walawlā an yakūna l-nāsu ummatan wāḥidatan lajaʿalnā liman yakfuru bil-raḥmāni libuyūtihim suqufan min fiḍḍatin wamaʿārija ʿalayhā yaẓharūna
Translation
And if it were not that the people would become one community [of disbelievers],1440 We would have made for those who disbelieve in the Most Merciful - for their houses - ceilings and stairways of silver upon which to mount.
Notes
[1440] Who assumed that Allāh's generosity to them was a sign of His approval or who would hasten to disbelief in order to obtain wealth.
Verse 33 of Surah Az-Zukhruf (43:33), a Meccan surah, is in juz 25, on page 491 of the mushaf. Read it in Arabic with its transliteration, translations and tafsir, and listen to it recited by 74 reciters.
Listen to verse 33 of Surah Az-Zukhruf
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Tafsir of verse 33
Al-Mukhtasar
Had it not been that humanity was on one creed of disbelief, I would have made in the houses of those who disbelieved in Allah roofs of silver and stairs upon which they could climb.
Were it not that all people might become a single community [of disbelievers]13, We would have given those who disbelieve in the Most Compassionate One houses of sliver roofs and staircases to ascend,
Notes
[13] Assuming that Allah’s generosity to them was a sign of His approval.
And were it not that mankind would have become of one community (all disbelievers, desiring worldly life only), We would have provided for those who disbelieve in the Most Gracious (Allâh), silver roofs for their houses, and elevators whereby they ascend,
And were it not that mankind would have become one community, We might well have appointed, for those who disbelieve in the Beneficent, roofs of silver for their houses and stairs (of silver) whereby to mount,
And were it not that (all) men might become of one (evil) way of life, We would provide, for everyone that blasphemes against (Allah) Most Gracious, silver roofs for their houses and (silver) stair-ways on which to go up,
And were it not that all people had been a single nation, We would certainly have assigned to those who disbelieve in the Beneficent Allah (to make) of silver the roofs of their houses and the stairs by which they ascend.
And had it not been that mankind would be one nation, We would indeed have made for whomever disbelieve in The All-Merciful roofs of silver to their homes, and stairways whereon they mount.
