23:23 We sent Noah to his people, saying, “O my people, worship GOD. You have no other god beside Him. Would you not be righteous?”
23:24 The leaders who disbelieved among his people said, “This is no more than a human like you, who wants to gain prominence among you. Had GOD willed, He could have sent down angels. We never heard of anything like this from our ancestors.
23:25 “He is simply a man gone crazy. Just ignore him for awhile.”
23:26 He said, “My Lord, grant me victory, for they have disbelieved me.”
23:27 We then inspired him: “Make the watercraft* under our watchful eyes, and in accordance with our inspiration. When our command comes, and the atmosphere boils up, put on it a pair of every kind (of your domesticated animals), and your family, except those condemned to be doomed. Do not speak to Me on behalf of those who transgressed; they will be drowned.
23:28 “Once you are settled, together with those who are with you, on the watercraft, you shall say, ‘Praise GOD for saving us from the evil people.’
23:29 “And say, ‘My Lord, let me disembark onto a blessed location; You are the best deliverer. ‘”
23:30 These should provide sufficient proofs for you. We will certainly put you to the test.
23:31 Subsequently, we established another generation after them.
23:32 We sent to them a messenger from among them, saying, “You shall worship GOD. You have no other god beside Him. Would you not be righteous?”
23:33 The leaders among his people who disbelieved and rejected the idea of the Hereafter—although we provided for them generously in this life—said, “ This is no more than a human being like you. He eats from what you eat, and drinks as you drink.
23:34 “If you obey a human being like you, then you are really losers.
23:35 “Does he promise you that, after you die and turn into dust and bones, you will come out again?
23:36 “Impossible, impossible indeed is what is promised to you.
23:37 “We only live this life—we live and die—and we will never be resurrected.
23:38 “He is just a man who fabricated lies and attributed them to GOD. We will never believe him.”
23:39 He said, “My Lord, grant me victory, for they have disbelieved me.”
23:41 The retribution struck them, equitably, and thus, we turned them into ruins. The wicked people perished.
23:42 Subsequently, we established other generations after them.
23:43 No community can advance its predetermined fate, nor delay it.
23:44 Then we sent our messengers in succession. Every time a messenger went to his community, they disbelieved him. Consequently, we annihilated them, one after the other, and made them history. The people who disbelieved have perished.
*23:27 The story tellers have created a mockery of Noah’s history. Noah’s ark was a flat watercraft made of logs, tied together with primitive ropes (54:13), the flood was local, around the Dead Sea area, and the animals were Noah’s domesticated animals.
6:6 Have they not seen how many generations before them we have annihilated? We established them on earth more than we did for you, and we showered them with blessings, generously, and we provided them with flowing streams. We then annihilated them because of their sins, and we substituted another generation in their place.
Why would God annihilate a whole generation?
“First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.“ Mahatma Gandhi
23:33 The leaders among his people who disbelieved and rejected the idea of the Hereafter—although we provided for them generously in this life—said, “This is no more than a human being like you. He eats from what you eat, and drinks as you drink.
39:6 He created you from one person, then created from him his mate. He sent down to you eight kinds of livestock. He creates you in your mothers’ bellies, creation after creation, in trimesters of darkness. Such is GOD your Lord. To Him belongs all sovereignty. There is no other god beside Him. How could you deviate?
Messengers Are Just Human Beings
25:20 We did not send any messengers before you who did not eat food and walk in the markets. We thus test you by each other; will you steadfastly persevere? Your Lord is Seer. 25:21 Those who do not expect to meet us said, “If only the angels could come down to us, or we could see our Lord (we would then believe)!” Indeed, they have committed a gross arrogance, and have produced a gross blasphemy. 25:22 The day they see the angels, it will not be good news for the guilty; they will say, “Now, we are irreversibly confined.”
64:6 This is because their messengers went to them with clear proofs, but they said, “Shall we follow humans like us?” They disbelieved and turned away. GOD does not need them; GOD is in no need, Praiseworthy.
40:5 Disbelieving before them were the people of Noah, and many other opponents after them. Every community persecuted their messenger to neutralize him. And they argued with falsehood, to defeat the truth. Consequently, I punished them; how terrible was My retribution!
28:59 For your Lord never annihilates any community without sending a messenger in the midst thereof, to recite our revelations to them. We never annihilate any community, unless its people are wicked.
Believing Nations Prosper
10:98 Any community that believes will surely be rewarded for believing. For example, the people of Jonah: when they believed, we relieved the humiliating retribution they had been suffering in this world, and we made them prosperous. 10:99 Had your Lord willed, all the people on earth would have believed.* Do you want to force the people to become believers?
Every Time!
34:34 Every time we sent a warner to a community, the leaders of that community said, “We reject the message you are sent with.”