This is the Prophet Nuh story for kids, told the way the Quran tells it: slowly, gently and with a big ship at the centre. Most children know Nuh (peace be upon him) by his English name, Noah, and they know there is an ark and a flood. The Quran's version has all of that, and it also has something more important: a lesson about listening to good advice and trusting Allah.
Everything on this page comes from the Quran (Surah Hud 11:25-48, Surah Nuh 71, Surah al-Qamar 54:9-15, Surah al-Mu'minun 23:23-29, Surah ash-Shu'ara' 26:105-120 and Surah al-'Ankabut 29:14-15) and from the classical tafsir of Ibn Kathir, al-Sa'di and al-Tafsir al-Muyassar. We have not added names, sizes, numbers of animals or made-up conversations, because children deserve the true story. Where the Quran is quiet, we say so.
If you want every ayah with the full tafsir discussion for yourself, read our complete story of Prophet Nuh and the Ark. This page is the one to read aloud to your child.
How to use this page
Read the story section aloud, one part at a time, and stop at the pictures. The sentences are short on purpose, so that you can read slowly and let your child imagine the big ship and the rain. Each ayah box shows the Arabic with its English meaning; read the English, and if your child is learning Quran, point to the Arabic words as you go.
After the story you will find the moral in one sentence, three questions to talk about, a guide for different ages, a short du'a that Nuh was taught to say on the Ark, honest answers to the questions children ask most, and a table of the whole story. Teachers can use the FAQ at the end for the questions that come up in class.
The story of Prophet Nuh for children
A kind man with one message
A long, long time ago, Allah chose a man called Nuh to be His messenger. The Quran says: “And We had certainly sent Noah to his people”
(Quran 11:25). He was one of them, a man they all knew. The Quran even calls him “their brother Noah”
(Quran 26:106).
Nuh's people had a problem. They prayed to statues instead of praying to Allah. So Allah sent Nuh with one clear message: worship Allah alone.
﴿لَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا نُوحًا إِلَىٰ قَوْمِهِۦ فَقَالَ يَـٰقَوْمِ ٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنْ إِلَـٰهٍ غَيْرُهُۥٓ إِنِّىٓ أَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍ ٥٩﴾(59) We had certainly sent Noah to his people, and he said, "O my people, worship Allāh; you have no deity other than Him. Indeed, I fear for you the punishment of a tremendous Day."
Al-Tafsir al-Muyassar explains that Nuh was sent to call his people to worship Allah alone and to be sincere to Him, and to warn them of a great day if they kept worshipping their idols. That is the whole message. It is the same message every prophet brought.
He never stopped asking
Nuh told his people about Allah again and again. He told them in the daytime. He told them at night. He told them in front of everyone, and he told them quietly, one at a time. The Quran lets us hear Nuh talking to Allah about it:
﴿قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّى دَعَوْتُ قَوْمِى لَيْلًا وَنَهَارًا ٥ فَلَمْ يَزِدْهُمْ دُعَآءِىٓ إِلَّا فِرَارًا ٦ وَإِنِّى كُلَّمَا دَعَوْتُهُمْ لِتَغْفِرَ لَهُمْ جَعَلُوٓا۟ أَصَـٰبِعَهُمْ فِىٓ ءَاذَانِهِمْ وَٱسْتَغْشَوْا۟ ثِيَابَهُمْ وَأَصَرُّوا۟ وَٱسْتَكْبَرُوا۟ ٱسْتِكْبَارًا ٧ ثُمَّ إِنِّى دَعَوْتُهُمْ جِهَارًا ٨ ثُمَّ إِنِّىٓ أَعْلَنتُ لَهُمْ وَأَسْرَرْتُ لَهُمْ إِسْرَارًا ٩﴾(5) He said, "My Lord, indeed I invited my people [to truth] night and day. (6) But my invitation increased them not except in flight [i.e., aversion]. (7) And indeed, every time I invited them that You may forgive them, they put their fingers in their ears, covered themselves with their garments, persisted, and were arrogant with [great] arrogance. (8) Then I invited them publicly. (9) Then I announced to them and [also] confided to them secretly
But the people did not want to hear him. Look at what they did: they pushed their fingers into their ears and pulled their clothes over their heads, so they could not hear him and could not see him. Al-Tafsir al-Muyassar explains that they did this so they would not hear the call to the truth and would not see him. Al-Sa'di adds that every time Nuh called them, it was for their own good, so that Allah could forgive them, but they only ran further from the truth.
