The Meaning of Illegitimate Excess

If excess (ghuluww) means transgressing the necessary measure, it has two types: legitimate (ḥaqq) and illegitimate (bāṭil).

According to this meaning, the phrase “not in truth” (ghayr al-ḥaqq) in the sentence “Do not commit excess in your religion not in truth” (lā taghlū fī dīnikum ghayr al-ḥaqq) is a description for an omitted excess (ghuluww) - meaning “do not commit excess in your religion, an excess not in truth” - consequently it is a restrictive description that limits the prohibition of the verse to excess that is not in truth. Excess (ghuluww) in this sense, which also includes exaggeration in truth, would not be included in the prohibition of the verse under discussion, because exaggeration that is in truth is not prohibited.

However, if excess (ghuluww) means transgressing the permissible limit, which apparently is what the verse intends, it is necessarily a false matter, and the phrase “not in truth” (ghayr al-ḥaqq) becomes an explanatory and emphatic description, not a restrictive one; similar to “and they kill the prophets without right” (142) and “and their killing the prophets without right”, because killing any prophet does not have two types, right and wrong, but rather the killing of prophets is only wrong and forbidden. Excess (ghuluww) in this sense does not include exaggeration in truth.(143)

Note: Zamakhsharī and Fakhr Rāzī divided excess (ghuluww) into right (ḥaqq) and wrong (bāṭil) and said: exaggeration in establishing the doctrines of religion, extensive effort (ijtihād) in acquiring proof and the like - as the theologians of the people of justice (ʿadl) and monotheism (tawḥīd) do - is an instance of rightful excess (ghuluww ḥaqq) in religion, and striving to go beyond the truth, turning away from proofs and following doubts (shubha) - as the people of desire (hawā) and innovation (bidʿa) do - is an instance of false excess (ghuluww bāṭil) in religion.(144) Based on this, considering the rigidity (jumūd) of the People of the Book in maintaining Judaism and Christianity with the rise of the light of Islam as an instance of false excess (ghuluww bāṭil) would not be excessive.