And when they informed about this greatness, they were presumptuous, for if it had occurred, it would not have been more indicative of the establishment of prophethood, which necessitates the confirmation of all that the Messenger, blessings and peace be upon him, says to them and what he brings to them of the signs, while they are not fearing Allah, although they know His power and His destruction of those who have passed away for the sake of denying the messengers, blessings and peace be upon them. It is as if they claim His exclusivity in a capacity from an eye or a meaning, by which they would escape being equal to those before them in that. So Allah, the Most High, said, denying them: "Are they better?" meaning: in religion and in this world, "or the people of Tubba'?" meaning: those whom Tubba' ruled over the land in its length and breadth, and who bewildered the bewildered, and built the palace of Samarkand, and he was a believer. His people were Himyar and those who followed them were the closest of the destroyed to Quraysh in time and place. He had in Mecca the distinguished things that were not for others, and Al-Razi said in Al-Lawa'ih: He was the first to clothe the House and sacrificed six thousand camels in the valley and stayed there for six days, and he circumambulated it and shaved his head. Al-Baghawi said after mentioning his story with the Ansar when his son was killed treacherously in the noble city and what the Jews advised him regarding refraining from destroying the city because it is the migration place of a prophet from Quraysh: He believed them and followed their religion, and that was before its abrogation. He said about Al-Raqashi: Tubba' believed in the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, before he was sent, seven hundred years prior. And from Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, that she said: Do not insult Tubba', for he was a righteous man.

And when this was in the context of the threat of destruction for their opposition, and the destruction for that was only for some of those who preceded their time, not for all of creation, He included the neighbor and said: "And those before them" meaning: from the famous matters like Midian, and the companions of the thicket, and Al-Rass, and Thamud, and 'Aad.

And when it was as if it was said: What is with these nations? It was said: "We destroyed them" meaning: by Our greatness, even if they were great, these do not feel in what they have of the capacity to cut off what Allah has commanded to be connected from the messengers and their followers, and their denial of what they brought. And for that reason, He justified the destruction as a warning to the Arabs by saying, confirming their assumption that their destruction is indeed in accordance with the custom of time: "Indeed, they were" meaning: by nature and disposition "criminals" meaning: deeply rooted in crime. So let these beware if they commit similar actions to theirs, lest what befell them befall them.