Near-synonyms 6: to believe (think) and to doubt

To think, to suppose, to conjecture

ظَنّ / حسِب ــَـ / خرَص ــُـ

The terms ظَنّ and حسِب are often used as strict synonyms, and in the tafsîrs one is often explained by the other with the sense of « to think », « to imagine », « to estimate », « to believe », etc. Nevertheless, the first is rather an a priori judgement, which is why it often takes the sense of « prejudice », « preconceived idea », « supposition ». This verb often has a negative sense in the Qur’an, but it is not necessarily pejorative, for it can equally express a simple « opinion ».

The second is related to the verb of the same root حسَب (with which it is confused), which means « to count ». One can therefore say that حسِب originally means, more properly, « to estimate », in the sense that it implies an « evaluation » or « measurement » of things. It also sometimes has the sense of « to reckon on ».

As for the verb خرَص, alongside its sense of « to conjecture », it also means « to lie » and « to guess ». One may think that « conjecture » approaches « lying » when it is expressed against good sense, or when it proceeds from a form of denial. This is what this verb seems to express.

الَّذِينَ يَظُنُّونَ أَنَّهُمْ مُلَاقُو رَبِّهِمْ وَأَنَّهُمْ إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ

Those who think that they will meet their Lord and that they will return to Him. (2:46)

مَا نَدْرِي مَا السَّاعَةُ إِنْ نَظُنُّ إِلَّا ظَنًّا وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمُسْتَيْقِنِينَ

We do not know what the Hour is; we think it is only a conjecture, and we are by no means convinced. (45:32)

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اجْتَنِبُوا كَثِيرًا مِنَ الظَّنِّ إِنَّ بَعْضَ الظَّنِّ إِثْمٌ

O you who believe! Avoid much conjecture about others: some conjecture is sin. (49:12)

إِنْ يَتَّبِعُونَ إِلَّا الظَّنَّ وَإِنَّ الظَّنَّ لَا يُغْنِي مِنَ الْحَقِّ شَيْئًا

They follow only conjecture, but conjecture avails nothing against the Truth. (53:28)

تَحْسَبُهُمْ جَمِيعًا وَقُلُوبُهُمْ شَتَّى

You think them united, but their hearts are divided. (59:14)

وَلَا تَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِينَ قُتِلُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ أَمْوَاتًا بَلْ أَحْيَاءٌ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ يُرْزَقُونَ

Do not think that those who are killed in the way of God are dead. Nay! they are alive, provided for in the presence of their Lord. (3:169)

أَفَحَسِبْتُمْ أَنَّمَا خَلَقْنَاكُمْ عَبَثًا وَأَنَّكُمْ إِلَيْنَا لَا تُرْجَعُونَ

Did you think that We created you without purpose, and that you would not be returned to Us? (23:115)

وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا أَعْمَالُهُمْ كَسَرَابٍ بِقِيعَةٍ يَحْسَبُهُ الظَّمْآنُ مَاءً حَتَّى إِذَا جَاءَهُ لَمْ يَجِدْهُ شَيْئًا وَوَجَدَ اللَّهَ عِنْدَهُ فَوَفَّاهُ حِسَابَهُ وَاللَّهُ سَرِيعُ الْحِسَابِ

The deeds of those who deny are like a mirage in a barren plain: the thirsty one thinks it is water, but when he reaches it, he finds nothing; near it he finds God, who pays him his account in full. And God is swift in reckoning! (24:39)

قُتِل الخرّاصُون

May the liars perish. (51:10)

إِنْ يَتَّبِعُونَ إِلَّا الظَّنَّ وَإِنْ هُمْ إِلَّا يَخْرُصُونَ

They follow only opinion and do nothing but conjecture. (6:116)

To doubt

اِمْتَرَى / ارتاب / شكّ

Linguists affirm fairly unanimously that the word شكّ designates a doubt proceeding from an absence of evidence, or from a situation where none of the possibilities seems preponderant. The root also means « to pierce », « to pass through ». Perhaps one should see in it originally a thought that « passes through » the mind, as in the expression « to be pierced by doubt ». But this is only a suggestion.

