No messenger was ever sent to a people with the message that everything they were doing was perfect and that no change was needed. Such a notion runs entirely counter to the very essence of a messenger’s mission. A messenger’s role is not to affirm the status quo but to challenge it—serving as a disruptor of deeply entrenched traditions and long-standing erroneous beliefs. They were sent to confront religious practices that were woven into the cultural, historical, and social identities of their communities, calling for a transformation that often unsettled the very foundations of those societies.
This role invariably brought messengers into conflict with the powers and norms of their time. Their call to reform and renewal was rarely welcomed, as it demanded that people question their inherited practices and make uncomfortable changes. The Quran consistently emphasizes this reality, showing that the challenge messengers posed to entrenched traditions was a primary reason for their rejection and the fierce opposition they faced. Their mission was not one of comfort or complacency but of profound disruption for the sake of truth and justice.
The Weight of Tradition
Human beings naturally gravitate toward the familiar. Cultural practices, ancestral beliefs, and societal norms often carry immense weight, shaping not only individual identity but also collective purpose. However, the Quran emphasizes that the mere longevity of a tradition does not justify its validity, and individuals need to question their adopted traditions when it relates to religion and ethics. Many messengers were sent specifically to confront practices that had persisted for generations, practices that had strayed far from divine truth. The Quran captures the defense frequently offered by those who rejected divine guidance:
[2:170] When they are told, “Follow what GOD has revealed herein,” they say, “We follow only what we found our parents doing.” What if their parents did not understand, and were not guided?
وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمُ ٱتَّبِعُوا۟ مَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ قَالُوا۟ بَلْ نَتَّبِعُ مَآ أَلْفَيْنَا عَلَيْهِ ءَابَآءَنَآ أَوَلَوْ كَانَ ءَابَآؤُهُمْ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ شَيْـًٔا وَلَا يَهْتَدُونَ
This verse succinctly illustrates the crux of the resistance: blind adherence to ancestral traditions, even in the face of reason and revelation.
Abraham: Challenging Idol Worship
Abraham is a quintessential example of a messenger sent to dismantle long-standing traditions. In his time, idol worship was deeply ingrained in the cultural and religious fabric of society. Abraham’s rejection of idolatry and his public destruction of idols was a direct affront to the beliefs his people had inherited from their forefathers.The Quran recounts his confrontation with his people:
[21:52] He said to his father and his people, “What are these statues to which you are devoting yourselves?”
[21:53] They said, “We found our parents worshiping them.”
[21:54] He said, “Indeed, you and your parents have gone totally astray.”
(٥٢) إِذْ قَالَ لِأَبِيهِ وَقَوْمِهِۦ مَا هَـٰذِهِ ٱلتَّمَاثِيلُ ٱلَّتِىٓ أَنتُمْ لَهَا عَـٰكِفُونَ
(٥٣) قَالُوا۟ وَجَدْنَآ ءَابَآءَنَا لَهَا عَـٰبِدِينَ
(٥٤) قَالَ لَقَدْ كُنتُمْ أَنتُمْ وَءَابَآؤُكُمْ فِى ضَلَـٰلٍ مُّبِينٍ
Abraham’s challenge went beyond rejecting the idols; it was a call to reason, to reflect on the futility of worshiping creations of their own hands. His defiance culminated in his dramatic act of smashing the idols, leaving only the largest one untouched, and challenging his people to question their devotion:
[21:63] He said, “It is that big one who did it. Go ask them, if they can speak.”
قَالَ بَلْ فَعَلَهُۥ كَبِيرُهُمْ هَـٰذَا فَسْـَٔلُوهُمْ إِن كَانُوا۟ يَنطِقُونَ
This act enraged his community, who responded not with reflection but with violence, attempting to burn him alive. Yet Abraham’s mission was clear: to break the chains of blind tradition and guide his people toward monotheism.
Moses: Confronting the Power of Pharaoh
Moses was sent to a society where the Pharaoh was not only a political leader but also revered as a divine figure. The Egyptian system of governance, religion, and economy was deeply intertwined, with the Pharaoh’s authority resting on traditions that deified him and enslaved the Israelites.
Moses’ mission directly challenged this structure. His demand that Pharaoh release the Israelites was not just a plea for freedom but an attack on the very foundation of Egyptian way of life. Pharaoh’s response, as recorded in the Quran, reveals his reliance on tradition and power to dismiss Moses:
[40:29] “O my people, today you have kingship and the upperhand. But who will help us against GOD’s judgment, should it come to us?” Pharaoh said, “You are to follow only what I see fit; I will guide you only in the right path.”
