and another a slave. Just as We have favored some of them over others in provision as We willed, so too We have chosen for the message whomever We willed.

“And We have raised some of them above others in rank”—through wealth and property—“so that some may take others into service”: that some may employ others. Thus, the wealthy employ poor laborers through their wealth, so that each becomes a means of livelihood for the other: one through his wealth, and the other through his work. In this way, the order of the world is maintained. Qatadah and al-Dahhak said: Some of them possess others through servitude and ownership by means of their wealth. “And the mercy of your Lord”—meaning Paradise (1)—“is better” for the believers “than what they amass,” that is, the wealth amassed by the disbelievers.

“And were it not that mankind would become one community”—that is, were it not that they would all become disbelievers and unite upon disbelief—“We would have made for those who disbelieve in the Most Merciful roofs of silver for their houses.” Ibn Kathir, Abu Jafar, and Abu Amr recited it as “saqfan,” with the sin vowelled with fathah and the qaf unvowelled, in the singular form but with a collective meaning, as in His saying, exalted is He: “Then the roof fell down upon them from above them” (al-Nahl 16:26). The remaining reciters read it with both the sin and qaf vowelled with dammah, in the plural form; it is the plural of “saqf,” like “rahn” and “ruhun.” Abu Ubaydah said: There is no third form for these two. It was also said that it is the plural of “saqif.” And it was said that “suquf” is a plural of a plural. “And stairways”—ascents and steps of silver—“upon which they ascend,” that is, they climb and go up. One says, “I ascended the roof,” when one climbs upon it.

“And doors for their houses” of silver, “and couches”—that is, We would have made for them couches of silver—“upon which they recline.”

“And adornments”: that is, along with that, We would have given them adornments, namely gold, as in His saying: “Or you should have a house of gold” (al-Isra 17:93). “Yet all of this is merely the enjoyment of the life of this world.” Hamzah and Asim recited “lamma” with a doubled mim, meaning: All of this is nothing but the enjoyment of the life of this world; thus, “lamma” carries the meaning of “nothing but.” The others read it with an undoubled mim, meaning: All of this is the enjoyment of the life of this world. In this reading, “in” is an introductory particle and “ma” is supplementary; that is, all of this is the enjoyment of the life of this world, which passes away and vanishes. “And the Hereafter, with your Lord, is exclusively for those who fear Him”—meaning Paradise.

The Imam Abu Ali al-Husayn ibn Muhammad al-Qadi informed us: Abu al-Abbas Abdullah ibn Muhammad ibn Harun