Al-Qur'an Surah Az-Zukhruf Verse 33

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Were it not that all people would become of a single creed (i.e. disbelief), We would have caused, for those who disbelieve in RaHmān, roofs of their houses to be made of silver, and the stairs as well, on which they would climb,

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Were it not that people might ˹be tempted to˺ become one community ˹of disbelievers˺, We would have supplied the homes of ˹only˺ those who disbelieve in the Most Compassionate with silver roofs and ˹silver˺ stairways to ascend,

Ruwwad Translation Center

Were it not that all people might become a single community [of disbelievers], We would have given those who disbelieve in the Most Compassionate houses of sliver roofs and staircases to ascend,

A. J. Arberry

And were it not that mankind would be one nation, We would have appointed for those who disbelieve in the All-merciful roofs of silver to their houses, and stairs whereon to mount,

Abdul Haleem

If it were not that all mankind might have become a single nation [of disbelievers], We could have given all those who disbelieve in the Lord of Mercy houses with roofs of silver, sweeping staircases to ascend,

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And were it not that mankind would have become one community, We should make for those who disbelieve in the Compassionate roofs of silver for their houses and silver stair ways whereby they ascend.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

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,

Abul Ala Maududi

Were it not that all mankind would become a single community (and follow the same way), We would have provided for all those who disbelieve in the Merciful One silver roofs for their houses, and (silver) stairs on which to go up,

Ahmed Ali

Had it not been that all people would become one community (of unbelievers), We might have given those who disbelieve in Ar-Rahman roofs of silver for their dwellings and (silver) stairs for mounting,

Ahmed Raza Khan

And were it not for that all people be on one religion, We would have made for the disbelievers of the Most Gracious, roofs and stairs of silver which they would climb.

Ali Quli Qarai

Were it not [for the danger] that mankind would be one community, We would have made for those who defy the All-beneficent, silver roofs for their houses and [silver] stairways by which they ascend,

Ali Ünal

And were it not that all people would become one community (around unbelief), We might well have provided for everyone who disbelieves in the All-Merciful roofs of silver for their houses, and (silver) stairways on which to go up,

Amatul Rahman Omar

And were it not (for the fact) that all mankind would become (followers) of one course (of disbelief) We would have given to those who disbelieve in the Most Gracious (God) roofs of silver for their houses and (silver) stairways whereby they could ascend;

English Literal

Were it not for that the people be one nation We would have made to who disbelieves with the merciful, for their houses/homes roofs/ceilings from silver and stairs/lifts on it they mount/ascend.

Faridul Haque

And were it not for that all people be on one religion, We would have made for the disbelievers of the Most Gracious, roofs and stairs of silver which they would climb.

Hamid S. Aziz

And were it not that all mankind might have become of a single (evil) community (or way of life), We might well have assigned to those who blaspheme against the Beneficent silver for the roofs of their houses and the stairs by which they ascend.

Hilali & Khan

And were it not that all mankind would have become of one community (all disbelievers, desiring worldly life only), We would have provided for those who disbelieve in the Most Beneficent (Allah), silver roofs for their houses, and elevators (and stair-ways, etc. of silver) whereby they ascend,

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Do they apportion the mercy of thy Lord? We portion out among them their livelihood in the life of this world and We exalt some of them above others in rank, that some of them may take others in service. And the mercy of thy Lord is better than that which they amass.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

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.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

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,

Muhammad Sarwar

Were it not for the fear that all people would become one in disbelief, We would have made for the disbelievers in the Beneficent God ceilings out of silver and ladders by which they would climb up,

Qaribullah & Darwish

If it were not that mankind would be one nation We would have made for whosoever disbelieves in the Merciful silver roofs upon their houses, and stairs toclimb,

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And were it not that mankind would have become of one community, We would have provided for those who disbelieve in the Most Gracious, silver roofs for their houses, and elevators whereby they ascend,

Wahiduddin Khan

If it were not that all mankind might have become one community [of disbelievers], We could have given all those who deny the Lord of Mercy, houses with roofs of silver, silver staircases to ascend,

Talal Itani

Were it not that humanity would become a single community, We would have provided those who disbelieve in the Most Gracious with roofs of silver to their houses, and stairways by which they ascend.

Tafsir jalalayn

And were it not [for the danger] that mankind would be one community, following disbelief, We would have made, for those who disbelieve in the Compassionate One, roofs (read saqfan, or plural suqufan) of silver for their houses (li-buytihim substitutes for li-man, `for those who') and stairs, such as steps, [also] of silver, by which they ascend, [by which] they go up to the roof;

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

وَلَوْلَا أَن يَكُونَ النَّاسُ أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً

And were it not that mankind would have become of one community,

means, `were it not for the fact that many ignorant people would think that Our giving them wealth was a sign that We love the person to whom We give it, and thus they would have agreed upon disbelief for the sake of wealth.'

This is the view of Ibn Abbas, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, As-Suddi and others.

لَجَعَلْنَا لِمَن يَكْفُرُ بِالرَّحْمَنِ

لِبُيُوتِهِمْ سُقُفًا مِّن فَضَّةٍ وَمَعَارِجَ

We would have provided for those who disbelieve in the Most Gracious, silver roofs for their houses, and elevators,

means, ladders and staircases of silver.

This was the view of Ibn Abbas, Mujahid, Qatadah, As-Suddi, Ibn Zayd and others.

عَلَيْهَا يَظْهَرُونَ



whereby they ascend, (means, go up).