بَلْ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّا وَجَدْنَآ ءَابَآءَنَا عَلَىٰٓ أُمَّةٍ وَإِنَّا عَلَىٰٓ ءَاثَـٰرِهِم مُّهْتَدُونَ 22
Translations
Rather, they say, "Indeed, we found our fathers upon a religion, and we are in their footsteps [rightly] guided."
Transliteration
Bal qalū innā wajadnā ābāʾanā ʿalā ummatin wa-innā ʿalā āthārihim muhtadūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah presents the objection of the polytheists who rejected the message of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) by claiming they found their fathers upon a clear religion and they are rightly guided by following their footsteps. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi note that this represents blind imitation (taqlīd) of ancestors without rational or scriptural justification, which the Quran refutes by emphasizing that truth must be sought through divine revelation, not merely inherited tradition.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the Meccan period within Surah Az-Zukhruf, which addresses the arguments and excuses of the Quraysh polytheists against monotheism. The surah consistently refutes their objections and blind adherence to ancestral customs. This particular verse highlights their primary defense: cultural and familial conformity rather than evidence-based belief.
Related Hadiths
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: 'The best of you are my generation, then those who follow them, then those who follow them' (Sahih Bukhari 3651), contrasting true guidance with mere succession. Additionally, the hadith about following the majority in error (Sunan Ibn Majah 4252) relates to rejecting guidance based solely on numbers or tradition.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah warns against accepting beliefs merely because they are inherited or widespread, emphasizing that each person is responsible for seeking truth through evidence and divine guidance rather than unquestioning adherence to tradition—a principle equally vital in contemporary faith and intellectual life.