Allah says concerning Nuh that He sent him to his people commanding him to warn them of the punishment of Allah before it befell them. He was to tell them that if they would repent and turn to Allah, then the punishment would be lifted from them. Due to this Allah says,

[إِنَّآ أَرْسَلْنَا نُوحاً إِلَى قَوْمِهِ أَنْ أَنذِرْ قَوْمَكَ مِن قَبْلِ أَن يَأْتِيَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ - قَالَ يقَوْمِ إِنِّى لَكُمْ نَذِيرٌ مُّبِينٌ ]

("Warn your people before there comes to them a painful torment.'' He said: "O my people! Verily, I am a plain warner to you.'') meaning, clarity of the warning, making the matter apparent and clear.

[أَنِ اعْبُدُواْ اللَّهَ وَاتَّقُوهُ]

(That you should worship Allah, and have Taqwa of Him,) meaning, `abandon those things that He has forbidden and avoid that which He has declared to be sinful.'

[وَأَطِيعُونِ]

(and obey me,) `In that which I command you to do and that which I forbid you from.'

[يَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ مِّن ذُنُوبِكُمْ]

(He will forgive you of your sins) meaning, `if you do what I command you to do and you believe in what I have been sent with to you, then Allah will forgive you for your sins. '

[وَيُؤَخِّرْكُمْ إِلَى أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى]

(and respite you to an appointed term.) meaning, `He will extend your life span and protect you from the torment that He would have made befall you if you did not stay away from His prohibitions.' This Ayah is used as proof by those who say that obedience (to Allah), righteousness and maintaining the family ties truly increase the life span of a person. This is like that which has been reported in the Hadith,

«صِلَةُ الرَّحِمِ تَزِيدُ فِي الْعُمُر»

(Maintaining the family ties increases the life span.) Concerning Allah's statement,

[إِنَّ أَجَلَ اللَّهِ إِذَا جَآءَ لاَ يُؤَخَّرُ لَوْ كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ]

(Verily, the term of Allah when it comes, cannot be delayed, if you but know.) means, hasten to the obedience (of Allah) before the coming of His vengeance. For verily, if He commands that to happen, it cannot be repulsed or prevented. For He is the Great One Who compels everything, and He is the Almighty Whose might all of creation succumbs to.

[قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّى دَعَوْتُ قَوْمِى لَيْلاً وَنَهَاراً - فَلَمْ يَزِدْهُمْ دُعَآئِى إِلاَّ فِرَاراً - وَإِنِّى كُلَّمَا دَعَوْتُهُمْ لِتَغْفِرَ لَهُمْ جَعَلُواْ أَصَـبِعَهُمْ فِى ءَاذَنِهِمْ وَاسْتَغْشَوْاْ ثِيَابَهُمْ وَأَصَرُّواْ وَاسْتَكْبَرُواْ اسْتِكْبَاراً - ثُمَّ إِنِّى دَعَوْتُهُمْ جِهَـراً - ثُمَّ إِنِّى أَعْلَنْتُ لَهُمْ وَأَسْرَرْتُ لَهُمْ إِسْرَاراً - فَقُلْتُ اسْتَغْفِرُواْ رَبَّكُمْ إِنَّهُ كَانَ غَفَّاراً - يُرْسِلِ السَّمَآءَ عَلَيْكُمْ مُدْرَاراً - وَيُمْدِدْكُمْ بِأَمْوَلٍ وَبَنِينَ وَيَجْعَل لَّكُمْ جَنَّـتٍ وَيَجْعَل لَّكُمْ أَنْهَاراً - مَّا لَكُمْ لاَ تَرْجُونَ لِلَّهِ وَقَاراً - وَقَدْ خَلَقَكُمْ أَطْوَاراً - أَلَمْ تَرَوْاْ كَيْفَ خَلَقَ اللَّهُ سَبْعَ سَمَـوَتٍ طِبَاقاً - وَجَعَلَ الْقَمَرَ فِيهِنَّ نُوراً وَجَعَلَ الشَّمْسَ سِرَاجاً - وَاللَّهُ أَنبَتَكُمْ مِّنَ الاٌّرْضِ نَبَاتاً - ثُمَّ يُعِيدُكُمْ فِيهَا وَيُخْرِجُكُمْ إِخْرَاجاً - وَاللَّهُ جَعَلَ لَكُمُ الاٌّرْضَ بِسَاطاً - لِّتَسْلُكُواْ مِنْهَا سُبُلاً فِجَاجاً ]

(5. He said: O my Lord! Verily, I have called to my people night and day,) (6. But all my calling added nothing but to (their) flight.) (7. And verily, every time I called unto them that You might forgive them, they thrust their fingers into their ears, covered themselves up with their garments, and persisted, and magnified themselves in pride.) (8. Then verily, I called to them openly (aloud).) (9. Then verily, I proclaimed to them in public, and I have appealed to them in private.) (10. I said (to them): Ask forgiveness from your Lord, verily, He is Oft-Forgiving;) (11. He will send rain to you Midrar,) (12. And give you increase in wealth and children, and bestow on you gardens and bestow on you rivers.) (13. What is the matter with you, that you do not hope for any Waqar from Allah) (14. While He has created you (in) Atwar (stages).) (15. See you not how Allah has created the seven heavens in tiers) (16. And has made the moon a light therein, and made the sun a lamp) (17. And Allah has brought you forth from the (dust of) earth) (18. Afterwards He will return you into it (the earth), and bring you forth.) (19. And Allah has made for you the earth a wide expanse.) (20. That you may go about therein in broad roads.)