Overview (Verses 23 - 25)
 
Having highlighted some of the indicators of the truth of God’s oneness that are widely available in the universe and within man himself, the sūrah now speaks about the truth of faith preached by all God’s messengers. It shows how people received this same truth that admits no alteration or amendment at any time or with the successive messages given to God’s messengers, starting with Noah (peace be upon him). We behold the procession of the community of messengers sent by God to deliver to mankind the same message expressed in one word, with a single import and a single direction. Although this message was given in the numerous languages God’s messengers spoke to their communities, it is given in the same wording in Arabic. Thus, Noah’s statement expressing this message is repeated in exactly the same wording by every messenger sent later, and mankind always give the same answer using the same words.
 
The First Messenger
 
We sent forth Noah to his people, and he said: My people! Worship God alone, for you have no deity other than Him. Will you not be God-flaring?’ The unbelieving elders of his people said: ‘This man is but a mortal like yourselves who wants to make himself superior to you. Had God willed, He would surely have sent down angels. We have never heard anything like this ever happening to our forefathers. He is but a madman; so bear with him for a while.’ (Verses 23-25)
 
“My people! Worship God alone, for you have no deity other than Him.” (Verse 23) This is the unchanging word of truth. The whole universe is based on this truth and everything in it testifies to it. “Will you not be God-fearing?” (Verse 23) Do you not fear the consequences of denying the most fundamental truth that gives rise to all other truths? Do you not appreciate that by denying it you are distorting the bright image of the truth, and this will inevitably cause you to incur God’s severe punishment?
 
However, the noblemen in his community who deny what he advocates are not prepared to discuss his statement or consider the evidence supporting it. They are unable to shed their narrow vision that concentrates on their own status and that of the messenger who calls them to accept the truth. They are not prepared to elevate themselves to the broader level from where they can better appreciate this great truth on its own. They cannot isolate it from personalities. Hence, they disregard this most fundamental truth in the universe, speaking instead about Noah as an individual: “This man is but a mortal like yourselves who wants to make himself superior to you.” (Verse 24)
 
From this very narrow angle the people of Noah looked at the great truth advocated by him. Hence, they could not appreciate its nature or see its truth. Their limited concerns and narrow interests thus blinded them to its essence, preventing their minds and hearts from appreciating it. Thus, to them the whole question was one of a single man from among themselves, who had nothing to distinguish him from the rest of them, wanting to have superiority over them, giving himself status above their own.
 
In their haste to prevent Noah from attaining what they imagine he is after, they not only deny Noah’s status, but also the status of mankind in general. They refuse to accept that God may honour this human race. They simply do not believe that God would send a human messenger, if He sends messengers at all. “Had God willed, He would surely have sent down angels.” (Verse 24)
 
This is because they do not find in their own souls the sublime quality that links mankind with the Supreme Society. It is the quality that enables those whom God selects to receive the grace embodied in His message and deliver it to their fellow human beings, guiding them to its noble source.
 
In their futile argument they refer to familiar precedents, rather than to wise logic: “We have never heard anything like this ever happening to our forefathers.” (Verse 24) This always happens when blind imitation suppresses free thinking. Thus people do not look at what they have and try to relate it to reality in order to arrive at the right conclusion to questions in hand. They rather look to history for precedents. If they fail to find such a precedent, they are prepared to reject the question in its entirety.
 
Devoid of thought and imagination, such communities of unbelievers accept that what happened in the past may happen again. By contrast, what did not happen in the past cannot come into existence. What a narrow vision of human life this is, freezing it at a particular point of their forefathers’ lives.
 
They are incapable of understanding that they are imprisoned within their narrow walls, unable to break into the wide universe! They accuse those who advocate freedom of thought of being mad, calling on them to think and reflect. When they are reminded of the pointers to the truth all around them, their reply is full of arrogance, reiterating accusations: “He is but a madman; so bear with him for a while.” (Verse 25) Bear with him until he dies when we will be relieved of him, his message and his persistent advocacy of faith.