His saying, Exalted is He: "And you were not dwelling among the people of Midian."

16942 - Abu Yazid al-Qaratisi informed me in what he wrote to me, [who was] informed by Asbagh ibn al-Faraj: 'Abd al-Rahman ibn Zayd ibn Aslam narrated to us regarding the saying of Allah: "And you were not dwelling" (thawiyan), he said: The thawi is the one who resides.

His saying, Exalted is He: "Reciting Our verses to them."

16943 - Abu Zur'ah narrated to us: Yahya ibn 'Abd Allah ibn Bukayr narrated to us: Ibn Lahi'ah narrated to me: 'Ata' narrated to me, from Sa'id ibn Jubayr regarding the saying of Allah: "Our verses," he means: the Qur'an.

His saying, Exalted is He: "But We were senders (of messengers)."

16944 - Muhammad ibn 'Awf al-Humsi narrated to us: Abu al-Mughirah narrated to us: Mu'an ibn Rifa'ah narrated to us, from 'Ali ibn Yazid, from al-Qasim, from Abu Umamah, he said: I said: O Messenger of Allah, how many were the prophets? He said: One hundred and twenty-four thousand; the messengers among them were three hundred and fifteen, a vast multitude.

His saying, Exalted is He: "And you were not by the side of the Mount when We called."

16945 - Abu Sa'id al-Ashaj narrated to us: Abu Yahya al-Razi narrated to us, from Salih ibn Sa'id, from Muqatil ibn Hayyan, regarding: "And you were not by the side of the Mount when We called," he said: You were not, O Muhammad, by the side of the Mount.

His saying, Exalted is He: "When We called."

[The first view]

16946 - Ja'far ibn al-Nadr Abu al-Fadl al-Wasiti narrated to us: Abu Qatan narrated to us, from Hamzah al-Zayyat, from al-A'mash, from 'Ali ibn Mudrik, from Abu Zur'ah, from Abu Hurayrah, regarding His saying: "And you were not by the side of the Mount when We called," he said: It was called out: O nation of Muhammad, I have responded to you before you called upon Me, and I have given to you before you asked of Me.

The second view:

16947 - Abu Sa'id al-Ashaj narrated to us: Abu Yahya al-Razi narrated to us, from Salih ibn Sa'id, from Muqatil ibn Hayyan, regarding: "And you were not by the side of the Mount when We called," [meaning] when We called your nation while they were in the loins of their fathers, that they should believe in you when you were sent.