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 Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
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.
[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.
