VisualDhikr|

Assumption / Conjecture

View in graph
concept

Assumption / Conjecture

الظَّنّ

In Islamic thought, *al-ẓann* (الظَّنّ), or assumption and conjecture, refers to beliefs or judgments formed without firm, certain knowledge. While often used in everyday life, the Quran gently steers believers towards conviction based on clear evidence rather than mere speculation. Islam encourages a pursuit of truth and certainty, emphasizing that [assumption avails not against the truth at all]. This is particularly important in matters of faith and fundamental beliefs, where certainty is paramount. The Quran critiques those who rely on assumption, warning that [if you obey most of those upon the earth, they will mislead you from the way of Allah. They follow not except assumption]. We see this caution in narratives like the one concerning Jesus, where people's claims were based on nothing more than [the following of assumption]. Ultimately, relying on unfounded assumptions, especially regarding one's Creator, can have profound consequences, as the Quran warns of how a [false assumption... about your Lord... brought you to ruin]. Thus, *al-ẓann* serves as a reminder to seek knowledge, verify information, and ground our understanding in certainty rather than speculative thought.

Quran 10 verses

وَقَوْلِهِمْ إِنَّا قَتَلْنَا ٱلْمَسِيحَ عِيسَى ٱبْنَ مَرْيَمَ رَسُولَ ٱللَّهِ وَمَا قَتَلُوهُ وَمَا صَلَبُوهُ وَلَٰكِن شُبِّهَ لَهُمْ وَإِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱخْتَلَفُوا۟ فِيهِ لَفِى شَكٍّ مِّنْهُ مَا لَهُم بِهِۦ مِنْ عِلْمٍ إِلَّا ٱتِّبَاعَ ٱلظَّنِّ وَمَا قَتَلُوهُ يَقِينًۢا

Wa qawlihim innaa qatal nal maseeha 'Eesab-na-Maryama Rasoolal laahi wa maa qataloohu wa maa salaboohu wa laakin shubbiha lahum; wa innal lazeenakh talafoo fee lafee shakkim minh; maa lahum bihee min 'ilmin illat tibaa'az zann; wa maa qataloohu yaqeenaa

And [for] their saying, "Indeed, we have killed the Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, the messenger of Allah." And they did not kill him, nor did they crucify him; but [another] was made to resemble him to them. And indeed, those who differ over it are in doubt about it. They have no knowledge of it except the following of assumption. And they did not kill him, for certain.

اور یہ کہنے کے سبب کہ ہم نے مریم کے بیٹے عیسیٰ مسیح کو جو خدا کے پیغمبر (کہلاتے) تھے قتل کردیا ہے (خدا نے ان کو معلون کردیا) اور انہوں نے عیسیٰ کو قتل نہیں کیا اور نہ انہیں سولی پر چڑھایا بلکہ ان کو ان کی سی صورت معلوم ہوئی اور جو لوگ ان کے بارے میں اختلاف کرتے ہیں وہ ان کے حال سے شک میں پڑے ہوئے ہیں اور پیروئی ظن کے سوا ان کو اس کا مطلق علم نہیں۔ اور انہوں نے عیسیٰ کو یقیناً قتل نہیں کیا

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: Commentary In the verse يَا عِيسَىٰ إِنِّي مُتَوَفِّيكَ وَرَ‌افِعُكَ (Isa, I am to take you in full and lift you towards Me... 3:55) appearing in Surah 'Al-` Imran, Almighty Allah had made five promises in connection with foiling the Jewish plans against Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) and protecting h...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: And for their saying boastfully ‘We slew the Messiah Jesus son of Mary the Messenger of God’ as they claim in other words for all of these reasons We have punished them. God exalted be He says in repudiating their claim to have killed him And yet they did not slay him nor did they crucify him but he...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): The Crimes of the Jews The sins mentioned here are among the many sins that the Jews committed, which caused them to be cursed and removed far away from right guidance. The Jews broke the promises and vows that Allah took from them, and also rejected Allah's Ayat, meaning His signs and proofs, and t...

وَإِن تُطِعْ أَكْثَرَ مَن فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ يُضِلُّوكَ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ إِن يَتَّبِعُونَ إِلَّا ٱلظَّنَّ وَإِنْ هُمْ إِلَّا يَخْرُصُونَ

Wa in tuti' aksara man fil ardi yudillooka 'an sabeelil laah; iny yattabi'oona illaz zanna wa in hum illaa yakhrusoon

And if you obey most of those upon the earth, they will mislead you from the way of Allah. They follow not except assumption, and they are not but falsifying.

