Suppose you see smoke rising behind a building. You cannot see the fire directly, but the smoke directs your mind toward burning as a possible explanation.
Known first: smoke is visible.
Inferred: there is a cause involving combustion or fire.
Connection: reason and experience associate smoke with burning.
This is the textbook's general illustration. In an actual case, identifying the precise cause may require further investigation; an inference need not establish every detail with certainty.
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Work through the smoke example
Dalālah, Waḍʿ and the Six Types of Indication
Suppose you see smoke rising behind a building. You cannot see the fire directly, but the smoke directs your mind toward burning as a possible explanation.
Known first: smoke is visible.
Inferred: there is a cause involving combustion or fire.
Connection: reason and experience associate smoke with burning.
This is the textbook's general illustration. In an actual case, identifying the precise cause may require further investigation; an inference need not establish every detail with certainty.