Quran Universe
11:40

حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا جَآءَ أَمۡرُنَا وَفَارَ ٱلتَّنُّورُ قُلۡنَا ٱحۡمِلۡ فِيهَا مِن كُلّٖ زَوۡجَيۡنِ ٱثۡنَيۡنِ وَأَهۡلَكَ إِلَّا مَن سَبَقَ عَلَيۡهِ ٱلۡقَوۡلُ وَمَنۡ ءَامَنَۚ وَمَآ ءَامَنَ مَعَهُۥٓ إِلَّا قَلِيلٞ

Hatta itha jaa amruna wafara alttannooru qulna ihmil feeha min kullin zawjayni ithnayni waahlaka illa man sabaqa AAalayhi alqawlu waman amana wama amana maAAahu illa qaleelun

[So it was], until when Our command came and the oven overflowed, We said, "Load upon the ship of each [creature] two mates and your family, except those about whom the word has preceded, and [include] whoever has believed." But none had believed with him, except a few.

Word by word
  1. حَتَّىٰٓTill
  2. إِذَاwhen
  3. جَآءَcame
  4. أَمۡرُنَاOur command
  5. وَفَارَand overflowed
  6. ٱلتَّنُّورُthe oven
  7. قُلۡنَاWe said
  8. ٱحۡمِلۡLoad
  9. فِيهَاin it
  10. مِنof
  11. كُلّٖevery kind
  12. زَوۡجَيۡنِa pair
  13. ٱثۡنَيۡنِtwo
  14. وَأَهۡلَكَand your family
  15. إِلَّاexcept
  16. مَنwho
  17. سَبَقَhas preceded
  18. عَلَيۡهِagainst him
  19. ٱلۡقَوۡلُthe word
  20. وَمَنۡand whoever
  21. ءَامَنَۚbelieved
  22. وَمَآAnd not
  23. ءَامَنَbelieved
  24. مَعَهُۥٓwith him
  25. إِلَّاexcept
  26. قَلِيلٞa few
Hud · 11:40Makkah

After all those years, only a few came aboard.

The flood begins and the ship is loaded

When the command came
the oven gushedwater from the earth
load
pairs of each kindtwo by two
his familyexcept those already decided
the believersonly a few
What counted
being his familya seat by birth
having believedthe real ticket aboard

When Allah's command came, water burst from the face of the earth, even from places where fire is lit. Nuh was told to load pairs of each creature, his household, and the believers. His son and his wife were not among them, for they did not believe. Only a few believed, even after nine hundred and fifty years of calling.

You count followers, likes, attendance at the halaqa, and feel like a failure when the numbers are small. Nuh had a few after centuries, and he was still a success in Allah's eyes. Faithfulness is not measured in crowds.

If only a few people respond, my effort was wasted.

Allah measures sincerity, not numbers; a few who truly believe were enough for Nuh's ship.

Try this

Thank one person who has stayed loyal to a good effort of yours, even if they are the only one.

Related54:11
Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir

(So it was) till when Our command came and the oven gushed forth (water like fountains from the earth). We said: "Embark therein, of each kind two (male and female), and your family – except him against whom the Word has already gone forth – and those who believe. And none believed with him, except a few. (40)

The beginning of the Flood and Nuh loads Every Creature in Pairs upon the Ship

This was the promise of Allah to Nuh ﷺ, when the command of Allah came, the rain was continuous and there was a severe storm which did not slacken or subside, as Allah said,

فَفَتَحْنَا أَبْوَابَ السَّمَاءِ بِمَاءٍ مُّنْهَمِرٍ - وَفَجَّرْنَا الْأَرْضَ عُيُونًا فَالْتَقَى الْمَاءُ عَلَىٰ أَمْرٍ قَدْ قُدِرَ - وَحَمَلْنَاهُ عَلَىٰ ذَاتِ أَلْوَاحٍ وَدُسُرٍ - تَجْرِي بِأَعْيُنِنَا جَزَاءً لِّمَن كَانَ كُفِرَ

(So We opened the gates of the heaven with water pouring forth. And We caused springs to gush forth from the earth. So the waters (of the heaven and the earth) met for a matter predestined. And We carried him on a (ship) made of planks and nails. Floating under Our Eyes: a reward for him who had been rejected!)[54:11-14] In reference to Allah's statement,

وَفَارَ التَّنُّورُ

(and the oven gushed forth.) It is related from Ibn 'Abbas that he said, "At-Tannur is the face of the earth." This verse means that the face of the earth became gushing water springs. This continued until the water gushed forth from the Tananir, which are places of fire. Therefore, water even gushed from the places where fire normally would be. This is the opinion of the majority of the Salaf (predecessors) and the scholars of the Khalaf (later generations).

At this point, Allah commanded Nuh to select one pair from every kind of creature possessing a soul, and load them on the ship. Some said that this included other creatures as well, such as pairs of plants, male and female. It has also been said that the first of the birds to enter the ship was the parrot, and the last of the animals to enter was the donkey. Concerning Allah's statement,

وَأَهْلَكَ إِلَّا مَن سَبَقَ عَلَيْهِ الْقَوْلُ

(and your family – except him against whom the Word has already gone forth) This means, "Load your family upon the ship." This is referring to the members of his household and his relatives, except him against whom the Word has already gone forth, for they did not believe in Allah. Among them was the son of Nuh, Yam, who went in hermitage. Among them was the wife of Nuh who was a disbeliever in Allah and His Messenger. Concerning Allah's statement,

وَمَنْ آمَنَ

(and those who believe.) from your people.

وَمَا آمَنَ مَعَهُ إِلَّا قَلِيلٌ

(And none believed with him, except a few.) This means that only a very small number believed, even after the long period of time that he (Nuh) was among them – nine hundred and fifty years. It is reported from Ibn 'Abbas that he said, "They were eighty people including their women."