And when he mentioned the difference in lifespans; the calling for the abolition of natures; which necessitate the competition for consideration by those with insight; due to the fear every moment of the calamity of death; he then repeated the difference in provisions; and said (the Most High): ﴿And Allah﴾; meaning: the One to Whom belongs all command; ﴿has preferred some of you﴾; O people; ﴿over others﴾; and since the aspects of preference are many; and preference is in livelihood; which a person thinks he has the ability to attain; and the difference in it is a clearer indication of the completeness of ability; and the action by choice; which is the context for it; Allah (the Most High) said: ﴿in provision﴾; meaning: and perhaps He has made the weak, the incapable, and the ignorant richer than the strong, the cunning, and the knowledgeable; so fear Allah; and be good in seeking; and turn with all your hearts to what benefits you from insight; Imam Abu Nu'aym said in Al-Hilya: Suleiman ibn Ahmad narrated to us; Ahmad narrated to us; Ahmad ibn Ahmad ibn Amr al-Khallal said: I heard Ibn Abi Umar say: We were with Sufyan ibn Uyayna and they mentioned Al-Fadl ibn al-Rabi' and his cleverness; then Sufyan began to say:

How many a strong one is strong in his fluctuations ** The refined opinion from him, the provision is diverted

And from a weak one, weak in mind, confused ** As if he is from the sea's shore, scooping

And regarding the anecdotes of Abu Ali al-Qali, he said: Abu Bakr ibn al-Anbari narrated to me; my father said: Suleiman al-Muhallabi sent to Al-Khalil ibn Ahmad with one hundred thousand dirhams; and he requested his companionship; so he returned to him the one hundred thousand; and wrote to him these verses:

Inform Suleiman that I am in abundance ** And in wealth, yet I am not one with money

Generous with myself that I see no one ** Dies in jest nor remains in his state

For provision is by measure, neither does incapacity diminish it ** Nor does the effort of a schemer increase it

And poverty is in the self, not in wealth you recognize ** And likewise, wealth is in the self, not in money

And when placing the owned in the rank of the owner is something that magnifies them in their rights; while in reality, there is no ownership; nor is there dominion; so they do not owe that; nor are they owed; even if the matter is great; and leads to the loss of lives; rather, whoever's mother is a slave, they lower his rank; even if his father is whoever; and even if the consideration among them is in (the lineage) by the father; and this is what made 'Antara need to say:

Indeed, I am a man from the best of 'Abs in position ** Half of me, and I protect my companions with the sword.

To other than that, from what he used to excuse himself regarding his mother; He - glorified and exalted is He - alerted them to what they had fallen into concerning Him from that; because of associating partners with Him; while He is the Owner of the Kingdom; and the King of Kings; after they dared against Him in preferring themselves in relation to the daughters attributed to Him; so He said (the Exalted): "So what about those who are preferred?"; meaning: in provision; "with regard to their provision"; meaning: that which they have been specifically granted; "over what their right hands possess"; even if their benefit is great; and their impact is significant in their eyes; "so they are equal in it"; meaning: thus the owner and the owned would be equal in that; it is a response to the negation - this was transmitted by Al-Rammal from Ibn Abbas, Mujahid, and Qatadah - may Allah be pleased with them.

And when that became as clear as the sun; and it appeared to the extent that there was no type of ambiguity in it; denial arose from His saying - in the context of turning away from their address (p-210) which indicates destruction -: "So do they deny the favor of Allah"; meaning: the One who has no Lord other than Him; "they deny"; in their making for Him partners, adding to Him some of what He has bestowed upon them; so they equate between themselves and Him in that; and by His favor they acknowledge; and for it they preserve; in the lowering of what their right hands possess from them in ranks; and wealth.