Quran Universe
11:62

قَالُواْ يَٰصَٰلِحُ قَدۡ كُنتَ فِينَا مَرۡجُوّٗا قَبۡلَ هَٰذَآۖ أَتَنۡهَىٰنَآ أَن نَّعۡبُدَ مَا يَعۡبُدُ ءَابَآؤُنَا وَإِنَّنَا لَفِي شَكّٖ مِّمَّا تَدۡعُونَآ إِلَيۡهِ مُرِيبٖ

Qaloo ya salihu qad kunta feena marjuwwan qabla hatha atanhana an naAAbuda ma yaAAbudu abaona wainnana lafee shakkin mimma tadAAoona ilayhi mureebun

They said, "O Salih, you were among us a man of promise before this. Do you forbid us to worship what our fathers worshipped? And indeed we are, about that to which you invite us, in disquieting doubt."

Word by word
  1. قَالُواْThey said
  2. يَٰصَٰلِحُO Salih
  3. قَدۡVerily
  4. كُنتَyou were
  5. فِينَاamong us
  6. مَرۡجُوّٗاthe one in whom hope was placed
  7. قَبۡلَbefore
  8. هَٰذَآۖthis
  9. أَتَنۡهَىٰنَآDo you forbid us
  10. أَنthat
  11. نَّعۡبُدَwe worship
  12. مَاwhat
  13. يَعۡبُدُour forefathers worshipped
  14. ءَابَآؤُنَاour forefathers worshipped
  15. وَإِنَّنَاAnd indeed we
  16. لَفِيsurely (are) in
  17. شَكّٖdoubt
  18. مِّمَّاabout what
  19. تَدۡعُونَآyou call us
  20. إِلَيۡهِto it
  21. مُرِيبٖsuspicious
Hud · 11:62Makkah

We had such hopes for you, until you said this.

When people liked you until you spoke the truth

How they saw Salih
beforesharp mind, our great hope
then he said
worship Allah aloneleave what the fathers did
now
grave doubtsuspicion of him
What decides the truth
our fathers did itso it must be right
is it true?the only real question

Salih had a good name among his people. They said they had placed their hopes in his strong mind. Once he called them to worship Allah alone, their respect turned into suspicion. Their only argument was this is what our fathers worshipped.

You were the golden child of the family. Then you started praying, or stopped joining in something everyone does. Now the aunties say you have changed, and not in a good way. Their disappointment is not proof you are wrong.

If the people who loved me now doubt me, I must be making a mistake.

Losing people's approval for the truth is a cost, not a verdict.

Try this

Think of one habit you keep only because the family always did it. Ask honestly if it is right.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir

They said: "O Salih! You have been among us as a figure of good hope until this! Do you (now) forbid us the worship of what our fathers have worshipped? But we are really in grave doubt as to that to which you invite us. (62)He said: "O my people! Tell me, if I have a clear proof from my Lord, and there has come to me a mercy from Him, who then can help me against Allah, if I were to disobey Him? Then you increase me not but in loss. (63)

The Conversation between Salih and the People of Thamud

Allah, the Exalted, mentions what transpired in the discussion between Salih and his people. Allah informs of their ignorance and obstinacy in their statement,

قَدْ كُنتَ فِينَا مَرْجُوًّا قَبْلَ هَٰذَا

(You have been among us as a figure of good hope till this!) They were saying in this, "We had hope in your strong intellect before you began saying what you have said."

أَتَنْهَانَا أَن نَّعْبُدَ مَا يَعْبُدُ آبَاؤُنَا

(Do you (now) forbid us the worship of what our fathers have worshipped?) "what those who were before us were upon."

وَإِنَّنَا لَفِي شَكٍّ مِّمَّا تَدْعُونَا إِلَيْهِ مُرِيبٍ

(But we are really in grave doubt as to that which you invite us.) This alludes to the great amount of doubt that they had.

قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ أَرَأَيْتُمْ إِن كُنتُ عَلَىٰ بَيِّنَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّي

(He said: "O my people! Tell me, if I have a clear proof from my Lord...") 'In reference to what He (Allah) has sent me with to you, I am upon conviction and sure evidence.'

وَآتَانِي مِنْهُ رَحْمَةً فَمَن يَنصُرُنِي مِنَ اللَّهِ إِنْ عَصَيْتُهُ

(and there has come to me a mercy from Him, who then can help me against Allah, if I were to disobey Him?) 'and abandon calling you to the truth and the worship of Allah alone. If I did so, you would not be able to bring me any benefit, nor increase me

غَيْرَ تَخْسِيرٍ

(but in loss.)' This means loss and ruin.