Prophet Noah; He is one of the high-ranking prophets whose names are mentioned 43 times in the Noah Surah in the Qur’an. Prophet Noah is accepted as the “second ancestor of humanity” due to Noah’s Flood. This event is mentioned a lot in the Quran and hadiths. He was sent by Allah to a people who worshiped idols at the age of 40, and very few people from this nation believed in him. Even among his own family, there are those who do not believe.
Prophet Noah struggled for the guidance of his people for about 950 years and finally presented his status to Allah Almighty. Allah ordered him to build an ark before Noah’s flood. It is rumored that the ship built has 3 floors and was completed in 2 or 4 years. According to the narrations, 80 believers and a couple of animals were taken to the ship. With the beginning of Noah’s Flood, which is rumored to last for 6 months, water covered all parts of the earth. Then, with a divine order, the waters receded and the ship landed on Mount Cudi (Ağrı Mountain) on the 10th day of Muharram (Ashura). After this flood, the descendants of Noah multiplied and dispersed throughout the world. For this reason, Prophet Noah is accepted as the second ancestor of humanity.
Prophet Noah is narrated as a grateful and patient servant. He was a shepherd and engaged in trade. He is also regarded as the master of carpenters and sailors. Prophet Noah, known as the longest living prophet, lived for 1300 years. He was born in 2705 BC in the Mesopotamia region. According to the Torah, he lived in 950. Prophet Noah had 4 children.
As with other prophets, Prophet Noah had many miracles. The people, who did not want to believe in themselves, wanted the miracle of making it rain without a cloud. Thereupon, the prophet prayed to Allah and it rained without a cloud.
The Great Flood, one of the greatest miracles of Prophet Noah, is mentioned in the Qur’an. The following is stated in the 36th and 37th verses of Hud Surah;
“It was revealed to Noah: “None of his people will believe anymore except those who have believed before. Don’t worry about what they did! Build the ship under our supervision and as we teach, do not appeal to me for those who stray from the truth! They will drown!” commanded. In the 40th and 41st verses of the Surah Hud, “Finally, our command came and the waters rose and rose. We said to Noah: “Put your family and believers on the ship with a couple of every kind (animal) except those for whom judgment has been given before!” Few believed with him anyway.” has been called.
The ship landed safely on Mount Judi on the 10th day of Muharram. Prophet Noah and the believers fasted that day for the purpose of gratitude and cooked ashura from the provisions they had. For this reason, the 10th day of Muharram is accepted as the “Day of Ashura”. It is considered sunnah to give alms, distribute sweets and fast on that day.
The Place of Prophet Noah’s Ark
The Ark of Prophet Noah is a natural monument located between the villages of Telçeker and Üzengili, on the south side of Mount Ararat in Turkey. This monument consists of a shape and remains in the form of a ship. It is estimated that the ship that ran aground after the Flood is the monument found here. Mount Ararat is popularly known as Mount Cudi. Since 1983, the remains of the sacred ship have been sought in this region. Many Turkish researchers and scientists, including American researchers, made multi-faceted studies in the region. The remains of the ship in the region can be seen from a bird’s eye view. The region has been taken under protection as a “natural protected area” and “open air museum”.
The first traces of the Prophet Noah’s ship were discovered in 1959 by the Map Captain İhsan Durupınar while examining the aerial maps of the region. Upon the possibility of the paintings being the Ark of Prophet Noah, the search efforts in this area were accelerated. This place, which is a landslide area, has a ship-like shape at first glance. However, it is a matter of debate whether this structure was formed by the effect of landslides or whether it was the place where the ship ran aground. Even if it is accepted that it is a natural formation, this shape is also extremely interesting for earth scientists.
Although the remains of the ship are located on a slope in the region where landslides and currents are constantly experienced, it has remained fixed in its place and its shape has not been distorted. In terms of form, it is similar to the first ships built by humanity. The dimensions of the ship are 165 meters long and 50 meters wide. These measured numbers are in harmony with the measurements specified in the holy books. According to the soil structure of the region, the material of the ship mass has a stronger feature. Inside and on its surface, there are sections that show physical differences, evenly spaced, arranged at three different levels. In addition, there are gaps and bumps resembling ship masts in various places.
There are studies conducted by Australian and American scientists in 2017. In these studies, in-depth research was carried out with underground radar imaging. At the end of the researches, it was said that there was a ship here. However, it was stated that more research should be done in order to understand whether this ship belongs to the Prophet Noah.
