Surah Maryam ayat 73 Tafsir Quran 19:73

﴿وَإِذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتُنَا بَيِّنَاتٍ قَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَيُّ الْفَرِيقَيْنِ خَيْرٌ مَّقَامًا وَأَحْسَنُ نَدِيًّا﴾
[ مريم: 73]

19:73 And when Our verses are recited to them as clear evidences, those who disbelieve say to those who believe, "Which of [our] two parties is best in position and best in association?"

And when Our manifest evident bayyinātin ‘manifest’ is a circumstantial qualifier signs in the Qur’ān are recited to them namely to the believers and the disbelievers those who disbelieve say to those who believe ‘Which of the two parties — us or you — is better in station in lodging and abode read as maqāman it is derived from the first form qāma ‘he stood’; read as muqāman it is derived from the fourth form aqāma ‘he took up residence’ and more excellent in assembly?’ nadiyyan meaning the place in which a folk assemble and converse. They the disbelievers mean ‘we are the better of the two parties’ and so we will fare better than you. God exalted be He says

When Our revelations are recited to them, revelations distinctly expressing all that is meant leaving nothing merely implied, they exclaim: which of the two parties they ask, holds a high position in the social scale and status and in society, the nobility who do not follow Muhammad or the no-bodies who follow him

The Disbelievers boast over Their good Fortune in the World Allah, the Exalted, informs that when the clear, evident Ayat of Allah are recited to the disbelievers, they reject them and turn away.
They say about those who believe, while boasting to them and arguing that their false religion is correct, خَيْرٌ مَّقَاماً وَأَحْسَنُ نَدِيّاً ( best dwellings and the finest Nadiyyan. ) This means the best houses, with the loftiest levels and the finest Nadiyyan, which are meeting rooms for men to gather and discuss matters.
Thus, this means that their meeting rooms are full of more people who come to attend.
In this they were saying, "How can we be upon falsehood while we are in this manner of successful living" These people were actually those who were concealed in the house of Al-Arqam bin Abi Al-Arqam and its likes from the other houses.
This is as Allah says about them, وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لَوْ كَانَ خَيْراً مَّا سَبَقُونَآ إِلَيْهِ ( And those who disbelieve say of those who believe: "Had it been a good thing, they (the weak and the poor ) would not have preceded us thereto!") 46:11 Nuh's people said, أَنُؤْمِنُ لَكَ وَاتَّبَعَكَ الاٌّرْذَلُونَ ( "Shall we believe in you, when the weakest (of the people ) follow you") 26:111 And Allah says, وَكَذلِكَ فَتَنَّا بَعْضَهُمْ بِبَعْضٍ لِّيَقُولواْ أَهَـؤُلاءِ مَنَّ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِم مِّن بَيْنِنَآ أَلَيْسَ اللَّهُ بِأَعْلَمَ بِالشَّـكِرِينَ ( Thus We have tried some of them with others, that they might say: "Is it these (poor believers ) whom Allah has favored among us" Does not Allah know best those who are grateful) 6:53 This is why Allah refuted their doubts: وَكَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا قَبْلَهُمْ مِّن قَرْنٍ ( And how many a generations have We destroyed before them ) This means, "How many nations and generations did We destroy of those who denied ( this message ) due to their disbelief" هُمْ أَحْسَنُ أَثَاثاً وَرِءْياً ( who were better in wealth, goods and outward appearance ) This means that they were better than these present people in wealth, possessions, looks and appearance.
Al-A`mash reported from Abu Zibyan, who reported from Ibn `Abbas that he said concerning the Ayah, خَيْرٌ مَّقَاماً وَأَحْسَنُ نَدِيّاً ( best dwellings and finest Nadiyyan. ) "Position Maqam means home, Nadi means place of gathering, wealth refers to material possessions and outward appearance is how they look physically." Al-`Awfi said that Ibn `Abbas said, "Position Maqam means dwelling, Nadi means place of gathering and the blessing and happiness that they were living in.
This is as Allah says about the people of Fir`awn when He destroyed them and related the story of their situation in the Qur'an, كَمْ تَرَكُواْ مِن جَنَّـتٍ وَعُيُونٍ - وَزُرُوعٍ وَمَقَامٍ كَرِيمٍ ( How many gardens and springs that they Fir`awn's people left behind, and green crops and honored places Maqam. ) 44:25-26 Therefore, position Maqam refers to their dwellings and splendid bounties, and Nadi is the places of gathering and meeting where they used to congregate.
Allah said while relating the story to His Messenger of what happened with the people of Lut, وَتَأْتُونَ فِى نَادِيكُمُ الْمُنْكَرَ ( And practice Al-Munkar (evil deeds ) in your meeting places Nadiyakum.) 29:29 The Arabs call a place of gathering a Nadi."