Nuh even told them about the good things Allah would give them if they said sorry. Listen to the promise:
﴿فَقُلْتُ ٱسْتَغْفِرُوا۟ رَبَّكُمْ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ غَفَّارًا ١٠ يُرْسِلِ ٱلسَّمَآءَ عَلَيْكُم مِّدْرَارًا ١١ وَيُمْدِدْكُم بِأَمْوَٰلٍ وَبَنِينَ وَيَجْعَل لَّكُمْ جَنَّـٰتٍ وَيَجْعَل لَّكُمْ أَنْهَـٰرًا ١٢﴾(10) And said, 'Ask forgiveness of your Lord. Indeed, He is ever a Perpetual Forgiver. (11) He will send [rain from] the sky upon you in [continuing] showers (12) And give you increase in wealth and children and provide for you gardens and provide for you rivers.
Rain, and gardens, and rivers, and children. Al-Sa'di explains that Nuh was encouraging them with the forgiveness of their sins and all the good that comes with it. Still they would not listen.
How long did Nuh keep going? The Quran tells us the exact number:
﴿وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا نُوحًا إِلَىٰ قَوْمِهِۦ فَلَبِثَ فِيهِمْ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ إِلَّا خَمْسِينَ عَامًا فَأَخَذَهُمُ ٱلطُّوفَانُ وَهُمْ ظَـٰلِمُونَ ١٤﴾(14) And We certainly sent Noah to his people, and he remained among them a thousand years minus fifty years, and the flood seized them while they were wrongdoers.
A thousand years minus fifty is nine hundred and fifty years. That is a very, very long time. Al-Sa'di explains that through all those years Nuh never grew tired of calling them, by night and by day, in secret and openly. And at the end of it, the Quran says, “none had believed with him, except a few.”
(Quran 11:40)
A note for parents: children sometimes ask how old Nuh was in total. The Quran gives us only the time he spent among his people, 950 years. That is the number to teach.
The people laugh
The big and important people of the town did not just ignore Nuh. They laughed at him. They said he was only a man like them. They said that only poor and weak people followed him. They even called him mad.
﴿فَقَالَ ٱلْمَلَأُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ مِن قَوْمِهِۦ مَا نَرَىٰكَ إِلَّا بَشَرًا مِّثْلَنَا وَمَا نَرَىٰكَ ٱتَّبَعَكَ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ أَرَاذِلُنَا بَادِىَ ٱلرَّأْىِ وَمَا نَرَىٰ لَكُمْ عَلَيْنَا مِن فَضْلٍۭ بَلْ نَظُنُّكُمْ كَـٰذِبِينَ ٢٧﴾(27) So the eminent among those who disbelieved from his people said, "We do not see you but as a man like ourselves, and we do not see you followed except by those who are the lowest of us [and] at first suggestion. And we do not see in you over us any merit; rather, we think you are liars."
Nuh did not get angry back. He answered them gently. He told them he did not want any money from them: “My payment is only from the Lord of the worlds.”
(Quran 26:109) And when they told him to send the poor believers away, he refused: “I am not one to drive away those who have believed.”
(Quran 11:29) Al-Tafsir al-Muyassar explains that Nuh would not push away Allah's friends just because the chiefs looked down on them.
Build a ship
After all those years, Allah told Nuh something: no one else from his people was going to believe. The ones who believed had already believed. And then Allah gave Nuh a job. A very big job.
﴿وَأُوحِىَ إِلَىٰ نُوحٍ أَنَّهُۥ لَن يُؤْمِنَ مِن قَوْمِكَ إِلَّا مَن قَدْ ءَامَنَ فَلَا تَبْتَئِسْ بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَفْعَلُونَ ٣٦ وَٱصْنَعِ ٱلْفُلْكَ بِأَعْيُنِنَا وَوَحْيِنَا وَلَا تُخَـٰطِبْنِى فِى ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوٓا۟ ۚ إِنَّهُم مُّغْرَقُونَ ٣٧﴾(36) And it was revealed to Noah that, "No one will believe from your people except those who have already believed, so do not be distressed by what they have been doing. (37) And construct the ship under Our observation and Our inspiration and do not address Me concerning those who have wronged; indeed, they are [to be] drowned."
Build the Ark. Al-Sa'di explains that “under Our observation”
(Quran 11:37) means under Allah's protection, with Allah watching over him and pleased with what he was doing. Nuh was not building alone. Allah was with him.
So Nuh started building a huge ship. And every time the important people walked past, they laughed at him again. A ship, on dry land? But Nuh kept hammering.
﴿وَيَصْنَعُ ٱلْفُلْكَ وَكُلَّمَا مَرَّ عَلَيْهِ مَلَأٌ مِّن قَوْمِهِۦ سَخِرُوا۟ مِنْهُ ۚ قَالَ إِن تَسْخَرُوا۟ مِنَّا فَإِنَّا نَسْخَرُ مِنكُمْ كَمَا تَسْخَرُونَ ٣٨ فَسَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ مَن يَأْتِيهِ عَذَابٌ يُخْزِيهِ وَيَحِلُّ عَلَيْهِ عَذَابٌ مُّقِيمٌ ٣٩﴾(38) And he constructed the ship, and whenever an assembly of the eminent of his people passed by him, they ridiculed him. He said, "If you ridicule us, then we will ridicule you just as you ridicule. (39) And you are going to know who will get a punishment that will disgrace him [on earth] and upon whom will descend an enduring punishment [in the Hereafter]."
Al-Sa'di explains that Nuh simply obeyed his Lord's command and began making the ship, and when they mocked him he told them: you laugh at us now, and we will laugh at you later. The Quran tells us the Ark was made of “planks and nails”
(Quran 54:13). That is all it tells us about how it was built, and that is enough.
A note for parents: the Quran does not say how big the Ark was, what wood it was made of or how many years it took. If your child asks, the honest answer is: "The Quran does not tell us, and we do not need to know. What we know is that Allah told him to build it, and he did."
Water from the sky and water from the ground
Then the day came. Allah's command arrived, and water started to come from a very strange place: the oven. The Quran says “the oven overflowed”
(Quran 11:40). Al-Tafsir al-Muyassar explains that water gushed out strongly from the place where bread is baked, as a sign that the punishment had begun. Al-Sa'di explains that the whole earth burst into springs, even the ovens, which are normally places of fire and the furthest things from water.
Then the sky opened and the rain poured and poured. Here is how Surah al-Qamar describes it:
﴿فَفَتَحْنَآ أَبْوَٰبَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ بِمَآءٍ مُّنْهَمِرٍ ١١ وَفَجَّرْنَا ٱلْأَرْضَ عُيُونًا فَٱلْتَقَى ٱلْمَآءُ عَلَىٰٓ أَمْرٍ قَدْ قُدِرَ ١٢﴾(11) Then We opened the gates of the heaven with rain pouring down (12) And caused the earth to burst with springs, and the waters met for a matter already predestined.
Water from above, and water from below, until the two waters met. Al-Tafsir al-Muyassar explains that the water of the sky and the water of the earth met to carry out what Allah had decreed.
Everyone aboard: two of every kind
Before the water rose, Allah told Nuh exactly who should come onto the Ark: a pair of every kind of animal, his family who believed, and all the believers.
﴿حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا جَآءَ أَمْرُنَا وَفَارَ ٱلتَّنُّورُ قُلْنَا ٱحْمِلْ فِيهَا مِن كُلٍّ زَوْجَيْنِ ٱثْنَيْنِ وَأَهْلَكَ إِلَّا مَن سَبَقَ عَلَيْهِ ٱلْقَوْلُ وَمَنْ ءَامَنَ ۚ وَمَآ ءَامَنَ مَعَهُۥٓ إِلَّا قَلِيلٌ ٤٠ ۞ وَقَالَ ٱرْكَبُوا۟ فِيهَا بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ مَجْر۪ىٰهَا وَمُرْسَىٰهَآ ۚ إِنَّ رَبِّى لَغَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ ٤١﴾(40) [So it was], until when Our command came and the oven overflowed, 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. (41) And [Noah] said, "Embark therein; in the name of Allāh [are] its course and its anchorage. Indeed, my Lord is Forgiving and Merciful."
Al-Sa'di explains that “two mates”
(Quran 11:40) means a male and a female of every kind of creature, so that every kind would continue after the flood. Imagine the animals walking onto the Ark two by two: big ones and small ones, ones that fly and ones that crawl.