اور اکثر لوگ جو زمین پر آباد ہیں (گمراہ ہیں) اگر تم ان کا کہا مان لو گے تو وہ تمہیں خدا کا رستہ بھلا دیں گے یہ محض خیال کے پیچھے چلتے اور نرے اٹکل کے تیر چلاتے ہیں

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: In the third verse (116), Allah Ta ala tells the Holy Prophet ﷺ that the majority of the progeny of 'Adam living on the earth is in error. Let him not be overawed by this situation and let him ignore what they say or do. The Qur'an has dealt with this subject at several places. In Surah As-Saaffaat,...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: If you obey most of those on earth that is the disbelievers they will lead you astray from the way of God from His religion; they follow only supposition when they dispute with you concerning the status of carrion saying ‘What God has killed is more worthy of your consumption than what you kill your...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): Most People are Misguided Allah states that most of the people of the earth, are misguided. Allah said in other Ayat, وَلَقَدْ ضَلَّ قَبْلَهُمْ أَكْثَرُ الاٌّوَّلِينَ (And indeed most of the men of old went astray before them.) 37:71 and, وَمَآ أَكْثَرُ النَّاسِ وَلَوْ حَرَصْتَ بِمُؤْمِنِينَ (And mo...

سَيَقُولُ ٱلَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُوا۟ لَوْ شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ مَآ أَشْرَكْنَا وَلَآ ءَابَآؤُنَا وَلَا حَرَّمْنَا مِن شَىْءٍ كَذَٰلِكَ كَذَّبَ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ حَتَّىٰ ذَاقُوا۟ بَأْسَنَا قُلْ هَلْ عِندَكُم مِّنْ عِلْمٍ فَتُخْرِجُوهُ لَنَآ إِن تَتَّبِعُونَ إِلَّا ٱلظَّنَّ وَإِنْ أَنتُمْ إِلَّا تَخْرُصُونَ

Sayaqoolul lazeena ashrakoo law shaaa'al laahu maaa ashraknaa wa laaa aabaa'unaa wa laa harramnaa min shai'; kazaalika kazzabal lazeena min qablihim hattaa zaaqoo baasanaa; qul hal 'indakum min 'ilmin fatukh rijoohu lanaa in tattabi'oona illaz zanna wa in antum illaa takhhrusoon

Those who associated with Allah will say, "If Allah had willed, we would not have associated [anything] and neither would our fathers, nor would we have prohibited anything." Likewise did those before deny until they tasted Our punishment. Say, "Do you have any knowledge that you can produce for us? You follow not except assumption, and you are not but falsifying."

جو لوگ شرک کرتے ہیں وہ کہیں گے کہ اگر خدا چاہتا تو ہم شرک نہ کرتے اور نہ ہمارے باپ دادا (شرک کرتے) اور نہ ہم کسی چیز کو حرام ٹھہراتے اسی طرح ان لوگوں نے تکذیب کی تھی جو ان سے پہلے تھے یہاں تک کہ ہمارے عذاب کا مزہ چکھ کر رہے کہہ دو کیا تمہارے پاس کوئی سند ہے (اگر ہے) تو اسے ہمارے سامنے نکالو تم محض خیال کے پیچھے چلتے اور اٹکل کی تیر چلاتے ہو

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: Commentary Mentioned in the previous verses was how astray the disbelievers of Makkah had gone when they had taken their self-carved, lifeless, insensate idols as partners in the Divinity of Allah as they made them share in animals created by Him and in many other blessings which were bestowed on th...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: The idolaters will say ‘Had God willed we would not have been idolaters neither we nor our fathers nor would we have forbidden anything’ in other words our idolatry and our forbidding of things are by His will and so He must be satisfied with it. God exalted be He says So in the same way that these ...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): A False Notion and its Rebuttal Here Allah mentioned a debate with the idolators, refuting a false notion they have over their Shirk and the things that they prohibited. They said, surely, Allah has full knowledge of the Shirk we indulge in, and that we forbid some kinds of wealth. Allah is able to ...

وَمَا يَتَّبِعُ أَكْثَرُهُمْ إِلَّا ظَنًّا إِنَّ ٱلظَّنَّ لَا يُغْنِى مِنَ ٱلْحَقِّ شَيْـًٔا إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلِيمٌۢ بِمَا يَفْعَلُونَ

Wa maa yattabi'u aksaruhum illaa zannaa; innaz zanna laa yughnee minal haqqi shai'aa; innal laaha 'Aleemum bimaa yaf'aloon

And most of them follow not except assumption. Indeed, assumption avails not against the truth at all. Indeed, Allah is Knowing of what they do.

