سُوْرَةُ البَقَرَةِ

Surah Al-Baqara (2) — Ayah 170

The Cow · Medinan · Juz 2 · Page 26

وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمُ ٱتَّبِعُوا۟ مَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ قَالُوا۟ بَلْ نَتَّبِعُ مَآ أَلْفَيْنَا عَلَيْهِ ءَابَآءَنَآ ۗ أَوَلَوْ كَانَ ءَابَآؤُهُمْ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ شَيْـًٔا وَلَا يَهْتَدُونَ ﴿170﴾
When it is said to them: "Follow what Allâh has sent down." They say: "Nay! We shall follow what we found our fathers following." (Would they do that!) even though their fathers did not understand anything nor were they guided?
وَإِذَا wa-idhā And when
قِيلَ qīla it is said
لَهُمُ lahumu to them
ٱتَّبِعُوا۟ ittabiʿū Follow
مَآ what
أَنزَلَ anzala has revealed
ٱللَّهُ l-lahu Allah
قَالُوا۟ qālū they said
بَلْ bal Nay
نَتَّبِعُ nattabiʿu we follow
مَآ what
أَلْفَيْنَا alfaynā we found
عَلَيْهِ ʿalayhi [on it]
ءَابَآءَنَآ ۗ ābāanā our forefathers (following)
أَوَلَوْ awalaw Even though
كَانَ kāna [were]
ءَابَآؤُهُمْ ābāuhum their forefathers
لَا (did) not
يَعْقِلُونَ yaʿqilūna understand
شَيْـًۭٔا shayan anything
وَلَا walā and not
يَهْتَدُونَ yahtadūna were they guided

Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.

(Ayah 170) The polytheists and the Jews and Christians had neither any rational proof for their polytheistic actions nor any transmitted proof from Allah, therefore Allah Almighty challenged them in Surah Al-Ahqaf (4) that if you have any transmitted proof from any book of Allah, then present it. So when it was said to them to follow what Allah Almighty has revealed, their only answer was that we will follow what we found our forefathers upon; they were wiser than us. In response, Allah Almighty said that if someone’s forefathers had no understanding of something, for example, if they engaged in a losing trade, or kept walking on the wrong path, would you blindly keep following them? No! Rather, use your own intellect and walk on the straight path, which is only that which Allah Almighty has revealed.

Although in these verses the address is towards the polytheists and the Jews and Christians, but if Muslims also adopt the same approach that instead of the Qur’an and Hadith, they follow customs and traditions by imitating their forefathers, or act upon the saying, opinion, or fatwa of their imam, leader, or religious scholar for which there is no proof in the Qur’an and Hadith, then they too will fall under the condemnation and warning mentioned in this verse, and this is called taqlid, because according to the scholars, the definition of taqlid is to accept the saying of someone other than Allah and His Messenger (an imam, leader, or religious scholar) without proof. Acting upon such things is haram, whether such an act is done by polytheists, Jews, Christians, or Muslims. However, if the opinion of an imam, leader, or scholar is not against the texts of the Qur’an and Hadith, then acting upon such an opinion or fatwa does not fall under taqlid and nor can it be called impermissible.

Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan is a well-known Quran commentary by Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. This tafsir explains the meanings of the Quran in accordance with the methodology of the Salaf (early righteous generations), relying on authentic sources and straightforward language. Due to its reliability and adherence to sound Islamic scholarship, the Saudi government publishes and distributes this tafsir among the Hujjaj (pilgrims) visiting the Haramain. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.

170. 1. Even today, when the people of innovation are explained that these innovations have no basis in the religion, they also reply that these customs have been passed down from our forefathers. However, forefathers too could have been deprived of religious insight and guidance, therefore the blind following of ancestors in opposition to the proofs of Shariah is wrong. May Allah Almighty save the Muslims from this quagmire.

Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.

170. And when it is said to them (the disbelievers and polytheists), "Follow what Allah has revealed," they say, "Rather, we will follow what we found our forefathers upon." Even if their forefathers understood nothing and were not guided [212], (will they still follow them)?

[212]
The Condemnation of Blindly Following Forefathers:

Blindly following forefathers is a major cause of misguidance. Out of reverence for their ancestors and elders, a person does not even bother to consider that they too could have made a mistake. That is why Allah Almighty has condemned the blind following of forefathers at numerous places in the Noble Quran and has declared it as shirk (associating partners with Allah). This is because the actions of forefathers are not a legal proof in Shariah. Rather, it is necessary to investigate every matter to determine whether it is permissible according to Shariah or not, even if this investigation affects oneself or one's forefathers. It should not happen that if any wrong action was committed by someone's ancestors, that mistake continues to be passed down through generations, until it comes to be regarded as a religious act itself.