Az-Zukhruf (Ornaments of gold)

31. And they said: “Why is not this Qur’an sent down to some great man [in terms of dignity and wealth] of the two towns (Mecca and Ta’if)?”

32. Is it they who would portion out the Mercy of your Lord [regarding the Divine appointment of Muhammad to prophethood]? It is We Who portion out [between them] their livelihood in this world [let alone the exalted rank of prophethood] and We raised some of them above others in ranks so that some may employ others in their work. But the Mercy of your Lord is better than what they amass.

Some disbelievers entertained inappropriate expectations and said that such and such person was a man of substance and he was expected to receive revelation from God but the point is that material possessions may not necessitate spiritual superiority. Mention was made of polytheists’ being difficult and making excuses against prophets’ Calls in the preceding Verses.

At times they called their prophetic calls magic and sometimes they resorted to blind adherence to their ancestors and turned away from Divine Word.

Verses 31 and 32 make reference to another baseless excuse saying:

“Why is not this Qur’an sent down to some great man [in terms of dignity and wealth] of the two towns (Mecca and Ta’if)?”

they regarded worldly possessions, ranks, and reputation as the standards of dignity. Such ignorant people imagined that their wrong doing tribal chiefs and men of substance were the closest people to God and were surprised to learn that prophethood and the Divine great Favor had not been accorded to such people but they had been bestowed upon the poor orphan, Muhammad (S). It was incredible to them.

Such inaccurate merit system of theirs led to such inferences and they still account for the afflictions of human societies and the main reason behind their intellectual deviation which falsely depict the truths of human life.

The standard bearer of the Divine Call is supposed to be one whose heart brims with the spirit of piety, awareness, will, determination, courage, justice, and familiarity with the afflictions of the deprived and the oppressed.

The required values for imparting the Divine Call do not include beautiful attires, luxurious palaces, and adornments of all kinds. None of the prophets enjoyed such opportunities lest true and false values be confused.

Whom were pointed at by polytheists making excuses? Exegets are not unanimous on the issue; however the majority of them make references to Walid ibn Mughayra from Mecca and ‘Urwa ibn Mas’ud Thaqafi from Ta’if. It is to be noted that polytheists did not apparently specify anyone but they means men of substance, good name, and noble descent.

Verse 32 is a harsh critique of such inappropriate and superstitious thought and perfectly explicates the Islamic point of view:

“Is it they who would portion out the Mercy of your Lord [regarding the Divine appointment of Muhammad to prophethood]?”

Anyone may not be accorded prophethood nor may the scripture be revealed to anyone. It is God Almighty who portions out his Divine Mercy between them.

He knows better that who is worthy of being appointed to prophethood as it is said elsewhere in the Holy Quran:

“Allah knows best with whom to place his message”1 .

Furthermore, the differences between people in terms of wealth and substance may never account for their spiritual ranks, but

“It is We Who portion out [between them] their livelihood in this world [let alone the exalted rank of prophethood] and We raised some of them above others in ranks so that some may employ others in their work.”

They forget that man is inclined toward social life and managing the affairs may solely be carried out through cooperation and had all people enjoyed the same faculties, opportunities, standards of life, and social status, the principle of cooperation and division of labor would lose their balance.

Therefore, they are not supposed to be ensnared by such differences and imagine that they are the standards of human values:

“But the Mercy of your Lord is better than what they amass.”

In other words, worldly possessions and social ranks are of no value against Divine Mercy and closeness to Him. The word rabbi-ka which is employed twice in the Verse is a delicate allusion to the Divine Favor particularly accorded to the Noble Prophet of Islam (S) and appointing him as the Seal of Prophets.