وَإِذا قيلَ لَهُمُ اتَّبِعوا ما أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ قالوا بَل نَتَّبِعُ ما وَجَدنا عَلَيهِ آباءَنا ۚ أَوَلَو كانَ الشَّيطانُ يَدعوهُم إِلىٰ عَذابِ السَّعيرِ

When they are told: ‘Follow what Allah has sent down,’ they say: ‘We will rather follow what we found our fathers following.’ What! Even if Satan was calling them to the punishment of the blaze?

EXPOSTION

This verse occurs in censure and dispraise.^{‎[1]Tibyan, 8/282; Tabrisi, 8/502.} It begins with When they are told, which is a reference to the disbelievers mentioned in the previous verse who dispute without proof.^{‎[2]Tibyan, 8/282; Tabrisi, 8/502; Munyah, 21/144.} What they are told is Follow what Allah has sent down. This could be a reference to divine guidance^{‎[3]Munyah, 21/144.} or illuminating scripture, which is the Glorious Quran,^{‎[4]Tibyan, 8/282; Tabrisi, 8/502; Munyah, 21/144.} or both.^{‎[5]Tabrisi, 8/502.} However, when they are told thus, they reply insolently, We will rather follow what we found our fathers following, which is the worship of idols.^{‎[6]Tibyan, 8/282.} They respond with this irrational reply, and do so stubbornly instead of submitting to the divine call, proving thereby their obstinacy, bigotry, and closed-mindedness.^{‎[7]Munyah, 21/144.} Following one’s forefathers is commendable if it is associated with sensible and valid proofs but not if it is devoid of it, as in this case. Consequently, the verse responds rhetorically,^{‎[8]Tabrisi, 8/502; Mizan, 16/230.} intending to rebuke, censure, and reject,^{‎[9]Tibyan, 8/282; Tabrisi, 8/502; Mizan, 16/230; Munyah, 21/144.} What! Even if Satan was calling them to the punishment of the blaze? This part could be understood in two ways: What! Even if Satan was calling the disbelievers to the punishment of the blaze by calling them to follow their forefathers, would they still follow them?^{‎[10] Tibyan, 8/282; Tabrisi, 8/502.} Alternatively, it could be understood as: What! Even if Satan was calling the forefathers^{‎[11] Kashif, 4/165.} to the punishment of the blaze, would they still follow the forefathers?^{‎[12] Kashif, 4/165.}

Verses similar to this are 2:170, 5:104, 10:78, and 34:43. Therefore, even though Satan is calling them to follow the path of their fathers, which is not essentially blameworthy, yet when such a suggestion or advice becomes a cause for divine punishment, it is linked or associated with Satan.

The punishment of the blaze refers to the blazing fire of hell.^{‎[13] Munyah, 21/144.}

INSIGHTS FROM HADITH

1. Abū al-Jārūd relates from Imam al-Bāqir (a) about the second half of verse 20 and verse 21, that these refer to Naḍr ibn Ḥārith. Together, these read as follows: Yet among the people are those who dispute concerning Allah without any knowledge or guidance or an illuminating scripture. When they are told: ‘Follow what Allah has sent down,’ they say: ‘We will rather follow what we found our fathers following.’ What! Even if Satan be calling them to the punishment of the blaze? The Messenger of God said to him: ‘Follow what has been sent down to you from your Lord.’ He retorted: ‘Rather, I shall follow what I found my forefathers following!’^{‎[14] Qummi, 2/166.}

[1] Tibyan, 8/282; Tabrisi, 8/502.
[2] Tibyan, 8/282; Tabrisi, 8/502; Munyah, 21/144.
[3] Munyah, 21/144.
[4] Tibyan, 8/282; Tabrisi, 8/502; Munyah, 21/144.
[5] Tabrisi, 8/502.
[6] Tibyan, 8/282.
[7] Munyah, 21/144.
[8] Tabrisi, 8/502; Mizan, 16/230.
[9] Tibyan, 8/282; Tabrisi, 8/502; Mizan, 16/230; Munyah, 21/144.
[10] Tibyan, 8/282; Tabrisi, 8/502.
[11] Kashif, 4/165.
[12] Kashif, 4/165.
[13] Munyah, 21/144.
[14] Qummi, 2/166.