49. There were striking similarities between Muhammad and Noah (peace be
on them). The Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him) received the same treatment
from his people as did Noah from his. The message that each of them sought to
preach was also the same. Likewise, the doubts and objections raised by the
people of Muhammad (peace be on him) with regard to his prophethood were the
same as those raised by Noah's people several thousand years ago. Again, what
Muhammad (peace be on him) said in response to the doubts and objections raised
against him were exactly the same as what Noah had said.
The Qur'anic narration of the stories of the Prophets makes it amply clear that
the attitude of the nations to whom the Prophets were sent had always been the
same as that of the Makkans towards the Message of Muhammad (peace be on him).
Apart from this, the accounts of the various Prophets and their people, display
the same striking resemblances. Likewise, the Prophet Muhammad's (peace be on
him) vindication of his teaching in response to the Makkans is identical with
similar attempts by other Prophets to vindicate their teachings. So doing, the
Qur'an seeks to emphasize that in the same way as the error and misguidance
of which men become victims have remained essentially the same throughout the
ages, the Message of God's Messengers has also been the same in all places and
at all times. Again, there is a striking resemblance in the ultimate fate of
all those peoples who reject the message of the Prophets and who persist in
their erroneous and evil ways. This too has also been the same, namely utter
destruction.