Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

The truth is, they say: “We found our fathers upon a community, and we in their footsteps are guided.”

بَلْ قَالُٓوا اِنَّا وَجَدْنَٓا اٰبَٓاءَنَا عَلٰٓى اُمَّةٍ وَاِنَّا عَلٰٓى اٰثَارِهِمْ مُهْتَدُونَ
Bal qaloo inna wajadna abaanaAAala ommatin wa-inna AAala atharihimmuhtadoon
#wordmeaningroot
1balNay
2qālūthey sayقول
3innāIndeed, we
4wajadnā[we] foundوجد
5ābāanāour forefathersابو
6ʿalāupon
7ummatina religionامم
8wa-innāand indeed, we
9ʿalāon
10āthārihimtheir footstepsاثر
11muh'tadūna(are) guidedهدي
  • Aisha Bewley

    No, in fact they say, ‘We found our fathers following a religion and we are simply guided in their footsteps. ’

  • Progressive Muslims

    The fact is, they have said: "We found our fathers following a certain way, and we are following in their footsteps. "

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    Nay, but they say, "Behold, we found our fathers following a certain religion, and we find our way in their footprints. "

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    The truth is, they say: “We found our fathers upon a community, and we in their footsteps are guided.”

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    The fact is, they have said: "We found our fathers following a certain way, and we are following in their footsteps."

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    The fact is, they have said, "We found our fathers following a certain way, and we are following in their footsteps."

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    The fact is that: they said, "We found our parents carrying on certain practices, and we are following in their footsteps."

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    In fact they say: "We found our fathers following a certain way, and are guided by their footprints. "

  • Sahih International (Umm Muhammad, Mary Kennedy, Amatullah Bantley)

    Rather, they say, "Indeed, we found our fathers upon a religion, and we are in their footsteps guided. "

  • Muhammad Asad

    Nay, but they say, "Behold, We found our forefathers agreed on what to believe - and, verily, it is in their footsteps that we find our guidance!"

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    Nay, for they say only: Lo! we found our fathers following a religion, and we are guided by their footprints.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    Nay; they simply claim: "We found our forefathers on a way, and we continue to find guidance in their footsteps."*

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    In effect they projected their own cause so as to say: "We have found our fathers bent on a particular system of faith and worship and we walk in their foot steps. "

  • Bijan Moeinian

    Their only argument is, "We follow the footsteps of our forefathers "

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    Nay! They say: "We found our fathers following a certain way and religion, and we guide ourselves by their footsteps."

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    Nay! they say: "We found our fathers following a certain religion, and we do guide ourselves by their footsteps."

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    In fact, they say, "We found our forefathers following a ˹particular˺ way, and we are following in their footsteps."

  • Taqi Usmani

    Instead, they say, "We have found our fathers on a certain way, and we are on their footprints, fully guided."

  • Abdul Haleem

    No indeed! They say, ‘We saw our fathers following this tradition; we are guided by their footsteps.’

  • Arthur John Arberry

    Nay, but they say, 'We found our fathers upon a community, and we are guided upon their traces. '

  • E. Henry Palmer

    Nay; they say, 'We found our fathers (agreed) upon a religion, and, verily, we are guided by their traces. '

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    Nay! They say, "We found our fathers in a religion, and surely we are guided by their footsteps. "

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    No indeed, (but) they have said, "Surely we found our fathers upon a course, (Literally: a nation: a community; following a leadership or a religion) and surely we are guided upon their tracks. "

  • George Sale

    But they say, verily we found our fathers practising a religion; and we are guided in their footsteps.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    No, they say: "We found our fathers following a certain way and religion, and we follow their footsteps. "

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    Nay, but they go on saying, `We have found our forefathers on a certain course, and we (while walking) in their footsteps, are following the right course (of true guidance).

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    Rather they say, ‘We found our fathers following a creed, and we are indeed guided in their footsteps. ’