(75) The proof that Noah was the first of the messengers is the Almighty’s saying: "Indeed, We have revealed to you just as We revealed to Noah and the prophets after him; and We revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, the tribes, Jesus, Job, Jonah, Aaron, and Solomon, and We gave David the Psalms" (Q 4:163). Here Allah lists several of their names, just as He does in another passage: "And among his descendants: David, Solomon, Job, Joseph, Moses, and Aaron…" to the end of the verses (Q 6:84–86). Because the verse reads "and the prophets after him," it is clear that Noah was the first. Allah sent him to his people when they began to exaggerate their veneration of certain righteous men. Humanity had remained upon tawhid (pure monotheism) from the time of Adam for ten generations. Among Noah’s people were devout individuals; when these men died, the community grieved intensely. Satan seized the opportunity and urged them: "Make images of these righteous men and place them in your meeting places; when you look at the images you will remember their devotion and feel encouraged to worship." So they fashioned statues of the deceased and set them up in their assemblies, but they did not…