(23–30) “We certainly sent Noah to his people, and he said, ‘My people, worship Allah; you have no god other than Him. Will you not then fear Him?’” This continues to the end of the story.
The story concludes with His words, “Surely in that are signs, and We were indeed testing.” Allah Most High recounts the mission of His servant and messenger Noah, peace be upon him—the first messenger He sent to the inhabitants of the earth. He sent him to his people while they were worshipping idols, and he commanded them to worship Allah alone. He said, “My people, worship Allah”; that is, devote worship sincerely to Him, for worship is valid only when offered sincerely. “You have no god other than Him.” This negates the divinity of all besides Allah and affirms divinity for Allah Most High, for He is the Creator and Provider who possesses every perfection, whereas all besides Him are otherwise. “Will you not then fear Him?”—and abandon your worship of idols and images fashioned in the likenesses of righteous people, which they worshipped alongside Allah? Noah continued calling them privately and publicly, by night and by day, for a thousand years less fifty, yet they only increased in insolence and aversion.
“Then the eminent men” of his people—the nobles and leaders who were followed—said, opposing their prophet Noah and warning against following him: “This is only a human being like you who seeks to gain superiority over you.” That is, he is merely a human being like you, and, they alleged, his aim in claiming prophethood was to acquire distinction over you so that he might become a leader who was followed. Otherwise, what makes him better than you when he is of the same kind as you?
This objection has continued to be raised by those who deny the messengers. Allah has provided a conclusive answer to it through the words of His messengers, as in His statement: “They said”—that is, to their messengers—“You are only human beings like us. You seek to turn us away from what our forefathers worshipped, so bring us clear authority. * Their messengers said to them, ‘We are only human beings like you, but Allah bestows His favor upon whomever He wills of His servants.’” They explained that this was Allah’s favor and grace, so they had no right to restrict Allah or prevent Him from bestowing His favor upon them.
They also said here, “Had Allah willed, He would have sent down angels.” This too is an invalid objection based on the divine will. Although He could have sent down angels had He willed, He is All-Wise and Most Merciful. His wisdom and mercy require the messenger to be a human being, for they would be unable to converse with an angel. Moreover, an angel could appear only in the form of a man, in which case the same confusion would return.
As for their statement, “We never heard of this”—meaning the sending of a messenger—“among our earliest forefathers,” what proof is there in their having never heard that a messenger was sent among their earliest forefathers? They did not possess comprehensive knowledge of what had occurred before them, so they should not make their ignorance an argument in their favor. Even supposing that no messenger had been sent among their forefathers, either those forefathers were rightly guided—in which case there was then no need to send a messenger—or they were not. In the latter case, these people should praise and thank their Lord for singling them out for a blessing that their forefathers neither received nor knew. They should not make the fact that others were not shown this favor a reason to reject the favor shown to them.
“He is only a man possessed by madness”; that is, insane. “So wait concerning him”—that is, wait for him—“until a time,” until death overtakes him.
These specious arguments that they advanced against their prophet’s prophethood demonstrate the severity of their disbelief and obstinacy and show that they had reached the utmost degree of ignorance and error. As we have explained, none of them is a valid objection in any respect. Indeed, they are inherently contradictory and mutually inconsistent. By saying, “This is only a human being like you who seeks to gain superiority over you,” they attributed to him an intelligence with which he schemed against them in order to rise above and rule them. Accordingly, they claimed that people needed to beware of him lest they be deceived by him. How can this be reconciled with their statement, “He is only a man possessed by madness”? Could this come from anyone but a misguided man who muddles matters and whose understanding has been turned upside down—one whose sole aim is to repel the truth by any means available to him, without knowing what he is saying?
Yet Allah wills that the disgrace of whoever opposes Him and His messengers be made manifest.
When Noah saw that his call only made them flee further, “He said, ‘My Lord, help me because they have denied me.’” He sought his Lord’s help against them, out of anger for Allah’s sake, because they had neglected His command and denied His messenger. He said, “My Lord, do not leave upon the earth a single dwelling unbeliever. * If You leave them, they will lead Your servants astray and will beget none but wicked, hardened unbelievers.” Allah Most High said, “Noah certainly called upon Us, and how excellent are We in answering!”
“So We revealed to him,” when We answered his prayer, the means and method of deliverance before the circumstances necessitating it had arisen: “Build the Ark”; that is, the ship, “under Our watchful eyes and according to Our revelation”; that is, according to Our command to you and with Our assistance, while you remain under Our protection and care, where We see and hear you.
“Then, when Our command comes”—to unleash the flood with which they were punished—“and the oven gushes forth”; that is, the earth gushes and bursts forth in springs, even from the place of fire, which customarily is far removed from water, “take aboard a pair of every kind.” That is, bring aboard the Ark a male and a female from every kind of animal, so that breeding stock remains for all the animals whose continued existence upon the earth divine wisdom requires. “And your family”; that is, bring them aboard, “except those against whom the decree has already been passed,” such as his son. “And do not plead with Me concerning those who have wronged”; that is, do not petition Me to save them, for the divine decree and predestination have made it inevitable that they will be drowned.