Quran-2:170 Surah Al-baqarah English Translation,Transliteration and Tafsir(Tafseer).

وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمُ ٱتَّبِعُواْ مَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ قَالُواْ بَلۡ نَتَّبِعُ مَآ أَلۡفَيۡنَا عَلَيۡهِ ءَابَآءَنَآۚ أَوَلَوۡ كَانَ ءَابَآؤُهُمۡ لَا يَعۡقِلُونَ شَيۡـٔٗا وَلَا يَهۡتَدُونَ

Transliteration:( Wa izaa qeela lahumuttabi'oo maaa anzalal laahu qaaloo bal nattabi'u maaa alfainaa 'alaihi aabaaa'anaaa; awalaw kaana aabaaa'uhum laa ya'qiloona shai'anw wa laa yahtadoon )

170. And when it is said to them: Follow what Allah has revealed, they say: We will rather follow that which we found our forefathers upon. Even if their forefathers had no understanding and were not guided [361]. (Kanzul Imaan Translation)

(170) And when it is said to them, "Follow what Allāh has revealed," they say, "Rather, we will follow that which we found our fathers doing." Even though their fathers understood nothing, nor were they guided? (Saheen International Translation)

Surah Al-Baqarah Ayat 170 Tafsir (Commentry)



  • Tafseer-e-Naeemi (Ahmad Yaar Khan)
  • Ibn Kathir
  • Ala-Madudi
  • Shaheen International

361. To follow the path of misguided ancestors in opposition to Laws of Shariah is totally forbidden. Likewise, treading the path of our pious predecessors which is based on Islamic laws is a commendable act. Says Allah Almighty" And be with the truthful' (S9 :V119). And the QUR'AAN, further states "The path ofthose whom you have favoured (SI:V7) Says Holy Prophet "Whatever the Muslims regard as virtuous, it is virtuous by Allah as well." Therefore Allah has used: "When we found our forefathers" (V2: S170).

Ibn-Kathir

The tafsir of Surah Baqarah verse 169 by Ibn Kathir is unavailable here.
Please refer to Surah Baqarah ayat 168 which provides the complete commentary from verse 168 through 169.

(2:170) And when they are told: “Follow what Allah has revealed,” they say: “No, we shall follow what we found our forefathers adhering to.”[168] What! Even if their forefathers were devoid of understanding and right guidance?

Ala-Maududi

(2:170) And when they are told: “Follow what Allah has revealed,” they say: “No, we shall follow what we found our forefathers adhering to.”[168] What! Even if their forefathers were devoid of understanding and right guidance?


168. The only possible argument and justification for these taboos was that they had been sanctified by the practice of their forefathers from whom they had allegedly come down generation after generation. Fickle-minded as they were, they deemed this argument to be sufficiently persuasive.

(170) And when it is said to them, "Follow what Allāh has revealed," they say, "Rather, we will follow that which we found our fathers doing." Even though their fathers understood nothing, nor were they guided?

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