and the Arab polytheists, as well as all those who do not believe in messengership itself—among the Indians, the Brahmins and others, the Turks, the black peoples, and other unlettered nations who have no scripture—whether they declare the messengers liars or turn away from following them. For disbelief is the absence of faith in Allah and His messengers, whether accompanied by outright denial or, instead, by doubt and uncertainty, or by turning away from all of this out of envy, arrogance, or obedience to desires that divert one from following the divine message. Nevertheless, the disbeliever who declares the messengers liars is more extreme in disbelief, as is one who repudiates and rejects them out of envy despite being certain of their truthfulness. All the Meccan surahs address these people.

This is why He, glorified be He, says:

“The people of Noah denied the messengers.”

For they denied all the messengers and did not believe in messengership itself. Allah Most High said when He sent their father Adam down:

“He said, ‘Go down from it, both of you, all together, as enemies to one another. Then if guidance comes to you from Me, whoever follows My guidance will neither go astray nor suffer misery.

But whoever turns away from My remembrance will have a life of hardship, and We will raise him blind on the Day of Resurrection.’

He will say, ‘My Lord, why have You raised me blind when I used to see?’

He will say, ‘Just as Our signs came to you and you neglected them, so today you will be neglected.’

Thus do We recompense whoever transgresses and does not believe in the signs of his Lord. And the punishment of the Hereafter is more severe and more lasting.”

He thus declares that when guidance comes to them from Him—the Reminder He revealed to His messengers—whoever follows it is rightly guided and attains happiness in this world and the Hereafter, while whoever turns away from it suffers misery and becomes blind.