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Fatwa CenterThe time interval between Aadam and Nooh, may Allaah exalt their mention
Question
I have a question about the people of old and Prophet Nuh (pbuh). There is a hadeeth which states there was 10 centuries between Prophet Adam (pbuh) and Prophet Nuh (pbuh). I have heard quite often that the people of ancient time lived for hundreds and hundreds of years. If that is the case then how could many generations pass between Prophet Adam (pbuh) and Prophey Nuh (pbuh)? I like to think and understand what I see and read, this isn't making sense to me. Maybe my information is incorrect? Or perhaps it was only very few people who lived many centuries and the others lived lifespans like todays people? Please try to clarify for me. I thank you for your time.
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His Slave and Messenger.
It is correct that the texts state that the period between Aadam (Adam) and Nooh (Noah), may Allaah exalt their mention, was ten Quroon (plural of Qarn which means a century in Arabic). However, scholars held different opinions regarding what is really meant by the Arabic word Qarn.
Al-Haafith Ibn Katheer 
said in "Qasas Al-Anbiyaa'": "Ibn 'Abbaas 
narrated that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: "The period between Aadam and Nooh was ten Quroon." [Al-Bukhaari] So, if what is meant by Qarn is one hundred years - which is the first meaning that comes to the mind of most people - then the period between them was definitely one thousand years. However, Qarn may mean "generation" as in the following Quranic verses (which mean):
• {And how many have We destroyed from the Quroon (generations) after Nooh…}[Quran 17:17]
• {Then We produced after them a Qarn (generation) of others.}[Quran 23:31]
• {…and many Quroon between them.}[Quran 25:38]
• {And how many have We destroyed before them of Qarn?...}[Quran 19:98]
The same applies to the statement of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam: "The best of Quroon is my Qarn…", meaning the best of generations is my generation.
Before Nooh, the generation used to live for eons and accordingly the period between Aadam and Nooh would be thousands of years. And Allaah Knows best."
Dr. Hammood Ar-Rihayli quoted that in his research "Manhaj Al-Quran Al-Kareem fi Da‘wat Al-Mushrikeen ila Al-Islam" saying: "What I am inclined to believe is that Qarn means a generation of people."
Also, Ibn Al-Atheer said in "An-Nihaayah": "Qarn is the people of every age. It is the average lifespan of the people of every age. It is taken from the Arabic word Iqtiraan (i.e. being similar to each other) as if it is the amount that the people of that time are similar to each other regarding their ages and circumstances. It was also said that Qarn is forty years, or one hundred years, or an indefinite period of time."
Allaah Knows best.
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