Al-Qur'an Surah Az-Zukhruf Verse 23

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Similarly, We did not send a warner to a town before you, but its affluent people said, “We have found our fathers on a certain way, and we are following their footprints.”

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Similarly, whenever We sent a warner to a society before you ˹O Prophet˺, its ˹spoiled˺ elite would say, “We found our forefathers following a ˹particular˺ way, and we are walking in their footsteps.”

Ruwwad Translation Center

Likewise, We never sent any warner to a town before you except that its affluent ones said, “We found our forefathers on a path, and we are following their footsteps.”

A. J. Arberry

Even so We sent never before thee any warner into any city, except that its men who lived at ease said, 'We indeed found our fathers upon a community, and we are following upon their traces.'

Abdul Haleem

When-ever We sent a messenger before you to warn a township, those corrupted by wealth said, in the same way, ‘We saw our fathers following this tradition; we are only following in their footsteps.’

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And in this wise We sent not before thee into any city a warner but the affluent thereof said: verily we! we found our fathers on a certain way and verily their footsteps we are following.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Just in the same way, whenever We sent a Warner before thee to any people, the wealthy ones among them said; "We found our fathers following a certain religion, and we will certainly follow in their footsteps."

Abul Ala Maududi

And thus it is: whenever We sent any warner to a city its affluent ones said: “We found our forefathers on a way and we continue to follow in their footsteps.”

Ahmed Ali

Thus, We never sent an admonisher to a settlement before you but the decadent among them said. "We found our fathers following this way, and we are walking in their footsteps."

Ahmed Raza Khan

And similarly, whenever We sent a Herald of Warning before you (O dear Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him) into any town, its wealthy people said, “We found our forefathers upon a religion, and we are behind their footsteps.”

Ali Quli Qarai

So it has been that We did not send any warner to a town before you, without its affluent ones saying, ‘We found our fathers following a creed and we are indeed following in their footsteps.’

Ali Ünal

In just that way, We never sent a warner to a township before you but those of its people who had been lost in the pursuit of pleasures without scruples reacted, saying: "We have found our forefathers following a religion, and we certainly follow in their footsteps."

Amatul Rahman Omar

It has always been the case, We never sent any Warner to any township before you but its insolent leaders and well-to-do persons said, `We have found our forefathers on a certain course and we are the followers in their footsteps (to the right direction).´

English Literal

And as/like that We did not send from before you in a village/urban city from a warner/giver of notice except its luxuriated ungrateful and arrogant said: "We (E), we found our fathers on a constitution (set example) , and we (E), on their tracks , we are following/imitating (their) example."

Faridul Haque

And similarly, whenever We sent a Herald of Warning before you (O dear Prophet Mohammed - peace and blessings be upon him) into any town, its wealthy people said, “We found our forefathers upon a religion, and we are behind their footsteps.”

Hamid S. Aziz

And even so, We did not send before you (Muhammad) any Warner into any town, but those who led easy lives in it (the wealthy or leisured) said, "Surely we found our fathers in a religion, and surely we will follow in their footsteps."

Hilali & Khan

And similarly, We sent not a warner before you (O Muhammad SAW) to any town (people) but the luxurious ones among them said: "We found our fathers following a certain way and religion, and we will indeed follow their footsteps."

Maulana Mohammad Ali

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

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And thus, We did not send before you any warner in a town, but those who led easy lives in it said: Surely we found our fathers on a course, and surely we are followers of their footsteps.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

And even so We sent not a warner before thee (Muhammad) into any township but its luxurious ones said: Lo! we found our fathers following a religion, and we are following their footprints.

Muhammad Sarwar

In the same way, whenever We had sent a Messenger before you to warn a town, the rich ones therein said, "We found our fathers following a certain belief and we follow in their footsteps.

Qaribullah & Darwish

As such, We never sent a warner before you to a village, except those living in luxury said: 'We found our fathers following a creed, and by following in their footsteps we are guided'

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And similarly, We sent not a warner before you to any town (people) but the luxurious ones among them said: "We found our fathers following a certain way and religion, and we will indeed follow their footsteps."

Wahiduddin Khan

Whenever We sent a messenger before you to warn a township, the affluent among them said, in the same way, "We saw our fathers following this tradition; we are only following in their footsteps."

Talal Itani

Likewise, We sent no warner before you to any town, but the wealthy among them said, “We found our parents on a course, and we are following in their footsteps.”

Tafsir jalalayn

And thus We never sent a warner before you into any city without that its affluent folk, those of comfortable means, said, the like of what your people say; `Lo! we found our fathers following a [certain] creed and [so] we are indeed following in their footsteps'.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

And similarly, We sent not a warner before you to any town (people) but the luxurious ones among them said;

"We found our fathers following a certain way and religion, and we will indeed follow their footsteps."

Then He says;

قَالَ أَوَلَوْ جِيْتُكُم بِأَهْدَى مِمَّا وَجَدتُّمْ عَلَيْهِ ابَاءكُمْ

قَالُوا إِنَّا بِمَا أُرْسِلْتُم بِهِ كَافِرُونَ