munqa#): "God, the Exalted, says, Then if he [the other husband] divorces her, it is no sin for both of them that they come together again (Q. ٢:٢٣٠); and in a tem- porary (muta) marriage, there is no divorce."٣ _
g. His opinion regarding the person whose nail was caused to fall and who had cov‌ ered his toe with a tourniquet (mirilra), [thus impeding the wiping required in ablu‌ tion]: "[The solution to] this [condition] and its like is known from the Book of God, which states: He has not laid upon you in religion any hardship" (Q. ٢٢:٧٨).
h. His opinion that it is lawful to marry some of the women, in which he cited the
following verse of the Quran: "Lawful to you are all beyond those mentioned" (Q. ٤:٢٤).
i. His opinion that itis not permissible for a slave to marry [without the permission of
his master], [an opinion] which he based on what God said: "A [mere] chattel slave has control of nothing" (Q. ١٦:٧٥).
j. His opinion that it is .lawful to eat certain animals, which he based on what God
said: "Say, I find not in that which is revealed to me anything prohibited to an eater that he eat thereof, [except if it be carrion, or blood poured forth, or swine flesh]" (Q. ٦:١٤٦).

These are some of the examples of the inferences the Imams made from the verses of the Quran. They are quoted in the appropriate chapters of the books on jurispru‌ dence and in other types of works as well.

Arguments against the Evidential Nature of the Apparent
Meanings of the Quran

A group of traditionists (mul:zaddithiln) has taken a different view of this matter, has denied the evidential nature of the apparent meanings of the Quran, and has forbid‌ den acting upon it. The group has based its argument on the following points:

١. The principle of election for the understanding of the Quran. According to this argument, the understanding of the Quran is limited to those to whom it was ad‌ dressed. The [traditionists] supported this claim with a number of traditions on this subje_..c._ t. Among these is the mursal tradition,٤ related by Shuayb b. Anas, about the Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him), who is reported to have asked AbU I:Ianifa:

"Are you the jurist of the people oflraq?" He said, "Yes." The Imam asked, "On what do you base your legal opinions to them?" He replied, "On the Book of God and the practice (sunna) of His Prophet." The Imam asked, "٠ Aba f:lanifa! Do you know the Book of God as it should be known? And do you recognize the abrogating verses from the abrogated verses?" He said, "Yes." The Imam said: "Woe unto you, ٠ Aba f:lanifa! You have claimed a knowledge which God has placed in none other than those upon whom He revealed the Book. Woe unto you, He did not place such knowledge except with the selected ones among the progeny of our Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny). Moreover, God, the Exalted, has not bequeathed on you even a word."

In another tradition, Zayd b. al-Shal).l,lam reports:

Qatada came to see Aba Jafar [al-Baqir] (peace be upon him). The Imam asked him, "Are you the jurist of the people of Basra?" He replied, "So they claim." The Imam said, "It has reached me that you interpret (tufassir) the Quran." He said, "Yes." [The