The Holy Quran 2:170 — Surah Al-Baqarah

Arabic text

وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمُ ٱتَّبِعُوا۟ مَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ قَالُوا۟ بَلْ نَتَّبِعُ مَآ أَلْفَيْنَا عَلَيْهِ ءَابَآءَنَآ ۗ أَوَلَوْ كَانَ ءَابَآؤُهُمْ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ شَيْـًٔا وَلَا يَهْتَدُونَ

Translation

And when it is said to them (the Kaafiroon and sinners), "Follow that which Allaah has revealed," they say, "But we wish to follow that which we found our forefathers doing (worshipping idols, regarding certain Halaal things to be forbidden, not marrying widows, etc)." What! (Will they follow their forefathers) even though they (their forefathers) understood nothing (about Deen) and were not rightly guided (to the truth)?

Tafsir (excerpt) — Tafsir Usmani

Following forefathers: that is, in opposition to the commands of Almighty Allah they follow their forefathers, and this too is shirk (associating partners with Allah). Thus some ignorant Muslims too say such things regarding false customs such as not allowing widows to remarry, and some, even if they do not say it with their tongues, show the same through…

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