سُوْرَةُ البَقَرَةِ
Surah Al-Baqara (2) — Ayah 170
وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمُ ٱتَّبِعُوا۟ مَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ قَالُوا۟ بَلْ نَتَّبِعُ مَآ أَلْفَيْنَا عَلَيْهِ ءَابَآءَنَآ ۗ أَوَلَوْ كَانَ ءَابَآؤُهُمْ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ شَيْـًٔا وَلَا يَهْتَدُونَ ﴿170﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
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?
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَإِذَا
wa-idhā
And when
قِيلَ
qīla
it is said
لَهُمُ
lahumu
to them
ٱتَّبِعُوا۟
ittabiʿū
Follow
مَآ
mā
what
أَنزَلَ
anzala
has revealed
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah
قَالُوا۟
qālū
they said
بَلْ
bal
Nay
نَتَّبِعُ
nattabiʿu
we follow
مَآ
mā
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
lā
(did) not
يَعْقِلُونَ
yaʿqilūna
understand
شَيْـًۭٔا
shayan
anything
وَلَا
walā
and not
يَهْتَدُونَ
yahtadūna
were they guided
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan — Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf
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.
