How Long Did Prophet Noah Build the Ark

A mysterious question that many people wonder about is: how long did Prophet  Noah build the ark — was it days, or many long years? The story of Prophet Noah’s Ark isn’t just a historical event; it’s a powerful story of extraordinary patience and complete trust in God’s command.

Let’s explore the real details about the duration of building the Ark and how this story still carries meaning and impact in our lives today.

How Long Did Prophet Noah Build the Ark 

The question how long did prophet noah build the ark is asked a lot, but the surprising fact is that the Qur’an does not mention a specific number of years. 

What Islamic tradition explains is that it was not a short process at all — it was a very long period filled with patience, faith, and complete obedience to Allah’s command, making the building itself a sign and lesson.

Prophet Noah (peace be upon him) was not building in secret. He was building in front of people who rejected his message and mocked him, yet he continued because it was a direct divine command.

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How many years did Noah build the Ark?

Allah tells us how long Noah stayed calling his people:

“He stayed with them for a full millennium, less fifty years.”

That means 950 years of preaching.

Some scholars understood that the Ark was built during the later part of this long period.

The time estimates mentioned in the narrations

• It was said: 2 years
• It was said: 40 years
• It was said: 60–80 years
• It was said: 80 years
• It was said: 100 years or more

Some interpretations attributed to scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari state that:

• Noah planted trees for 100 years
• Then used them to build the Ark for another 100 years

So we are talking about a massive project that lasted decades, while his people watched him building on dry land and mocked him — yet he never stopped.

Duration of Building the Ark in Islamic Sources

There is no explicit Qur’anic verse or authentic hadith giving an exact number of years, but scholars concluded the process was long because of the extended period of his mission.

Reported estimations include:

• 40 years
• 60–80 years
• 100 years
• Or even 200 years (100 planting + 100 building)

The wisdom behind this long duration:

• Showing Noah’s patience.
• Testing the believers’ faith.
• Establishing proof against the disbelievers.
• Letting them see the Ark and continue mocking.

The Ark’s Description and Size

Islamic narrations describe the Ark as a huge structure:

• Made from strong wood like teak or pine.
• Thousands of cubits in length
• Hundreds of cubits in width.
• Divided into three levels:
  • For animals
  • For humans
  • For birds

This shows it was a giant engineering project, not a small boat.

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Quranic Mentions of the Ark Construction

Allah commanded Noah directly:

“Craft the vessel right under Our watchful gaze and guided by Our direct instruction.”

And also:

“فَإِذَا جَاءَ أَمْرُنَا وَفَارَ التَّنُّورُ فَاسْلُكْ فِيهَا مِنْ كُلٍّ زَوْجَيْنِ اثْنَيْنِ” “Then when Our command comes and the oven gushes forth, take into it pairs of every kind.”

The Qur’an focuses on the scene:

• Noah building.
• His people mock.
• The Ark is being prepared for salvation.
• The flood begins.
• The believers and animals were saved in pairs.

But it does not state the exact number of years.

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Prophet Noah’s Mission Before the Ark

The story of Prophet Noah (peace be upon him) before the Ark is considered one of the longest and most powerful phases of da‘wah (calling to God) in the history of the prophets. 

This period is filled with lessons about patience, firmness upon monotheism, and enduring harm while delivering Allah’s message.

Noah was sent to a people deeply attached to idol worship, including idols known as Wadd, Suwa‘, Yaghuth, Ya‘uq, and Nasr. He called them to abandon shirk (associating partners with God) and return to worshipping Allah alone. He warned them of punishment that could come from the heavens or the earth if they continued in disbelief. He would say:

“O my people, serve Allah alone—there’s no god but Him.”

But instead of accepting the message, they responded with arrogance and mockery, saying:

“You are only a human being like us, and we see that only the lowest among us follow you, at first thought.”

Very few believed in him — it is said around seventy or eighty men — while the rest persisted in denial. Eventually, Allah moved the story into a new stage: the command to build the Ark.

