The Makkan Period, Part 9: Iqraʾ, Qum, Qum, and How Quraysh Met the Message
Section 3 of 9 · The Life of the Prophet Muhammad: The Makkan Period
Wealth, Power, and the Kingship of Ṭālūt
People are attracted to the ones who have wealth and the ones who have power. And there is a precedent for this: the story mentioned in Sūrat al-Baqarah, when Banū Isrāʾīl went to their prophet and said, "We want you to appoint a king over us, so that we could fight jihad." The prophet appointed Ṭālūt to be their king and leader. They refused — even though they were the ones who had asked the prophet to appoint one for them. When the prophet appointed him, they rejected and refused to accept the leadership of Ṭālūt. Why? They said that he doesn't have a lot of money; he's not wealthy.
وَقَالَ لَهُمْ نَبِيُّهُمْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ قَدْ بَعَثَ لَكُمْ طَالُوتَ مَلِكًا ۚ قَالُوٓا۟ أَنَّىٰ يَكُونُ لَهُ ٱلْمُلْكُ عَلَيْنَا وَنَحْنُ أَحَقُّ بِٱلْمُلْكِ مِنْهُ وَلَمْ يُؤْتَ سَعَةً مِّنَ ٱلْمَالِ ۚ قَالَ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ ٱصْطَفَىٰهُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَزَادَهُۥ بَسْطَةً فِى ٱلْعِلْمِ وَٱلْجِسْمِ ۖ وَٱللَّهُ يُؤْتِى مُلْكَهُۥ مَن يَشَآءُ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ وَٰسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ
“Their prophet said to them: “Allah has appointed Tālūt as a king for you.” They said: “How could he have kingship over us when we are more entitled to the kingship than him? He has not been given affluence in wealth.” He said: “Allah has chosen him over you and has increased his stature in knowledge and physique, and Allah gives His kingship to whom He wills. Allah is All-Embracing, All-Knowing.’” (2:247)
Two things: he is not given ample wealth, and there are people more prominent among us to be king.
And when the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) went to al-Ṭāʾif — his story at al-Ṭāʾif is told later — one of the men of al-Ṭāʾif told the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), "Didn't Allah find anyone better than you to send as a prophet?" So they would mock the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), and they would make fun of him.