اور ان میں سے اکثر صرف ظن کی پیروی کرتے ہیں۔ اور کچھ شک نہیں کہ ظن حق کے مقابلے میں کچھ بھی کارآمد نہیں ہوسکتا۔ بےشک خدا تمہارے (سب) افعال سے واقف ہے

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: In the concluding verse (32), it was said: فَذَٰلِكُمُ اللَّـهُ رَ‌بُّكُمُ الْحَقُّ ۖ فَمَاذَا بَعْدَ الْحَقِّ إِلَّا الضَّلَالُ (So, that is Allah, your Lord in truth. And what is there, after truth, but error?), that is, ` this is the Sacred Being whose attributes of perfection have just been ment...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: And most of them in worshipping idols follow nothing but conjecture since they imitate their fathers therein; truly conjecture avails nothing against truth when what is sought is knowledge. Surely God is Knower of what they do and will requite them for it.
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): This invalidates and falsifies their claims for committing Shirk withAllah and worshipping different idols and rivals قُلْ هَلْ مِن شُرَكَآئِكُمْ مَّن يَبْدَأُ الْخَلْقَ ثُمَّ يُعِيدُهُ (Say: "Is there of your partners one that originates the creation and then repeats it") meaning, who is the one wh...

وَذَٰلِكُمْ ظَنُّكُمُ ٱلَّذِى ظَنَنتُم بِرَبِّكُمْ أَرْدَىٰكُمْ فَأَصْبَحْتُم مِّنَ ٱلْخَٰسِرِينَ

Wa zaalikum zannukumul lazee zanantum bi-Rabbikum ardaakum fa asbahtum minal khaasireen

And that was your assumption which you assumed about your Lord. It has brought you to ruin, and you have become among the losers."

اور اسی خیال نے جو تم اپنے پروردگار کے بارے میں رکھتے تھے تم کو ہلاک کردیا اور تم خسارہ پانے والوں میں ہوگئے

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: وَمَا كُنتُمْ تَسْتَتِرُ‌ونَ أَن يَشْهَدَ عَلَيْكُمْ سَمْعُكُمْ (And you had not been hiding your selves [ when committing sins ] because of [ the apprehension ] that your ears and your eyes and your skins would bear witness against you,….41:22) This verse means that if anyone wants to commit a sin ...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: And that wa-dhālikum the subject supposition of yours zannukum substitutes for it which you supposed of your Lord alladhī zanantum bi-rabbikum a descriptive clause; the predicate is the following ardākum has ruined you that is it has brought about your destruction. So you have become among the loser...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): On the Day of Judgement, the Sinners' Limbs will testify against Them وَيَوْمَ يُحْشَرُ أَعْدَآءُ اللَّهِ إِلَى النَّارِ فَهُمْ يُوزَعُونَ (And (remember) the Day that the enemies of Allah will be gathered to the Fire, then they will be driven.) means, remind these idolators of the Day when they wil...

وَقَالُوا۟ مَا هِىَ إِلَّا حَيَاتُنَا ٱلدُّنْيَا نَمُوتُ وَنَحْيَا وَمَا يُهْلِكُنَآ إِلَّا ٱلدَّهْرُ وَمَا لَهُم بِذَٰلِكَ مِنْ عِلْمٍ إِنْ هُمْ إِلَّا يَظُنُّونَ

Wa qaaloo maa hiya illaa hayaatunad dunyaa namootu wa nahyaa wa maa yuhlikunaaa illad dahr; wa maa lahum bizaalika min 'ilmin in hum illaayazunnoon

And they say, "There is not but our worldly life; we die and live, and nothing destroys us except time." And they have of that no knowledge; they are only assuming.

اور کہتے ہیں کہ ہماری زندگی تو صرف دنیا ہی کی ہے کہ (یہیں) مرتے اور جیتے ہیں اور ہمیں تو زمانہ مار دیتا ہے۔ اور ان کو اس کا کچھ علم نہیں۔ صرف ظن سے کام لیتے ہیں

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: وَمَا يُهْلِكُنَا إِلَّا الدَّهْرُ‌ "...and nothing destroys us except time...(45:24) " The word dahr means ` time from the beginning of the world to its end'. It also refers to ` a very long period of time'. The atheists alleged that their life and death have nothing to do with Divine will and comm...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: And they those who deny the Resurrection say ‘There is only that is to say the only life is our life the one that is in this world. We die and we live that is to say some die while others are given life by virtue of being born and nothing but time that is nothing but the passage of time destroys us’...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): The Conviction of the Disbelievers, Their Argument and the Refutation of it Allah mentions here the creed of Ad-Dahriyyah and the Arab idolators who embraced their creed, denying Resurrection, وَقَالُواْ مَا هِىَ إِلاَّ حَيَاتُنَا الدُّنْيَا نَمُوتُ وَنَحْيَا (And they say: "There is nothing but our...

