2.4 What Answer Did His People Give To Him?

When Noah began to tell his people, "I am a faithful messenger to you," (26: 107), he received various replies from them. The only positive answer was from the weak, poor, and miserable people who believed in his message and followed him without any hesitation. The hardships and wounds found consolation in the mercy carried in Noah's words. Moreover, these weak and poor are the ones who had strong need for a change in the social status quo. They expect and hope for new prospects and opportunities that could transform their conditions for the better if things changed in society according to Divine Wisdom and Justice.

At the extreme opposite are the rich, the strong, and the rulers in the society. They met the new message brought by Prophet Noah with warning and distrust. These people have everything to gain in maintaining the status quo. After all, "how could Allah send Noah to them?" they were asking themselves. How could they follow a poor man from the common people like him? Couldn't Allah find anyone to send to them except Noah?

Noah's message was negatively received even from his friends. For them it is not possible that this man - with whom they used to play and sat together everyday - can become a Prophet. When did he become a Prophet? They asked. Meaning we are always together, how could he receive Allah's Revelation without our knowledge? Near the response of Noah's friends is that of the ignorant among his people who were saying to each other, "This is only a man like yourselves. If Allah had willed, He would have sent down angels. We have never heard of this among our fathers, the ancients." (23: 24) Another group of the people argued that Noah only wanted to become a leader, a man of power and position among them, by saying he was the messenger of Allah. This issue of being the messenger of Allah is a just a kind of short cut for him to reach prominence among us.

2.4 What Answer Did His People Give To Him?