When mentioning the tasting of mercy by man and his being afflicted by its opposite, it indicates that he has dominion and that he distributes blessings and afflictions as he wills. He grants to His servants children as His will dictates, distinguishing some with females and others with males, and some with both genders, while others are made barren and are never granted children at all. If you say: Why did he mention females first before males, even though males are prior to them, and then returned to mention them, and why did he define males after he had made females indefinite? I say: It is because he mentioned affliction at the end of the first verse and the ingratitude of man in forgetting the previous mercy upon him. Then he followed that by mentioning his dominion and will, and the distribution of children. He prioritized females because the context of the speech indicates that he is the doer of what he wills, not what man wills. Thus, mentioning the females, who are among what man does not will, is more important, and the more important must be prioritized. The gender that the Arabs considered a burden is mentioned as affliction, and he delayed the males. When he delayed them for that reason, he made up for their delay, and they are more deserving of priority by being defined, for definition is an elevation and a proclamation. It is as if he said: And he grants to whom he wills the distinguished knights who are not hidden from you. Then after that, he gave each gender its due right of priority and delay, and clarified that the prioritization of females was not due to their precedence, but for another reason. He said: 'males and females' as he said: 'Indeed, We created you from a male and a female,' and made from them the two pairs, the male and the female. It is said that this was revealed concerning the prophets, blessings and peace be upon them, where he granted daughters to Shu'ayb and Lut, sons to Ibrahim, and both sons and daughters to Muhammad, and made Yahya and 'Isa barren. Indeed, He is Knowing of the interests of the servants and Able to create what is suitable for them.