Al-Qur'an Surah Ash-Shu'ara Verse 137

Mufti Taqi Usmani

This is nothing but the practice of the ancient,

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

This is simply the tradition of our predecessors.

Ruwwad Translation Center

This is nothing but the custom of the former people,

A. J. Arberry

this is nothing but the habit of the ancients,

Abdul Haleem

for we only do what our forefathers used to do:

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

This in but a custom of the ancients.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

"This is no other than a customary device of the ancients,

Abul Ala Maududi

This has been happening all along.

Ahmed Ali

This is just a habit of antiquated people.

Ahmed Raza Khan

“This is nothing but the tradition of former people.”

Ali Quli Qarai

These are nothing but the traditions of the ancients,

Ali Ünal

"This (what we do) is the pattern of conduct of (all our) predecessors.

Amatul Rahman Omar

`This way (of admonition) is merely the manner of the ancients.

English Literal

That truly that (is) except the first`s/beginner`s nature/character.

Faridul Haque

“This is nothing but the tradition of former people.”

Hamid S. Aziz

They said, "It is the same to us if you admonish or are not of those who admonish;

Hilali & Khan

"This is no other than the false-tales and religion of the ancients, [Tafsir At-Tabari, Vol. 19, Page 97]

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Surely I fear for you the chastisement of a grievous day.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

This is naught but a custom of the ancients;

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

This is but a fable of the men of old,

Muhammad Sarwar

your preaching is nothing but ancient legends and we shall not face any torment".

Qaribullah & Darwish

That is nothing but a habit of the ancients,

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

"This is no other than Khuluq of the ancients,"

Wahiduddin Khan

this is nothing but a habit of the ancients:

Talal Itani

This is nothing but morals of the ancients.

Tafsir jalalayn

This, that you threaten us with, is merely the fabrication of the ancients, that is, their inventions and lies (a variant reading [for khalq, `fabrication'] is khuluq, `ethos', in other words, this denial of resurrection to which we adhere is merely `the ethos of the ancients', in other words, their nature and wont);

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

This is no other than Khuluq of the ancients.

Some scholars read this;"Khalq".

According to Ibn Mas`ud and according to Abdullah bin Abbas -- as reported from Al-Awfi -- and Alqamah and Mujahid, they meant,

"What you have brought to us is nothing but the tales (Akhlaq) of the ancients."

This is like what the idolators of Quraysh said;

وَقَالُواْ أَسَـطِيرُ الاٌّوَّلِينَ اكْتَتَبَهَا فَهِىَ تُمْلَى عَلَيْهِ بُكْرَةً وَأَصِيلً

And they say;"Tales of the ancients, which he has written down, and they are dictated to him morning and afternoon." (25;5)

And Allah said;

وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ إِنْ هَـذَا إِلاَّ إِفْكٌ افْتَرَاهُ وَأَعَانَهُ عَلَيْهِ قَوْمٌ ءَاخَرُونَ فَقَدْ جَأءُوا ظُلْماً وَزُوراً

وَقَالُواْ أَسَـطِيرُ الاٌّوَّلِينَ

Those who disbelieve say;"This is nothing but a lie that he has invented, and others have helped him in it. In fact, they have produced an injustice and a lie."

And they say;"Tales of the ancients..." (25;4-5)

وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ مَّاذَا أَنزَلَ رَبُّكُمْ قَالُواْ أَسَـطِيرُ الاٌّوَّلِينَ

And when it is said to them;"What is it that your Lord has sent down"

They say;"Tales of the ancient!" (16;24)
Some other scholars recited it,
إِنْ هَذَا إِلاَّ خُلُقُ الاَْوَّلِينَ
(This is no other than Khuluq of the ancients), "as Khuluq,"

meaning their religion.

What they were following was the religion of the ancients, their fathers and grandfathers, as if they were saying;

"We are following them, we will live as they lived and die as they died, and there will be no resurrection and no judgement."

Hence they said;

وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمُعَذَّبِينَ