of Divine Decree (Qada' wa Qadar) derived from the context of the response to the Prophet's call.]

Know that this [the varying response to the Prophet's call] is one of the verses indicating that all occurrences are by the decree and predestination of God.

This is because we observe two individuals hearing the Prophet's call in the same gathering, using the exact same words. Yet, this speech becomes a cause for guidance, inclination, and desire in the case of one person, and a cause for increased arrogance, haughtiness, and ultimate aversion in the case of the other.

No one can claim that this aversion or desire occurred by the free choice of the accountable person, as this would be denying the self-evident reality (a contradiction of the mahsus). The person experiencing aversion finds their heart compelled toward that aversion, and the person experiencing desire finds their heart compelled toward that desire.

Whenever that aversion occurs, rebellion and turning away must necessarily follow. If desire occurs, submission and obedience must necessarily follow. Therefore, we know that the result of hearing that call leading to desire (which necessitates obedience and submission) in one person, and leading to aversion (which necessitates rebellion and disobedience) in another, can only be by the decree and predestination of God.

Objection Raised: Suppose the occurrence of aversion and desire is not by his choice, yet the occurrence of disobedience, following that aversion, is by his choice. The servant, despite that aversion, is capable of submitting and obeying.

Response: If the aversion occurred without being counteracted by any form of desire—rather, being pure from all traces of desire—it would be impossible for action [disobedience] to occur alongside it. This is because when aversion and desire occur, action does not happen at all. When aversion occurs, the absence of the necessitating factor is joined by the presence of an inhibiting factor. Thus, it is even more certain that the action becomes impossible.

Hence, it is established that this verse is one of the strongest proofs for Divine Decree and Predestination.

Surah Nuh (70:7)

{وَإِنِّي كُلَّمَا دَعَوْتُهُمْ لِتَغْفِرَ لَهُمْ جَعَلُوا أَصَابِعَهُمْ فِي آذَانِهِمْ وَاسْتَغْشَوْا ثِيَابَهُمْ وَأَصَرُّوا وَاسْتَكْبَرُوا اسْتِكْبَارًا}

"And indeed, whenever I called them that You might forgive them, they put their fingers in their ears and covered themselves with their garments and persisted and were arrogant with great arrogance."