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.