His statement: "And that I preferred you over the worlds [the people of the worlds]." Qatada said: It means: the people of their time.
قَوْله: ﴿وَأَنِّي فَضَّلْتُكُمْ عَلَى الْعَالَمِينَ﴾ قَالَ قَتَادَة: يَعْنِي: أهل زمانهم
