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 In two verses the Quran states that Allah created every living thing from water:{{Quote|{{Quran|21|30}}|Have those who disbelieved not considered that the heavens and the earth were a joined entity, and We separated them and made from water every living thing? Then will they not believe?}}{{Quote|{{Quran-range|24|45}}|Allah has created every [living] creature from water. And of them are those that move on their bellies, and of them are those that walk on two legs, and of them are those that walk on four. Allah creates what He wills. Indeed, Allah is over all things competent.}}It is significant that the first of the two verses, 21:30, is explicitly about the creation of the world. Reynolds notes an earlier parallel taught by the Syriac church father Ephrem (d. 373 CE). He writes, "[...] Ephrem, who explains that God created everything through water: 'Thus, through light and water the earth brought forth everything.' Ephrem, ''Commentary on Genesis'', 1:1-10)."<ref>Gabriel Said Reynolds,  "The Quran and Bible:Text and Commentary", New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2018 p. 553. This is regarding {{Quran|24|45}}, though on p. 508 Reynolds cross references the same parallel regarding the other verse, {{Quran|21|30}}, which is more clearly a statement in the context of the Genesis creation story, like Ephrem's comment.</ref> Ephrem's comment is in the context of the Genesis creation story, much like the first Quranic verse, 21:30. Ephrem says that when heaven and earth were created there were no trees or vegetation as it had not yet rained, so a fountain irrigated the earth. Tafsirs say that when the heaven and earth were separated rain fell so that plants could grow. There is also a similarity with Ephrem in the other verse (24:45), which mentions creatures that move on two, four or no legs. Ephrem explains that as well as the "trees, vegetation and plants", the "Scripture wishes to indicate that all animals, reptiles, cattle and birds came into being as a result of the combining of earth and water".<ref>[https://faberinstitute.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Ephrem-the-Syrian-Commentary-on-Genesis-2-3-Brock.pdf Ephrem's commentary on Genesis] - Faber Institute.com</ref>
 == The story of Noah ==
-The story of Noah contains many elements and different theological focuses not found in the account of Genesis, including an unbelieving son. Reynolds (2017) argues is a play on the theoretical son is Ezekiel 14<ref>Reynolds, Gabriel Said. “Noah’s Lost Son in the Qurʾān.” ''Arabica'', vol. 64, no. 2, 2017, pp. 147-148. ''JSTOR'', <nowiki>http://www.jstor.org/stable/26396237</nowiki>. Accessed 21 Sept. 2025.</ref> (pp.147-148), as editing bible stories families was common in biblical tradition .<ref>Reynolds, Gabriel Said. “Noah’s Lost Son in the Qurʾān.” ''Arabica'', vol. 64, no. 2, 2017, pp. 129–48. ''JSTOR'', <nowiki>http://www.jstor.org/stable/26396237</nowiki>. Accessed 21 Sept. 2025.</ref>
+The story of Noah contains many elements and different theological focuses not found in the account of Genesis,<ref>[https://almuslih.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Segovia-C-The-Quranic-Noah-and-the-Making-of-the-Islamic-Prophet.pdf The Quranic Noah]. pp. 28-29
+It is worth mentioning, to begin with, that the quranic Noah narratives present several peculiar traits, which are unparalleled in the biblical Noah narrative (Gen 6:8–9:28):
+(1) not all of them are written in third person; six out of seven contain either short or relatively long monologues (by Noah) and dialogues (between Noah and his opponents or else between Noah and God);
+(2) they all basically follow a regular, stereotypical prophetic pattern, which is lacking in the biblical narrative: (α) commission, (β) admonition, (γ) prediction of disaster, (δ) contestation, and (ε) justification (both often duplicated and once reported in indirect speech),<sup>15</sup> followed by (ζ) a monologue/dialogue and (η) a twofold – and not less typical – apocalyptic theme: punishment of the wicked and salvation of the righteous, to which (θ) an eschatological coda is frequently appended (see Table 1 below); (3) except in quranic Noah narratives nos. III–IV and VI, the story of the flood generally plays a secondary role in comparison to the one apparently assigned to Noah’s confrontation with his opponents in nos. I–II, V, and especially VII (where the flood story goes unmentioned);
