We did indeed send Noah to his people and he lived among them a thousand years save fifty. Eventually the Flood overtook them while they were engaged in wrongdoing. 14 And We rescued him and the people aboard the ship, and made the ship a sign for the entire world. 15 And Abraham, [too, was inspired by Us] when he said unto his people: "Worship God, and be conscious of Him: this is the best for you, if you but knew it! 16 You only worship idols besides Allah and you create a lie surely they whom you serve besides Allah do not control for you any sustenance, therefore seek the sustenance from Allah and serve Him and be grateful to Him; to Him you shall be brought back. 17 If you, (pagans), call our (revelations) lies, certainly many generations living before you have also done the same thing. The duty of a Messenger is only to preach clearly. 18 Have they not seen how God begins the creation and then turns it back? This is not difficult at all for God. 19 Say: "Go all over the earth and behold how [wondrously] He has created [man] in the first instance: and thus, too, will God bring into being your second life for, verily, God has the power to will anything! 20 He punishes whom He will and shows mercy to whom He pleases. And to Him you shall be returned. 21 Escape Him you cannot either in the earth or in the sky; and you have no friend or helper apart from God. 22