سُوْرَةُ الزُّخْرُفِ
Surah Az-Zukhruf (43) — Ayah 22
بَلْ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّا وَجَدْنَآ ءَابَآءَنَا عَلَىٰٓ أُمَّةٍ وَإِنَّا عَلَىٰٓ ءَاثَـٰرِهِم مُّهْتَدُونَ ﴿22﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Nay! They say: "We found our fathers following a certain way and religion, and we guide ourselves by their footsteps."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
بَلْ
bal
Nay
قَالُوٓا۟
qālū
they say
إِنَّا
innā
Indeed, we
وَجَدْنَآ
wajadnā
[we] found
ءَابَآءَنَا
ābāanā
our forefathers
عَلَىٰٓ
ʿalā
upon
أُمَّةٍۢ
ummatin
a religion
وَإِنَّا
wa-innā
and indeed, we
عَلَىٰٓ
ʿalā
on
ءَاثَـٰرِهِم
āthārihim
their footsteps
مُّهْتَدُونَ
muh'tadūna
(are) 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.
22. No, rather they say, "We found our forefathers following a certain way, and we are following in their footsteps."
[21]
Blind Imitation of Forefathers is the Greatest Misguidance:
That is, they have no textual evidence for angel worship. In no heavenly book will they find it written that angels are truly the daughters of Allah and partners in Allah’s divinity. and that you should therefore also worship and venerate them, and call upon them in times of difficulty and need. In the end, their only answer is that these customs have come down to us from our forefathers, who were more pious and righteous than us. So how can we abandon their religion? The disease of imitating forefathers or ancestors was not only found among the polytheists of that era, but it is also found among today’s Muslims, and one form of it is the imitation of their own Imams or a particular personality. Such people also give the same answer: that such-and-such person was more pious, righteous, and knowledgeable about the religion than us, so we cannot abandon their statement. Whereas the religion of Allah is only that which is mentioned in the Book and Sunnah. In comparison to the Book and Sunnah, the statement of even the greatest of personalities cannot be accepted.
[21]
Blind Imitation of Forefathers is the Greatest Misguidance:
That is, they have no textual evidence for angel worship. In no heavenly book will they find it written that angels are truly the daughters of Allah and partners in Allah’s divinity. and that you should therefore also worship and venerate them, and call upon them in times of difficulty and need. In the end, their only answer is that these customs have come down to us from our forefathers, who were more pious and righteous than us. So how can we abandon their religion? The disease of imitating forefathers or ancestors was not only found among the polytheists of that era, but it is also found among today’s Muslims, and one form of it is the imitation of their own Imams or a particular personality. Such people also give the same answer: that such-and-such person was more pious, righteous, and knowledgeable about the religion than us, so we cannot abandon their statement. Whereas the religion of Allah is only that which is mentioned in the Book and Sunnah. In comparison to the Book and Sunnah, the statement of even the greatest of personalities cannot be accepted.