+(4) as I will suggest in the next chapter, a strong eschatological atmosphere pervades almost all quranic Noah narratives;
+(5) finally, their main character, i.e. Noah, differs from his biblical counterpart in that: a. he is commissioned by God as his apostle (nos. I, IV–V, VII); b. he warns his contemporaries so as to make them repent and turn to God (nos. I–V, VII); c. he is mocked and/or rejected by them (in all quranic Noah narratives); d. he implores God’s help and mercy (nos. III–VII) and is comforted by him (no. III); e. he asks God to punish the wicked (no. VII). Elements a, b, c, and d (and/or other similar ones) are inherent in the quranic portrayal of Noah outside the quranic Noah narratives as well (see Table 2 below), whereas element e is exclusive to them. It must also be noted that elsewhere in the Qur’ān, Noah is mentioned as the first in a list of prophets that includes inter alios Abraham, Moses, and Jesus – a list which is traditionally understood to end with Muḥammad. Moreover, he is also singled out in the Qur’ān as a model/exemplum for the quranic prophet himself (Q 4:163; 6:90; 22:42; 25:41; 33:7; 42:13). While this can also be found in quranic Noah narratives nos. II and III (cf. Q 10:72; 11:49), the latter goes even further by symptomatically erasing the boundaries between the two prophets (11:35). Hence Noah is additionally, if tentatively, presented in the quranic Noah narratives:
+f. as the quranic prophet himself (no. III).</ref> including an unbelieving son. Reynolds (2017) argues is a play on the theoretical son is Ezekiel 14<ref>Reynolds, Gabriel Said. “Noah’s Lost Son in the Qurʾān.” ''Arabica'', vol. 64, no. 2, 2017, pp. 147-148. ''JSTOR'', <nowiki>http://www.jstor.org/stable/26396237</nowiki>. Accessed 21 Sept. 2025.</ref> (pp.147-148), as editing bible stories families was common in biblical tradition .<ref>Reynolds, Gabriel Said. “Noah’s Lost Son in the Qurʾān.” ''Arabica'', vol. 64, no. 2, 2017, pp. 129–48. ''JSTOR'', <nowiki>http://www.jstor.org/stable/26396237</nowiki>. Accessed 21 Sept. 2025.</ref>
 Marshall (1998) says it's just to highlight family members, even first born sons who disavow god to be released
-Noah has many Jewish and Christian traditions and characteristics, as well as terms from late antique Judeo-Christian writings, molded to suit Muhammad's situation in Mecca.<ref>Segovia, Carlos A.. ''[https://almuslih.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Segovia-C-The-Quranic-Noah-and-the-Making-of-the-Islamic-Prophet.pdf The Quranic Noah and the Making of the Islamic Prophet: A Study of Intertextuality and Religious Identity Formation in Late Antiquity]'', Berlin, München, Boston: De Gruyter, 2015. <nowiki>https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110405897</nowiki></ref> (find the page citations for each part)
+Noah has many Jewish and Christian traditions and characteristics, as well as terms from late antique Judeo-Christian writings, molded to suit Muhammad's situation in Mecca<ref>The Quranic Noah. pp. 63-69</ref>.<ref>Segovia, Carlos A.. ''[https://almuslih.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Segovia-C-The-Quranic-Noah-and-the-Making-of-the-Islamic-Prophet.pdf The Quranic Noah and the Making of the Islamic Prophet: A Study of Intertextuality and Religious Identity Formation in Late Antiquity]'', Berlin, München, Boston: De Gruyter, 2015. <nowiki>https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110405897</nowiki></ref> (find the page citations for each part)
 ==The preaching of Noah==
 Surah 71 consists entirely of the preaching of Noah and his supplications to Allah.{{Quote|{{Quran-range|71|1|28}}|Indeed, We sent Noah to his people, [saying], "Warn your people before there comes to them a painful punishment." He said, "O my people, indeed I am to you a clear warner, [Saying], 'Worship Allah, fear Him and obey me. Allah will forgive you of your sins and delay you for a specified term. Indeed, the time [set by] Allah, when it comes, will not be delayed, if you only knew.' "<BR />