Semantic Analysis of “Zan” in the Holy Qur’an An Investigation on the Semantical Structure of Zan in the Holy Qur’an Concerning Whether it Affirms or Denies its two Meanings (Conjecture and Certainty)

Having doubt or being certain is one of the basic matters of knowledge. Therefore the praise or the reproach of conjecture or surmise in the Holy Qur’an is a fundamental issue which leads to the reflection on the cognitive principles of knowledge.Reviewing some verses of the Holy Qur’an may imply that following any surmise is reproached; therefore the cases in which the surmise of some believers is praised, should have an esoteric interpretation. Many theologians and interpreters believe the devotees should have firm beliefs and surmise is not valid in this regard. Therefore they interpret zan as certainty in the verses which praise the zan (surmise) of believers.The verses which praise or reproach zan in the Holy Qur’an, their contextual clues and the words which are in the same semantic field are studied in this research, using the semantic methodology. Therefore the conceptualization and weltanschauung of the Holy Qur’an on admirable and non-admirable zan is discovered.This research shows that the syntagmatic, paradigmatic and opposite vocabulary in the semantic field of zan do not provide any contextual clue for the interpretation of zan as certainty in the mentioned verses; there is no restraint to interpret zan according to its literal sense and it is rather compatible with the originality of the text, and God’s absolute knowledge and wisdom.