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wa-ka-dhālika mā ʾarsalnā min qablika fī qaryatin min nadhīrin ʾillā qāla mutrafūhā ʾinnā wajadnā ʾābāʾanā ʿalā ʾummatin wa-ʾinnā ʿalā ʾāthārihim muqtadūna
So it has been that We did not send any warner to a town before you, without its affluent ones saying, ‘We found our fathers following a creed and we are indeed following in their footsteps.’
— Ali Quli Qarai
Surah al-Zukhruf - Verse 23
23. And similarly We sent not a warner before you to any town but the luxurious ones among them said: “We found our fathers following a certain religion and we will indeed follow their footsteps.”
The word
derives from tarifa (“to live in opulence”) and implies one whose opulent life has led him to vanity. It was mentioned in the preceding Verse that common people believe that their ancestors’ way of life was true and they may follow their footsteps in order to tread the path of guidance:
However, the blessed Verse in question says that those living in luxury think about opulence and worldly possessions rather than attaining to guidance and following their ancestors’ beliefs is not for attaining to guidance:
In this blessed Verse, God Almighty informs His Prophet (S) that all the prophets before him said unto people that they were all treading the path of falsehood and prophets were appointed by God Almighty, the Creator of the world, to lead them to the right path and show them the path of felicity and deliverance so that they may know that the God of the world is One and he has no associates in His Divine Being and Essence rather he creates out of His Will.
He provides for His creatures through Omnipotence. He is neither part of a whole nor any thing is part of Him. He is All-Glorious and free from corporeality.
All attributes of Perfection, e.g. Everlastingness and Unity are His. Such Divine Being rather than incompetent and ignorant objects of worship is Praiseworthy. In response to the prophets’ wise admonitions, they did not resort to their reason and common sense but said that they followed the footsteps of their ancestors and believed in their religion.
Footnotes