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,

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 All&h says about them,

And those who disbelieve saij of those ivho believe: " Had it been a good thing, they ( the weak and the poor) would not have preceded us thereto!"

Nuh’s people said,

"Shall we believe in you, when the weakest (of the people) follow you ?"

And Allah says,

Thus Wc 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 knoiv best those ivho are grateful ?
This is why Allah refuted their doubts:

This means, “How many nations and generations did jWe destroy of those who denied (this message) due to their disbelief?”

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,

“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 [Afaqam] 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 stoiy of their situation in the Qur’an,

How many gardens and springs that they [Fir' awn's people] left behind, and green crops and honored places [Maqam].

Therefore, position [Afaqdm] 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 stoiy to His Messenger of what happened with the people of Lut,

And practice Al-Munkar (evil deeds) in your meeting places [Nadiyakum].

The Arabs call a place of gathering a Nadl’W