يَـٰقَوْمِ لَكُمُ ٱلْمُلْكُ ٱلْيَوْمَ ظَـٰهِرِينَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ فَمَن يَنصُرُنَا مِنۢ بَأْسِ ٱللَّهِ إِن جَآءَنَا قَالَ فِرْعَوْنُ مَآ أُرِيكُمْ إِلَّا مَآ أَرَىٰ وَمَآ أَهْدِيكُمْ إِلَّا سَبِيلَ ٱلرَّشَادِ
The people of Pharaoh, too, resisted Moses’ message, clinging to the traditions that justified their way of life. The Quran recounts their response:
[10:78] They said, “Did you come to divert us from what we found our parents doing, and to attain positions of prominence for yourselves? We will never join you as believers.”
قَالُوٓا۟ أَجِئْتَنَا لِتَلْفِتَنَا عَمَّا وَجَدْنَا عَلَيْهِ ءَابَآءَنَا وَتَكُونَ لَكُمَا ٱلْكِبْرِيَآءُ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَمَا نَحْنُ لَكُمَا بِمُؤْمِنِينَ
[20:63] They said, “These two are no more than magicians who wish to take you out of your land with their magic, and to destroy your ideal way of life.
قَالُوٓا۟ إِنْ هَـٰذَٰنِ لَسَـٰحِرَٰنِ يُرِيدَانِ أَن يُخْرِجَاكُم مِّنْ أَرْضِكُم بِسِحْرِهِمَا وَيَذْهَبَا بِطَرِيقَتِكُمُ ٱلْمُثْلَىٰ
Moses’ mission exemplifies the struggle of challenging deeply ingrained systems that perpetuate oppression and falsehood, systems that are often defended in the name of tradition.
Hud, Saleh, and Shuaib
The three messengers, Hud, Saleh, and Shu’aib, exemplify the timeless role of messengers as challengers of ingrained traditions and misguided societal norms. These messengers were not sent to validate the customs and practices inherited from prior generations but to expose their falsehood and lead their people toward truth.
Yet, their calls were met with resistance rooted in blind loyalty to ancestral traditions and the fear of disrupting the familiar. Their stories, preserved in the Quran, illustrate the profound difficulty of breaking free from inherited falsehoods and highlight the courage required to stand against societal inertia.
Hud
Hud was sent to the people of `Ad, a prosperous and powerful nation whose pride in their strength blinded them to their moral decay. Rather than heed Hud’s call to worship God alone, they clung to the traditions of their forefathers, perceiving these practices as unassailable. Their response to Hud’s message reveals the deep-rooted arrogance that often accompanies material success:
[7:70] They said, “Did you come to make us worship GOD alone, and abandon what our parents used to worship? We challenge you to bring the doom you threaten us with, if you are truthful.”
قَالُوٓا۟ أَجِئْتَنَا لِنَعْبُدَ ٱللَّهَ وَحْدَهُۥ وَنَذَرَ مَا كَانَ يَعْبُدُ ءَابَآؤُنَا فَأْتِنَا بِمَا تَعِدُنَآ إِن كُنتَ مِنَ ٱلصَّـٰدِقِينَ
Their demand for immediate punishment reflects not only their rejection of Hud’s message but also their unwillingness to reflect on the inherent flaws in their inherited practices. Their challenge was not one of reason but of defiance, rooted in the belief that the traditions of their ancestors were beyond reproach. This unwavering allegiance to the past blinded them to the truth and ultimately led to their downfall.
Saleh
Saleh’s mission to the people of Thamud is another stark example of the resistance faced by messengers who confront ancestral traditions. Saleh was initially respected and admired by his people, a trusted figure in their community. However, the moment he began calling them to abandon their idolatry and worship God alone, their perception of him changed dramatically. Their rejection was laced with disappointment and skepticism, as they clung to the comfort of familiar practices:
[11:62] They said, “O Sãleh, you used to be popular among us before this. Are you enjoining us from worshiping what our parents are worshiping? We are full of doubt concerning everything you have told us.”
قَالُوا۟ يَـٰصَـٰلِحُ قَدْ كُنتَ فِينَا مَرْجُوًّا قَبْلَ هَـٰذَآ أَتَنْهَىٰنَآ أَن نَّعْبُدَ مَا يَعْبُدُ ءَابَآؤُنَا وَإِنَّنَا لَفِى شَكٍّ مِّمَّا تَدْعُونَآ إِلَيْهِ مُرِيبٍ
This response highlights a painful reality for many messengers: being ostracized by the very people who once admired them. Saleh’s message was not rejected because of its lack of clarity or merit but because it challenged deeply entrenched customs that had become inseparable from their identity. The people of Thamud chose the path of least resistance, opting for doubt and defiance rather than the upheaval of self-reflection and change.
