And he was building the Ark yasna‘ is narrating a past state in the present tense and whenever a council a group of his people passed him they scoffed at him mocked him. He said ‘Though you scoff at us yet we scoff at you even as you scoff when we are saved while you drown;
- 11:3838
وَيَصْنَعُ الْفُلْكَ وَكُلَّمَا مَرَّ عَلَيْهِ مَلَأٌ مِنْ قَوْمِهِ سَخِرُوا مِنْهُ ۚ قَالَ إِنْ تَسْخَرُوا مِنَّا فَإِنَّا نَسْخَرُ مِنْكُمْ كَمَا تَسْخَرُونَ
So he built the ark; and when groups of his people passed by him, they scoffed at him. He said to them: "Though you laugh at us (now), we shall laugh at you, as you are laughing at us.
- common.revelation-Meccan
- common.hizb : 90