Allah further says:
[بَلْ مَتَّعْتُ
هَـؤُلاَءِ]
(Nay, but I gave to these) means, the idolators,
[وَءَابَآءَهُمْ]
(and their fathers) means, they lived a long life in their misguidance.
[حَتَّى جَآءَهُمُ
الْحَقُّ وَرَسُولٌ مُّبِينٌ]
(till there came to them the truth, and a Messenger making things clear.)
means, his message is clear and his warning is clear.
[وَلَمَّا جَآءَهُمُ
الْحَقُّ قَالُواْ هَـذَا سِحْرٌ وَإِنَّا بِهِ كَـفِرُونَ ]
(And when the truth came to them, they said: "This is magic, and we
disbelieve therein.'') means, they were arrogant and stubborn, and they pushed
him away out of disbelief, envy and transgression.
[وَقَالُواْ]
(And they say) means, objecting to that which Allah has revealed to him,
[لَوْلاَ نُزِّلَ
هَـذَا الْقُرْءَانُ عَلَى رَجُلٍ مِّنَ الْقَرْيَتَيْنِ عَظِيمٍ]
(Why is not this Qur'an sent down to some great man of the two towns)
meaning, why was this Qur'an not revealed to some man who was great and
prominent in their eyes, from the two towns, i.e., Makkah and At-Ta'if This was
the view of Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, `Ikrimah, Muhammad bin
Ka`b Al-Qurazi, Qatadah, As-Suddi and Ibn Zayd. Several scholars of Tafsir
stated that by this, the Quraysh meant Al-Walid bin Al-Mughirah and `Urwah bin
Mas`ud Ath-Thaqafi. The apparent meaning is that what they meant was a great man
from either of the two towns. Allah responded to their rejection by saying:
[أَهُمْ يَقْسِمُونَ
رَحْمَةَ رَبِّكَ]
(Is it they who would portion out the mercy of your Lord) meaning, the matter
has nothing to do with them; it is for Allah to decide. Allah knows best where
to direct His Message, and He does not reveal it except to the one who is the
purest in heart and soul, and of the noblest descent. Then Allah points out that
He differentiates among His creation in terms of what He gives them of wealth,
provision, intellect, understanding and other visible and hidden strengths:
[نَحْنُ قَسَمْنَا
بَيْنَهُمْ مَّعِيشَتَهُمْ فِى الْحَيَوةِ الدُّنْيَا]
(It is We Who portion out between them their livelihood in this world,)
[لِّيَتَّخِذَ
بَعْضُهُم بَعْضاً سُخْرِيّاً]
(so that some may employ others in their work.) It was said that this means
that some employ others in their work, because one needs the other, and vice
versa. This was the view of As-Suddi and others.
[وَرَحْمَةُ رَبِّكَ
خَيْرٌ مِّمَّا يَجْمَعُونَ]
(But the mercy of your Lord is better than which they amass.) means, the
mercy of Allah towards His creation is better for them than the wealth and
conveniences of this world which they possess.
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