[43]. Surah Al Zukhruf (The Gold Adornments): Ayat 021-022

২১. আমি কি তাদেরকে কোরআনের পূর্বে কোন কিতাব দিয়েছি, অতঃপর তারা তাকে আঁকড়ে রেখেছে?  

২২. বরং তারা বলে, আমরা আমাদের পূর্বপুরুষদেরকে পেয়েছি এক পথের পথিক এবং আমরা তাদেরই পদাংক অনুসরণ করে পথপ্রাপ্ত।

Ayat 21. Or have Allah given them any Book before this (the Qur’an), to which they are holding fast?

Ayat 22. Nay! They say: "We found our fathers following a certain way and religion, and we guide ourselves by their footsteps." 

Tafseer of Al Zukhruf (The Gold Adornments) Ayat 21. Are these pagans of Makkah were gifted with a Book before this Quran, to which they are holding fast? With false believes and rituals. Ayat 22. Nay! they say: "We found our fathers following a certain religion, and we do guide ourselves by their footsteps." Then comes the argument about ancestral custom, which was repudiated by Abraham PBUH. Indeed a good reply to ancestral custom in the case of the Arabs was the example of Abraham, the True in Faith, for Abraham (PBUH) was the common ancestor of the Arabs and the Israelites. 

Hazrat Abu Said Al-Khudri (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah [SAWW](PBUH) said, "Keep only a believer for a companion and let only a pious eat your food". [At-Tirmidhi Hadith # 2395 and Abu Dawud Hadith # 4832]. 

Lesson: as mentioned above in Surah Al Zukhruf Ayat 22. Nay! They say: "We found our fathers following a certain way and religion, and we guide ourselves by their footsteps." This Hadith forbids Muslims from befriending infidels and stresses that they should establish a bond of friendship and fraternity with the pious persons only. The above Hadith signifies that taking believers for company has good consequences on the Muslim. While feeding only pious people compels the Muslim host to provide only Halal or lawful foodstuff for his household as well as his guests.