since the nations acknowledged those ranged in ranks, and knowledge of Him was manifest among them, requiring no oath. His oneness, however, was otherwise, for, as He, exalted is He, said:

“Most of them do not believe in Allah without associating others with Him.”

Likewise, the nations generally acknowledge the angels. Allah mentioned that the people of Noah, ‘Ād, Thamūd and Pharaoh knew of the angels despite their associating partners with Him and rejecting the messengers.

The people of Noah said:

“This is only a man like yourselves who wishes to assert his superiority over you. Had Allah willed, He would have sent down angels.”

He, exalted is He, said:

“I have warned you of a thunderbolt like the thunderbolt that struck ‘Ād and Thamūd.”

“When the messengers came to them from before them and from behind them, saying, ‘Worship none but Allah,’ they said, ‘Had our Lord willed, He would have sent down angels.’”

Pharaoh said:

“Or am I not better than this one who is insignificant and can hardly express himself?”

“Then why have bracelets of gold not been bestowed upon him, or angels come with him in attendance?”

The same applies to the Arab polytheists. He, exalted is He, said:

“They say, ‘Why has an angel not been sent down to him?’ Had We sent down an angel, the matter would have been decided, and they would then have been granted no respite.”

He, exalted is He, said:

“They say, ‘What sort of messenger is this who eats food and walks in the markets? Why has an angel not been sent down to him to be a warner alongside him?’”

He, exalted is He, said of the nations in general:

“Nothing prevented 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 on earth, walking about at ease, We would have sent down to them from heaven an angel as a messenger.’”