We formerly sent Noah [Nooḥ] unto his people, _saying_, Verily I am unto you a plain admonisher that ye worship not [any] but God. Verily I fear for you, _if ye worship any other_, the punishment of an afflictive day _in this world and in the world to come_.—But the chiefs who disbelieved among his people replied, We see thee not to be other than a man, like unto us; and we see not any to have followed thee except the meanest of us, _as the weavers and the cobblers_, at first thought (_or rashly_), nor do we see you to have any excellence above us: nay, we imagine you to be liars _in your claim to the apostolic commission_. He said, O my people, tell me, if I have an evident proof from my Lord and He hath bestowed on me mercy (_the gift of prophecy_) from Himself which is hidden from you, shall we compel you to _receive_ it when ye are averse thereto? _We cannot do so._ And, O my people, I ask not of you any riches for it; _namely, for delivering my message_. My reward is not due from any but God; and I will not drive away those who have believed _as ye have commanded me_ [because they are poor people]. Verily they shall meet their Lord _at the resurrection, and He will recompense them, and will exact for them_ [reparation] _from those who have treated them with injustice, and driven them away_. But I see you [to be] a people who are ignorant _of the end of your case_. And, O my people, who will defend me against God if I drive them away? Will ye not then consider? And I do not say unto you, I have the treasures of God; nor [do I say], I know the things unseen; nor do I say, Verily I am an angel; nor do I say, of those whom your eyes contemn, God will by no means bestow on them good: (God best knoweth what is in their minds:) verily I should in that case be [one] of the offenders.—They replied, O Noah, thou hast disputed with us and multiplied disputes with us: now bring upon us that _punishment_ wherewith thou threatenest us, if thou be of those that speak truth. He said, Only God will bring it upon you, if He please _to hasten it unto you; for it is His affair, not mine_; and ye shall not escape _God_: nor will my counsel profit you, if I desire to counsel you, if God desire to lead you into error. He is your Lord; and unto Him shall ye be brought back. (xi. 27-36.) And it was said by revelation unto Noah, Verily there shalt not believe of thy people [any] but they who have already believed; therefore be not grieved for that which they have done. (xi. 38.)