Distinguishing proof, information and conjecture

The Mujtahid’s Duty: Evidence Hierarchy, Conflicts, and Revised Ijtihad

SituationMethodClear, applicable textFollow the textLegally recognized reportPrefer it to private guessingNo determinative evidenceApply the qualified rules of estimation or ijtihad

Here “opinion” does not mean impulsive preference: proper ijtihad is a structured, scholarly process. Nevertheless, even expert reasoning is not used to nullify stronger relevant evidence.

Practical distinction: establish whether information counts as evidence first, then ask whether independent estimation remains necessary.