Explore the timeline of Noah’s mission in Quran Classes For Adults, unpacking 950 years of dawah verse by verse.

Length of Dawah According to the Quran

The Quran clearly states the duration:

“Indeed, We dispatched Noah to his nation, dwelling among them a thousand years save fifty, when the deluge overtook them as wrongdoers.”

This means Noah called his people for 950 years — an enormous span that shows his incredible patience and their extreme stubbornness.

His da‘wah took many forms:

• Public preaching
• Private advice
• Constant reminders
• Warnings of consequences

One of the hardest trials for him was that some of his own sons did not believe, except Shem, Ham, and Japheth. After exhausting every effort, he turned to his Lord, complaining of his people’s persistent rejection.

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The Timeline Before the Flood

After centuries of calling to faith, the divine command came that changed everything.

Allah said:

“And fashion the Ark with Our oversight and divine prompting.”

This shows the Ark was a divinely guided project under Allah’s protection.

Main stages

1. The Phase of Dawah

950 years of calling to monotheism and warning against idol worship.

2. Continuous Mockery

His people responded with ridicule and denial.

3. Beginning the Ark’s Construction

Noah began building a massive ship far from the sea, which increased their mockery. They passed by him, making sarcastic remarks, questioning his sanity and intentions.

4. Duration of Building

Reports mention that building the Ark took additional years after the da‘wah period, estimated between 40 and 100 years. It was an enormous task, especially as Noah was advanced in age, preparing a vessel to carry people, animals, and supplies.

5. The Great Flood

When everything was complete, the flood came. Rain poured down intensely, the earth burst with water, and the event lasted — according to some narrations — six months to a year. 

The disbelievers drowned, while Noah, the believers, and pairs of animals were saved.

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Quick Timeline Summary

Stage	Duration	What Happend
Dawah	950 years	Calling to monotheism and warning against idols
Building the Ark	40–100 years	Obeying Allah’s command amid mockery
The Flood	6 months–1 year	Destruction of disbelievers, salvation of believers

This story proves that the path of truth requires long patience, and mockery is not a sign of failure but a test of faith. The end was salvation for the believers — a promise repeated throughout the stories of the prophets.

Building the Ark by Allah’s Command 

After completing the long period of Dawah, Prophet Noah (peace be upon him) faced a completely different test. This time, it wasn’t about preaching or giving advice—it was about action and implementation. 

Allah Almighty didn’t leave him to rely on human experience alone; He entrusted him with a direct mission through divine revelation: building an Ark that would ensure survival amid a global flood.

This wasn’t an ordinary engineering idea. It was the execution of a divine command that required obedience, faith in the unseen, and complete trust in Allah’s wisdom, even when the entire scene seemed illogical by human standards.

Divine Revelation to Build the Ark 

The divine command was clear and explicit:
“Shape the Ark beneath Our vigilant eyes and by Our guiding revelation.”

This meant that Noah (peace be upon him) wasn’t acting on personal judgment; he was following instructions coming directly from Allah. 

The revelation wasn’t just spiritual inspiration—it was practical guidance for a massive project in which Noah had no prior experience.

In itself, this was a miracle: someone without shipbuilding expertise managed to construct a giant Ark, not by human skill alone, but through divine guidance.

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Allah’s Guidance During the Construction 

When we think about a project of this scale, it’s natural to wonder: how could an elderly prophet, with no maritime experience, build a ship capable of saving an entire species? 

This highlights the most important aspect of the story — the construction was not a human effort alone, but a journey of continuous divine guidance from the first step to the last nail.

• An Unusual Start in People’s Eyes

Noah began building the Ark on dry land, far from any water source. The sight seemed so strange that his people considered it irrational and mocked him continuously.

• Constant Divine Supervision

The Quranic expression “under Our observation and Our inspiration” shows that Allah was aware of every stage and guided him step by step. 

