Surah Al-Mu'minun 23:27

Allah tells us that Nuh, peace be upon him, invoked his Lord to help him against his people,

as Allah mentions in another Ayah:

(Then he invoked his Lord (saying): "I have been overcome, so help (me)!") 54:10. Here he says:

(O my Lord! Help me because they deny me.) At that point, Allah commanded him to build a boat and to make it strong and firm, and to carry therein of every kind two, i.e., a male and a female of every species of animals, plants and fruits etc. He was also to carry his family,

(except those thereof against whom the Word has already gone forth.) meaning, those whom Allah had already decreed were to be destroyed. These were the members of his family who did not believe in him, such as his son and his wife. And Allah knows best.

(And address Me not in favor of those who have done wrong. Verily, they are to be drowned.) means, `when you witness the heavy rain falling, do not let yourself be overcome with compassion and pity for your people, or hope for more time for them so that they may believe, for I have decreed that they will be drowned and will die in their state of disbelief and wrongdoing.' The story has already been told in detail in Surah Hud, and there is no need to repeat it here.

(And when you have embarked on the ship, you and whoever is with you, then say: `All the praise be to Allah, Who has saved us from the people who are wrongdoers.') This is like the Ayah:

(and has appointed for you ships and cattle on which you ride: In order that you may mount on their backs, and then may remember the favor of your Lord when you mount thereon, and say: "Glory to Him Who has subjected this to us, and we could never have it (by our efforts). And verily, to Our Lord we indeed are to return!") 43:12-14 So, certainly, Nuh adhered to what he was commanded, as Allah says elsewhere:

(And he said: "Embark therein: in the Name of Allah will be its (moving) course and its (resting) anchorage...")11:41 So Nuh mentioned Allah at the beginning of his journey and at the end, and Allah said:

(And say: `My Lord! Cause me to land at a blessed landing place, for You are the Best of those who bring to land.")

(Verily in this, there are indeed Ayat,) means in this event, which is the saving of the believers and the destruction of the disbelievers there are signs, i.e., clear evidence and proof that the Prophets speak the truth in the Message they bring from Allah, may He be exalted, and that Allah does what He wills, and He is able to do all things and knows all things.

(for sure We are ever putting (men) to the test.) means, `We try Our servants by means of sending the Messengers.'

Setelah doa Nuh diperkenankan, maka Allah mewahyukan kepada-nya, agar ia mulai membuat perahu di bawah pengawasan dan petunjuk wahyu-Nya, supaya perahu itu kokoh dan tidak mudah mengalami kerusakan dan supaya Nuh mengetahui teknik pembuatannya, sebab pembuatan sebuah perahu yang besar dan kukuh tentu saja memerlukan keahlian. Apabila perintah Allah sudah datang untuk membinasakan kaumnya dengan topan yang besar, dan tanda-tandanya sudah tampak, yaitu tannur tempat membakar roti di bawah tanah sudah mulai memancarkan air, maka Allah menyuruh Nabi Nuh memasukkan ke dalam perahu itu sepasang jantan dan betina dari tiap-tiap jenis binatang. Dalam perahu dibuat bertingkat-tingkat. Tingkat yang paling bawah untuk binatang buas seperti singa, harimau, dan sebagainya. Di tingkat kedua binatang ternak seperti: sapi, kambing, dan sebagainya. Di tingkat ketiga semua jenis burung sepasang-pasang dan di tingkat yang paling atas sekali Nabi Nuh dengan sekalian keluarganya yang selamat, di antaranya tiga orang putranya: Sam, Ham dan Yafis. Adapun putra beliau yang bernama Kanan termasuk orang yang tenggelam, karena ia tidak mau ikut bersama ayahnya.

Dengan dimasukkannya setiap jenis binatang yang ada pada waktu itu, maka perahu Nuh merupakan kebun binatang yang lengkap. Semua binatang yang tidak masuk ke dalam perahu dan orang kafir yang tidak mengikuti ajakan Nabi Nuh ditenggelamkan dalam topan besar itu, sesuai dengan ancaman Allah bahwa mereka akan ditimpa azab. Allah sebelumnya melarang Nuh supaya jangan memberitahukan rencana Allah dan maksud pembuatan perahu kepada orang-orang yang zalim itu, karena mereka semuanya akan ditenggelamkan.