Allah says, informing about the response of Nuh to his people,

[أَرَأَيْتُمْ إِن كُنتُ عَلَى بَيِّنَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّى]

(Tell me, if I have a clear proof from my Lord,) Bayyinah means certainty, a clear matter, and truthful prophethood. That is the greatest mercy from Allah upon him (Nuh) and them (his people).

[فَعُمِّيَتْ عَلَيْكُمْ]

(but that (mercy) has been obscured from your sight.) "Obscured from your sight'' in this verse means, `it was hidden from you and you are not guided to it. Thus, you [people] did not know its importance so you hastily rejected and denied it.'

[أَنُلْزِمُكُمُوهَا]

(Shall we compel you (to accept) it) This means, "Should we force you to accept it, while you actually detest it.''

[وَيَقَوْمِ لا أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ مَالاً إِنْ أَجْرِىَ إِلاَّ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَمَآ أَنَاْ بِطَارِدِ الَّذِينَ ءامَنُواْ إِنَّهُمْ مُّلاَقُو رَبِّهِمْ وَلَـكِنِّى أَرَاكُمْ قَوْمًا تَجْهَلُونَ - وَيَقَوْمِ مَن يَنصُرُنِى مِنَ اللَّهِ إِن طَرَدتُّهُمْ أَفَلاَ تَذَكَّرُونَ ]

(29. And O my people! I ask of you no wealth for it, my reward is from none but Allah. I am not going to drive away those who have believed. Surely, they are going to meet their Lord, but I see that you are a people that are ignorant.) (30. And O my people! Who will help me against Allah, if I drove them away Will you not then give a thought) Nuh says to his people, "I do not ask you for any wealth in return for my sincere advice to you.'' Wealth (Mal) here means, "payment that I take from you.'' Nuh means, "I am only seeking the reward from Allah, the Mighty and Sublime.'' Concerning the statement,

[وَمَآ أَنَاْ بِطَارِدِ الَّذِينَ ءامَنُواْ]

(I am not going to drive away those who have believed.) This alludes to the fact that they (the disbelievers) requested Nuh to disassociate himself from the believers, because they were averse to them and felt themselves too important to sit with them. This is similar to the request of disbelievers to the seal of the Messengers to disassociate himself from a group of the people who were considered weak in their social status. They wanted the Prophet to sit with them in a special gathering of the elite. Therefore, Allah revealed,

[وَلاَ تَطْرُدِ الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ رَبَّهُمْ بِالْغَدَاةِ وَالْعَشِىِّ]

(And turn not away those who invoke their Lord, morning and afternoon.) Allah also says,

[وَكَذلِكَ فَتَنَّا بَعْضَهُمْ بِبَعْضٍ لِّيَقُولواْ أَهَـؤُلاءِ مَنَّ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِم مِّن بَيْنِنَآ أَلَيْسَ اللَّهُ بِأَعْلَمَ بِالشَّـكِرِينَ ]

(Thus We have tried some of them with others, that they might say: "Is it these (poor believers) whom Allah has favored from among us'' Does not Allah know best those who are grateful)[6:53]

[وَلاَ أَقُولُ لَكُمْ عِندِى خَزَآئِنُ اللَّهِ وَلاَ أَعْلَمُ الْغَيْبَ وَلاَ أَقُولُ إِنِّى مَلَكٌ وَلاَ أَقُولُ لِلَّذِينَ تَزْدَرِى أَعْيُنُكُمْ لَن يُؤْتِيَهُمُ اللَّهُ خَيْرًا اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا فِى أَنفُسِهِمْ إِنِّى إِذًا لَّمِنَ الظَّـلِمِينَ ]

(31. And I do not say to you that with me are the treasures of Allah, nor that I know the Ghayb; nor do I say I am an angel, and I do not say of those whom your eyes look down upon that Allah will not bestow any good on them. Allah knows what is in their inner selves. In that case, I should, indeed be one of the wrongdoers.) Nuh is informing them that he is a Messenger from Allah, calling to the worship of Allah alone, without any partners and he is doing this by the permission of Allah. At the same time, he is not asking them for any reward for this work. He invites whomever he meets, whether of nobility or low class. Therefore, whoever responds favorably, then he has achieved salvation. He also explains that he has no power to manipulate the hidden treasures of Allah, nor does he have any knowledge of the Unseen, except what Allah has allowed him to know. Likewise, he is not an angel, rather, he is merely a human Messenger aided with miracles. Nuh goes on to say, "I do not say about these people whom you (disbelievers) detest and look down upon, that Allah will not reward them for their deeds. Allah knows best what is in their souls. If they are believers in their hearts, as their condition appears to be outwardly, then they will have a good reward. If anyone behaves evilly with them after they have believed, then he is a wrongdoer who speaks what he has no knowledge of.

[قَالُواْ ينُوحُ قَدْ جَادَلْتَنَا فَأَكْثَرْتَ جِدَالَنَا فَأْتَنِا بِمَا تَعِدُنَآ إِن كُنتَ مِنَ الصَّـدِقِينَ - قَالَ إِنَّمَا يَأْتِيكُمْ بِهِ اللَّهُ إِن شَآءَ وَمَآ أَنتُمْ بِمُعْجِزِينَ - وَلاَ يَنفَعُكُمْ نُصْحِى إِنْ أَرَدْتُّ أَنْ أَنصَحَ لَكُمْ إِن كَانَ اللَّهُ يُرِيدُ أَن يُغْوِيَكُمْ هُوَ رَبُّكُمْ وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ ]

(32. They said: "O Nuh! You have disputed with us, and much have you prolonged the dispute with us, now bring upon us what you threaten us with, if you are of the truthful.'') (33. He said: "Only Allah will bring it (the punishment) on you, if He wills, and then you will escape not.) (34. "And my advice will not profit you, even if I wish to give you good counsel, if Allah's will is to keep you astray. He is your Lord! and to Him you shall return.'')