In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

Imaam Muhammad Bin Abdul Wahhaab [rahimahullaah] stated in Masaa-ilil Jaahiliyyah: [The Worldly Life Was Exalted In Their Hearts, as Allaah [The Exalted] Said [that They Said]: [ لَوۡلَا نُزِّلَ هَـٰذَا ٱلۡقُرۡءَانُ عَلَىٰ رَجُلٍ۬ مِّنَ ٱلۡقَرۡيَتَيۡنِ عَظِيمٍ – Why is not this Qur’aan sent down to some great man of the two towns]. [Surah Az-Zukhruf, Aayah 31]

Commentary:

One of the traits of the [people] of Al-Jaahiliyyah [i.e. the people who lived during the Pre-Islamic Era of Ignorance] was that the worldly life was exalted in their hearts; so, they regarded the one who possessed [the things of the worldly life] to be honourable and the one who was not in possession of the [things of the worldly life] to be of lowly [status] and despised. And even in the affair of Risaalah [Messengership], which is Allaah’s [absolute choice to choose the one He decides to send as a Messenger], they saw that it should be given to the rich people and not the poor people.  And they said, “Allaah found [none], except an orphan of Abu Taalib to send [as a Messenger]? They were referring to Muhammad [sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam]. [   لَوۡلَا نُزِّلَ هَـٰذَا ٱلۡقُرۡءَانُ عَلَىٰ رَجُلٍ۬ مِّنَ ٱلۡقَرۡيَتَيۡنِ عَظِيمٍ – And they say: “Why is not this Qur’aan sent down to some great man of the two towns]. [Surah Az-Zukhruf. Aayah 31]. The two towns are Makkah and Madina; and that [great man] in Makkah is Waleed Bin Mugheerah or Habeeb Bin Amr Ath-thaqafee; and it is said that the great man in Taa’if is Urwa Bin Mas’ood.

The people of Al-Jaahiliyyah [i.e. the people who lived during the Pre-Islamic Era of Ignorance] said, “If the message was given to one of those two great men, it would have been befitting to be [regarded] a message, but it does not befit them to think that it is given to a poor orphan [i.e. Muhammad-sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam]. Allaah [The Exalted] said [in response to them]: [ أَهُمۡ يَقۡسِمُونَ رَحۡمَتَ رَبِّكَ‌ۚ – Is it they who would portion out the mercy of your Lord] [Surah Az-Zukhruf. Aayah 32] – Meaning: They interfered in Allaah’s [choice, decrees, decisions etc]. They wanted to portion out Allaah’s Mercy and did not testify to what Allaah portioned out [of His Mercy], even though [ٱللَّهُ أَعۡلَمُ حَيۡثُ يَجۡعَلُ رِسَالَتَهُ – Allaah knows best with whom to place his message] [Surah Al-An’aam. Aayah 24]

[Source: An Excerpt from ‘Sharh Masaa-ilil Jaahiliyyah (by Sheikh Fawzaan (hafidhahullaah). Page: 261-262. Slightly paraphrased]