Translation of the meanings Ayah 104 Surah Al-Mā’idah - English Translation - Dr. Waleed Bleyhesh Omary - The Noble Qur'an Encyclopedia

Ayah: 104

وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمۡ تَعَالَوۡاْ إِلَىٰ مَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ وَإِلَى ٱلرَّسُولِ قَالُواْ حَسۡبُنَا مَا وَجَدۡنَا عَلَيۡهِ ءَابَآءَنَآۚ أَوَلَوۡ كَانَ ءَابَآؤُهُمۡ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَ شَيۡـٔٗا وَلَا يَهۡتَدُونَ

(104) When it is said to them: “Come to what Allah sent down and to the Messenger”. They say: “Good enough for us are the ways of our forefathers”. Would this ˹be the case˺ even if their forefathers had no knowledge nor were they able of finding the way^[1272].

[1272] “Should they be told: “Follow what Allah sent down”, they would say: “Nay, we would only follow that which we found our fathers doing”; ˹Would they˺ Even if their fathers were mindless of everything, nor were they guided” (2: 170). Their pretext is ever-ready whenever they are called on to follow God’s commands; they have their old habits to fall back on (cf. also 31: 20-21 and 37: 69-70).