As for the word ريب, according to a dominant view, it designates a doubt proceeding rather from a confusion or a disturbance inherent in the person themselves. This is the connotation inspired by the root of this term. The verb راب / يَرُوب, speaking of milk, means « to stir », « to churn »; speaking of a person, it means « to be troubled ». It would thus again be, originally, a metaphorical use (language almost always starts from the concrete to go towards the abstract). This same verb, regarding a person, can also mean to lie, so that here it is about doubting with a connotation of « accusation of lying ».

The root مري means « to rub », but also « to milk » and « to extract ». The word مِرْية means « doubt », but also « controversy » — in other words « a controverted » or « debatable matter ». Some linguists indicate that the link lies in the fact that argumentation consists in « extracting » or « drawing out » words from one’s interlocutor. The verb اِمْتَرى is thus the derived Form VIII of this root, taking the sense of « to doubt », with this same connotation of controversy.

أَفِي اللَّهِ شَكٌّ فَاطِرِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ

Can there be doubt about God, the Creator of the heavens and the earth? (14:10)

وَمَا قَتَلُوهُ وَمَا صَلَبُوهُ وَلَكِنْ شُبِّهَ لَهُمْ وَإِنَّ الَّذِينَ اخْتَلَفُوا فِيهِ لَفِي شَكٍّ مِنْهُ مَا لَهُمْ بِهِ مِنْ عِلْمٍ إِلَّا اتِّبَاعَ الظَّنِّ وَمَا قَتَلُوهُ يَقِينًا

And they did not kill him, nor did they crucify him, but it was made to appear so to them. Those who differ about it remain in doubt; they have no certain knowledge but follow only conjecture. They certainly did not kill him. (4:157)

فَإِنْ كُنْتَ فِي شَكٍّ مِمَّا أَنْزَلْنَا إِلَيْكَ فَاسْأَلِ الَّذِينَ يَقْرَءُونَ الْكِتَابَ مِنْ قَبْلِكَ لَقَدْ جَاءَكَ الْحَقُّ مِنْ رَبِّكَ فَلَا تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْمُمْتَرِينَ

And if you are in doubt about what We have sent down to you, then ask those who read the Book [revealed] before you. The truth has certainly come to you from your Lord, so do not be among the doubters. (10:94)

وَإِنَّنَا لَفِي شَكٍّ مِمَّا تَدْعُونَا إِلَيْهِ مُرِيبٍ

And we are indeed in disturbing doubt about that to which you invite us. (11:62)

إِنَّمَا يَسْتَأْذِنُكَ الَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَارْتَابَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ فَهُمْ فِي رَيْبِهِمْ يَتَرَدَّدُونَ

Only those ask your permission who do not believe in God and the Last Day, and whose hearts are agitated by doubt; in their uncertainty they waver. (9:45)

وَإِنْ كُنْتُمْ فِي رَيْبٍ مِمَّا نَزَّلْنَا عَلَى عَبْدِنَا فَأْتُوا بِسُورَةٍ مِنْ مِثْلِهِ

And if you are in doubt about what We have revealed to Our Servant, then try to produce a sura like it. (2:23)

وَمَا كُنْتَ تَتْلُو مِنْ قَبْلِهِ مِنْ كِتَابٍ وَلَا تَخُطُّهُ بِيَمِينِكَ إِذًا لَارْتَابَ الْمُبْطِلُونَ

And before this you did not recite any book, nor did you write one with your right hand; otherwise, those who deny the truth would have been agitated by doubts. (29:48)

وَلَا تَسْأَمُوا أَنْ تَكْتُبُوهُ صَغِيرًا أَوْ كَبِيرًا إِلَى أَجَلِهِ ذَلِكُمْ أَقْسَطُ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ وَأَقْوَمُ لِلشَّهَادَةِ وَأَدْنَى أَلَّا تَرْتَابُوا

And do not be averse to writing [the debt], with its term, whether small or great: that is more equitable in the sight of God, more upright for testimony, and more likely not to raise doubt in you. (2:282)

وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنَا مُوسَى الْكِتَابَ فَلَا تَكُنْ فِي مِرْيَةٍ مِنْ لِقَائِهِ

We gave Moses the Book — so do not be in doubt about meeting him. (32:23)

ذَلِكَ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ قَوْلَ الْحَقِّ الَّذِي فِيهِ يَمْتَرُونَ

Such is Jesus, son of Mary, the Word of Truth, about which they cast doubt. (19:34)

The other near-synonyms