Surat Saba' (Sheba)
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وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا فِي قَرْيَةٍ مِّن نَّذِيرٍ إِلَّا قَالَ مُتْرَفُوهَا إِنَّا بِمَا أُرْسِلْتُم بِهِ كَافِرُونَ
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Wa maaa arsalnaa' fee qaryatin min nazeerin illaa qaala mutrafoohaa innaa bimaaa ursiltum bihee kaafiroon
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And We did not send into a city any warner except that its affluent said, "Indeed we, in that with which you were sent, are disbelievers."
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It has never happened that We sent a warner to a habitation and its people of means did not say, "We disbelieve the message you have brought."5454That the message of the Prophets was first of all opposed and resisted by the well-to-do people who possessed wealth and influence and authority, has been stated at many places in the Qur'an. For instance, see Al-An'am: 123; AI-A'raf: 60, 66, 75, 88, 90; Hud: 27; Bani Isra`il: 16; Al-Mu`minun: 24, 33 to 38, 46, 47; Az-Zukhruf: 23. '
- filter_vintageHow Those Who lived a Life of Luxury disbelieved in the Messengers and were misled by Their pursuit of Wealth and ChildrenAllah is consoling His Prophet and commanding him to follow the example of the Messengers that came before him. He tells him that no Prophet was ever sent to a township but those among its people who lived a life of luxury disbelieved in him, and the weaker people of the town followed him. The people of Nuh, peace be upon him, said to him:﴿أَنُؤْمِنُ لَكَ وَاتَّبَعَكَ الاٌّرْذَلُونَ﴾(Shall we believe in you, when the weakest (of the people) follow you) (26:110)﴿وَمَا نَرَاكَ اتَّبَعَكَ إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ هُمْ أَرَاذِلُنَا بَادِىَ الرَّأْى﴾(nor do we see any follow you but the meanest among us and they (too) followed you without thinking) (11:27). The leaders among the people of Salih said:﴿قَالَ الْمَلأ الَّذِينَ اسْتَكْبَرُواْ مِن قَوْمِهِ لِلَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُواْ لِمَنْ ءَامَنَ مِنْهُمْ أَتَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّ صَـلِحاً مُّرْسَلٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِ قَالُواْ إِنَّا بِمَآ أُرْسِلَ بِهِ مُؤْمِنُونَ - قَالَ الَّذِينَ اسْتَكْبَرُواْ إِنَّا بِالَّذِى ءَامَنتُمْ بِهِ كَـفِرُونَ ﴾(to those who were counted weak -- to such of them as believed: "Know you that Salih is one sent from his Lord.'' They said: "We indeed believe in that with which he has been sent.'' Those who were arrogant said: "Verily, we disbelieve in that which you believe in.'') (7:75-76). And Allah said:﴿وَكَذلِكَ فَتَنَّا بَعْضَهُمْ بِبَعْضٍ لِّيَقُولواْ أَهَـؤُلاءِ مَنَّ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِم مِّن بَيْنِنَآ أَلَيْسَ اللَّهُ بِأَعْلَمَ بِالشَّـكِرِينَ ﴾(Thus We have tried some of them with others, that they might say: "Is it these (poor believers) that Allah has favored from among us'' Does not Allah know best those who are grateful) (6:53),﴿وَكَذلِكَ جَعَلْنَا فِي كُلِّ قَرْيَةٍ أَكَـبِرَ مُجْرِمِيهَا لِيَمْكُرُواْ فِيهَا﴾(And thus We have set up in every town great ones of its wicked people to plot therein) (6:123), and﴿وَإِذَآ أَرَدْنَآ أَن نُّهْلِكَ قَرْيَةً أَمَرْنَا مُتْرَفِيهَا فَفَسَقُواْ فِيهَا فَحَقَّ عَلَيْهَا الْقَوْلُ فَدَمَّرْنَاهَا تَدْمِيرًا ﴾(And when We decide to destroy a town (population), We (first) send a definite order to those among them who lead a life of luxury. Then, they transgress therein, and thus the Word (of torment) is justified against it (them). Then We destroy it with complete destruction) (17:16). And Allah says here:﴿وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا فِى قَرْيَةٍ مِّن نَّذِيرٍ﴾And We did not send a warner to a township meaning a Prophet or a Messenger,﴿إِلاَّ قَالَ مُتْرَفُوهَآ﴾(but those who were given the worldly wealth and luxuries among them) means, those who enjoyed a life of riches and luxury, and positions of leadership. Qatadah said, "They are their tyrants, chiefs and leaders in evil.''﴿إِنَّا بِمَآ أُرْسِلْتُمْ بِهِ كَـفِرُونَ﴾(We believe not in the (Message) with which you have been sent.) means, `we do not believe in it and we will not follow it.'