Surah 31 Luqman — Ayah 21
وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمُ ٱتَّبِعُوا۟ مَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ قَالُوا۟ بَلْ نَتَّبِعُ مَا وَجَدْنَا عَلَيْهِ ءَابَآءَنَآ ۚ أَوَلَوْ كَانَ ٱلشَّيْطَٰنُ يَدْعُوهُمْ إِلَىٰ عَذَابِ ٱلسَّعِيرِ
And when it is said to them, "Follow what Allah has revealed," they say, "Rather, we will follow that upon which we found our fathers." Even if Satan was inviting them to the punishment of the Blaze?
wa-idhā qīla lahumu ittabiʿū mā anzala l-lahu qālū bal nattabiʿu mā wajadnā ʿalayhi ābāanā awalaw kāna l-shayṭānu yadʿūhum ilā ʿadhābi l-saʿīri
Word by word
- وَإِذَا wa-idhā And when
- قِيلَ qīla it is said
- لَهُمُ lahumu to them
- ٱتَّبِعُوا۟ ittabiʿū Follow
- مَآ mā what
- أَنزَلَ anzala Allah (has) revealed
- ٱللَّهُ l-lahu Allah (has) revealed
- قَالُوا۟ qālū they say
- بَلْ bal Nay
- نَتَّبِعُ nattabiʿu we will follow
- مَا mā what
- وَجَدْنَا wajadnā we found
- عَلَيْهِ ʿalayhi on it
- ءَابَآءَنَآ ۚ ābāanā our forefathers
- أَوَلَوْ awalaw Even if
- كَانَ kāna Shaitaan was
- ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنُ l-shayṭānu Shaitaan was
- يَدْعُوهُمْ yadʿūhum (to) call them
- إِلَىٰ ilā to
- عَذَابِ ʿadhābi (the) punishment
- ٱلسَّعِيرِ l-saʿīri (of) the Blaze
Tafsir · Ibn Kathir (Abridged)
Reminder of Blessings Here
Allah reminds His creation of the blessings He bestows upon them in this world and the Hereafter. In the heavens He has subjugated for them the stars which give them light during the night and during the day, and He has created clouds, rain, snow and hail, and made the heavens a canopy which covers and protects them. On earth He has created for them stability and rivers, trees, crops and fruits; He has completed and perfected His graces upon them, apparent and hidden, by sending Messengers, revealing Books and removing doubts and excuses. Yet despite all this, not all the people believe, and indeed there are those who dispute concerning Allah, that is, His Tawhid, and His sending the Messengers. Their dispute is without knowledge and they have no sound evidence or valid inherited Book. Allah says:
(And among men is he who disputes about Allah, without knowledge or guidance, or a Book giving light (from Allah).) (22:8) meaning clear and unambiguous.
(And when it is said to them) means, to these people who dispute about the Oneness of Allah.
("Follow that which Allah has sent down,") means, the pure Divine Laws that He has sent down to His Messengers,
(they say: "Nay, we shall follow that which we found our fathers (following).") means, they have no other proof except the fact that they are following their forefathers. Allah says:
(Even though their fathers did not understand anything nor were they guided) (2:170) meaning, `what do you think, you who take the forefathers' deeds as proof, that they were misguided and you are following in their footsteps' Allah says:
(Even if Shaytan invites them to the torment of the Fire)