فَدَعا رَبَّهُ أَنّي مَغلوبٌ فَانتَصِر
Thereat he invoked his Lord, [saying]: ‘I have been overcome, so help [me].’
EXEGESIS
The word intaṣir (help) comes from the root word naṣara which means to support or aid against an opposition, and when conjugated in the pattern of iftiʿāl as in this verse, it means to call for and desire support and aid. In this context, it means that Prophet Noah (a) pleaded with God to help and support him against the deniers. Most exegetes mention that intiṣār here means intiqām (to seek revenge).[1] However, this is not based on the linguistic meaning of the word but is rather a consequence, i.e. the consequence of God choosing to help His apostle is that He would take revenge from the deniers by destroying them through His punishment.[2]
EXPOSITION
Prophet Noah (a) was not overcome through arguments or logical proofs. Rather, it was their continuous harassment and denial of his message that led him to finally pray to Allah for help and to ask Him to bring down His revenge. Obviously, this supplication and seeking out for help did not happen immediately after their initial rejection. Rather, he persevered for 950 years before finally reaching the conclusion that no good shall come from his people or their progeny, and thus none of them should remain on the face of the earth (71:26-27). Throughout the Quran, overcome has only been used this once. Similarly, in the various instances where Allah sends salutations on various prophets, it is only for Prophet Noah (a) that He adds, throughout the nations (37:79).[3]
This verse can be considered a summary of Prophet Noah’s (a) supplication. His detailed supplication is mentioned in Sūrat Nūḥ (71).
INSIGHTS FROM HADITH
- It has been reported from Imam al-Bāqir (a): ‘Noah (a) remained with them for 950 years, calling them [towards Allah] both in public and in private, but when they refused and disobeyed him, he said: “My Lord, I have been overcome, so help [me].”’[4]
REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE
It has been reported by Ibn ʿAṭiyyah that overcome here means that Prophet Noah (a) was overcome by his own self which was pushing him to pray for a punishment for his people, and thus help [me] also means ‘help me against myself’.[5]
According to Rāzī, what is meant by Prophet Noah (a) being overcome is that he was overcome by human nature, whereby he had completely lost hope in his people, i.e. he was overcome by not being able to have any more patience.[6]
Some exegetes mention that their harassment reached such a level that it would often happen that one of them would react to the calls of Prophet Noah (a) by strangling him, which would make him unconscious. When he would regain consciousness, he would supplicate to his Lord to forgive them.[7]
[1] Mizan, 19/68.
[2] Tahqiq, 12/143.
[3] Qaraati, 9/349.
[4] Kafi, 8/282-283, h. 424.
[5] Razi, 29/295.
[6] Razi, 29/295.
[7] Daqaiq, 12/534; Muhit, 10/38.