Such is the conjecture (ẓann) that God has reproached the idolaters for. This is corroborated by His words about them: “They follow nothing but conjecture, and they do nothing but fabricate” (Yūnus 66). Here the Qur’an equates conjecture with fabrication—that is, pure surmise and guesswork.

Had the conjecture condemned in these verses been the predominating probability that our opponents claim, it would be impermissible to rely on it in legal rulings as well, for two reasons.

First, God censures it in absolute terms; He does not restrict the censure to creed while exempting practical law.

Second, in some verses He expressly states that the conjecture He condemns covers both doctrinal statements and legal judgments. Listen to His clear pronouncement:

“Those who associate others with Allah will say, ‘Had Allah willed, neither we nor our fathers would have ascribed partners to Him’”—this is a statement of creed—“‘nor would we have forbidden anything’”—and that is a legal ruling. “Likewise did those before them deny, until they tasted Our punishment. Say, ‘Do you possess any knowledge that you can put forward for us? You follow nothing but conjecture; you do nothing but fabricate’” (al-Anʿām 148).

He further clarifies this with His words: “Say, ‘My Lord has forbidden only immoralities—open or hidden—sin, wrongful oppression, associating with Allah that for which He has sent down no authority, and speaking about Allah without knowledge’” (al-Aʿrāf 33).

From all that has preceded, it is established that the conjecture it is unlawful to adopt is the purely linguistic ẓann—surmise, guesswork, and speaking without