[Machine] People have differed regarding this matter. Some say it refers to the people of the Prophet's household, while others say it refers to those who obeyed him and followed his teachings. Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, believed that it means those who obeyed the Prophet. The scholar Abdul Razzaq said that it is more likely that it means the people of the Prophet's household. He supported his opinion by citing the verse in Surah Hud where Allah commanded Prophet Nuh to take his family on the ark, saying, "And he said, 'Embark therein; in the name of Allah is its course and its anchorage. Indeed, my Lord is Forgiving and Merciful.' And it sailed with them through waves like mountains, and Noah called to his son who was apart [from them], 'O my son, come aboard with us and be not with the disbelievers.' [But] he said, 'I will take refuge on a mountain to protect me from the flood.' Noah said, 'There is no protector today from the decree of Allah, except for whom He gives mercy.' And the waves came between them, and he was among the drowned" (Surah Hud, 40-46). The scholar Al-Shafi'i, may Allah have mercy on him, responded to this interpretation by saying that the verse [But] he said, 'I will take refuge on a mountain to protect me from the flood' (Surah Hud, 46) shows that Noah's son was not among his family members who were commanded to board the ark. Instead, he was a sinner and was excluded from being considered part of Noah's family. This interpretation is supported by the verse, "And your Lord would not have destroyed the cities unjustly while their people were reformers" (Surah Hud, 117). This verse indicates that Allah commanded Prophet Noah to take on the ark only those family members who had not yet been condemned to disbelief. Then Allah clarified the matter further by saying, "Indeed, he was a [committed] disobedient servant" (Surah Hud, 46).  

قَدِ اخْتَلَفَ النَّاسُ فَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَقُولُ أَهْلُ الْبَيْتِ وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَقُولُ مَنْ أَطَاعَهُ وَعَمِلَ بِسُنَنِهِ قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ أَحْسِبُهُ عَبْدَ الرَّزَّاقِ قَالَ مَنْ أَطَاعَهُ قَالَ الشَّيْخُ مَنْ ذَهَبَ هَذَا الْمَذْهَبَ الثَّانِي أَشْبَهُ أَنْ يَقُولَ قَالَ اللهُ ﷻ لِنُوحٍ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ {احْمِلْ فِيهَا مِنْ كُلٍّ زَوْجَيْنِ اثْنَيْنِ وَأَهْلَكَ} [هود 40] وَقَالَ {إِنَّ ابْنِي مِنْ أَهْلِي وَإِنَّ وَعَدَكَ الْحَقُّ وَأَنْتَ أَحْكَمُ الْحَاكِمِينَ قَالَ يَا نُوحُ إِنَّهُ لَيْسَ مِنْ أَهْلِكَ إِنَّهُ عَمَلٌ غَيْرُ صَالِحٍ} [هود 46] فَأَخْرَجَهُ بِالشِّرْكِ عَنْ أَنْ يَكُونَ مِنْ أَهْلِ نُوحٍ وَقَدْ أَجَابَ عَنْهُ الشَّافِعِيُّ رَحِمَهُ اللهُ تَعَالَى فَقَالَ الَّذِي نَذْهَبُ إِلَيْهِ فِي مَعْنَى هَذِهِ الْآيَةِ أَنَّ قَوْلَ اللهِ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى {إِنَّهُ لَيْسَ مِنْ أَهْلِكَ} [هود 46] يَعْنِي الَّذِينَ أَمَرْنَا بِحَمْلِهِمْ مَعَكَ؛ لِأَنَّهُ قَالَ {وَأَهْلَكَ إِلَّا مَنْ سَبَقَ عَلَيْهِ الْقَوْلُ مِنْهُمْ} [المؤمنون 27] فَأَعْلَمَهُمْ أَنَّهُ أَمَرَهُ بِأَنْ يَحْمِلَ مِنْ أَهْلِهِ مَنْ لَمْ يَسْبِقْ عَلَيْهِ الْقَوْلُ مِنْ أَهْلِ مَعْصِيَةٍ ثُمَّ بَيَّنَ لَهُ فَقَالَ إِنَّهُ عَمَلٌ غَيْرُ صَالِحٍ