"Thullah" in the Holy Qur’an: Few or Many

In the interpretation tradition, verses 10 to 14 of Al-Waqi'a Surah are understood in such a way that the number of predecessors and close associates in the previous nations was more than the nation of the Prophet of Islam: {And the foremost in the race, the foremost in the race: Those are they who will be brought nigh, In gardens of delight; A multitude of those of old}. This idea is formed on the basis that {A multitude of those of old} is in opposition to {And a few of those of later time}. However, "Thullah" means "a little" in Arabic language; And in the teachings of the Qur'an and tradition, many of the previous nations were transgressors. For example, in Al-Hadid Surah, next to Al-Waqi'a Surah, it is stated:{that they become not as those who received the scripture of old but the term was prolonged for them and so their hearts were hardened, and many of them are evil-livers} (57:16) and { And We verily sent Noah and Abraham and placed the prophethood and the scripture among their seed, and among them there is he who goeth right, but many of them are evil-livers.} (57:26). Therefore, "the elect" were "few" in both the former and the latter.