سُوْرَةُ الْاَعْرَافِ
Surah Al-A'raaf (7) — Ayah 173
أَوْ تَقُولُوٓا۟ إِنَّمَآ أَشْرَكَ ءَابَآؤُنَا مِن قَبْلُ وَكُنَّا ذُرِّيَّةً مِّنۢ بَعْدِهِمْ ۖ أَفَتُهْلِكُنَا بِمَا فَعَلَ ٱلْمُبْطِلُونَ ﴿173﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Or lest you should say: "It was only our fathers afortime who took others as partners in worship along with Allâh, and we were (merely their) descendants after them; will You then destroy us because of the deeds of men who practised Al-Bâtil (i.e. polytheism and committing crimes and sins, invoking and worshipping others besides Allâh)?" (Tafsir At-Tabarî).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
أَوْ
aw
Or
تَقُولُوٓا۟
taqūlū
you say
إِنَّمَآ
innamā
Only
أَشْرَكَ
ashraka
partners (were) associated (with Allah)
ءَابَآؤُنَا
ābāunā
(by) our forefathers
مِن
min
from
قَبْلُ
qablu
before (us)
وَكُنَّا
wakunnā
and we are
ذُرِّيَّةًۭ
dhurriyyatan
descendants
مِّنۢ
min
from
بَعْدِهِمْ ۖ
baʿdihim
after them
أَفَتُهْلِكُنَا
afatuh'likunā
So will You destroy us
بِمَا
bimā
for what
فَعَلَ
faʿala
did
ٱلْمُبْطِلُونَ
l-mub'ṭilūna
the falsifiers
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
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 173) {اَوْ تَقُوْلُوْۤا اِنَّمَاۤ اَشْرَكَ …:} Or that you present this excuse that we only followed the path of shirk by observing our elders, what fault is ours? The meaning is that no excuse of imitation will be accepted regarding shirk. { ’’ الْمُبْطِلُوْنَ ‘‘} refers to forefathers, meaning to say that the real criminals are they, not us. There will be no room for such an excuse there, because initially, the recognition of one's Lord and His oneness has been placed in the nature of every person, then for its reminder and explanation, messengers have been sent and books have been revealed, and in the universe, its evidences have been placed, and intellect has also been granted for their understanding.
