Canaan (son of Noah) facts for kids

According to Islam, Canaan, son of Noah (also called Yam, son of Noah) was the fourth son of Noah and his wife Naamah.

Canaan is not mentioned in the Jewish holy book, the Torah, or the Christian holy book, the Bible. These books talk about Noah's older sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Canaan is only found in the Muslim holy book, the Quran.

In the Muslim version of the Great Flood story, Canaan did not believe in God like his family did. His father, mother, and brothers followed God's instructions. They built a large boat, called the ark, to survive the flood. But Canaan chose not to join them and sadly drowned.

Who Was Canaan, Son of Noah?

Canaan is known as a son of Noah in the Quran. He is not mentioned in the Jewish or Christian holy books. This makes him different from Noah's other sons. Those sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, are important figures in many religions.

Canaan's family tree goes back a long way. He was the son of Noah, who was the son of Lamech. Lamech was the son of Methuselah. Methuselah was the son of Enoch. This line continues all the way back to Adam, who is considered the first human.

Canaan's Choice During the Flood

The Quran tells us about Noah's efforts to save his son. Noah asked Canaan to come onto the ark with them. He warned Canaan not to stay with those who did not believe.

Canaan replied that he would climb a mountain. He thought the mountain would protect him from the water. But Noah told him that nothing could protect anyone from God's decision that day. Only those God showed mercy to would be safe. The Quran then says that Canaan drowned in the floodwaters.

Some older stories, not from the Quran, have a different detail. They say Canaan's mother, Noah's wife, went with Canaan to the mountain. She loved him very much. In these stories, Canaan was still a small boy. When the water rose, his mother held him above her head. She wanted him to live a little longer before he drowned.

Other People Named Canaan

The holy books of Jews, Christians, and Muslims also mention another person named Canaan. This Canaan was the son of Ham, who was Noah's son. So, this Canaan would be Noah's grandson. This Canaan survived the Great Flood.

One Jewish scholar thought that this Canaan might actually have been Noah's son, not his grandson. This means it is possible that the Canaan from the Quran and this Canaan are the same person. Or, they could be two different people who just happened to have the same name.