Surah Hud — Ayah 40 (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 ٤٠
English translation (Saheeh International)
[So it was], until when Our command came and the oven overflowed,1 We said, "Load upon it [i.e., the ship] of each [creature] two mates and your family, except those about whom the word [i.e., decree] has preceded, and [include] whoever has believed." But none had believed with him, except a few.
- - As a sign to Noah of the imminence of the flood. The tannūr is a large, rounded oven. The word can also mean the earth's lowlands.
Brief commentary
Noah (peace be upon him) finished building the Ark that Allah had commanded him to build. Then His command came to destroy them, and the water boiled up from the furnace they used to bake in, signalling the beginning of the Flood. Allah told Noah (peace be upon him) to take on board the Ark a pair of every type of animal on the earth, a male and a female, and to take his family, except for those who it had already been determined would drown because they did not believe. He was told to also take those who believed with him from among his people. Only a small number from his people believed with him, despite the long period of time he had remained among them calling them to have faith in Allah.