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بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Imam Ibn al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy upon him, said:

The poor and weak Muslims amongst the followers of the Messengers were a trial for the wealthy people and leaders. They (the wealthy and leaders) were prevented from accepting Iman after knowing the truthfulness of the Messengers. [Allah said that they said]:

لَوْ كَانَ خَيْرًا مَا سَبَقُونَا إِلَيْهِ

Had it (i.e. the Message of the Messenger) been a good thing, they (weak and poor) would not have preceded us thereto! [Al-Ahqaf. 11]

And they said to Nuh, peace be upon him:

أَنُؤْمِنُ لَكَ وَاتَّبَعَكَ الْأَرْذَلُونَ

Shall we believe in you, when the lowest of the people follow you? (i.e. those without wealth or status in society). [Ash-Shu’araa: 111]
Allah said:

وَكَذَٰلِكَ فَتَنَّا بَعْضَهُمْ بِبَعْضٍ لِيَقُولُوا أَهَٰؤُلَاءِ مَنَّ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ بَيْنِنَا

Thus We have tried some of them with others, that they might say: “Is it these (poor believers) that Allah has favoured from amongst us?” [Al-An’am. 53]

So when a leader of high status saw that a poor person of lowly status had preceded him in belief and in following the Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, he become furious and scornful about accepting Islam (due to not wanting) to be similar to (that poor person of lowly status).  And he says: “I enter into Islam so that I may be at the same level with this lowly one?”

Az-Zujaj, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: “Perhaps a person of high status wanted to accept Islam, but he was prevented from it so that it would not be said, ‘Someone lower than him preceded him’. Thus, he remained upon disbelief and not (wanting) a Muslim to precede him in virtue.

An Excerpt from Ighaathah al-Lahfaan 2/170-172.