This was not trial-and-error or a random decision—it was execution according to a precise divine plan.

• Exceptional Size and Design

The Ark was not small; it was a massive multi-level vessel designed to accommodate humans, animals, and provisions for an extended period. The design itself was part of Allah’s guidance.

• Long Preparation Before Execution

Noah planted trees and waited for many years until the wood was ready. The lesson here is that obedience sometimes involves a long preparation phase before the result becomes visible.

• Perseverance Against Mockery

Whenever people laughed, Noah’s certainty only increased. He knew that what he was doing was not a personal project, but the execution of a divine command.

Construction Stages 

Before we look at the timeline, here’s a quick introduction: the Ark’s construction went through several key stages, each with its own divine guidance and duration.

Stage	Description	Approximate Duration
After the Dawah period	Divine command to build the Ark	After the Dawah period
50–100 years	Preparing building materials	50–100 years
Around 40 years	Installing layers and doors	Around 40 years
Final weeks	Waterproofing the Ark	Final weeks

Scholarly Views on the Ark Construction Period

Muslim scholars from the past had different opinions about how long Prophet Noah (peace be upon him) took to build the Ark, since the Quran doesn’t mention an exact duration. However, they all agreed on one thing: it was a very long period, meant to demonstrate Noah’s patience and steadfast faith. 

Classical interpreters like Al-Tabari, Ibn Kathir, and Al-Qurtubi stated that the Quran does not specify the time exactly. They inferred from the 950-year length of Noah’s prophetic mission that the Ark’s construction was part of that period or immediately after, to prove Noah’s sincerity while enduring his people’s mockery.

Some early righteous scholars said Noah planted trees for about 100 years and then processed the wood for another 100 years, making the preparation period roughly 200 years, necessary due to the Ark’s enormous size. 

The differences in opinion don’t affect the core lesson: the focus is on patience and obedience despite mockery, not on an exact timeline. 

Opinions of Classical Islamic Scholars

Her,e we summarize the classical scholars’ views on the Ark’s construction duration to understand the story better.

• Al-Thawri, Ibn Abbas, and Al-Suddi stated that it took about 40 years, with Noah building it alongside roughly 70–80 believers, while his people mocked him daily. 
• Qatada and Al-Tha’labi narrated from Ibn Abbas that it took only 2 years, as God revealed to Noah the exact method to build it, making construction fast thanks to divine guidance. 
• Ibn Ishaq and Al-Tabari said the Ark was made of teak or pine wood, measuring between 80 and 300 cubits, supporting the idea that it required a long time due to its gigantic size. 

Reported Time Estimates in Tafsir Literature

Below is a summary of the time estimates reported in classical tafsir literature, giving insight into different scholarly interpretations.

• Al-Tabari’s Tafsir: 100 years planting + 100 years processing + 40–80 years building, based on Israelite narratives corrected with Islamic understanding. 
• Ibn Kathir in “Al-Bidaya wa’l-Nihaya”: The duration is likely long like the prophetic mission itself, citing Al-Thawri’s narration of 80 years of construction while enduring constant mockery. 

Selected Time Estimates from Tafsir

Scholar/Source	Main Estimate	Key Evidence
Ibn Abbas (Al-Tha’labi)	2 years	Direct divine guidance
Al-Thawri / Al-Tabari	40–80 years	Long-term mockery by the people
Salaf al-Salih	200 years (planting + processing)	Preparing wood from scratch
Qatada	Not specific (long)	Ark’s gigantic size

All these views help us grasp the full story of Noah and the Ark, highlighting that the main lesson is not the exact number of years, but patience, obedience, and carrying out God’s command despite challenges.

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Lessons Muslims Learn from Building the Ark

The story of Prophet Noah (peace be upon him) and the construction of the Ark is full of important lessons for Muslims, especially since it took place on dry land amid the ridicule of his people. The story teaches us how to apply faith in our daily lives, face challenges with patience, and rely on Allah. 

