Tafsir of Nuh 71:21

Nuh complains to His Lord about His People's Response Allah says that,

قال نوح رب إنهم عصوني

Nuh said: "My Lord! They have disobeyed me, Nuh turned to Allah to inform Allah - the All Knowing from Whom nothing escapes - that he presented the clear call, as mentioned previously, and the comprehensive invitation in various ways. He called them sometimes by encouragement and sometimes by intimidating warnings. Yet, they disobeyed him, opposed him, denied him and followed the children of the world. They were those who were heedless of the command of Allah and they possessed delights of wealth and children. However, these things (worldly benefits) were also for gradual punishment and temporary respite, not for honor or blessing. Thus, Allah says,

واتبعوا من لم يزده ماله وولده إﻻ خسارا

and followed one whose wealth and children give him no increase but loss. The meaning of Allah's statement,

ومكروا مكرا كبارا