And as they climbed on, Nuh said a special sentence: “in the name of Allāh [are] its course and its anchorage.”
(Quran 11:41) Al-Sa'di explains that the ship would sail by the name of Allah and stop by the name of Allah, moving only by His command. Nuh did not trust the wood or the nails. He trusted Allah.
Allah also taught Nuh what to say once they were safely on board:
﴿فَإِذَا ٱسْتَوَيْتَ أَنتَ وَمَن مَّعَكَ عَلَى ٱلْفُلْكِ فَقُلِ ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِى نَجَّىٰنَا مِنَ ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ ٢٨ وَقُل رَّبِّ أَنزِلْنِى مُنزَلًا مُّبَارَكًا وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ ٱلْمُنزِلِينَ ٢٩﴾(28) And when you have boarded the ship, you and those with you, then say, 'Praise to Allāh who has saved us from the wrongdoing people.' (29) And say, 'My Lord, let me land at a blessed landing place, and You are the best to accommodate [us].'"
Al-Tafsir al-Muyassar explains that this is Allah teaching His servants what to say when they land somewhere. So the first thing Nuh did on the Ark was say "Alhamdulillah", all praise is for Allah, and then ask Allah for a safe and blessed place to land.
A note for parents: the Quran does not say which animal went first or last, and it does not give the number of people on the Ark. It says only that few believed. Ibn Kathir lists different reports about the number and does not settle on one, so there is nothing more to teach here.
The waves, and a father calling his son
Now the Ark was floating. The waves around it were enormous, “waves like mountains”
(Quran 11:42). And then comes the saddest part of the story.
Nuh had a son who did not believe. He had stayed away from the believers. As the water rose, Nuh saw him and called out to him:
﴿وَهِىَ تَجْرِى بِهِمْ فِى مَوْجٍ كَٱلْجِبَالِ وَنَادَىٰ نُوحٌ ٱبْنَهُۥ وَكَانَ فِى مَعْزِلٍ يَـٰبُنَىَّ ٱرْكَب مَّعَنَا وَلَا تَكُن مَّعَ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ ٤٢ قَالَ سَـَٔاوِىٓ إِلَىٰ جَبَلٍ يَعْصِمُنِى مِنَ ٱلْمَآءِ ۚ قَالَ لَا عَاصِمَ ٱلْيَوْمَ مِنْ أَمْرِ ٱللَّهِ إِلَّا مَن رَّحِمَ ۚ وَحَالَ بَيْنَهُمَا ٱلْمَوْجُ فَكَانَ مِنَ ٱلْمُغْرَقِينَ ٤٣﴾(42) And it sailed with them through waves like mountains, and Noah called to his son who was apart [from them], "O my son, come aboard with us and be not with the disbelievers." (43) [But] he said, "I will take refuge on a mountain to protect me from the water." [Noah] said, "There is no protector today from the decree of Allāh, except for whom He gives mercy." And the waves came between them, and he was among the drowned.
"Come with us, my son!" But the son said no. He said he would climb a mountain and the mountain would keep him safe. Nuh told him the truth: today nothing can keep anyone safe from Allah's command, except the one Allah has mercy on. Then a wave came between the father and the son, and the son was gone.
Al-Sa'di explains that the son answered his father as if he did not believe him, thinking that climbing a mountain would protect him from the water, and that Nuh told him no mountain and nothing else could protect anyone that day, because no one is saved unless Allah saves him. Ibn Kathir explains that the son wrongly believed the flood would not reach the top of a mountain.
This is a hard moment for a child, and that is all right. Tell it quietly. Nuh loved his son very much. He called him and called him. But the son chose not to listen, and he chose the mountain instead of Allah. The Quran does not describe anything more about the drowning, and we should not either.
A note for parents: the Quran does not tell us the son's name. Ibn Kathir mentions a name, Yam, from the reports he collected, but the Quran itself only says "his son". If your child asks, say: "The Quran did not tell us his name. It only tells us that he did not listen."
