Qat'i and Zanni

In search of certainty and authenticity of God's Revelation. The best understanding of its meaning and maximum certainty of its authentication will help us appreciate the Wisdom and proper application behind each revelation.

Authenticity itself is insufficient for Truth, correct understanding and knowledge of the meaning (al-dilalah) of the revelation are equally important.

Qati' literally means authenticated, unambiguous, definitive, certain. While Zanni means speculative, ambiguous or uncertain, Al-tsubut means the authenticity of it's narration (isnad) while al-dilalah is the meaning of the texts, whether it has one or more than one meaning.

According to the Islamic Scholars, there are 4 categories of authentication in certainty (credibility) of the meaning and implication of revelation from the Quran and Hadith:


1) Qat'i al-tsubut and Qati al Dilalah - Authenticated and Certain in it's meaning.

- Issues related to Aqidah without which a person cannot be a believer must be proven through this type of text e.g. belief in Allah (tauhid), Angels, Holy Scriptures, Prophets, Afterlife, Predestiny, and Predestination, etc.

Acts that are proven through this type of text are classified as fardh/wajib (obligatory/compulsory) unless proven otherwise. Examples of this type: solat, zakah, hajj, fasting etc. Prohibitions that are proven through this type of text are classified as Haram (prohibited) and major sins, unless proven otherwise.

Examples: the killing of innocents, robbery, lying, slandering, adultery, alcohol consumption etc.


2) Qati al-tsubut and Zanni al- Dilalah - Authenticated but not Certain in its meaning.

- All verses of the Quran is Authentic because it's from a Mutawatir source but not all of the verses in the Quran are certain in meaning and they are ambiguous in its implication and explanation. For example:

"As for the thief, the male and the female, amputate their hands in recompense for what they committed as a deterrent from Allah..."(QS 5:38)

The instruction from this verse is to amputate the hands of the thief. But it did not specify who qualifies as a thief, i e: is the person who instructs another person to steal is consider a thief?

Is taking Rm1 from the pocket of our siblings consider a thief? And this verse did not say to amputate the left hand or right hand or both hands.


3) Zanni al tsubut and Qati al Dilalah - Not Authenticate but Certain in it's meaning.

Hadith that are not categorized as mutawatir like hadith ghorib, hadith aziz and hadith masyhur in the hadith ahad category are deemed as Zanni al tsubut (not authenticated, speculative).

Some of hadith ahad which has unambiguous and certain in it's meaning are deemed as Qati al Dilalah.


4) Zanni al tsubut and Zanni al Dilalah - Not Authenticate and not Certain in it's meaning.

- Hadith Ahad with shaky foundation (isnad) and speculative or more than one meaning or explanation are considered as Zanni al Dilalah and Zanni al- Dilalah - Not Authenticate and not Certain in its meaning.

A hadith ahad does not create conviction about its contents even if the reporter is reliable; there are chances of forgetting, misunderstanding or unintended misquotation on the part of the truthful, reliable reporter.


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Para ulama fuquha telah membahagikan dalil nas al-Quran dan hadith kepada 4 bahagian, iaitu:


A) Qat'i al-tsubut and Qati al Dilalah - (Authenticated and Certain in it's meaning)

- Ayat Al Quran dan Hadis Mutawatir yang mempunyai maksud yang jelas dan kukuh serta tidak mengandung kemungkinan makna yang lain. Contoh - Hukum minum arak adalah haram - dari ayat Al Quran dan Hadis Mutawatir yang mempunyai kandungan maksud yang jelas lagi kukuh. Contoh lain - Rukun Islam dan Rukun Iman.


B) Qati al-tsubut and Zanni al- Dilalah - (Authenticated but not Certain in it's meaning)
- Ayat Al Quran dan Hadis Mutawatir yang mempunyai kandungan maksud yang kurang jelas. Contoh - Hukum potong tangan pencuri - dari ayat Al Quran dan Hadis Mutawatir yang mempunyai maksud yang yang kurang jelas. Potong sikit (kelar) tangan si pencuri atau potong sehingga putus? Jika anak mencuri Rm1.00 dari kocek bapa, adakah ia dikira mencuri dan perlu potong tangan? Contoh lain: ayat 'Alif Lam Min' dari Al Quran yang tidak diketahui maksudnya kecuali Allah SWT.


C) Zanni al tsubut and Qati al Dilalah - (Not Authenticate but Certain in it's meaning)

- Dalil dari kategori ini kebanyakannya berasal dari hadith ahad yang tidak sampai ke darjat mutawatir. Walaupun ia terdiri daripada hadis ahad, tetapi ia mempunyai kandungan maksud yang jelas dan kukuh. Contoh - Hadis Isra’ Mikraj dimana kisah perjalanan Nabi SAW naik ke langit telah banyak dihuraikan dalam hadith sahih. Contohnya kisah Nabi SAW berjumpa dengan Nabi Isa as dan Nabi Ibrahim as. Begitu juga semasa Rasulullah SAW dibelah dada untuk dicuci hatinya dan Baginda SAW menaiki buruq dari Medina ke Masjidil al Aqsa.


D) Zanni al tsubut and Zanni al Dilalah - (Not Authenticate and not Certain in it's meaning)

- Hadis Ahad yang yang tidak sampai ke darjat mutawatir sememangnya dikategorikan sebagai zanni al-tsubut dan jika ia mempunyai kandungan maksud yang kurang jelas, maka ia akan dikategorikan senagai zanni al tsubut and zanni al Dilalah. Contohnya hadis mengenai larangan turun sujud seperti unta semasa solat. Para ulama telah berbeza pendapat mengenai cara sujud seperti unta.



Wallahu'alam