“In our view,” they went on, “what has happened to you is that one of our gods has become angry with you, struck your mind, and driven you mad.” Their very words are recorded:

“We only say that some of our gods have afflicted you with evil.”
He replied, “I call Allah to witness—and you too bear witness—that I am innocent of whatever you associate with Him beside Him. So scheme against me, all of you, and give me no respite.” (Hūd 11:54-55)

This was a direct challenge and an open disavowal of their idols, a deliberate belittling that laid bare their utter powerlessness: they could neither benefit nor harm, being inanimate objects whose condition and action are one with the stone itself. “If,” he was saying, “they truly grant victory, benefit, or harm as you claim, here I stand repudiating them. So plot against me now, you and they together, with everything in your power, and do not delay me an hour—or even the blink of an eye. I do not care about you, give you no thought, and pay you no heed.

‘Indeed, I have put my trust in Allah, my Lord and your Lord. There is no creature but that He holds it by its forelock; surely my Lord is on a straight path.’” (Hūd 11:56)

That is to say, I rely on Allah, draw strength from Him, and seek shelter in His care—He never forsakes one who clings to Him. I fear no created being besides Him, rely on none but Him, and worship none but Him.

This alone is a decisive proof that Hūd was a servant and messenger of Allah, while his people were steeped in ignorance and misguidance by worshipping other than Him; for with all their scheming they were unable to harm him in the least. Their failure attests to the truth of his message and the falsity of their own position.

The same line of argument had been used before by Noah, peace be upon him:
“O my people, if my presence among you and my reminding you of the signs of Allah have become burdensome for you, then I have placed my trust in Allah. So agree upon your plan, you and your partners, let not your plan be hidden from you, then carry it out against me and give me no respite.” (Yūnus 10:71)

Abraham, the Friend of the Most Merciful, peace be upon him, said likewise:
“I do not fear what you associate with Him—unless my Lord wills something. My Lord encompasses all things in knowledge; will you not take heed? How should I fear what you have associated, while you yourselves do not fear that you have associated with Allah that for which He sent down no authority? Which of the two parties has a better claim to safety, if you but knew?—those who believe and do not mix their faith with wrongdoing: for them is security, and they are rightly guided. That is Our argument which We gave Abraham against his people. We raise in rank whom We will; surely your Lord is Wise, All-Knowing.” (al-Anʿām 6:80-83)

The nobles among his people who disbelieved, denied the meeting of the Hereafter, and whom We had lavishly provided in this worldly life, also said:
“This is only a man like yourselves; he eats what you eat and drinks what you drink. If you obey a mortal like yourselves, you will surely be losers.” (al-Muʾminūn 23:33-34)

They deemed it impossible that Allah would send a human messenger—a doubt voiced by many ignorant disbelievers, ancient and modern. Allah says:
“Is it a wonder to people that We revealed to a man from among them, ‘Warn mankind’?” (Yūnus 10:2)
and:
“Nothing kept people from believing when guidance came to them except that they said, ‘Has Allah sent a human being as a messenger?’ Say, ‘Had there been angels walking about tranquilly on earth, We would surely have sent down to them an angel as a messenger.’” (al-Isrāʾ 17:94-95)

For this reason Hūd, peace be upon him, said to them:
“Do you marvel that a reminder from your Lord should come to you through a man from among yourselves to warn you?” (al-Aʿrāf 7:63)
Meaning: this is nothing to marvel at, for Allah knows best where to place His messages.