Tafsir of Ash-Shu`ara' 26:112

{And what is my knowledge...} Meaning: What is my knowledge? The intent is the negation of his knowledge regarding the sincerity of their deeds for the sake of Allah, and his awareness of the secrets and inner realities of their affairs.

He said this because they had disparaged the believers, claiming they did not believe based on reflection and insight, but rather out of whim and superficiality, as Allah recounted of them: "those who are the lowest of us by superficial judgment" (Hud: 27).

It is also possible that Noah (peace be upon him) is feigning ignorance toward them. He interprets their word "the lowest" according to what constitutes "lowness" in his view—namely, evil deeds and corrupt beliefs—and pays no heed to what constitutes "lowness" in their view. He then builds his response upon that, saying: "I am only responsible for considering outward appearances, not for investigating their secrets or splitting open their hearts. If they have evil deeds, Allah will hold them accountable and recompense them for it; I am only a warner, not an accountant or a judge."

{If you could perceive} That is, if you could perceive this, but you are ignorant, and thus you are driven by ignorance wherever it leads you. By this, he intended to refute their belief and deny that a believer can be called "low," even if he is the poorest of people or the lowest in lineage; for the truly rich is the one rich in religion, and the true lineage is the lineage of piety.

{And I am not one to drive away the believers} He means: It is not my way to follow your desires and appease you by driving away the believers whose faith is sound, out of greed for your faith. I have no duty other than to warn you with a clear warning, through sound proof by which truth is distinguished from falsehood; then, you are the best judges of your own affairs.

{They said: "If you do not desist, O Noah, you will surely be among those who are stoned." * He said: "My Lord, indeed my people have denied me. * So judge between me and them with a decisive judgment, and save me and those with me of the believers." * So We saved him and those with him in the laden ship. * Then We drowned the rest thereafter. * Indeed in that is a sign, but most of them were not to be believers. * And indeed, your Lord - He is the Exalted in Might, the Merciful.}