Thus when Our Command came and the stream gushed forth from the oven, We said: "Load upon the ark two pairs of each creature and your family and the one who believed, except those about whom the word has preceded, "; but none except a few had believed with him.
It is told in verse 23:27: "So We inspired Noah: 'Construct the ark under Our observation and Our inspiration, and when Our command comes and the oven gushes forth, load upon the ark two pairs of each creature and your family, except those upon whom the word has preceded. Do not address Me concerning those who have wronged; indeed, they are to be drowned.'"
Verses 54:11-12 state: "Then We opened the gates of the heaven with rain pouring down and caused the earth to burst with springs, and the waters met for a matter already predestined."
"The word preceded" refers to Noah's wife and one of his sons, as explained in verse 66:10, which presents the wife of Noah and the wife of Lot as examples for those who disbelieved, while Asiya, the wife of Pharaoh, and Mary, the mother of Jesus, are presented as examples for believing men and women.
Despite Noah's efforts to remind his people for about 950 years, only a few believed, as explained in verse 10:40. In verse 71:28, Noah prayed: "My Lord, forgive me and my parents and whoever enters my house as a believer, and the believing men and believing women; and do not increase the wrongdoers except in destruction." Therefore, the believer can seek forgiveness only for believing men and women, as explained in verse 9:80.
In every Messenger's period, only one in each thousand becomes a believer, and the other 999 are wrongdoers (Mujirims) who will enter Hell, as explained in verse 4:118. The three-storied Ark made by Noah was loaded with animals on the bottom floor, believing men and women, including Noah, on the middle floor, and birds on the top floor.
All mankind after the flood in Noah's era is the offspring of the believers saved in his ark, as told in verse 17:3. It is asked through verse 36:41: "Is it not a sign for them that they are the offspring of those We carried in the laden ship?" Verses 26:119-120 state: "We saved Noah and those with him in the laden ship, and We drowned those who remained behind."
Verse 19:58 states: "Those were the ones upon whom Allah bestowed favor from among the Prophets of the descendants of Adam and of those We carried with Noah, and of the descendants of Ibrahim and Israel, and of those whom We guided and chose; when the verses of the Most Merciful were recited to them, they fell in prostration and weeping." See explanation 1:6, 7:64, 7:205-206, and 10:103.