When Allah tells us about how most of the early people went astray from the path of salvation, He starts the detailed explanation of that with the story of Nuh and the rejection of his people. Only a few of Nuh's people believed in him, despite the long period of time he spent among them. He stayed among them for one thousand years less fifty, and after he stayed among them for so long and their disbelief became too much for him to bear -- for every time he called them, they turned away from him even more -- he prayed to his Lord saying, "I have been overcome, so help (me)!" So Allah became angry because Nuh was angry with them. He says:
وَلَقَدْ نَادَانَا نُوحٌ فَلَنِعْمَ الْمُجِيبُونَ
(And indeed Nuh invoked Us, and We are the best of those who answer.)
وَنَجَّيْنَـهُ وَأَهْلَهُ مِنَ الْكَرْبِ الْعَظِيمِ
(And We rescued him and his family from the great distress.) means, their disbelief and their insults.
وَجَعَلْنَا ذُرِّيَّتَهُ هُمُ الْبَـقِينَ
(And, his progeny, them We made the survivors.) `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, "There was no one left apart from the offspring of Nuh, peace be upon him." Sa`id bin Abi `Arubah said, narrating from Qatadah concerning the Ayah,
وَجَعَلْنَا ذُرِّيَّتَهُ هُمُ الْبَـقِينَ
(And, his progeny, them We made the survivors.) "All people descended from the offspring of Nuh, peace be upon him." At-Tirmidhi, Ibn Jarir and Ibn Abi Hatim narrated from Samurah, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Prophet said, concerning the Ayah,
وَجَعَلْنَا ذُرِّيَّتَهُ هُمُ الْبَـقِينَ
(And, his progeny, them We made the survivors):
«سَامُ، وَحَامُ، وَيَافِث»
(Sam, Ham and Yafith.) Imam Ahmad recorded from Samurah, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
«سَامُ أَبُو الْعَرَبِ، وَحَامُ أَبُو الْحَبَشِ، وَيَافِثُ أَبُو الرُّوم»
(Sam was the father of the Arabs, Ham was the father of the Ethiopians and Yafith was the father of the Romans.)" This was also recorded by At-Tirmidhi. What is meant here by Romans is the original Romans, i.e., the Greeks who claimed descent from Ruma (Roma) the son of Liti, the son of Yunan, the son of Yafith, the son of Nuh, peace be upon him.
وَتَرَكْنَا عَلَيْهِ فِى الاٌّخِرِينَ
(And left for him among the later generations. ) Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "He is remembered in a good way." Mujahid said this means "An honorable mention by all the Prophets." Qatadah and As-Suddi said, "Allah caused him to be praised constantly by others." Ad-Dahhak said it means "Salam and praise."
سَلَـمٌ عَلَى نُوحٍ فِى الْعَـلَمِينَ
(Salam (peace!) be upon Nuh among the all creatures!) This explains for us the extent of the honorable mention and praise, for he is greeted with peace by all groups and nations.
إِنَّا كَذَلِكَ نَجْزِى الْمُحْسِنِينَ
(Verily, thus We reward the gooddoers.) means, `This is how We reward those of Our servants who do deeds of obedience to Allah. We gave him an honorable mention so that after he died he is still remembered in a manner that befits his status.' Then Allah says:
إِنَّهُ مِنْ عِبَادِنَا الْمُؤْمِنِينَ
(Verily, he Nuh was one of Our believing servants.) meaning, one of the sincere believers in the Oneness of Allah, one of those who had certain faith.
ثُمَّ أَغْرَقْنَا الاٌّخَرِينَ
(Then We drowned the others. ) means, `We destroyed them, and there was no trace whatsoever left of them, and they are only known by this unfavorable description.'