A lot of people know the story of Prophet Nuh (Noah) and the flood. A story of actual events? A fable? Perhaps merely to teach us a lesson? The landing site of the ark that carried Prophet Nuh and his followers for example… what actually happened to the Ark? The Bible describe the events like this…
ﺗﻜﻮﻳﻦ ٤-٨:٣
وَتَرَاجَعَتِ الْمِيَاهُ عَنِ الأَرْضِ تَدْرِيجِيًّا. وَبَعْدَ مِئَةٍ وَخَمْسِينَ يَوْماً نَقَصَتِ الْمِيَاهُ
وَاسْتَقَرَّ الْفُلْكُ عَلَى جِبَالِ أَرَارَاطَ فِي الْيَوْمِ السَّابِعَ عَشَرَ مِنَ الشَّهْرِ السَّابِعِ لِلطُّوفَانِ
Genesis 8:3-4
The water receded steadily from the earth. At the end of the hundred and fifty days the water had gone down,
and on the seventeenth day of the seventh month the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat.
Remember the statement “mountains”. Mount Ararat, (singular), is located in the eastern region of Turkey, believed by many to be the landing place of the ark. Mount Ararat is described in this way by Wikipedia… “Mount Ararat ([…] Turkish: Ağrı Dağı) is a snow-capped and dormant compound volcano in the extreme east of Turkey. It consists of two major volcanic cones: Greater Ararat and Little Ararat. […]
The mountain has been called by the name Ararat (in the West) since the Middle Ages, as it began to be identified with “mountains of Ararat” described in the Bible as the resting place of Noah’s Ark, despite contention that Genesis 8:4 does not refer specifically to a Mount Ararat.”
In other words, Genesis 8:4, which was posted in the beginning of this input, refer to a region, not a specific location. Yet Mount Ararat is widely held as the location where the ark finally rested, and many expeditions have been made in attempts to locate the ark. As stated by Wikipedia: “Despite numerous reports of ark sightings (e.g. Ararat anomaly) and rumors, “no scientific evidence of the ark has emerged.””
A specific location has been mentioned however… in a later revelation…
سورة هود ٤٤
وَقِيلَ يَا أَرْضُ ابْلَعِي مَاءَكِ وَيَا سَمَاءُ أَقْلِعِي وَغِيضَ الْمَاءُ وَقُضِيَ الْأَمْرُ وَاسْتَوَتْ عَلَى الْجُودِيِّ ۖ وَقِيلَ بُعْدًا لِّلْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ
Surah Hud 11:44
Then the word went forth: “O earth! swallow up thy water, and O sky! Withhold (thy rain)!” and the water abated, and the matter was ended. The Ark rested on Mount Judi, and the word went forth: “Away with those who do wrong!”
Mount Judi, located southwest of Ararat, near to the Syrian/Iraqi borders, described by Wikipedia… “Mount Judi (Arabic: ٱلْجُودِيّ […] Turkish: Cudi) […] the location where the Ark came to rest after the Great Flood, according to very Early Christian and Islamic tradition (based on the Quran, 11:44).”
British explorer Gertrude Bell, (whom I described briefly in my page about The Amman Message), did mention actually having seen the ark during her time exploring the mountain in 1909…
“We ran down through the oak woods and got into camp at four in the afternoon.
“God prolong your existence!” cried Fattûh. “Have you seen the ship of the Propeht Noah?”
“Oh Fattûh,” I replied, “prepare the tea. I have seen the ship of the Prophet Noah.” So it is that I subscribe in this matter to the wisdom of the Kurân: “And immediately the water abated and the decree was fulfilled and the Ark rested upon the mountain of Jûdi.” ” (Bell, 2002: 295)
Thus the British explorer Gertrude Bell stated that she had seen the ark on Mount Judi. (Turkish: Cudi).
سورة العنكبوت ١٥
فَأَنجَيْنَاهُ وَأَصْحَابَ السَّفِينَةِ وَجَعَلْنَاهَا آيَةً لِّلْعَالَمِينَ
Surah Al-Ankaboot 29:15
But We saved him and the companions of the Ark, and We made the (Ark) a Sign for all peoples!
So why the insistance by some that the ark landed on Mount Ararat? Wikipedia states:
“The mountain is known as Ararat in European languages, however, none of the native peoples have traditionally referred to the mountain by that name. […} This mountain was not called by the name Ararat until the Middle Ages”
“Many historians and Bible scholars agree that “Ararat” is the Hebrew name of Urartu, the geographical predecessor of Armenia;” […] “a kingdom that existed in the Armenian Highlands in the 9th–6th centuries BC.” […] “they argue that the word referred to the wider region at the time and not specifically to Mount Ararat.”
“The Armenians did not traditionally associate Noah’s landing site with Mount Ararat, […] but until the 11th century continued to associate Noah’s ark with Mount Judi.” (Wikipedia).
