Restudying the Authority of Confidence

Confidence is a degree of cognition that does not reach the limit of philosophical certainty but at the same time is stronger than conjectures. It is very effective and necessary to study the degree and criterion of the authority of confidence because most types of cognitions do not reach the level and amount of knowledge and certainty. Although religious texts prohibit acting on the basis of anything other than knowledge, the fact that, basically, logical knowledge and certainty are, rarely, obtained leads us to the point that knowledge in religious texts has a broader concept than confidence. Likewise, confidence is recognized as valid by the wise and has been confirmed by Sharia as a binding authority; because despite the divine lawgiver has contemplated acting on the basis of confidence, it has not been forbidden. Considering the above said findings, confidence is not of inherent authority but at the same time, it replaces different types of certitude whether certitude on the subject or certitude without considering the duty-bound's knowledge.