Were there such a great scholar among the Ummah...

Were there such a great scholar among the Ummah, who could decide on such delicate issues, many of the Muslims’ problems would not exist, the Ummah would go its straight path and they would not waste their time over absurd issues. The Holy Quran is the basic source for any correct Islamic interpretation and nothing in the world is equal to it. If we ever received two contradictory explanations from the Prophet, we would accept the one which was in harmony with the Quran.

But are all the Quranic verses on the same footings regarding clarity? Isn't there a verse in the Quran which will need the interpretation of an infallible? Such a claim would be issued by one whose contact with the Quran is superstitious and whose heart is not linked with the Quran.

It is a fact that most of the Quranic verses are clear and that some of the ambiguous verses are made clear with the help of other clear verses .[^4]However, there are some verses in the Quran which were ambiguous since they were revealed or have become so because of the distance in time from the revelation. What could be done regarding such verses? Should there not be a scholar who can decode such ambiguous verses?

When Imam Ali (as) dispatched Ibn Abbas to reason with the Khawarej, he ordered him not to use Quranic verses. His rationale was that if he were to use a verse for a reason they would use another verse to contradict what he might say[^5]. The Imam certainly did not mean the whole of the Quran; rather, he was referring to the ambiguous verses.

For these reasons it is urgent that there be an innocent Imam among the Ummah, who is well-aware of the Islamic principles and who could be a final judge in disputes. If there were not such an authority available, some portions of the Quranic verses would be subject to erroneous interpretations, and this would cause Muslims to divide.

A statement from Hisham Hisham Ibn Hakam, Imam Sadiq's distinguished student, an expert in literary debate and discourse in the second century reasons in the following manner for the necessity of an Imam among the Ummah for judgment in difficult cases. One day he had a discussion over the issue of having an Imam among the Ummah with Amr Ibn Obayd, head of the Moatazelah sect and the religious leader of Basrah. Hisham asked him to answer his questions even if they were simple and clear.

Q : Do you have eyes? A : Yes, I do. Q : What do you do with them? A : I see people and colors. Q : Do you have ears? A : Yes, I do.