Surah 21. Al-Anbiya, Ayah 44

For an explanation, see the identical phrase in 13:41 and the corresponding notes [79] and [80].

Lit., "until their lives ('umur) grew long"-i.e., until they grew accustomed to the thought that their prosperity would last forever (Zamakhshari).

'Umr or 'Umur: age, generation, period, time, life. Here "period" is most appropriate, as it covers many generations, "these men and their fathers."

The particular signification is that Islam spread from the outer borders, social and geographical, gradually inwards. The social fringe was the humbler people, such as slaves and poor men. The geographical reference is to Madinah and tribes away from the Makkah centre. The proud and unbelieving Quraish were the last to come in when the circle was gradually drawn tighter and tighter around them. The general signification applies to all times. Allah's Truth makes its way first among the poor and the lowly, those whose minds are unsoiled by prejudices of false pride or false knowledge, but it gradually hems in the obstinate, until it prevails in the end.