وَأَنّا ظَنَنّا أَن لَن تَقولَ الإِنسُ وَالجِنُّ عَلَى اللَّهِ كَذِبًا

Indeed we thought that humans and jinn would never utter any falsehood concerning Allah.

EXEGESIS

Ẓanannā is a perfect verb that derives from the root ẓann which means to believe or to assume. Rāghib defines ẓann as ‘a belief attained through unconfirmed evidence’.^{‎[1]Raghib, under ẓ-n-n.} It appears from this definition that ẓann is a belief that is far above the level of doubt or mere assumption, but below the level of certainty. It seems to be on this basis that some researchers have defined the word ẓann to mean a strong assumption.^{‎[2]Qamus, under ẓ-n-n.} Nonetheless, Muṣṭafawī seems to have added clarity to the meaning of the term by defining it to be ‘a weak belief’ since it does not contain conviction that rests on conclusive arguments.^{‎[3]Tahqiq, under ẓ-n-n.} Based on this assertion, any belief, no matter how strongly it is held, and irrespective of whether or not it corresponds to objective reality, would always be classified under the category of ẓann as long as it does not involve certitude that is founded on valid and conclusive evidence.    

However, most lexicographers maintain that the noun ẓann is used in the Arabic language to denote two antithetical meanings of knowledge (ʿilm) and doubt (shakk).^{‎[4]Bahrayn and Lisan, under ẓ-n-n; Ayn, under ẓ-n-n; Maqayis, under ẓ-n-n, cited in Tahqiq, under ẓ-n-n.} In support of their stand, they have also cited verses from the Quran wherein the term has at times appeared to imply knowledge and certitude as in 69:20 and 38:24, and at other times to signify assumption like in 10:36 and 53:28. But Qurashī is of the opinion that the employment of the term ẓann in place of knowledge is rather strenuous, because the Quran has considered ʿilm and ẓann to be two distinct epistemological states as understood from 45:32 and 24, 4:157, and 53:28. Similarly, it is very unlikely for the term ẓann and its derivatives to have appeared in the Quran implying doubt (shakk), since ẓann and shakk are two discrete states, each of which has been treated in the Quran in a different manner.^{‎[5]Qamus, under ẓ-n-n.}

In the verse under discussion, ẓann implies a belief that is contrary to reality though strongly believed to be true by one who holds it. In other words, the jinn naively believed the wrong information spread by the unjust concerning God to be true.^{‎[6]Alusi, 15/95; Sabzawari, 7/247.}

Ins (sing. insī) means humans, and is the opposite of the word jinn.^{‎[7]Raghib, under ʾ-n-s.} It derives from the noun uns which means intimacy and familiarity.^{‎[8]Hans Wehr, under anisa (uns).} Ibn Fāris defines uns as the appearance and visibility of a thing as opposed to tawaḥḥush – strangeness.^{‎[9]Maqayis, cited in Tahqiq, under ʾ-n-s.} However, since the consistent appearance of a thing brings about a kind of familiarity, the term uns has thus been deployed to denote the effects of being continuously visible, that is familiarity, intimacy, and proximity. Hence, wild animals are called waḥsh in Arabic because of their being distant from, and thus unfamiliar with, human beings.^{‎[10] Raghib, under w-ḥ-sh.} Humans are referred to as ins because of their being physically perceptible and evident, contrary to the jinn who are invisible.^{‎[11] Tahqiq, under ʾ-n-s.} The word ins – mankind – has appeared eighteen times in the Quran, always in contrast to the term jinn (see 6:130, 27:17, and 41:25).^{‎[12] Qamus, under ins.}

Jinn is a noun that derives from the root verb janna meaning to hide, to cover, or to veil.^{‎[13] Lisan and Bahrayn, under j-n-n.} The specific type of creation mentioned in this surah are referred to as jinn due to their being hidden from the physical senses.^{‎[14] Lisan, Raghib, and Bahrayn, under j-n-n. Refer to the Exegesis of verse 1 for more explanation.}

Kadhib is a noun that means a lie, and is the opposite of ṣidq (truth).^{‎[15] Lisan, under k-dh-b.} In other words, any given information that is contrary to reality is called kadhib, regardless of whether it was done intentionally or otherwise.^{‎[16] Fayyumi, under kadhaba.} The noun kadhib has appeared numerous times in the Quran, denoting at times information that is contrary to reality (3:73 and 18:5), and at other times implying incongruity between one’s actions and the reality (96:16). The term kadhib has also been deployed in the Quran in 12:18 in relation to something that has been fabricated in objective reality and portrayed as truth for the purpose of deception.^{‎[17] Tahqiq, under k-dh-b.}

EXPOSITION

This is a confession from this group of believers from the jinn that they were mistaken in being optimistic about some members of the jinn and the humans around them. They accepted at face value what the froward among them would say about God and would follow them blindly without questioning the authenticity of their claims. This was due to their unfounded confidence that the jinn and the humans can never ascribe such lies to God as having partners, a spouse, and children.^{‎[18] Tibyan, 10/148.} They realised their mistake after they came into contact with the Quran and reviewed their beliefs accordingly.

The verse alludes to the origin of their misconceptions about God being in blindly following a people whose credibility had not been thoroughly established. This kind of unjustified optimistic attitude and blind following is among the key factors that has hampered many people and societies from discerning the truth and has thus been questioned by the Quran: When they are told: ‘Follow what Allah has sent down,’ they say: ‘We will rather follow what we have found our fathers following.’ What, even if their fathers neither applied any reason nor were guided?! (2:170). In other words, the verse under discussion disapproves the attitude of blind emulation of others in such crucial matters as religious beliefs, and emphasises the necessity of acquiring proper evidence in this regard.^{‎[19] Tabrisi, 10/555.} The Quran considers the attitude of critically reviewing the truth before submitting to it as one of the qualities of true believers: So give good news to My servants who listen to the word [of Allah] and follow the best [sense] of it. They are the ones whom Allah has guided, and it is they who possess intellect (39:17-18).

[1] Raghib, under ẓ-n-n.
[2] Qamus, under ẓ-n-n.
[3] Tahqiq, under ẓ-n-n.
[4] Bahrayn and Lisan, under ẓ-n-n; Ayn, under ẓ-n-n; Maqayis, under ẓ-n-n, cited in Tahqiq, under ẓ-n-n.
[5] Qamus, under ẓ-n-n.
[6] Alusi, 15/95; Sabzawari, 7/247.
[7] Raghib, under ʾ-n-s.
[8] Hans Wehr, under anisa (uns).
[9] Maqayis, cited in Tahqiq, under ʾ-n-s.
[10] Raghib, under w-ḥ-sh.
[11] Tahqiq, under ʾ-n-s.
[12] Qamus, under ins.
[13] Lisan and Bahrayn, under j-n-n.
[14] Lisan, Raghib, and Bahrayn, under j-n-n. Refer to the Exegesis of verse 1 for more explanation.
[15] Lisan, under k-dh-b.
[16] Fayyumi, under kadhaba.
[17] Tahqiq, under k-dh-b.
[18] Tibyan, 10/148.
[19] Tabrisi, 10/555.