The water goes away
When the flood had done what Allah sent it to do, Allah spoke to the earth and the sky:
﴿وَقِيلَ يَـٰٓأَرْضُ ٱبْلَعِى مَآءَكِ وَيَـٰسَمَآءُ أَقْلِعِى وَغِيضَ ٱلْمَآءُ وَقُضِىَ ٱلْأَمْرُ وَٱسْتَوَتْ عَلَى ٱلْجُودِىِّ ۖ وَقِيلَ بُعْدًا لِّلْقَوْمِ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ ٤٤﴾(44) And it was said, "O earth, swallow your water, and O sky, withhold [your rain]." And the water subsided, and the matter was accomplished, and it [i.e., the ship] came to rest on the [mountain of] Jūdiyy. And it was said, "Away with the wrongdoing people."
"O earth, swallow your water. O sky, hold back." And they did, straight away. Al-Sa'di explains that the earth and the sky obeyed Allah's command at once: the earth drank its water, the sky stopped, and the water sank down. Then the Ark came to rest on a mountain called al-Judi. Al-Sa'di describes it as a well-known mountain in the land of Mosul, and Ibn Kathir reports from Mujahid that it is a mountain in al-Jazirah, in the north of the land between the two rivers.
Think about that: the earth and the sky both listened to Allah straight away. That is a lovely thing to point out to a child. Everything in the world obeys Allah.
Nuh asks about his son
When it was over, Nuh thought about his son. Allah had promised to save Nuh's family, so Nuh asked his Lord about him. The Quran tells us the whole conversation very gently:
﴿وَنَادَىٰ نُوحٌ رَّبَّهُۥ فَقَالَ رَبِّ إِنَّ ٱبْنِى مِنْ أَهْلِى وَإِنَّ وَعْدَكَ ٱلْحَقُّ وَأَنتَ أَحْكَمُ ٱلْحَـٰكِمِينَ ٤٥ قَالَ يَـٰنُوحُ إِنَّهُۥ لَيْسَ مِنْ أَهْلِكَ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ عَمَلٌ غَيْرُ صَـٰلِحٍ ۖ فَلَا تَسْـَٔلْنِ مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِۦ عِلْمٌ ۖ إِنِّىٓ أَعِظُكَ أَن تَكُونَ مِنَ ٱلْجَـٰهِلِينَ ٤٦ قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّىٓ أَعُوذُ بِكَ أَنْ أَسْـَٔلَكَ مَا لَيْسَ لِى بِهِۦ عِلْمٌ ۖ وَإِلَّا تَغْفِرْ لِى وَتَرْحَمْنِىٓ أَكُن مِّنَ ٱلْخَـٰسِرِينَ ٤٧﴾(45) And Noah called to his Lord and said, "My Lord, indeed my son is of my family; and indeed, Your promise is true; and You are the most just of judges!" (46) He said, "O Noah, indeed he is not of your family; indeed, he is [one whose] work was other than righteous, so ask Me not for that about which you have no knowledge. Indeed, I advise you, lest you be among the ignorant." (47) [Noah] said, "My Lord, I seek refuge in You from asking that of which I have no knowledge. And unless You forgive me and have mercy upon me, I will be among the losers."
Allah told Nuh that this son was not part of the family He had promised to save, because of what the son did. Al-Sa'di explains that Nuh's kindness as a father made him think the promise was for all of his family, believers or not, so he asked, and he left the matter to Allah's wisdom. And when Allah answered him, Nuh did not argue. He said sorry at once and asked Allah to forgive him. Al-Sa'di explains that Nuh felt deep regret and that Allah's words to him were a gentle lesson that would make him one of the most complete of His servants.
That is what a prophet does when he is corrected: he says sorry straight away. Children can learn a lot from that one moment.
Coming down in peace
The last word of the story is a happy one. Allah told Nuh to come down from the Ark:
﴿قِيلَ يَـٰنُوحُ ٱهْبِطْ بِسَلَـٰمٍ مِّنَّا وَبَرَكَـٰتٍ عَلَيْكَ وَعَلَىٰٓ أُمَمٍ مِّمَّن مَّعَكَ ۚ وَأُمَمٌ سَنُمَتِّعُهُمْ ثُمَّ يَمَسُّهُم مِّنَّا عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ ٤٨﴾(48) It was said, "O Noah, disembark in security from Us and blessings upon you and upon nations [descending] from those with you. But other nations [of them] We will grant enjoyment; then there will touch them from Us a painful punishment."
