Tafsir of Az-Zukhruf 43:24

(And he said) – a narrative of what transpired between the warners and their nations when the latter excused themselves by citing the imitation of their forefathers. That is to say: Every warner among those warners said to his nation, (Even if I brought you) – meaning: Will you follow your forefathers even if I brought you (a better guide) – i.e., a religion better guided than the misguidance you found your forefathers upon, which is not guided in the least; but it was expressed as such metaphorically, following the path of fairness.

The majority recited (Say) as a narrative of a past command revealed to every warner; that is, it was said, or We said to the warner, "Say," and so on. In al-Bahr, it is suggested that this is an address to our Prophet, may Allah exalt him and grant him peace. However, the apparent meaning is what preceded, due to the words of the Exalted: (They said, "Indeed, we are disbelievers in that with which you were sent.")

(24) For it is very apparent that this is a narrative regarding the past nations; that is, every nation said to its warner, "Indeed, we are disbelievers in that with which you were sent," and so on. It was summarized in the narrative for the sake of brevity, as was established in His saying, the Exalted: (O messengers, eat from the good foods). To interpret it as a narrative about the people of our Prophet, may Allah exalt him and grant him peace, by construing the plural form as an inclusion of him with the rest of the warners, and directing their disbelief toward that which all of them were sent with—namely, Tawhid (monotheism), because of their consensus upon it—as in the likes of His saying, the Exalted: (The people of 'Ad denied the messengers), is a far-fetched interpretation. Moreover, the apparent text of His statement, the Glorified, rejects it.