وَذَرني وَالمُكَذِّبينَ أُولِي النَّعمَةِ وَمَهِّلهُم قَليلًا

Leave Me [to deal] with the deniers, the opulent, and give them a little respite.

EXPOSITION

In the previous verse God alludes to the abusive speech of the unbelievers, their enmity, and their offending the Prophet. Having urged the Prophet to patience and benign dissociation from them, He then threatens them of His chastisement in this verse and also comforts the early believers, saying Leave Me [to deal] with the deniers, the opulent, and give them a little respite so that the argument against them is completed and their true colours become manifest. Let their backs become heavy with their misdeeds for then My wrath will be justified on them. And it was not long before the might and power of the Muslims increased and they fought against the disbelievers in such battles as Badr, Ḥunayn, and Aḥzāb, let alone the divine punishment that awaited them in the hereafter and the eternal hellfire where they would languish from the Day of Judgement onwards.^{‎[1]Amthal, 19/139.}

A report from ʿĀʾishah says that ‘the event of Badr took place not long after the descent of this verse’.^{‎[2]Suyuti, 4/279.}

The phrase the opulent (ūlī al-naʿmah) and possessors of material blessings, with which the stubborn unbelievers are described in this verse, is meant to demonstrate their pride and heedlessness and a false sense of security that results due to an abundance of material wealth. The Quran mentions such people as belonging to those who have always opposed the prophets throughout human history, whereas such people need to respond to the divine call first and foremost in appreciation and gratitude of the favours they enjoy.^{‎‎[3]Amthal, 19/139.} We did not send a warner to any town without its affluent ones saying: ‘We indeed disbelieve in what you have been sent with.’ And they say: ‘We have greater wealth and more children, and we will not be punished!’ Say: ‘Indeed my Lord expands the provision for whomever He wishes and He tightens it, but most people do not know.’ It is not your wealth, nor your children, that will bring you close to Us in nearness, except those who have faith and act righteously. It is they for whom there will be a twofold reward for what they did, and they will be secure in lofty abodes (29:58); As for those who contend with Our signs seeking to thwart [their purpose], they will be brought to the punishment (34:34-38).

Ṭabarī gives the names of those scornful, derisive, sneering, mocking, disdainful and contemptuous people who harassed the Prophet, narrating from Saʿīd ibn Jubayr, to be the following: al-Walīd ibn al-Mughīrah, ʿĀṣ ibn Wāʾil, Abū Zamaʿah, Ḥarth ibn ʿAyṭalah, and Aswad ibn Qays. These all died before the Battle of Badr. ^{‎[4]Mafahim, 7/133.}

[1] Amthal, 19/139.
[2] Suyuti, 4/279.
[3] Amthal, 19/139.
[4] Mafahim, 7/133.