The history of Atheists is deep-rooted ever since the time of the Prophet Noah.

Chapter 23 of the Noble Quran discloses the story of the great Prophet Noah and the Atheists.

The meanings of the verses 23:23-24:

Verily Allah sent Noah to his people to tell them:

• My people, worship Allah, obey Allah and profess Allah's divine Oneness.

• You have no other Allah besides Him

• You have no other Allah save the One in whom I command you to believe

• Will you not then fear Him?

• Will you not then fear His punishment in worshipping Allahs other than Him?

• Will you not ward off evil the worship of other than Allah?

However, the chieftains Atheists among his folk, said to their followers:

• Noah would like to make himself superior to you by claiming his message and prophet hood

• Noah is only a mortal, a human being like you.

• This is just a human being like you who desires to gain superiority, to have the honor, over you, by acquiring followers, you being his followers

• And had Allah willed, that none other than Him be worshipped,

He surely would have sent down angels, with that Message, and not assigned a human being for it.

• We have not heard that which Noah is saying in the time of our fathers of old.

• We never heard of such, an affirmation of Allah’s Oneness as that which Noah summons us, among our ancestors or among past communities.

To be continued.

The verses 23:23-24 in different translations:

QARIB:

23-We sent Noah to his nation. 'Worship Allah, my nation, ' he said, 'for you have no Allah except He. Will you not be cautious? '

24-The unbelieving assembly of his nation said: 'this is but a human like you, who desires to gain superiority over you. had Allah willed, he could have sent down angels. we never heard of this among our ancient forefathers.

SHAKIR:

23-And certainly we sent nuh to his people, and he said: o my people! Serve Allah, you have no Allah other than him; will you not then guard (against evil)?

24-And the chiefs of those who disbelieved from among his people said: he is nothing but a mortal like yourselves who desires that he may have superiority over you, and if Allah had pleased, he could certainly have sent down angels. we have not heard of this among our fathers of yore:

PICKTHAL:

23-And we verily sent Noah unto his folk, and he said: o my people! Serve Allah. Ye have no other Allah save him. Will ye not ward off (evil)?

24-But the chieftains of his folk, who disbelieved, said: this is only a mortal like you who would make himself superior to you. Had Allah willed, he surely could have sent down angels. we heard not of this in the case of our fathers of old.

YUSUFALI:

23- (Further, we sent a long line of prophets for your instruction). We sent Noah to his people: he said, "o my people! Worship Allah! ye have no other Allah but him. Will ye not fear (him)?"

24-The chiefs of the unbelievers among his people said: "he is no more than a man like yourselves: his wish is to assert his superiority over you: if Allah had wished (to send messengers), he could have sent down angels; never did we hear such a thing (as he says), among our ancestors of old."