Quran Universe
31:21

وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمُ ٱتَّبِعُواْ مَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ قَالُواْ بَلۡ نَتَّبِعُ مَا وَجَدۡنَا عَلَيۡهِ ءَابَآءَنَآۚ أَوَلَوۡ كَانَ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنُ يَدۡعُوهُمۡ إِلَىٰ عَذَابِ ٱلسَّعِيرِ

Waitha qeela lahumu ittabiAAoo ma anzala Allahu qaloo bal nattabiAAu ma wajadna AAalayhi abaana awalaw kana alshshaytanu yadAAoohum ila AAathabi alssaAAeeri

And when it is said to them, "Follow what Allah has revealed," they say, "Rather, we will follow that upon which we found our fathers." Even if Satan was inviting them to the punishment of the Blaze?

Word by word
  1. وَإِذَاAnd when
  2. قِيلَit is said
  3. لَهُمُto them
  4. ٱتَّبِعُواْFollow
  5. مَآwhat
  6. أَنزَلَAllah (has) revealed
  7. ٱللَّهُAllah (has) revealed
  8. قَالُواْthey say
  9. بَلۡNay
  10. نَتَّبِعُwe will follow
  11. مَاwhat
  12. وَجَدۡنَاwe found
  13. عَلَيۡهِon it
  14. ءَابَآءَنَآۚour forefathers
  15. أَوَلَوۡEven if
  16. كَانَShaitaan was
  17. ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنُShaitaan was
  18. يَدۡعُوهُمۡ(to) call them
  19. إِلَىٰto
  20. عَذَابِ(the) punishment
  21. ٱلسَّعِيرِ(of) the Blaze
Luqman · 31:21Makkah

We follow our fathers, even if the path leads to fire?

Habit is not proof

The reply they gave
follow what Allah sentthe invitation
they said
our fathers' waytheir only proof
What counts as a reason
it is what we always didtradition
is it true and guided?the real question

The surah introduction says the Makkans were invited to give up blind imitation of their forefathers. Ibn Kathir says they had no proof except that their fathers did it, even if Shaytan was calling them to the Fire.

Wedding customs, money habits, the way your family talks about other people. Some of it is good. Some of it you never questioned. We always did it this way is a reason to look closer, not to stop looking.

If my family has always done it, it must be fine.

Habits I inherited still need checking against what Allah sent.

Try this

Pick one family habit and ask yourself honestly whether it pleases Allah.

Related2:170
Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (shared passage from 31:20)

See you not that Allah has subjected for you whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is on the earth, and has completed and perfected His graces upon you, apparent and hidden? Yet of mankind is he who disputes about Allah without knowledge or guidance or a Book giving light (20)And when it is said to them: "Follow that which Allah has sent down," they say: "Nay, we shall follow that which we found our fathers (following)." Even if Shaytan invites them to the torment of the Fire (21)

Reminder of Blessings

Here Allah reminds His creation of the blessings He bestows upon them in this world and the Hereafter. In the heavens He has subjugated for them the stars which give them light during the night and during the day, and He has created clouds, rain, snow and hail, and made the heavens a canopy which covers and protects them. On earth He has created for them stability and rivers, trees, crops and fruits; He has completed and perfected His graces upon them, apparent and hidden, by sending Messengers, revealing Books and removing doubts and excuses. Yet despite all this, not all the people believe, and indeed there are those who dispute concerning Allah, that is, His Tawhid, and His sending the Messengers. Their dispute is without knowledge and they have no sound evidence or valid inherited Book. Allah says:

وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَنْ يُجَادِلُ فِي اللَّهِ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ وَلَا هُدًى وَلَا كِتَابٍ مُنِيرٍ 

(And among men is he who disputes about Allah, without knowledge or guidance, or a Book giving light (from Allah).)(22:8) meaning clear and unambiguous.

وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمُ

(And when it is said to them) means, to these people who dispute about the Oneness of Allah.

اتَّبِعُوا مَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ

("Follow that which Allah has sent down,") means, the pure Divine Laws that He has sent down to His Messengers,

قَالُوا بَلْ نَتَّبِعُ مَا وَجَدْنَا عَلَيْهِ آبَاءَنَا

(they say: "Nay, we shall follow that which we found our fathers (following).") means, they have no other proof except the fact that they are following their forefathers. Allah says:

أَوَلَوْ كَانَ آبَاؤُهُمْ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ شَيْئًا وَلَا يَهْتَدُونَ

(Even though their fathers did not understand anything nor were they guided)(2:170) meaning, 'what do you think, you who take the forefathers' deeds as proof, that they were misguided and you are following in their footsteps?' Allah says:

أَوَلَوْ كَانَ الشَّيْطَانُ يَدْعُوهُمْ إِلَىٰ عَذَابِ السَّعِيرِ

(Even if Shaytan invites them to the torment of the Fire?)