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falsely follow other people's conjectures

Explore Verses Related to falsely follow other people's conjectures

At a Glance

According to search-discovered classical Islamic scholarship, the Quranic concept of **Ittiba al-Zann (إتّباع الظن)**, or 'following conjecture,' is a significant prohibition against basing one's core beliefs and actions on baseless assumptions, speculation, and the unverified opinions of others. In his tafsir of Quran 6:116, Imam Al-Tabari explains that those who follow conjecture are essentially following falsehood and lies. Ibn Kathir elaborates on this, stating that the majority of people often rely on 'wishful thinking and delusions' rather than divine guidance. This concept is contrasted with the Islamic imperative to seek **'ilm (knowledge)** and **yaqeen (certainty)**, which are grounded in divine revelation. Al-Qurtubi, in his commentary, clarifies that the warning in verse 6:116 against following the majority is specifically about matters of faith and law where they deviate from the clear path of Allah. The synthesis across these verses and scholarly interpretations establishes 'Ittiba al-Zann' as a root of misguidance, emphasizing that truth in Islam is derived from divine sources, not popular consensus or speculation.

📖 Quranic Context

A central theme in Quranic epistemology, contrasting the divine path based on truth ('al-haqq') and certainty ('al-yaqeen') with the paths of misguidance based on conjecture ('al-zann') and whims ('al-hawa').

Following conjecture is portrayed as a deviation from Allah's guidance and a path to misguidance.

References: Key verses include 6:116, 6:119, 10:36, 53:28, and 49:12.

💭 Theological Perspective

The Quran acknowledges the human tendency to make assumptions, but warns against basing foundational beliefs and actions on them.

Following baseless conjecture is seen as a spiritual disease that clouds the heart and prevents it from recognizing the truth.

Adherence to divine revelation is presented as the only safeguard against the misguidance that results from following conjectures.

A key aspect of spiritual growth is to move from a state of conjecture and doubt to one of certainty ('yaqeen') in one's faith.

📜 Hadith Perspective

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) strongly warned against suspicion and conjecture.

  • "Beware of suspicion, for suspicion is the falsest of speech." (Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim)

Islamic scholars unanimously agree on the prohibition of founding matters of creed ('aqeedah') on conjecture.

💎 Deeper Insights

The Quran's warning against following the majority (6:116) is not a call for contrarianism, but a fundamental principle of intellectual and spiritual independence. Al-Qurtubi's analysis reveals that it's a command to prioritize the 'proof' (dalil) from revelation over the 'pressure' of the crowd, making every believer responsible for the foundation of their own faith.

Al-Qurtubi

A linguistic insight from Al-Tabari on 6:116 is that the word 'yakhrusun' (يَخْرُصُونَ) goes beyond mere guessing. It implies a deliberate act of fabricating lies based on estimation without knowledge. This transforms the understanding from people being passively mistaken to actively concocting falsehoods, which is why following them is so dangerous.

Al-Tabari

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