Key idea
Dismissive questioning
They question in a dismissive manner why Saalih (as) should be chosen from among all of them: “Was the reminder dropped upon him from among all of us?”
“Why him among us?”Ayah 54:25 — Arabic and Translation
أَأُلْقِيَ الذِّكْرُ عَلَيْهِ مِن بَيْنِنَا بَلْ هُوَ كَذَّابٌ أَشِرٌ
“Was the reminder dropped upon him from among all of us? No, rather he is a great liar, an insolent one”.
Accusation and Tone
Parallel pattern
Echo elsewhere
This resembles what was said to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ:
وَقَالُوا لَوْلَا نُزِّلَ هَٰذَا الْقُرْآنُ عَلَىٰ رَجُلٍ مِّنَ الْقَرْيَتَيْنِ عَظِيمٍ
“Why was this Qur'an not sent down upon a great man from [one of] the two cities?” (Az-Zukhruf: 31)
Language insights
Lexical focus
أَشِرٌ (Ashir)
Refers to someone insolent and arrogant—boastful pride and vain glory.
It has origins in something that sharpens or has sharpness attached to it. From this, the arrogance in أَشِرٌ is a kind that pricks at people and has an unpleasant sharp edge to it.
Reading the claim
Projection and inversion
This is projection from them: they are the ones who are insolent and arrogant in their denial.
The arrogance they attributed to Saalih (as) stemmed from his commitment and firmness upon his message and his refusal to submit to them, their authority, and corrupt ways.
Core lessons and mindsets
Takeaway
Dismissal is not evidence
Questioning “why him?” reflects pride, not a reasoned objection.
Emphasis
Steadfastness can be misread
Firm commitment to truth may be mislabeled as arrogance by those resisting it.
Orientation
Resist corrupt pressure
Refusing to submit to corrupt authority is a mark of integrity, not conceit.