(19:73) When Our plain Revelations are recited to them, the disbelievers say to the Believers, "Tell us, which of the two of our parties is in a better condition and has grander meetings" *45

And when Our verses are recited to meaning

*45) In response to the recital of clear Revelations, instead of accepting their Message, the unbelievers put such questions as these to the Believers to show that they were in the right: Who has grander houses to live in? Who has a higher standard of life? Who enjoys splendid meetings? If we are enjoying all these things while you are deprived of them, you may decide for yourselves whether we, who are enjoying happy worldly lives, are in the wrong, or you who are living miserable lives of indigence are in the right? ( Also see Surah AI-Kahf (XVIII ): E.N.'s 37-38).

 

The Disbelievers boast over Their good Fortune in the World Allah, the Exalted, informs that when the clear, evident Ayat of Allah are recited to the disbelievers, they reject them and turn away.
They say about those who believe, while boasting to them and arguing that their false religion is correct, خَيْرٌ مَّقَاماً وَأَحْسَنُ نَدِيّاً ( best dwellings and the finest Nadiyyan. ) This means the best houses, with the loftiest levels and the finest Nadiyyan, which are meeting rooms for men to gather and discuss matters.
Thus, this means that their meeting rooms are full of more people who come to attend.
In this they were saying, "How can we be upon falsehood while we are in this manner of successful living" These people were actually those who were concealed in the house of Al-Arqam bin Abi Al-Arqam and its likes from the other houses.
This is as Allah says about them, وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لَوْ كَانَ خَيْراً مَّا سَبَقُونَآ إِلَيْهِ ( And those who disbelieve say of those who believe: "Had it been a good thing, they (the weak and the poor ) would not have preceded us thereto!") 46:11 Nuh's people said, أَنُؤْمِنُ لَكَ وَاتَّبَعَكَ الاٌّرْذَلُونَ ( "Shall we believe in you, when the weakest (of the people ) follow you") 26:111 And Allah says, وَكَذلِكَ فَتَنَّا بَعْضَهُمْ بِبَعْضٍ لِّيَقُولواْ أَهَـؤُلاءِ مَنَّ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِم مِّن بَيْنِنَآ أَلَيْسَ اللَّهُ بِأَعْلَمَ بِالشَّـكِرِينَ ( Thus We have tried some of them with others, that they might say: "Is it these (poor believers ) whom Allah has favored among us" Does not Allah know best those who are grateful) 6:53 This is why Allah refuted their doubts: وَكَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا قَبْلَهُمْ مِّن قَرْنٍ ( And how many a generations have We destroyed before them ) This means, "How many nations and generations did We destroy of those who denied ( this message ) due to their disbelief" هُمْ أَحْسَنُ أَثَاثاً وَرِءْياً ( who were better in wealth, goods and outward appearance ) This means that they were better than these present people in wealth, possessions, looks and appearance.
Al-A`mash reported from Abu Zibyan, who reported from Ibn `Abbas that he said concerning the Ayah, خَيْرٌ مَّقَاماً وَأَحْسَنُ نَدِيّاً ( best dwellings and finest Nadiyyan. ) "Position Maqam means home, Nadi means place of gathering, wealth refers to material possessions and outward appearance is how they look physically." Al-`Awfi said that Ibn `Abbas said, "Position Maqam means dwelling, Nadi means place of gathering and the blessing and happiness that they were living in.
This is as Allah says about the people of Fir`awn when He destroyed them and related the story of their situation in the Qur'an, كَمْ تَرَكُواْ مِن جَنَّـتٍ وَعُيُونٍ - وَزُرُوعٍ وَمَقَامٍ كَرِيمٍ ( How many gardens and springs that they Fir`awn's people left behind, and green crops and honored places Maqam. ) 44:25-26 Therefore, position Maqam refers to their dwellings and splendid bounties, and Nadi is the places of gathering and meeting where they used to congregate.
Allah said while relating the story to His Messenger of what happened with the people of Lut, وَتَأْتُونَ فِى نَادِيكُمُ الْمُنْكَرَ ( And practice Al-Munkar (evil deeds ) in your meeting places Nadiyakum.) 29:29 The Arabs call a place of gathering a Nadi."

( And when Our clear revelations ) expositing the commands and prohibitions ( are recited unto them ) are recited to al-Nadr and his host ( those who disbelieve ) in Muhammad ( pbuh ) in the Qur’an and the resurrection; the reference here is to al-Nadr and his host, ( say Unto those who believe ) in Muhammad ( pbuh ) and in the Qur’an, i.e. Abu Bakr and his fellow believers: ( Which of the two parties ) the adherents of which religion, among us and you, ( is better in position, and more imposing as an army? )

And when Our Clear Verses are recited to them, those who disbelieve (the rich and strong among the pagans of Quraish who live a life of luxury) say to those who believe (the weak, poor companions of Prophet Muhammad SAW who have a hard life): "Which of the two groups (i.e. believers and disbelievers) is best in (point of) position and as regards station (place of council for consultation)."

Page 310 English transliteration