Meaning: our forefathers · Also translated as: their forefathers, your fathers, Your parents, their fathers
Forms in the Quran
ءَابَآءَنَآ×10
ءَابَآؤُنَا×7
ءَابَآؤُكُمْ×5
وَءَابَآؤُكُم×5
ءَابَآؤُهُمْ×4
ءَابَآءَهُمُ×4
ءَابَآئِكُمْ×4
ءَابَآءَكُمْ×3
Its root in the classical dictionaries
الأب: الوالد، ويسمى كل من كان سببا في إيجاد شيء أو صلاحه أو ظهوره أبا، ولذلك يسمى النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم أبا المؤمنين، قال الله تعالى:
الهمزة والباء والواو يدل على التربية والغذو. أبوت الشيء آبوه أبوا: إذا غذوته. وبذلك سمي الأب أبا. ويقال في النسبة إلى أب: أبوي. وعنز أبواء: إذا أصابها وجع عن شم أبوال الأروى. قال الخليل: الأب معروف، والجمع آباء وأبوة. قال:
When they are told to follow
The (Revelation) that God
Has sent down, they say:
"Nay, we shall follow
The ways that we found
Our fathers (following)."
What! even if it is
Satan beckoning them
To the Penalty
Of the (Blazing) Fire?
Call them by (the names
Of) their fathers: that is
Juster in the sight of God.
But if ye know not
Their father's (names, call
Them) your Brothers in faith,
Or your Maulās.
But there is no blame
On you if ye make
A mistake therein:
(What counts is)
The intention of your hearts:
And god is Oft-Returning,
Most Merciful.
There is no blame
(On these ladies if they
Appear) before their fathers
Or their sons, their brothers,
Or their brothers’ sons,
Or their sisters’ sons,
Or their women,
Or the (slaves) whom
Their right hands possess.
And, (ladies), fear God;
For God is Witness
To all things.
When Our Clear Signs
Are rehearsed to them,
They say, "This is only
A man who wishes
To hinder you from the (worship)
Which your fathers practised."
And they say, "This is
Only a falsehood invented!"
And the Unbelievers say
Of the Truth when it comes
To them, "This is nothing
But evident magic!"
"And grant, our Lord!
That they enter
The Gardens of Eternity,
Which Thou hast promised
To them, and to the righteous
Among their fathers,
Their wives, and their posterity!
For Thou art (He),
The Exalted in Might,
Full of Wisdom.
Just in the same way,
Whenever We sent a Warner
Before thee to any people,
The wealthy ones among them
Said: "We found our fathers
Following a certain religion,
And we will certainly
Follow in their footsteps."
He said: "What!
Even if I brought you
Better guidance than that
Which ye found
Your fathers following?"
They said: "For us,
We deny that ye (prophets)
Are sent (on a mission
At all)."
These are nothing but names
Which ye have devised,—
Ye and your fathers,
For which God has sent
Down no authority (whatever).
They follow nothing but
Conjecture and what
Their own souls desire!—
Even though there has already
Come to them Guidance
From their Lord!
Thou wilt not find
Any people who believe
In God and the Last Day,
Loving those who resist
God and His Apostle,
Even though they were
Their fathers or their sons,
Or their brothers, or
Their kindred. For such
He has written Faith
In their hearts, and strengthened
Them with a spirit
From Himself. And He
Will admit them to Gardens
Beneath which Rivers flow,
To dwell therein (for ever).
God will be well pleased
With them, and they with Him.
They are the Party
Of God. Truly it is
The Party of God that
Will achieve Felicity.