Peace and blessings, for Nuh and for everyone who was with him. Al-Sa'di explains that Allah blessed all of them, the people and the pairs of animals Nuh carried, until they filled the corners of the earth. The Quran tells us that Allah made Nuh's descendants “those remaining [on the earth]”
(Quran 37:77), and it sends him a greeting that is still read today: “Peace upon Noah among the worlds.”
(Quran 37:79)
And in Surah al-Isra', Allah calls Nuh “a grateful servant”
(Quran 17:3). Al-Tafsir al-Muyassar explains that he was thankful to Allah with his heart, his tongue and his whole body. After 950 years of being ignored and laughed at, the Quran remembers Nuh for one thing above all: he was grateful.
Watch this story in QASASNuh and His SonHe called his son to the Ark. His son refused.Open on Google Play →The moral of the story of Nuh for kids
The moral of the story of Nuh is this: listen to good advice and trust Allah, even when everyone around you laughs. That is the one sentence to leave your child with. Nuh trusted Allah and built a ship on dry land, and he was saved. His son trusted a mountain, and he was not.
There are a few smaller lessons inside the big one, and each can be said in a child's own words:
- Keep doing the right thing, even if it takes a long time. Nuh kept calling his people for 950 years. We do not give up on good things because they are slow.
- It is okay if people laugh at you for obeying Allah. The important people laughed at Nuh's ship. The ship was the only safe place in the end.
- Say sorry to Allah, and He forgives. Nuh told his people that if they asked Allah to forgive them, He would send rain, gardens and rivers (71:10-12). Allah loves to forgive.
- Listen to your parents when they tell you the truth. Nuh's son did not listen to his father, and he lost everything. When a loving parent says "come", we come.
- Nothing can protect you except Allah. Not a mountain, not a big house, not being clever. Only Allah's mercy.
- Say "Alhamdulillah" when you are safe. The first thing Nuh said on the Ark was praise for Allah (23:28). We say it after every good thing.
- Everything obeys Allah. The earth swallowed its water and the sky stopped the moment Allah spoke. We can obey Him too.
Three questions to talk about after the story
Talking about the story is where the lesson sticks. Here are three questions for children, with what to listen for and a short true answer you can give if they get stuck.
1. Why did Nuh build a ship when there was no water? Listen for: because Allah told him to, and he trusted Allah. If your child says "because he knew the flood was coming", add the first half: he knew only because Allah told him, and he started building before he could see a single drop of rain. The Quran says “And construct the ship under Our observation and Our inspiration”
(Quran 11:37). Follow-up: "Have you ever done something good even though your friends thought it was silly? How did it feel?"
2. Why did Nuh's son not get on the Ark? Listen for: he did not believe, and he thought a mountain would keep him safe instead of Allah. Children often think the son was just "being naughty"; the deeper answer is that he trusted the wrong thing. The Quran records his words: “I will take refuge on a mountain to protect me from the water.”
(Quran 11:43) Follow-up: "Who keeps us safe? What did Nuh say could protect someone that day?" (Only Allah's mercy.)
3. What was the first thing Nuh said when he was safe on the Ark? Listen for: "Alhamdulillah", praise to Allah who saved us. The Quran teaches it in 23:28: “Praise to Allāh who has saved us from the wrongdoing people.”
(Quran 23:28) Follow-up: "What good thing happened to you today? Let's say Alhamdulillah for it together."
Telling the story of Nuh by age
The story of Prophet Nuh works for every age, as long as you choose what to focus on. The facts stay the same; what changes is how much you explain.
Ages 4 to 6. Keep it to six beats: Nuh told people to worship Allah, they did not listen for a long, long time, Allah told him to build a big ship, the animals came in pairs, the rain came and the ship floated, and when the water went away the ship rested on a mountain. Use the pictures. Let them count animals in pairs with you. For the son, one gentle sentence is enough: "Nuh's son did not listen and did not get on the ship, so he was not safe." Do not explain the oven, the chiefs or the drowning. End on “Peace upon Noah among the worlds.”
(Quran 37:79)
Ages 7 to 9. Add the 950 years and the fingers in the ears, which children find very funny and very sad at the same time. Add the laughing chiefs and Nuh's calm answer. Tell the son's part in full, with his words about the mountain and Nuh's reply, and talk about trusting the right thing. Teach the du'a of the Ark (below). Ask all three questions above.
