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fa-qāla l-malaʾu lladhīna kafarū min qawmihī mā hādhā ʾillā basharun mithlukum yurīdu ʾan yatafaḍḍala ʿalaykum wa-law shāʾa llāhu la-ʾanzala malāʾikatan mā samiʿnā bi-hādhā fī ʾābāʾinā l-ʾawwalīna
But the elite of the faithless from among his people said, ‘This is just a human being like you, who seeks to dominate you. Had Allah wished, He would have sent down angels. We never heard of such a thing among our forefathers.
— Ali Quli Qarai
Surah al-Mu’minun - Verse 24
24. “But the chiefs of those who disbelieved from among his people said: ‘This is nothing but a mortal like you who intends to gain superiority over you. And if Allah had pleased (to send any prophet), He surely could have sent down angels. We have not heard of this (invitation) among our ancestors of old’.”
The elite were the most intractable of those who opposed the prophets. The prophets (as) had come to guide mankind but the unbelievers used to say that a heavenly messenger should not be a human being! Because of this the rich and conceited elite among Noah’s folk, used to say: This is only a mortal like you who seeks to dominate you. The verse says:
“But the chiefs of those who disbelieved from among his people said: ‘This is nothing but a mortal like you who intends to gain superiority over you...”
Thus, they saw Noah’s humanity as a defect and accused him of self aggrandizement and that all he had said about Allah, about monotheism and religion, were merely plots to achieve this aim. Then they added:
“...And if Allah had pleased (to send any prophet), He surely could have sent down angels…”
And, to complete this unfounded argument, they said:
“...We have not heard of this (invitation) among our ancestors of old’.”
Of course, when facing correct logic, one must not rely on national culture and the imitation of one’s ancestors to defend the existing situation, instead one must follow the Divine call of His prophet.