Allah tells us: another sign for them of His might and power is that He has subjugated the sea to carry ships, including -- most significantly -- the ship of Nuh , peace be upon him, in which Allah saved him and the believers, apart from whom none of the descendants of Adam were left on the face of the earth. Allah says:

[وَءَايَةٌ لَّهُمْ أَنَّا حَمَلْنَا ذُرِّيَّتَهُمْ]

(And an Ayah for them is that We bore their offspring) means, their forefathers,

[فِى الْفُلْكِ الْمَشْحُونِ]

(in the laden ship.) means, in the ship which was filled with luggage and animals, in which Allah commanded him to put two of every kind. Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "Laden means filled.'' This was also the view of Sa`id bin Jubayr, Ash-Sha`bi, Qatadah and As-Suddi. Ad-Dahhak, Qatadah and Ibn Zayd said, "This was the ship of Nuh peace be upon him.''

[وَخَلَقْنَا لَهُمْ مِّن مِّثْلِهِ مَا يَرْكَبُونَ ]

(And We have created for them of the like thereunto, on which they ride.) Al-`Awfi said, narrating from Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, "This means the camel, for it is the ship of the land on which they carry goods and on which they ride. '' Ibn Jarir recorded that Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "Do you know what the Ayah:

[وَخَلَقْنَا لَهُمْ مِّن مِّثْلِهِ مَا يَرْكَبُونَ ]

(And We have created for them of the like thereunto, on which they ride.) refers to'' We said, "No.'' He said, "This refers to the ships which were made after the ship of Nuh, peace be upon him, which was similar to it.'' This was also the view of Abu Malik, Ad-Dahhak, Qatadah, Abu Salih and As-Suddi, that the Ayah

[وَخَلَقْنَا لَهُمْ مِّن مِّثْلِهِ مَا يَرْكَبُونَ ]

(And We have created for them of the like thereunto, on which they ride.) refers to ships.

[وَإِن نَّشَأْ نُغْرِقْهُمْ]

(And if We will, We shall drown them,) means, those who are on board the ships.

[فَلاَ صَرِيخَ لَهُمْ]

(and there will be no shout for them) means, there will be no one to save them from their predicament.

[وَلاَ هُمْ يُنقَذُونَ]

(nor will they be saved. ) means, from what has befallen them.

[إِلاَّ رَحْمَةً مِّنَّا]

(Unless it be a mercy from Us,) means, `but by Our mercy We make it easy for you to travel on land and sea, and We keep you safe until an appointed time.' Allah says:

[وَمَتَاعاً إِلَى حِينٍ]

(and as an enjoyment for a while.) meaning, until a time that is known to Allah, may He be glorified and exalted.

[وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمُ اتَّقُواْ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيكُمْ وَمَا خَلْفَكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ وَمَا تَأْتِيهِم مِّنْ ءَايَةٍ مِّنْ ءَايَـتِ رَبِّهِمْ إِلاَّ كَانُواْ عَنْهَا مُعْرِضِينَ وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ أَنفِقُواْ مِمَّا رِزَقَكُمُ الله قَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ أَنُطْعِمُ مَن لَّوْ يَشَآءُ اللَّهُ أَطْعَمَهُ إِنْ أَنتُمْ إِلاَّ فِى ضَلَـلٍ مُّبِينٍ ]

(45. And when it is said to them: "Beware of that which is before you, and that which is behind you, in order that you may receive mercy.'') (46. And never came an Ayah from among the Ayat of their Lord to them, but they did turn away from it.) (47. And when it is said to them: "Spend of that with which Allah has provided you,'' those who disbelieve say to those who believe: "Shall we feed those whom, if Allah willed, He would have fed You are only in a plain error.'')