Following without research or verification is a recurring pattern and will continue to do so.
• “They said, ‘Rather, we will follow what we found our fathers doing.’” [Al-Baqarah: verse 170]
They said, “Rather, we found our fathers doing thus.” [Ash-Shu’ara’: verse 74]
• “And they said, ‘Our Lord, indeed we obeyed our masters and our dignitaries, and they led us astray from the way.’” [Al-Ahzab: verse 67]
They said: Rather, we found our fathers doing that, so we followed them in that, followed their path, and preserved their customs.
On the authority of Abu Sa`id, may God be pleased with him, that the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, said: “You will follow the ways of those before you, span by span and cubit by cubit, to the extent that if they were to enter a lizard’s hole, you would enter it too.” We said, “O Messenger of God, the Jews and the Christians?” He said, “Then who?” [Narrated by al-Bukhari]
The Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, said the truth