Ages 10 to 12. Add Nuh's promise of rain and gardens for those who seek forgiveness (71:10-12), and the conversation between Nuh and Allah after the flood (11:45-47), which shows that even a prophet is corrected and says sorry at once. Be honest about what the Quran does not say (the Ark's size, the son's name, the number of people) and why the tafsir scholars say "Allah knows best". Older children can open Surah Hud in a mushaf with tafsir and read 11:40-48 themselves. For a longer read at this age, go to the complete story of Prophet Nuh with tafsir.
For every age: no scary voices for the storm, no made-up dialogue, and no pictures of faces. The Quran's version is already exciting, and it is gentle: the believers were safe the whole time, and the story ends in peace and blessings.
Teach your child the du'a of the Ark
There is a short du'a in this story that your child can carry for life. Allah taught Nuh to say it when he landed safely, and al-Tafsir al-Muyassar explains that it is a teaching for all of Allah's servants whenever they arrive somewhere. The Arabic is in the ayah above (23:29), and the meaning is: “My Lord, let me land at a blessed landing place, and You are the best to accommodate [us].”
(Quran 23:29)
In transliteration it is: Rabbi anzilni munzalan mubarakan wa anta khayrul-munzilin. It fits every journey: the first day at a new school, a trip, moving house, even getting out of the car.
A simple way to teach it over one week:
- Days 1 and 2. Say it once each night at bedtime, in Arabic, then in English. Let them listen only.
- Days 3 and 4. Say it in two pieces and let them repeat each piece: Rabbi anzilni munzalan mubarakan / wa anta khayrul-munzilin.
- Days 5 to 7. Let them say it on their own, then ask: "When did Nuh say this? When could you say it?"
Pair it with the sentence Nuh said as everyone boarded, “in the name of Allāh [are] its course and its anchorage”
(Quran 11:41), and the habit of saying "Bismillah" before a journey comes naturally. Our full article on the du'as of the prophets in the Quran has more du'as like this one for parents.
What the Quran does not tell us (and how to answer)
Children ask great questions, and the best answer to some of them is "the Quran does not say". Here is how to handle the most common ones without inventing anything.
- "How big was the Ark?" The Quran does not say. It tells us only that it was made of planks and nails (54:13). Tell your child: "It was big enough for everyone Allah wanted on it, and that is all we need to know."
- "How many animals were there?" The Quran says a pair of every kind (11:40). It does not count them. Al-Sa'di explains that the pairs were a male and a female so that each kind would continue.
- "What was the son's name?" The Quran does not name him. Ibn Kathir mentions a name from later reports, but it is not in the Quran, so we do not teach it as a fact.
- "How long were they on the Ark?" The Quran does not say. Ibn Kathir lists some reports about days and months and does not settle on one, so the honest answer is "we do not know, and the Quran did not tell us".
- "Did the flood cover the whole world?" Muslim scholars have discussed this and do not all agree, and the Quran does not say it in a way that ends the discussion. What we know for sure is that the believers were saved and those who denied were drowned.
- "Was Nuh's son a bad boy?" He was a grown man who chose not to believe, even when his father begged him. The Quran tells us that being a prophet's son did not save him, because each person has to believe for themselves.
Teaching a child to say "the Quran does not tell us" is a gift. It teaches them to love the Quran as it is, and not to mix it with stories that were added later.
The story at a glance
| Part | What happens | Where in the Quran |
|---|---|---|
| The message | Allah sends Nuh to tell his people to worship Allah alone | 7:59, 11:25-26 |
| The call | He calls them day and night; they put fingers in their ears | 71:5-9 |
| The promise | Say sorry to Allah and He will send rain, gardens and rivers | 71:10-12 |
| 950 years | He stays among them a thousand years minus fifty; only a few believe | 29:14, 11:40 |
| The laughing | The chiefs call him a liar and a madman | 11:27, 54:9 |
| The Ark | Allah tells him to build the ship; they laugh while he builds | 11:36-39 |
| The flood | The oven overflows; the sky pours; the earth bursts with springs | 11:40, 54:11-12 |
| Aboard | Two of every kind, the believers, and "Bismillah" | 11:40-41, 23:28-29 |
| The son | Nuh calls his son; the son chooses the mountain | 11:42-43 |
| The end | The earth swallows its water; the Ark rests on al-Judi | 11:44 |
| The question | Nuh asks about his son; Allah answers; Nuh says sorry | 11:45-47 |
| Peace | Nuh comes down in peace and blessings | 11:48, 37:79 |
Watch and read Nuh and the Ark in QASAS
QASAS is a free prophet stories app that tells this story as a short cinematic episode called "Nuh and His Son": the long years of calling, the building of the ship, the oven that gushed, the animals boarding, the huge wave and the father's last call. Your child can watch it, or read it page by page with you, and then answer a quick quiz at the end to see what they remember. There are no faces of prophets, no ads, no account and no tracking, and the stories come in 11 languages.
