Tafsir & Commentary
Those who set the Ranks (الصافات) · Meccan
إِنَّهُمْ أَلْفَوْا۟ ءَابَآءَهُمْ ضَآلِّينَ69
37:69
Translation — Sahih International
Indeed they found their fathers astray.
Transliteration
Innahum alfaw abaahum daalleen
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah refers to the disbelievers who found their forefathers upon misguidance and followed them blindly in their disbelief. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, the ayah condemns blind imitation of ancestors in religious matters, emphasizing that inherited falsehood remains falsehood regardless of its antiquity. The passage illustrates how people often perpetuate error simply because it was the custom of their predecessors, rather than seeking truth through reason and revelation.
Revelation Context (Asbab al-Nuzul)
This ayah appears in the context of Surah As-Saffat's discussion of the Day of Judgment and the excuses of the disbelievers. The broader surah (revealed in Mecca) addresses the polytheists of Quraysh who justified their idolatry by claiming it was the religion of their ancestors, making this ayah particularly relevant to the historical context of early Islamic Arabia.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'Everyone is born upon the Fitra (natural disposition), but his parents make him Jewish, Christian, or Zoroastrian' (Sahih Bukhari 1358). Additionally, the Quran mentions in 43:23 a similar concept where people claim 'Indeed, we found our fathers upon a religion, and we are in their footsteps, following them.'
Themes
Key Lessons
Believers must not blindly follow customs or inherited beliefs without questioning their truth; instead, each person bears responsibility to seek knowledge and truth directly from revelation. This ayah reminds us that ancestral tradition, however widespread, cannot substitute for personal conviction based on evidence and divine guidance.