God said: "Do they distribute the mercy of your Lord?" meaning: the prophethood. That is, it is not in their hands so that they may place the prophethood wherever they wish. "And We have raised some of them above others in degrees" in sustenance, "so that some of them may make others subservient," meaning: some of them may employ others through the means of service. "And the mercy of your Lord," which is prophethood, "is better than what they accumulate," better than what the polytheists accumulate of worldly goods.
Muhammad said: The meaning is: just as We have favored some of them over others in sustenance and in status, likewise (315b) We have chosen for the message whomever We wish.
قَالَ الله: ﴿أهم يقسمون رَحْمَة رَبك﴾ يَعْنِي: النُّبُوَّة؛ أَي: لَيْسَ ذَلِك فِي أَيْديهم فيضعون النُّبُوَّة حَيْثُ شَاءُوا ﴿وَرَفَعْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ فَوْقَ بَعْضٍ دَرَجَات﴾ فِي الرزق ﴿لِيَتَّخِذَ بَعْضُهُمْ بَعْضًا سخريا﴾ أَي: يملك بَعضهم من بَاب السخرة ﴿وَرَحْمَة رَبك﴾ النُّبُوَّة ﴿خير مِمَّا يجمعُونَ﴾ خير مِمَّا يجمع الْمُشْركُونَ من الدُّنْيَا.
قَالَ محمدٌ: الْمَعْنى: فَكَمَا فضلنَا بَعضهم على بعضٍ فِي الرزق وَفِي الْمنزلَة كَذَلِك (ل ٣١٥) اصْطَفَيْنَا للرسالة من نشَاء.
