Al-Qur'an Surah Az-Zukhruf Verse 22

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Instead, they say, “We have found our fathers on a certain way, and we are on their footprints, fully guided.”

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

In fact, they say, “We found our forefathers following a ˹particular˺ way, and we are following in their footsteps.”

Ruwwad Translation Center

They rather say, “We found our forefathers on a path, and we are seeking guidance in their footsteps.”

A. J. Arberry

Nay, but they say, 'We found our fathers upon a community, and we are guided upon their traces.'

Abdul Haleem

No indeed! They say, ‘We saw our fathers following this tradition; we are guided by their footsteps.’

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Nay! they say: verily we have found our fathers on a certain way, and verily by their footsteps we are guided.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Nay! they say; "We found our fathers following a certain religion, and we do guide ourselves by their footsteps."

Abul Ala Maududi

Nay; they simply claim: “We found our forefathers on a way, and we continue to find guidance in their footsteps.”

Ahmed Ali

In fact they say: "We found our fathers following a certain way, and are guided by their footprints."

Ahmed Raza Khan

Rather they said, “We found our forefathers upon a religion, and we are following their footsteps.”

Ali Quli Qarai

No, they said, ‘We found our fathers following a creed, and we are indeed guided in their footsteps.’

Ali Ünal

Not at all! (Indeed, their only argument is that) they say: "We have found our forefathers following a certain religion, and we are led in their footsteps."

Amatul Rahman Omar

Nay, but they go on saying, `We have found our forefathers on a certain course, and we (while walking) in their footsteps, are following the right course (of true guidance).

English Literal

But they said: "We (E), we found our fathers on a constitution (set example) , and We (E) on their tracks are guided."

Faridul Haque

Rather they said, “We found our forefathers upon a religion, and we are following their footsteps.”

Hamid S. Aziz

Nay! They say, "We found our fathers in a religion, and surely we are guided by their footsteps."

Hilali & Khan

Nay! They say: "We found our fathers following a certain way and religion, and we guide ourselves by their footsteps."

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Or have We given them a Book before it so that they hold fast to it?

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Nay! they say: We found our fathers on a course, and surely we are guided by their footsteps.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Nay, for they say only: Lo! we found our fathers following a religion, and we are guided by their footprints.

Muhammad Sarwar

In fact, they say, "We found our fathers following a certain belief and we now follow in their footsteps for our guidance".

Qaribullah & Darwish

No, but they say: 'We found our fathers following a creed, and by following in their footsteps we are guided.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Nay! They say: "We found our fathers following a certain way and religion, and we guide ourselves by their footsteps."

Wahiduddin Khan

No indeed! They say, "We have found our fathers following a certain course, and we are guided by their footsteps."

Talal Itani

But they say, “We found our parents on a course, and we are guided in their footsteps.”

Tafsir jalalayn

Nay, but they say, `Lo! we found our fathers following a [certain] creed and we are indeed, proceeding, in their footsteps to be guided', by them, for they used to worship other than God.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Nay! They say;

"we found our fathers following a certain way and religion (Ummah), and we guide ourselves by their footsteps."

meaning, they have no grounds for their belief in idolatry apart from the fact that they are imitating their fathers and forefathers who were following a certain Ummah or way, i.e., religion.

The word Ummah is used in a similar manner elsewhere, where Allah says;

إِنَّ هَـذِهِ أُمَّتُكُمْ أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً

And verily, this your religion (Ummah) is one religion. (23;52),

and they said;

وَإِنَّا عَلَى اثَارِهِم

and we by their footsteps,

means, behind them.

مُّهْتَدُونَ


We guide ourselves,

This is their claim with no evidence.

Then Allah points out that what these people say was already said by those who were like them among the nations of the past who disbelieved in the Messengers. Their hearts and their words are similar.

كَذَلِكَ مَأ أَتَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ مِّن رَّسُولٍ إِلاَّ قَالُواْ سَـحِرٌ أَوْ مَجْنُونٌ


أَتَوَاصَوْاْ بِهِ بَلْ هُمْ قَوْمٌ طَـغُونَ


Likewise, no Messenger came to those before them but they said;"A sorcerer or a madman!"

Have they transmitted this saying to these?

Nay, they are themselves a people transgressing beyond bounds! (51;52-53)

And Allah says here;

وَكَذَلِكَ مَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ فِي قَرْيَةٍ مِّن نَّذِيرٍ إِلاَّ قَالَ مُتْرَفُوهَا

إِنَّا وَجَدْنَا ابَاءنَا عَلَى أُمَّةٍ وَإِنَّا عَلَى اثَارِهِم مُّقْتَدُونَ