وَقالوا لَولا نُزِّلَ هٰذَا القُرآنُ عَلىٰ رَجُلٍ مِنَ القَريَتَينِ عَظيمٍ
And they said: ‘Why was not this Quran sent down to some great man from the two cities?’
EXEGESIS
Qaryatayn (two cities) refers to the cities of Mecca and Taif, and for the sake of brevity, the possessor (muḍāf), iḥdā (one of), has been elided. The verse would thus actually read: rajulin min iḥdā al-qaryatayn (some great man from one of the two cities).
EXPOSITION
In the preceding verses, various responses and arguments of the polytheists were highlighted, demonstrating their unwavering obstinacy. At times, they accused the Holy Prophet of sorcery (verse 30), while on other occasions, they blindly clung to the customs of their ancestors (verse 23).
Another argument presented by the polytheists exposes their skewed understanding of divine apostleship. They believed that such a noble position should exclusively be bestowed upon an individual of high social status, commanding obedience and possessing greatness within their community. In their view, the Holy Prophet did not meet these superficial criteria.
This stance taken by the polytheists not only demonstrates their misguided values but also underscores their failure to recognise the true qualities of a divine messenger – attributes that transcend superficial measures of status and social standing.
The greatness being alluded to in some great man is with regards to wealth and social standing, which is the barometer for greatness in the eyes of those who are engulfed in worldly pleasures. According to the polytheists, it was the affluent leaders of their tribes that were the closest people to God and thus most deserving of being chosen as apostles. Based on this mindset, they were shocked as to how it was possible that a poor orphan such as Muhammad (s) could be chosen as God’s messenger.
It could be argued that, in order to challenge these misguided ideas, none of God’s apostles were chosen from among the affluent and influential members of their communities. Throughout the Quran, numerous instances highlight how past nations looked down upon their prophets due to their seemingly low social standing.
The present chapter provides an example of this through the story of Prophet Moses (a). Pharaoh belittled him for his lack of wealth, perceiving himself as superior on account of his riches and power, And Pharaoh proclaimed amongst his people. He said: ‘O my people! Does not the kingdom of Egypt belong to me and these rivers that run at my feet? Do you not perceive? Am I not better than this humble one who cannot even speak clearly? Why have no bracelets of gold been cast upon him, nor have the angels come with him as escorts?’ (verses 51-53).
Another example is the appointment of Prophet Saul (a), Their prophet said to them: ‘Allah has appointed Saul as king for you.’ They said: ‘How can he have kingship over us, when we have a greater right to kingship than him, as he has not been given ample wealth?’ (2:247). See also 18:34-36, 38:7-8, and 46:11. The story regarding the appointment of Prophet Saul (a), along with other narrations, serves to challenge the flawed notion that worldly status is an indicator of divine favour or spiritual worth. Instead, the examples of God’s apostles throughout history underscore the idea that true divinely inspired leadership transcends earthly measures of wealth and power, emphasising the importance of spiritual guidance and moral character over material success.
Some commentators interpret this passage as referring to a specific individual from either Mecca or Taif, who was deemed to be of high standing and considered by some to be more deserving of receiving divine revelation. According to Qatādah, they were referring to al-Walīd ibn al-Mughīrah from Mecca, and ʿUrwah ibn Masʿūd al-Thaqafī from Taif. According to Mujāhid, they were referring to ʿUtbah ibn Abī Rabīʿah from Mecca, and Ibn ʿAbd Yālīl from Taif. According to Ibn Abbas, they were referring to al-Walīd ibn al-Mughīrah from Mecca, and Ḥabīb ibn ʿUmar al-Thaqafī from Taif. According to Suddī, Kanānah ibn ʿAmr was being referred to from Taif.
However, some exegetes argue that the names mentioned in these interpretations are speculative suggestions made by earlier commentators, and that the polytheists did not actually identify any particular individuals as being more deserving of prophethood. They merely implied that one of the prominent figures from Mecca or Taif should have been chosen to be God’s prophet, though they refrained from specifying exactly who that person should have been. However, whilst such an interpretation is in line with the apparent meaning of the verse, whereby rajul (a man) is in the indefinite form, there is a narration from Imam al-Ṣādiq (a) that explicitly states they were specifically referring to ʿUrwah ibn Masʿūd al-Thaqafī of Taif as one of the candidates they considered more worthy of prophethood.
Ibn ʿĀshūr offers a potential explanation for the Quran’s omission of the name, suggesting that it may have been deliberately elided to diminish the polytheists’ suggestion. By leaving the name unmentioned, the Quran could be conveying the idea that these proposed alternative candidates were not even worth acknowledging, thereby dismissing the polytheists’ misguided beliefs about the qualities required of a prophet.
He further suggests that Mecca and Taif were singled out because these two cities were the largest in the Tihāmah region, which was home to the polytheists making this argument, as opposed to cities likes of Taymāʾ and Medina (known as Yathrib at that time) which were located in the Hijaz province. Based on this, it can be said that the polytheists not only assumed that a messenger must be wealthy and have a great social status, but also that he should hail from a famous tribe from amongst the chief cities/towns. These chief cities/towns were the bedrock of their financial activities and business trading.
INSIGHTS FROM HADITH
- It has been reported from Imam al-ʿAskarī (a), from his father (Imam al-Hādī (a)):
‘One day, the Holy Prophet (s) was sitting in the courtyard of the Kaaba when ʿAbd-Allāh ibn Umayyah al-Makhzūmī approached him and said: “If God had intended to send a messenger to us, He would have chosen someone with great wealth and high status among us. Would He not have sent this Quran, which you claim God has revealed to you and charged you to deliver as His messenger, to a distinguished man from one of our two main cities? Perhaps al-Walīd ibn al-Mughīrah in Mecca or ʿUrwah ibn Masʿūd al-Thaqafī in Taif?” In response, the Holy Prophet (s) said: “As for your assertion that the Quran should have been sent to a ‘great man’ from either Mecca or Taif, know that Allah does not value worldly wealth and status as you do. If the world held any significance to Him, He would not have given even a drop of water to a disbeliever, even if it were worth no more than a mosquito’s wing. The dispensing of Allah’s mercy is not subject to your standards; rather, He bestows His grace upon whomever He wills among His servants. He does not fear anyone due to their wealth or status, nor does He covet anyone for these things as you do. His love is not driven by base desires, and He does not prefer those who are undeserving. Rather, He deals with justice, elevating those who are most obedient and capable in His service, and humbling those who are slow to obey Him. Wealth and status are merely manifestations of His grace, and no one can impose any duty upon Him or claim entitlement to His bounty based on their possessions. Do you not see, O servant of Allah, how He enriches one while disfiguring their appearance, and beautifies another while leaving them in poverty, and how He enriches one and then debases him? None can question His wisdom in distributing wealth, beauty, or nobility as He sees fit. The rich one cannot say: ‘Why isn’t the beauty of so-and-so added to my affluence?’ Nor can the beautiful one say: ‘Why isn’t the wealth of so-and-so added to my beauty?’ Nor can the noble one say: ‘Why isn’t the wealth of so-and-so added to my nobility?’ And nor can the debased one say: ‘Why isn’t the nobility of so-and-so added to my wealth?’ The verdict lies with Allah alone, He dispenses however He wishes and He acts however He wishes. He is wise in His actions and praised in His deeds. And that is His words, And they said: ‘Why was not this Quran sent down to some great man from the two cities?’ Allah said: Is it they who dispense the mercy of your Lord? – O Muhammad! – It is We who have dispensed among them their livelihood in the present life [verse 32]. Allah has created a system where we all depend on each other. This person relies on that person’s wealth, while that person relies on this person’s goods or services. Even the wealthiest kings and most powerful individuals need those who are less fortunate in some way. It could be a resource, a skill, or knowledge that the rich lack but the poor possess, and vice versa. For instance, a king may need a poor person’s knowledge or expertise, while the poor person needs the king’s money. In this symbiotic relationship, neither can question God’s wisdom. The king cannot demand: ‘Why was I not given my wealth with that beggar’s knowledge?’ Nor can the poor person say: ‘Why was I not given my learning and knowledge and whatever talents I have, with the wealth of that rich king?’ God says, and [We] raised some of them above others in rank, so that some may take others into service – O Muhammad! – and your Lord’s mercy is better than what they amass [verse 32]. Meaning the wealth of the world that those people amass.”’
- It has been reported from Imam al-Ṣādiq (a): ‘ʿUrwah ibn Masʿūd al-Thaqafī was a wise and intelligent man, and he was the one for whom it was revealed, Why was not this Quran sent down to some great man from the two cities?’
- A part of a sermon of Imam Ali (a) says: ‘Certainly there was in the Prophet of Allah all that would apprise you of the evils of this world and its defects. He remained hungry along with his chief companions, despite his tremendous station and nearness [to Allah]. The allurements of the world remained remote from him. Now, one should see with one’s intelligence whether Allah honoured Muhammad (s) as a result of this or disgraced him. If he says that Allah disgraced him, he certainly lies and perpetrates a great untruth. If he says Allah honoured him, he should know that Allah dishonoured the others when He extended the [benefits of the] world for him but held them away from him who was the nearest to Him of all men.’
[1] Tabrisi, 9/71.
[2] Mizan, 18/98.
[3] Mizan, 18/98.
[4] Amthal, 16/43.
[5] Tibyan, 9/195.
[6] Mizan, 18/98; Amthal, 16/43; Fadlallah, 20/234.
[7] Ibn Ashur, 25/244.
[8] Ibn Ashur, 25/244.
[9] Ibn Ashur, 25/244.
[10] Ihtijaj, 1/29.
[11] Qummi, 2/310.
[12] Nahj, sermon 160.