Al-Ahqaf 46:11
The Wind-Curved Sandhills · Meccan · Juz 26 · Page 503
They Would Not Have Beaten Us
وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لَوۡ كَانَ خَيۡرࣰا مَّا سَبَقُونَآ إِلَيۡهِۚ وَإِذۡ لَمۡ يَهۡتَدُواْ بِهِۦ فَسَيَقُولُونَ هَٰذَآ إِفۡكࣱ قَدِيمࣱ ١١
And those who disbelieve say of those who believe: If it had been (any) good, they would not have been before us in attaining it. And since they will not be guided by it, they say: This is an ancient lie.
Translation: Marmaduke Pickthall
Meaning
Those who disbelieve say: “If it had been good, they would not have preceded us to it.”
Insight
According to Elmalılı, the idolaters, seeing that most believers were poor and weak, like ‘Ammar, Suhayb and Bilal, looked down on them.
Reflect
Don’t belittle people for being poor.
This short note is based on Elmalılı Hamdi Yazır’s Turkish commentary and has not yet been reviewed by a scholar.
Elmalılı’s commentary
An English translation of Elmalılı’s full commentary is coming soon. Read the original Turkish ›