Regarding the kingdom of Urartu, Worldhistory.org also affirms, “to the Hebrews the kingdom was known as Ararat. […] The fortress capital, Tushpa, was built on a limestone promontory on the eastern shores of Lake Van in the highlands. Tushpa would later be called Van”.
As it turns out, Lake Van is just north of Mount Judi, which would have been a mountain included in the kingdom of Urartu (Ararat), at that time. So, if we consider the word “Ararat” as refering to a kingdom in the Biblical statement, “the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat“, somehow gives it a different flavour. In that sense, the two scriptures, (the Bible and the Quran), give two specific details that if combined clears any question marks as to where the ark came to rest by mentiong: 1. a region, and 2. a specific place, (in that region).
سورة يونس ٣٧
وَمَا كَانَ هَـٰذَا الْقُرْآنُ أَن يُفْتَرَىٰ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ وَلَـٰكِن تَصْدِيقَ الَّذِي بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَتَفْصِيلَ الْكِتَابِ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهِ مِن رَّبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ
Surah Yunus 10:37
This Qur’an is not such as can be produced by other than Allah; on the contrary it is a confirmation of (revelations) that went before it, and a fuller explanation of the Book – wherein there is no doubt – from the Lord of the worlds.
Consider the following definition… “The word Bible itself is simply a transliteration of the Greek word bíblos, meaning “book.” So the Bible is, quite simply, The Book.” (https://www.biblestudytools.com). So, a confirmation of (revelations) that went before it, and a fuller explanation of the Book… by giving details on the landing site, the Quran does precisely what it states in aya 10:37… it confirms previous revelations and gives a fuller explanation of the Book.
Is the ark there for all to see?
So, if the ark really is there and some people claim to have seen it, why hasn’t it caused headlines? More attention?
سورة النحل ١٠٤
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ لَا يَهْدِيهِمُ اللَّهُ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ
سورة الأنعام ١١١
وَلَوْ أَنَّنَا نَزَّلْنَا إِلَيْهِمُ الْمَلَائِكَةَ وَكَلَّمَهُمُ الْمَوْتَىٰ وَحَشَرْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ قُبُلًا مَّا كَانُوا لِيُؤْمِنُوا إِلَّا أَن يَشَاءَ اللَّهُ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ يَجْهَلُونَ
Surah An-Nahl 16:104
Those who believe not in the Signs of Allah,- Allah will not guide them, and theirs will be a grievous Penalty.
Surah Al-An’aam 6:111
Even if We did send unto them angels, and the dead did speak unto them, and We gathered together all things before their very eyes, they are not the ones to believe, unless it is in Allah’s plan. But most of them ignore (the truth).
In other words…. not everyone is able to see it, or comprehend what it is that they are seeing. We can see a similarity in the case of the Pharaoh of Musa, who was preserved to be as a sign…
سورة يونس ٩٢-٩٠
وَجَاوَزْنَا بِبَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ الْبَحْرَ فَأَتْبَعَهُمْ فِرْعَوْنُ وَجُنُودُهُ بَغْيًا وَعَدْوًا ۖ حَتَّىٰ إِذَا أَدْرَكَهُ الْغَرَقُ قَالَ آمَنتُ أَنَّهُ لَا إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا الَّذِي آمَنَتْ بِهِ بَنُو إِسْرَائِيلَ وَأَنَا مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ
آلْآنَ وَقَدْ عَصَيْتَ قَبْلُ وَكُنتَ مِنَ الْمُفْسِدِينَ
فَالْيَوْمَ نُنَجِّيكَ بِبَدَنِكَ لِتَكُونَ لِمَنْ خَلْفَكَ آيَةً ۚ وَإِنَّ كَثِيرًا مِّنَ النَّاسِ عَنْ آيَاتِنَا لَغَافِلُونَ
Surah Yunus 10:90-92
We took the Children of Israel across the sea: Pharaoh and his hosts followed them in insolence and spite. At length, when overwhelmed with the flood, he said: “I believe that there is no god except Him Whom the Children of Israel believe in: I am of those who submit (to Allah in Islam).”
(It was said to him): “Ah now!- But a little while before, wast thou in rebellion!- and thou didst mischief (and violence)!
“This day shall We save thee in the body, that thou mayest be a sign to those who come after thee! but verily, many among mankind are heedless of Our Signs!”
Displayed at a Museum, how many people pass him by on a daily basis without realizing what they are seeing?
I hope you enjoyed this input and found it interesting.
The best of times to you all inshallah.
Peace, happiness, and stay faithful.
Sources:
* “Amurath to Amurath” – Gertrude Lowthian Bell
Isbn: 097159869X
(accessed on August 19th 2021)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Ararat
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Judi
https://www.worldhistory.org/Urartu_Civilization/
https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-study/explore-the-bible/what-does-bible-mean.html
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