It is clearly indicated in the Qur’an that verses which have...

It is clearly indicated in the Qur’an that verses which have a subtlety or particularity of meaning demand that the reader reflects upon them to remove any seeming differences of interpretation or incongruities that may appear at first inspection. It also follows that if the verses themselves contained no apparent meaning, there would be no point in reflecting upon them in order to clarify the apparent problem of their interpretation.

There are no indications from other sources, (such as the traditions of the Prophet), that demand a rejection of the outwardly manifest meaning of the Qur’an. Some have argued that one should only refer to the commentaries of the Prophet in elucidating the meanings of the Qur’an. This argument is unacceptable, however, since the basis of the Prophet’s commentary and of the Imams of his family must be sought for in the Qur’an.

It is difficult to imagine that the validity of the Qur’an is dependent on the commentaries of the Prophet or the Imams…