It is a calm way to do Islamic stories for kids at bedtime: watch the episode, read this page, ask the three questions, and say the du'a of the Ark together. When your child is older, the same app has the full mushaf with tafsir, prayer times, the qibla, a 3D tasbih and adhkar. QASAS is live on Google Play for Android, and the iPhone version is coming soon.
Good stories to tell next, at the same age: the story of Prophet Yunus for kids, another prophet, a ship and the sea, and for older children, patience in the stories of the prophets, which shows how Nuh, Ayyub and others learned to wait for Allah's help.
Watch this story in QASASNuh and His SonHe called his son to the Ark. His son refused.Open on Google Play →Frequently asked questions
What is the story of Prophet Nuh for kids in short?
Prophet Nuh told his people to worship Allah alone for 950 years, but only a few listened. Allah told him to build the Ark while people laughed, then water came from the sky and the ground. Nuh, the believers and a pair of every animal were safe on the Ark, his son refused to board and was lost, and the Ark came to rest on Mount al-Judi (Quran 11:25-48, 29:14).
What is the moral of the story of Nuh for children?
The moral is: listen to good advice and trust Allah, even when everyone laughs at you. Nuh trusted Allah and built a ship on dry land and was saved, while his son trusted a mountain. Smaller lessons are to keep doing good even when it is slow, to say sorry to Allah because He forgives, and to say "Alhamdulillah" when you are safe.
How long did Prophet Nuh call his people?
Prophet Nuh remained among his people for a thousand years minus fifty, which is 950 years (Quran 29:14). Al-Sa'di explains that in all that time he never tired of calling them, by night and by day, in secret and openly, yet only a few believed.
Why did Nuh's son not get on the Ark?
Nuh's son did not believe, and he thought a mountain would protect him from the water (Quran 11:43). Nuh told him that nothing could protect anyone that day from Allah's command except the one Allah has mercy on, and then a wave came between them.
How big was Noah's Ark according to the Quran?
The Quran does not give the size of the Ark. It says only that it was built under Allah's watch (11:37) and that it was made of planks and nails (54:13). Tell your child honestly that the Quran did not tell us, so it is not something we need to know.
What animals were on the Ark in the Quran?
The Quran says Allah told Nuh to load a pair of every kind (11:40). Al-Sa'di explains that this means a male and a female of each kind of creature, so that every kind would continue after the flood. The Quran does not name or count the animals.
What du'a from the story of Nuh can a child learn?
Allah taught Nuh to say “My Lord, let me land at a blessed landing place, and You are the best to accommodate [us].”
(Quran 23:29) (Quran 23:29). It is short enough for a young child to learn in a week, and al-Tafsir al-Muyassar explains that Allah teaches it to His servants for whenever they arrive somewhere.
What age is the story of Nuh suitable for?
The story of Nuh suits children from about age 4, because the ship and the animals in pairs are easy to picture and the believers are safe the whole time. Younger children get six simple beats and one gentle sentence about the son; older children add the 950 years, the laughing chiefs, the full scene with the son and the conversation after the flood.
Sources
Quran: Surah Hud 11:25-48, Surah Nuh 71:1-28, Surah al-A'raf 7:59-64, Surah al-Qamar 54:9-15, Surah al-Mu'minun 23:23-30, Surah ash-Shu'ara' 26:105-122, Surah al-'Ankabut 29:14-15, Surah as-Saffat 37:75-82 and Surah al-Isra' 17:3 (Uthmani text and Saheeh International translation). Tafsir: Ibn Kathir (Tafsir al-Quran al-'Azim), al-Sa'di (Taysir al-Karim al-Rahman) and al-Tafsir al-Muyassar (King Fahd Complex).
Updated: · By QASAS
