71:26

وَقَالَ نُوحٞ رَّبِّ لَا تَذَرۡ عَلَى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ مِنَ ٱلۡكَٰفِرِينَ دَيَّارًا

Waqala noohun rabbi la tathar AAala alardi mina alkafireena dayyaran

And Noah said, "My Lord, do not leave upon the earth from among the disbelievers an inhabitant.

Word by word
  1. وَقَالَAnd said
  2. نُوحٞNuh
  3. رَّبِّMy Lord
  4. لَا(Do) not
  5. تَذَرۡleave
  6. عَلَىon
  7. ٱلۡأَرۡضِthe earth
  8. مِنَany
  9. ٱلۡكَٰفِرِينَ(of) the disbelievers
  10. دَيَّارًا(as) an inhabitant
Nuh · 71:26Makkah

After 950 years, Nuh asked Allah to end it.

A prayer made after centuries of patience


When he prayed this
950years of calling
then
his dualeave none of them
Allah
answeredthe flood came
Who decides
I give up on themafter one argument
a prophet, by Allah's leaveafter a lifetime of effort

Ibn Kathir says Dayyar means a single one, emphasising the request. The introduction notes this was not impatience: after centuries, Nuh saw no hope left, and his view matched Allah's own decision. Even his own son was among the drowned.

You are tempted to write someone off after one bad year. Nuh waited nine and a half centuries, and only then, as a prophet, made this dua. Your job is to keep hoping for people.

Some people are simply beyond hope.

Only Allah knows who is beyond hope. I keep praying for people.

Try this

Make dua for guidance for someone you have quietly written off.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (shared passage from 71:25)

Because of their sins they were drowned, then were made to enter the Fire. And they found none to help them instead of Allah (25)And Nuh said: "My Lord! Leave not one of the disbelievers on the earth Dayyar! (26)"If You leave them, they will mislead Your servants, and they will beget none but wicked disbelievers. (27)"My Lord! Forgive me, and my parents, and him who enters my home as a believer, and all the believing men and women. And to the wrongdoers grant You no increase but destruction!") Allah say (28)

مِمَّا خَطِيئَاتِهِمْ

(Because of their sins) It also has been recited as;

(خَطَايَاهُمْ)

(their errors.)

أُغْرِقُوا

(they were drowned,) meaning, for their numerous sins, rebellion, persistence in disbelief and opposition to their Messengers.

أُغْرِقُوا فَأُدْخِلُوا نَارًا

(they were drowned, then were made to enter the Fire.) meaning, they will be carried from the flood of the seas to the heat of the Fire.

فَلَمْ يَجِدُوا لَهُمْ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ أَنْصَارًا 

(And they found none to help them instead of Allah.) meaning, they will have no helper, assistant, or savior who can rescue them from the punishment of Allah. This is similar to Allah's statement,

 لَا عَاصِمَ الْيَوْمَ مِنْ أَمْرِ اللَّهِ إِلَّا مَنْ رَحِمَ

(This day there is no savior from the decree of Allah except him on whom He has mercy.)(11:43)

وَقَالَ نُوحٌ رَبِّ لَا تَذَرْ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ مِنَ الْكَافِرِينَ دَيَّارًا 

(And Nuh said: "My Lord! Leave not one of the disbelievers on the earth Dayyar!") meaning, do not leave a single one of them on the face of the earth, not even a lone individual. This is a method of speaking that gives emphasis to the negation. Ad-Dahhak said, "Dayyar means one." As-Suddi said, "Dayyar is the one who stays in the home." So Allah answered his supplication and He destroyed all of those on the face of the earth who were disbelievers. He (Allah) even destroyed Nuh's (biological) son from his own loins, who separated himself from his father (Nuh). He (Nuh's son) said,

سَآوِي إِلَىٰ جَبَلٍ يَعْصِمُنِي مِنَ الْمَاءِ ۚ قَالَ لَا عَاصِمَ الْيَوْمَ مِنْ أَمْرِ اللَّهِ إِلَّا مَنْ رَحِمَ ۚ وَحَالَ بَيْنَهُمَا الْمَوْجُ فَكَانَ مِنَ الْمُغْرَقِينَ

(I will betake myself to some mountain, it will save me from the water. Nuh said: "This day there is no savior from the decree of Allah except him on whom He has mercy." And waves came in between them, so he (the son) was among the drowned.)(11:43)

Allah saved the people of the ship who believed with Nuh, and they were those whom Allah commanded Nuh to carry with him. Allah said,

إِنَّكَ إِنْ تَذَرْهُمْ يُضِلُّوا عِبَادَكَ 

(If You leave them, they will mislead Your servants,) meaning, 'if You leave a single one of them they will lead your servants astray.' This refers to those whom He will create after them.

وَلَا يَلِدُوا إِلَّا فَاجِرًا كَفَّارًا

(and they will beget none but wicked disbelievers.) meaning, wicked in their deeds and disbelieving in their hearts. He (Nuh) said this due to what he knew about them since he remained among them for nine hundred and fifty years. Then he said,

رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَلِوَالِدَيَّ وَلِمَنْ دَخَلَ بَيْتِيَ مُؤْمِنًا

(My Lord! Forgive me, and my parents, and him who enters my home as a believer,)

Ad-Dahhak said, "This means, my Masjid." However, there is no harm in understanding the Ayah according to its apparent meaning, which would be that he (Nuh) supplicated for every person who entered his house who was a believer. Then he said,

وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ

(and all the believing men and women.) He supplicated for all of the believing men and women, and that includes those of them who were living and those of them who were dead. For this reason, it is recommended to supplicate like this, in following the example of Nuh, and that which has been reported in the narrations and well-known, legislated supplications. Then, he said,

وَلَا تَزِدِ الظَّالِمِينَ إِلَّا تَبَارًا

(And to the wrongdoers, grant You no increase but destruction!)

As-Suddi said, "But destruction." Mujahid said, "But loss." This means in both this life and in the Hereafter.

This is the end of the Tafsir of Surat Nuh. And all praise and thanks are due to Allah.