Have we given them a book before this, and they are upholding it?
أَم ءاتَينٰهُم كِتٰبًا مِن قَبلِهِ فَهُم بِهِ مُستَمسِكونَ
am aatainaahum Kitaaban min qablihee fahum bihee mustamsikoon
Have we given them a book before this, and they are upholding it?
أَم ءاتَينٰهُم كِتٰبًا مِن قَبلِهِ فَهُم بِهِ مُستَمسِكونَ
am aatainaahum Kitaaban min qablihee fahum bihee mustamsikoon
(Inherited Traditions Condemned)
The fact is that: they said, “We found our parents carrying on certain practices, and we are following in their footsteps.”
بَل قالوا إِنّا وَجَدنا ءاباءَنا عَلىٰ أُمَّةٍ وَإِنّا عَلىٰ ءاثٰرِهِم مُهتَدونَ
bal qaalooo innaa wajadnaaa aabaaa’anaa ‘alaaa ummatinw wa innaa ‘alaaa aasaarihim muhtadoon
Invariably, when we sent a warner to any community, the leaders of that community would say, “We found our parents following certain practices, and we will continue in their footsteps.”
وَكَذٰلِكَ ما أَرسَلنا مِن قَبلِكَ فى قَريَةٍ مِن نَذيرٍ إِلّا قالَ مُترَفوها إِنّا وَجَدنا ءاباءَنا عَلىٰ أُمَّةٍ وَإِنّا عَلىٰ ءاثٰرِهِم مُقتَدونَ
wa kazaalika maaa arsalnaa min qablika fee qaryatim min nazeerin illaa qaala mutrafoohaaa innaa wajadnaaa aabaaa’anaa ‘alaaa ummatinw wa innaa ‘alaaa aasaarihim muqtadoon
(The messenger) would say, “What if I brought to you better guidance than what you inherited from your parents?” They would say, “We are disbelievers in the message you brought.”
قٰلَ أَوَلَو جِئتُكُم بِأَهدىٰ مِمّا وَجَدتُم عَلَيهِ ءاباءَكُم قالوا إِنّا بِما أُرسِلتُم بِهِ كٰفِرونَ
qaala awa law ji’tukum bi ahdaa mimmaa wajatdtum ‘alaihi aabaaa’akum qaalooo innaa bimaaa ursiltum bihee kaafiroon
Consequently, we requited them. Note the consequences for the rejectors.
فَانتَقَمنا مِنهُم فَانظُر كَيفَ كانَ عٰقِبَةُ المُكَذِّبينَ
fantaqamnaa minhum fanzur kaifa kaana ‘aaqibatul mukazzibeen
(Abraham’s Example)
Abraham said to his father and his people, “I disown what you worship.
وَإِذ قالَ إِبرٰهيمُ لِأَبيهِ وَقَومِهِ إِنَّنى بَراءٌ مِمّا تَعبُدونَ
wa iz qaala Ibraaheemu liabeehi wa qawmiheee innane baraaa’um mimmaa ta’budoon
“Only the One who initiated me can guide me.”
إِلَّا الَّذى فَطَرَنى فَإِنَّهُ سَيَهدينِ
illal lazee fataranee fa innahoo sa yahdeen
This example (of Abraham) was rendered an everlasting lesson for subsequent generations; perhaps they redeem their souls.
وَجَعَلَها كَلِمَةً باقِيَةً فى عَقِبِهِ لَعَلَّهُم يَرجِعونَ
wa ja’alahaa kalimatan baaqiyatan fee ‘aqibihee la ‘allahum yarji’oon
Indeed, I have given these people and their ancestors sufficient chances, then the truth came to them, and a clarifying messenger.
بَل مَتَّعتُ هٰؤُلاءِ وَءاباءَهُم حَتّىٰ جاءَهُمُ الحَقُّ وَرَسولٌ مُبينٌ
bal matta’tu haaa’ulaaa’i wa aabaaa’ahum hattaa jaaa’a humul haqqu wa Rasoolun mubeen
When the truth came to them, they said, “This is magic, and we are disbelievers therein.”
وَلَمّا جاءَهُمُ الحَقُّ قالوا هٰذا سِحرٌ وَإِنّا بِهِ كٰفِرونَ
wa lammaa jaaa’ahumul haqqu qaaloo haazaa sihrunw wa innaa bihee kaafiroon