Al-Anbiyaa (The Prophets)

53. “They said: ‘We found our fathers worshipping them’.”

54. “He said: ‘Indeed you and your fathers have been in manifest error’.”

Abraham told the idol worshippers that both they and their fathers had been in manifest fault, while they had no proper answer to that clear logic. They only repelled the proposition from themselves and related it to their ancestors.

Thus they said that they had seen their fathers and ancestors that they had been worshipping those idols, and therefore, they were loyal to the traditional custom of their ancestors.

The abovementioned holy verse says:

“They said: ‘We found our fathers worshipping them’.”

Since there is no reason that ancestors might be wiser and more knowledgeable than the substituting generations, and in most cases the circumstances prove the reverse, because, with the past of time, sciences and knowledge develop, so Abraham immediately told them that not only they but their fathers also were certainly in aberration.

The verse says:

“He said: ‘Indeed you and your fathers have been in manifest error’.”

A Few Traditions Upon Misguidance

1- The Messenger of Allah (S) said:

“I fear about my Ummah for three (main things) after me: misguidance after guidance, the seditions which cause aberrations, and the vain desire of the belly and of pudendum.”1

2- Amir-ul-Mu’mineen Ali (as) said:

“Whoever seeks guidance other than Allah’s guidance will go astray.”2

3- Imam Baqir (as) said:

“Verily Allah, Almighty and Glorious, appointed Hadrat Ali (as) (to leadership) to be a sign between Him and His servants.

Then, whoever has known him (his right) is a believer, and whoever has rejected him is a disbeliever; and whoever has not known him gets astray, and whoever appoints another (leader) with him is a polytheist, and whoever has confessed his mastership will enter Paradise.”3

4- Imam Amir-ul-Mu’mineen Ali (as) said:

“The most polluted deeds is that which causes misguidance.”4

5- Muhammad-ibn-Muslim said:

“I heard that Imam Baqir (as) in a tradition was saying: ‘And do know O’ Muhammad! Verily the leaders of injustice, as well as their followers, are far from the religion of Allah. Certainly they have gone astray and lead astray, and the deeds that they do

‘… are like ashes on which the wind blows severely on a stormy day; they will have no power over any thing out of what they have earned; that is the very straying, far (and deep)’.”5 ,6

6- Zurarah once said:

“I heard that Imam Sadiq (as) in a tradition was saying: ‘O’ Allah! Cause me know You for verily if You do not make me know You I will not know Your prophet.

O’ Allah! Cause me know Your prophet, for verily if You do not make me know Your prophet, I will not know Your Hujjah. O’ Allah! Cause me know Your Hujjah, for verily if I do not know Your Hujjah I will get astray from my religion (and will be misguided).”7

7- Imam Baqir (as) said:

“Whoever teaches a part of guidance (to any one) will have the like of the reward of those who act it and there will decrease nothing of the rewards of them; and whoever teaches a part of aberration (to any one) the sin of those who commit it will be for him without decreasing anything from their sins.”8

8- Yazid-ibn-‘Abdulmalik narrates that Imam Sadiq (as) said:

“Visit each other because your visit will cause your hearts to be enlivened and our sayings to be remembered, and our sayings may make you kind to each other.

Then if you practically take them (and do accordingly), you will develop and be prosperous; and if you abandon our sayings you will get astray and annihilate. Therefore, take them (and do accordingly), for I stand guarantor of your rescue and prosperity.”9