The elite assembly is from their saying: so-and-so is filled with such-and-such, if he is capable of it. They have filled the matter, because they are filled with the competencies of affairs and have undertaken them and their management. Or because they support each other, meaning they show solidarity and back each other up. Or because they fill hearts with awe and gatherings with grandeur. Or because they are filled with wisdom and sound opinions. 'We see you as nothing but a human like us' implies that they are more deserving of prophethood than him. It was said by Mahmoud: 'This implies that they were more deserving of prophethood than him... etc.' Ahmad said: 'It is possible in both cases that the meaning is the first opinion. However, he omitted the glottal stop out of disinclination, unless the reader pronounces it with a yāʾ, which is not his method of facilitating the glottal stop. The meanings are close together. These people claimed that they would challenge Noah with his followers for two reasons. The first is that the followers are the lowly ones and are not role models or examples. The second is that they did not reflect on following him. They did not deeply consider the validity of what he brought, but hastened to it without thought or deliberation. The aim of these people is that no proof stands against them that among them are those who believed him and had faith in him. And Allah knows best. And that if Allah had wanted to place it in anyone among humans, He would have placed it in them. They said: 'Suppose you are one of the elite and equal to them in rank, what makes you more deserving than them?' Do you not see their saying: 'And we do not see any favor over us from you'? Or they meant that he should have been a king, not a human. The lowly ones are the plural of the lowly, as in the saying: 'The greatest of its criminals.' And it was read: 'the first opinion,' with the glottal stop and without it, meaning: they followed you at the first opinion or the apparent opinion. Its position is as an adverb, its origin being: the time of the occurrence of their first opinion, or the time of the occurrence of their apparent opinion, so that was omitted and the added part took its place. They meant: that their following you was merely something that occurred to them spontaneously without deliberation and thought. They only looked down upon the believers because of their poverty and their delay in worldly means, for they were ignorant and knew only the apparent of worldly life. So the noble among them was one who had prestige and wealth, as you see most of those who call themselves Muslims believe that and base their honoring and dishonoring upon it. They have erred in thinking that advancement in this world brings anyone closer to Allah; rather, it distances him and does not elevate him but lowers him. Let alone that it makes him a reason for being chosen for prophethood and qualifying for it, while the prophets, peace be upon them, were sent encouraging the pursuit of the Hereafter and rejecting the world, disdaining it, and belittling its importance and the importance of those who cling to it. How far their condition is from being characterized by what distances them from Allah, and being honored by what is lowly with Allah, as a favor from an increase in honor upon us that qualifies you for prophethood. Rather, we think you are lying in what you claim.