They said, "O Ṣāliḥ, you were among us a man of promise before this. Do you forbid us to worship what our fathers worshipped? And indeed we are, about that to which you invite us, in disquieting doubt."
مَرۡجُوّٗاthe one in whom hope was placedmarjuwwan
قَبۡلَbeforeqabla
هَٰذَآۖthishādhā
أَتَنۡهَىٰنَآDo you forbid usatanhānā
أَنthatan
نَّعۡبُدَwe worshipnaʿbuda
مَاwhatmā
يَعۡبُدُour forefathers worshippedyaʿbudu
ءَابَآؤُنَاour forefathers worshippedābāunā
وَإِنَّنَاAnd indeed wewa-innanā
لَفِيsurely (are) inlafī
شَكّٖdoubtshakkin
مِّمَّاabout whatmimmā
تَدۡعُونَآyou call ustadʿūnā
إِلَيۡهِto itilayhi
مُرِيبٖsuspiciousmurībin
Tafsir
Ṣāliḥ’s people said to him that he had had a high position among them before this, and they had hoped he would be wise, advising them and counselling them. Did he tell them not to worship what their fathers had worshipped? They said that they doubted what he called them to – which was worshipping Allah alone – making them suspect him of making things up about Allah.