The people of Noah, too, denied God’s messengers.
Their brother Noah said to them: “Will you have no fear of God? I am a Messenger (sent by Him) to you, worthy of all trust. So, fear God and pay heed to me. No reward whatever do I ask of you for it: My reward is only from the Lord of all the worlds. So, fear God and pay heed to me.
They said: “Are we to believe in you, even though only the lowest of the low follow you?”
Said he: “What knowledge do I have as to what they used to do in the past? Their reckoning rests with none other than my Lord, if you could but understand. I am not one to drive away the believers. I am only a plain warner.”
Said they: “Noah! If you will not desist, you will surely be stoned to death.”
He prayed: “My Lord! My people have denied me. So, judge between me and them, and save me and those of the believers who are with me.’
So We saved him, and those with him, in the laden ark, and We caused the others who stayed behind to drown.
Indeed, there is in this a sure sign; yet most of them will not believe. And indeed it is your Lord who is the Mighty One, the Merciful.(The Poets: Al-Shu’ara: 26: 105-122)
“The people of Noah, too, denied God’s messengers.” This is the end of the story, but it is given at the beginning so as to give it extra emphasis, before giving the details of the story.
The fact is that Noah’s people denied him only, but they are described here as denying God’s messengers, because the message is one, summed up in the call to acknowledge God’s oneness and to worship Him alone, associating no partners with Him. Therefore, whoever rejects it denies all God’s messengers as they advocated the one and same message.
The Qur’an stresses this fact in several places and different forms, because it is a basic principle of the Islamic faith. It thus brings the divine faith throughout human history under one umbrella, dividing mankind in all generations into two groups: Believers and unbelievers. A Muslim considers that the community of believers in every divine religion, from the beginning of human life to the advent of the final divine message of Islam, as his own community. The other side is that of unbelievers in every nation and every religion. A believer believes in all God’s messengers and looks at them all with the highest respect, because they all preached the same message of God’s oneness.
From a Muslim’s perspective, mankind is not divided into races, colors and nationalities. They are divided into the people of the truth and the people of falsehood. His own stand is with the people of the truth in all communities and generations. This gives Muslims one criterion that applies to all history.
His values are much higher than the bonds of race, color, language, country and present or past kinship. His values are embodied into the bond of faith that is the basis of accountability of all mankind.
“The people of Noah, too, denied God’s messengers. Their brother Noah said to them: ‘Will you have no fear of God? I am a Messenger (sent by Him) to you, worthy of all trust. So, fear God and pay heed to me. No reward whatever do I ask of you for it: My reward is only from the Lord of all the worlds. So, fear God and pay heed to me.”
Such was Noah’s message that his people denied, despite his being their brother. Such brotherhood should have ensured a peaceful relationship, leading to their belief in him and his message.
But his people had no time for this bond of brotherhood, and they did not soften to their brother’s call when he said to them: “Will you have no fear of God?” Will you not worry about the end to which your attitude and actions lead you?
This directive and reminder to fear God is consistent in this surah. We have seen it in the case of Pharaoh’s people as God informed Moses of their status when He gave him his assignment. Then every Prophet that succeeded Noah said the same thing to his community. “I am a Messenger (sent by Him) to you, worthy of trust.” He would not cheat, defraud or act dishonestly. He would not add to, or withhold anything from what he is required to deliver to his people. “So, fear God and pay heed to me.” Again he reminds them to fear God, giving it a more express definition this time. He again appeals to their conscience to obey him as he calls on them to surrender themselves to God.
He then reassures them that he was neither looking for any worldly gains nor seeking any wages in return for advocating the divine message and guiding them to their Lord. He seeks only God’s reward, because it was He gave him his message. This assurance of seeking no gain or wages seems to have always been necessary for the sincere advocacy of faith.
It is thus distinguished from the familiar pattern of religion being exploited by clerics and religious orders for personal gain and enrichment.
Now that he has reassured them of having no personal ambitions, Noah again tells them to fear God and reminds them that they should obey him: “So, fear God and pay heed to me.” But they come up with a singular objection, yet it has been common to all messengers: “They said: Are we to believe in you, even though only the lowest of the low follow you?”
What they meant was that it was only the poor who followed him, because the poor are normally the first to accept divine messages and messengers. They are quick to believe in God and submit themselves to Him, because they are not deterred by any hollow status or fear of losing any interest or position as a result. The chiefs and nobles of society often fear for their interests that are based on false considerations, as also myths and legends that are given a religious status. Moreover, they are unwilling to accept complete equality with the masses as a result of believing in God’s oneness. Under such a belief only faith and good action are given an appropriately high value, with the result that some people rise and others fall by the single standard of faith that is complemented by good action.
Noah, therefore, gives them the reply that establishes true values, defining the mission of God’s messenger and leaves judgment on people to God who knows best their intentions, thoughts and actions: “Said he: What knowledge do I have as to what they used to do in the past? Their reckoning rests with none other than my Lord, if you could but understand. I am not one to drive away the believers. I am only a plain warner.”
We will look at Noah’s answer next week, God willing.