﴿ وَإِذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِمْ ءَايَٰتُنَا بَيِّنَٰتٍۢ قَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ أَىُّ ٱلْفَرِيقَيْنِ خَيْرٌۭ مَّقَامًۭا وَأَحْسَنُ نَدِيًّۭا ﴾

“AS IT IS, whenever Our messages are conveyed to them in all their clarity, those who are bent on denying the truth are wont to say unto those who have attained to faith: "Which of the two kinds of man is in a stronger position and superior as a community?"”

(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?)