وَإِذَا قِيلَ إِنَّ وَعْدَ ٱللَّهِ حَقٌّ وَٱلسَّاعَةُ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهَا قُلْتُم مَّا نَدْرِى مَا ٱلسَّاعَةُ إِن نَّظُنُّ إِلَّا ظَنًّا وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمُسْتَيْقِنِينَ

Wa izaa qeela inna wa'dallaahi haqqunw was Saa'atu laa raiba feehaa qultum maa nadree mas Saa'atu in nazunnu illaa zannanw wa maa nahnu bimustaiqineen

And when it was said, 'Indeed, the promise of Allah is truth and the Hour [is coming] - no doubt about it,' you said, 'We know not what is the Hour. We assume only assumption, and we are not convinced.' "

اور جب کہا جاتا تھا کہ خدا کا وعدہ سچا ہے اور قیامت میں کچھ شک نہیں تو تم کہتے تھے ہم نہیں جانتے کہ قیامت کیا ہے۔ ہم اس کو محض ظنی خیال کرتے ہیں اور ہمیں یقین نہیں آتا

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: Commentary وَتَرَ‌ىٰ كُلَّ أُمَّةٍ جَاثِيَةً ("And you will see every community kneeling down...45:28" ). The word jathiyah is derived from جُثُو juthuww. It means ` to sit with knees upon the ground'. Sayyidna Sufyan ؓ says that the word means ` to sit in such a way that only the knees and the toes...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: And when it was said to you O disbelievers “God’s promise of resurrection is indeed true and there is no doubt about the Hour” read al-sā‘atu or al-sā‘ata you said “We do not know what the Hour is. We only make conjectures al-Mubarrad said that this actually means in nahnu illā nazunnu zannan and we...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): Allah states to us His judgement in His creation on the Day of Resurrection, فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ الصَّـلِحَـتِ (Then, as for those who believed and did good deeds,) Those whose hearts believed and their limbs performed good deeds, in sincerity to Allah and conforming with Islam...

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱجْتَنِبُوا۟ كَثِيرًا مِّنَ ٱلظَّنِّ إِنَّ بَعْضَ ٱلظَّنِّ إِثْمٌ وَلَا تَجَسَّسُوا۟ وَلَا يَغْتَب بَّعْضُكُم بَعْضًا أَيُحِبُّ أَحَدُكُمْ أَن يَأْكُلَ لَحْمَ أَخِيهِ مَيْتًا فَكَرِهْتُمُوهُ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ تَوَّابٌ رَّحِيمٌ

Yaaa ayyuhal lazeena aamanuj taniboo kaseeram minaz zanni inna ba'daz zanniismunw wa laa tajassasoo wa la yaghtab ba'dukum ba'daa; a yuhibbu ahadukum any yaakula lahma akheehi maitan fakarih tumooh; wattaqul laa; innal laaha tawwaabur Raheem

O you who have believed, avoid much [negative] assumption. Indeed, some assumption is sin. And do not spy or backbite each other. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his brother when dead? You would detest it. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is Accepting of repentance and Merciful.

اے اہل ایمان! بہت گمان کرنے سے احتراز کرو کہ بعض گمان گناہ ہیں۔ اور ایک دوسرے کے حال کا تجسس نہ کیا کرو اور نہ کوئی کسی کی غیبت کرے۔ کیا تم میں سے کوئی اس بات کو پسند کرے گا کہ اپنے مرے ہوئے بھائی کا گوشت کھائے؟ اس سے تو تم ضرور نفرت کرو گے۔ (تو غیبت نہ کرو) اور خدا کا ڈر رکھو بےشک خدا توبہ قبول کرنے والا مہربان ہے

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: Analysis of the Verse This verse too comprises injunctions relating to mutual rights and manners to be observed in social life. It prohibits three things: [ 1] ظن zann [ unfounded suspicion ], the details to follow: [ 2] تَجَسُّس tajassus [ spying, looking secretly into the faults of others ]; and [...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: O you who believe shun much suspicion. Indeed some suspicions are sins that is to say it causes one to fall into sin. This suspicion may have many forms such as thinking ill of the good folk from among the believers — and such good folk are many — in contrast to the immoral individuals among them in...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): The Prohibition of Unfounded Suspicion Allah the Exalted forbids His faithful servants from being suspicious, which includes having doubts and suspicions about the conduct of one's family, relatives and other people in general. Therefore, Muslims are to avoid suspicion without foundation. The Leader...