Shuaib
Shu’aib’s mission to the people of Madyan illustrates the intersection of spiritual and societal reform. The people of Madyan were not only inundated in idolatry but also in unethical economic practices, including dishonest trade. Shu’aib’s call extended beyond spiritual guidance to encompass economic justice and integrity. This broad challenge provoked resistance, as his people saw his teachings as a threat to their autonomy and prosperity:
[11:87] They said, “O Shu’aib, does your religion dictate upon you that we must abandon our parents’ religion, or running our businesses in any manner we choose? Surely, you are known for being clement, wise.”
قَالُوا۟ يَـٰشُعَيْبُ أَصَلَوٰتُكَ تَأْمُرُكَ أَن نَّتْرُكَ مَا يَعْبُدُ ءَابَآؤُنَآ أَوْ أَن نَّفْعَلَ فِىٓ أَمْوَٰلِنَا مَا نَشَـٰٓؤُا۟ إِنَّكَ لَأَنتَ ٱلْحَلِيمُ ٱلرَّشِيدُ
Their response underscores the difficulty of challenging societal norms that benefit those in power. By framing Shu’aib’s message as an infringement on their freedom, his opponents attempted to undermine his credibility, masking their rejection of divine truth as a defense of personal and economic liberty.
Muhammad: Overturning Tradition
In pre-Islamic Arabia, the opponents of Muhammad were deeply committed to their false traditions. Yet, despite their opposition, Muhammad’s mission was uncompromising. The Quran asserts that the truth of divine guidance is not subject to societal preferences or traditions:
[5:104] When they are told, “Come to what GOD has revealed, and to the messenger,” they say, “What we found our parents doing is sufficient for us.” What if their parents knew nothing, and were not guided?
وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ تَعَالَوْا۟ إِلَىٰ مَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ وَإِلَى ٱلرَّسُولِ قَالُوا۟ حَسْبُنَا مَا وَجَدْنَا عَلَيْهِ ءَابَآءَنَآ أَوَلَوْ كَانَ ءَابَآؤُهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ شَيْـًٔا وَلَا يَهْتَدُونَ
The Universal Role of Messengers
The rejection of messengers for challenging traditions is a recurring theme that transcends time and place. Messengers were sent not to reinforce comfort but to awaken societies from spiritual stagnation and moral decay. Their mission required courage, as they often stood alone against powerful elites and deeply rooted customs.
[31:21] When they are told, “Follow these revelations of GOD,” they say, “No, we follow only what we found our parents doing.” What if the devil is leading them to the agony of Hell?
وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمُ ٱتَّبِعُوا۟ مَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ قَالُوا۟ بَلْ نَتَّبِعُ مَا وَجَدْنَا عَلَيْهِ ءَابَآءَنَآ أَوَلَوْ كَانَ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنُ يَدْعُوهُمْ إِلَىٰ عَذَابِ ٱلسَّعِيرِ
This verse underscores the messengers’ unyielding commitment to guiding humanity toward truth, regardless of the resistance they faced. Their struggles serve as a timeless reminder that truth often requires the courage to confront the comfortable lies of tradition.
[14:10] Their messengers said, “Do you have doubts about GOD; the Initiator of the heavens and the earth? He invites you only to forgive your sins, and to give you another chance to redeem yourselves.” They said, “You are no more than humans like us, who want to repel us from the way our parents used to worship. Show us some profound authority.”
قَالَتْ رُسُلُهُمْ أَفِى ٱللَّهِ شَكٌّ فَاطِرِ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ يَدْعُوكُمْ لِيَغْفِرَ لَكُم مِّن ذُنُوبِكُمْ وَيُؤَخِّرَكُمْ إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى قَالُوٓا۟ إِنْ أَنتُمْ إِلَّا بَشَرٌ مِّثْلُنَا تُرِيدُونَ أَن تَصُدُّونَا عَمَّا كَانَ يَعْبُدُ ءَابَآؤُنَا فَأْتُونَا بِسُلْطَـٰنٍ مُّبِينٍ
[34:43] When our proofs were recited to them, perfectly clear, they said, “This is simply a man who wants to divert you from the way your parents are worshiping.” They also said, “These are fabricated lies.” Those who disbelieved also said about the truth that came to them, “This is obviously magic.”
وَإِذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِمْ ءَايَـٰتُنَا بَيِّنَـٰتٍ قَالُوا۟ مَا هَـٰذَآ إِلَّا رَجُلٌ يُرِيدُ أَن يَصُدَّكُمْ عَمَّا كَانَ يَعْبُدُ ءَابَآؤُكُمْ وَقَالُوا۟ مَا هَـٰذَآ إِلَّآ إِفْكٌ مُّفْتَرًى وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ لِلْحَقِّ لَمَّا جَآءَهُمْ إِنْ هَـٰذَآ إِلَّا سِحْرٌ مُّبِينٌ
Tradition Is No Excuse in the Eyes of God
The Quran unequivocally rejects the notion that blind adherence to tradition absolves an individual of accountability. While many societies lean on the practices of their ancestors as justification for their actions, this defense holds no weight before God. Divine guidance makes it clear that every individual is responsible for seeking truth and discerning right from wrong, regardless of what they have inherited. God has endowed every human being with this innate knowledge before our arrival here on earth and told us before hand that such an excuse will not be accepted.
[7:172] Recall that your Lord summoned all the descendants of Adam, and had them bear witness for themselves: “Am I not your Lord?” They all said, “Yes. We bear witness.” Thus, you cannot say on the Day of Resurrection, “We were not aware of this.”
[7:173] Nor can you say, “It was our parents who practiced idolatry, and we simply followed in their footsteps. Will You punish us because of what others have innovated?”
أَوْ تَقُولُوٓا۟ إِنَّمَآ أَشْرَكَ ءَابَآؤُنَا مِن قَبْلُ وَكُنَّا ذُرِّيَّةً مِّنۢ بَعْدِهِمْ أَفَتُهْلِكُنَا بِمَا فَعَلَ ٱلْمُبْطِلُونَ
وَإِذْ أَخَذَ رَبُّكَ مِنۢ بَنِىٓ ءَادَمَ مِن ظُهُورِهِمْ ذُرِّيَّتَهُمْ وَأَشْهَدَهُمْ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِهِمْ أَلَسْتُ بِرَبِّكُمْ قَالُوا۟ بَلَىٰ شَهِدْنَآ أَن تَقُولُوا۟ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ إِنَّا كُنَّا عَنْ هَـٰذَا غَـٰفِلِينَ
This highlights that following ancestral traditions without question is not an acceptable excuse for perpetuating falsehoods or injustices. It serves as a reminder that while cultural heritage and familial bonds are important, they must not supersede one’s duty to seek and uphold the truth. God’s message demands introspection, conscious action, and a commitment to divine guidance, not passive adherence to inherited beliefs.
The rejection of this excuse underscores a critical aspect of human responsibility: each person is endowed with reason and the ability to discern, and they are expected to use these faculties to navigate the path of truth. Tradition alone cannot shield one from accountability. As Abraham proclaimed to his people:
[29:25] He said, “You worship beside GOD powerless idols due to peer pressure, just to preserve some friendship among you in this worldly life. But then, on the Day of Resurrection, you will disown one another, and curse one another. Your destiny is Hell, wherein you cannot help one another.”
وَقَالَ إِنَّمَا ٱتَّخَذْتُم مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ أَوْثَـٰنًا مَّوَدَّةَ بَيْنِكُمْ فِى ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا ثُمَّ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ يَكْفُرُ بَعْضُكُم بِبَعْضٍ وَيَلْعَنُ بَعْضُكُم بَعْضًا وَمَأْوَىٰكُمُ ٱلنَّارُ وَمَا لَكُم مِّن نَّـٰصِرِينَ
A Lesson for Today
The stories of messengers challenge us to examine our own lives and societies. Are there traditions we cling to that conflict with divine guidance? Are we willing to question practices that have been handed down through generations if they are rooted in falsehood or injustice? The rejection of messengers is not merely a historical phenomenon; it is a cautionary tale for every generation. True faith requires the humility to recognize that long-standing practices are not immune to scrutiny and that divine truth often demands the courage to break free from the chains of inherited falsehoods.
[43:22] The fact is: they said, “We found our parents carrying on certain practices, and we are following in their footsteps.”
[43:23] Invariably, when we sent a warner to any community, the leaders of that community would say, “We found our parents following certain practices, and we will continue in their footsteps.”
بَلْ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّا وَجَدْنَآ ءَابَآءَنَا عَلَىٰٓ أُمَّةٍ وَإِنَّا عَلَىٰٓ ءَاثَـٰرِهِم مُّهْتَدُونَ
وَكَذَٰلِكَ مَآ أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ فِى قَرْيَةٍ مِّن نَّذِيرٍ إِلَّا قَالَ مُتْرَفُوهَآ إِنَّا وَجَدْنَآ ءَابَآءَنَا عَلَىٰٓ أُمَّةٍ وَإِنَّا عَلَىٰٓ ءَاثَـٰرِهِم مُّقْتَدُونَ
So, if a messenger were to appear in our time, would we not expect him to shatter many of the adopted religious traditions that the Muslim masses hold so dear?
Related Article:
Quran Talk Blog 
One thought on “Messengers vs. Tradition”