Tafseer of Jonas · Yunus · 10:36
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.
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
The explanation of the meaning of the word of the Exalted: وَمَا يَتَّبِعُ أَكْثَرُهُمْ إِلا ظَنًّا إِنَّ الظَّنَّ لا يُغْنِي مِنَ الْحَقِّ شَيْئًا إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ بِمَا يَفْعَلُونَ (36) (And most of them follow nothing but conjecture. Indeed, conjecture avails nothing against the truth. Indeed, Allah is All-Knowing of what they do.)
Abū Jaʿfar said: The Exalted — praised be His remembrance — says: And most of these polytheists (mushrikīn) follow nothing but conjecture (ẓann) — that is to say: nothing of which they have real knowledge concerning its reality and correctness; rather, they are in doubt and uncertainty concerning it.
إِنَّ الظَّنَّ لا يُغْنِي مِنَ الْحَقِّ شَيْئًا — He says: Doubt avails nothing against certainty, and in no respect takes its place, and no benefit is derived from it in the places where certainty is required.
إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ بِمَا يَفْعَلُونَ — The Exalted — praised be His remembrance — says: Allah has knowledge of what these polytheists (mushrikīn) do: their following of conjecture, and their denial of the incontestable truth. He keeps a close watch over them, and their conjecture avails them nothing whatsoever before Allah.
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Notes:
See the explanation of "al-ẓann" in the earlier linguistic registers under the root (ẓ-n-n).
See the explanation of "aghnā" in what precedes, volume 14, p. 179, note 2, and the sources mentioned there.
See the explanation of "ʿalīm" in the earlier linguistic registers under the root (ʿ-l-m).
