(Such were the circumstances) when We sent forth Noah to his people. (He said): 'I have been sent to you to warn you plainly 25 That you shall not serve any but Allah, surely I fear for you the punishment of a painful day. 26 The notables among Noah's own people, who had refused to follow him, responded: 'We merely consider you a human being like ourselves. Nor do we find among those who follow you except the lowliest of our folk, the men who follow you without any proper reason. We see nothing in you to suggest that you are any better than us. Rather, we believe you to be liars.' 27 He said: bethink ye, O my people! if I rested upon an evidence from my Lord, and a mercy hath come unto me from Him, and that hath been obscured unto you; shall we make you adhere to it while ye are averse thereto? 28 "And O my people, no benefit do I ask of you for this [message]: my reward rests with none but God. And I shall not repulse [any of] those who have attained to faith. Verily, they [know that they] are destined to meet their Sustainer, whereas in you I see people without any awareness [of right and wrong]! 29 "And O my people! Who will help me against Allah, if I drove them away? Will you not then give a thought? 30 I do not say to you that I possess God's treasures, or that I have knowledge of the unseen, or that I am an angel. Nor do I say concerning those upon whom you look with contempt, that God will not bestow any good upon them -- God knows best what is in their hearts. If I did, I would certainly be one of the wrongdoers." 31 They said: O Nuh! surely thou hast disputed with us and hath multiplied the disputation with us; now bring us that wherewith thou threatenest us, if thou be of the truth-tellers. 32 (Noah) replied, "God will bring torment down on you whenever He wants and you will not be able to make His (plans) fail. 33 If I want to give you good advice that will not profit you if Allah Himself has decided to let you go astray. He is your Lord, and to Him will you be returned.' 34 Or they (the pagans of Makkah) say: "He (Muhammad SAW) has fabricated it (the Quran)." Say: "If I have fabricated it, upon me be my crimes, but I am innocent of (all) those crimes which you commit." 35