إِنْ هِىَ إِلَّآ أَسْمَآءٌ سَمَّيْتُمُوهَآ أَنتُمْ وَءَابَآؤُكُم مَّآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ بِهَا مِن سُلْطَٰنٍ إِن يَتَّبِعُونَ إِلَّا ٱلظَّنَّ وَمَا تَهْوَى ٱلْأَنفُسُ وَلَقَدْ جَآءَهُم مِّن رَّبِّهِمُ ٱلْهُدَىٰٓ

In hiya illaaa asmaaa'un sammaitumoohaaa antum wa aabaaa'ukum maaa anzalal laahu bihaa min sultaan; inyyattabi'oona illaz zanna wa maa tahwal anfusu wa laqad jaaa'ahum mir Rabbihimul hudaa

They are not but [mere] names you have named them - you and your forefathers - for which Allah has sent down no authority. They follow not except assumption and what [their] souls desire, and there has already come to them from their Lord guidance.

وہ تو صرف نام ہی نام ہیں جو تم نے اور تمہارے باپ دادا نے گھڑ لئے ہیں۔ خدا نے تو ان کی کوئی سند نازل نہیں کی۔ یہ لوگ محض ظن (فاسد) اور خواہشات نفس کے پیچھے چل رہے ہیں۔ حالانکہ ان کے پروردگار کی طرف سے ان کے پاس ہدایت آچکی ہے

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: Various Types of Zann إِن يَتَّبِعُونَ إِلَّا الظَّنَّ وَإِنَّ الظَّنَّ لَا يُغْنِي مِنَ الْحَقِّ شَيْئًا (and conjecture is of no use in [ the matter on Truth.... 53:28) The Arabic word ظَن Zann is used in several different senses, and one of them is baseless thoughts. This is the sense in which it...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: These that is the mentioned deities are nothing but names which you have named by which you have named you and your fathers idols that you worship. God has not revealed any warrant any proof or evidence for them that is to say for the worship of them. They follow nothing but conjecture in their wors...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): Refuting Idolatry, Al-Lat and Al-`Uzza Allah the Exalted rebukes the idolators for worshipping idols and taking rivals to Him. They built houses for their idols to resemble the Ka`bah built by Prophet Ibrahim, Allah's Khalil. أَفَرَءَيْتُمُ اللَّـتَ (Have you then considered Al-Lat,) Al-Lat was a wh...

وَمَا لَهُم بِهِۦ مِنْ عِلْمٍ إِن يَتَّبِعُونَ إِلَّا ٱلظَّنَّ وَإِنَّ ٱلظَّنَّ لَا يُغْنِى مِنَ ٱلْحَقِّ شَيْـًٔا

Wa maa lahum bihee min 'ilmin iny yattabi'oona illaz zanna wa innaz zanna laa yughnee minal haqqi shai'aa

And they have thereof no knowledge. They follow not except assumption, and indeed, assumption avails not against the truth at all.

حالانکہ ان کو اس کی کچھ خبر نہیں۔ وہ صرف ظن پر چلتے ہیں۔ اور ظن یقین کے مقابلے میں کچھ کام نہیں آتا

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: Various Types of Zann إِن يَتَّبِعُونَ إِلَّا الظَّنَّ وَإِنَّ الظَّنَّ لَا يُغْنِي مِنَ الْحَقِّ شَيْئًا (and conjecture is of no use in [ the matter on Truth.... 53:28) The Arabic word ظَن Zann is used in several different senses, and one of them is baseless thoughts. This is the sense in which it...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: But they do not have any knowledge thereof of this claim. They follow in this respect nothing but conjecture which they have conjured up and indeed conjecture can never substitute for the truth that is to say when it comes to acquiring knowledge of that which one is required to have knowledge of.
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): Refuting the Claim of the Idolators that the Angels are Allah's Daughters Allah the Exalted admonishes the idolators for calling the angels female names and claiming that they are Allah's daughters. Allah is far removed from what they ascribe to Him. Allah the Exalted said in another Ayah, وَجَعَلُو...

A detailed scholarly analysis for this topic is not yet available. Get in touch to request one.

Related Topics