﴿ كَذَّبَتْ قَبْلَهُمْ قَوْمُ نُوحٍۢ وَٱلْأَحْزَابُ مِنۢ بَعْدِهِمْ ۖ وَهَمَّتْ كُلُّ أُمَّةٍۭ بِرَسُولِهِمْ لِيَأْخُذُوهُ ۖ وَجَٰدَلُوا۟ بِٱلْبَٰطِلِ لِيُدْحِضُوا۟ بِهِ ٱلْحَقَّ فَأَخَذْتُهُمْ ۖ فَكَيْفَ كَانَ عِقَابِ ﴾

“to the truth gave the lie, before their time, the people of Noah and, after them, all those [others] who were leagued together [against God’s message-bearers]; and each of those com­munities schemed against the apostle sent unto them, aiming to lay hands on him; and they contended [against his message] with fallacious arguments, so as to render void the truth thereby: but then I took them to task - and how awesome was My retribution!”

(The folk of Noah and the factions) the disbelievers (after them) after the folk of Noah (denied (their messengers) before these) before your own folk, (and every nation purposed to seize their messenger) every nation wanted to kill their own messenger (and argued falsely) they argued with their messengers in favour of idolatry, ((thinking) thereby to refute the Truth) as an attempt to refute, by means of idolatry, the Truth which the messengers brought. (Then I seized them) I punished them when they disbelieved, (and how (awful) was My punishment) see, O Muhammad, how was My punishment of them when they disbelieved.