Building the Ark was a real test of faith, as Noah endured his people’s mockery for many years, despite their sarcastic remarks, yet he continued following Allah’s orders until salvation came.

Key lessons include immediate obedience to Allah no matter how impossible a task seems, and hard work combined with taking necessary steps, like planting trees and preparing layers for the animals and humans. 

The story also shows us that the few patient believers who helped Noah were the ones saved, not the large group who disbelieved. 

Patience and Obedience of Prophet Noah

Noah (peace be upon him) showed patience for 950 years of calling people to faith plus the years of Ark construction, working daily despite being mocked. This teaches us to endure long-term trials, like challenges at work or in family life. 

His obedience was absolute: “Construct the Ark under Our Eyes and Our Revelation,” meaning Allah guided him step by step, proving that obedience brings success.

In our lives, when Allah commands something challenging, like fasting or calling others to faith, we must persevere like Noah to achieve salvation. 

Trust in Allah During Long Trials

Noah relied completely on Allah, despite doubts, and built a giant Ark (around 150 meters long) on dry land, teaching us to trust Allah’s promise even when circumstances seem impossible. 

When the Flood came, the Ark saved those inside. Trust combined with effort opens the doors of relief after hardship. 

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Conclusion

The story of Noah’s Ark, peace be upon him, is full of powerful lessons in faith and perseverance, teaching us to strive for good despite hardships and to rely on God in every step.

This narrative highlights his long-suffering patience over 950 years of calling to faith, followed by building the Ark amid his people’s mockery, until he was saved along with a handful of believers and the animals—a symbol of the righteous triumphing on the Day of Judgment.

What the Ark Story Teaches Believers

It guides us toward absolute obedience, as in God’s command: “And construct the Ark under Our eyes and Our revelation,” while fostering patience amid prolonged trials, combined with effort and trust in God, who brings relief after hardship.

It reminds us that a small righteous group outweighs a corrupt majority, and that divine punishment is delayed to allow repentance, so calling to good must persist in our digital lives.

The greatest takeaway: Build your personal “Ark” through righteous deeds now, to find safety on the Day of the Great Trial.​

Common Questions About Noah’s Ark in Islam

Many inquire about the story’s details since the Quran doesn’t specify numbers precisely, but interpretations clarify through reliable narrations.

Was It Built Before the Flood?

Yes, it was completed years before the floodwaters rose (narrations range 40-100 years), so his people could see it, mock it, and confirm their disbelief—as in Surah Hud: “And he was constructing the Ark, and whenever a group of his people passed by him, they ridiculed him.”

It served as a living warning, with the flood erupting only after the oven overflowed and work was finished.

Did Noah Build It Alone?

No, he wasn’t solitary. The few believers (about 70-80 souls) and his righteous sons like Shem, Ham, and Japheth helped him, while the disbelievers refused and jeered.

Divine revelation guided him, turning it into a miracle that proves sincere obedience brings success.

Where Was It Built in Islamic Tradition?

On dry land far from the sea—no exact location in the Quran—but some narrations mention Wadi Al-Judi, Mecca, or the Levant, and it later rested on Mount Judi.

The focus isn’t the site, but the strong faith that enabled Noah to defy impossibilities.

Is the exact duration of building the Ark known in Islam?

No exact duration is confirmed in authentic Islamic sources, and scholars state that the precise time is unknown.

How long did Prophet Noah preach before building the Ark?

The Quran mentions that Prophet Noah preached to his people for 950 years before the flood.

Did Prophet Noah build the Ark over many years?

Islamic scholars agree that the Ark was built over a long period, but the exact length of time is not specified.

Did Allah specify the time needed to build the Ark?

Allah commanded Prophet Noah to build the Ark but did not specify a fixed time frame in the Quran.

Why does the Quran not mention an exact number of years?

The Quran focuses on lessons, obedience, and faith rather than precise historical timelines.