Question:

What does the jurist and author of Wasa’il-ush-Shi’ah think about bringing the Qur’an into the discourse without the narrations of the people of the house (a.)?

Answer:

Muhammad Al-Hurr Al-Amili writes:

إنه لا نزاع في وجوب العمل بالقرآن وإنما الكلام في جواز العمل به من غير نص من الأئمة صلوات الله عليهم في تفسيره موافقة ظاهره ونفي النسخ والتقييد والتخصيص والتأويل ونحوه ولا دلالة لهذه الآيات على جواز العمل بالظواهر من غير نص يوافقها من الحديث ومن غير ورود تفسيرها عنهم صلوات الله عليهم

“Nobody denies the obligation to act in accordance with the Qur’an, because the dispute is only about whether one can act without a text from the Imams (a. ) on its interpretation that is in accordance with its outward appearance (Zahir) and excludes abolition (Naskh), restriction (Taqyid), specification (Takhsis), interpretation (Ta’wil) and other things and none of the verses prove that without a text from a narration or  without a narrated interpretation of the Imams (a.) in accordance with the outward appearance (Zahir).” [Al-Fawa’id-ut-Tusiyyah, page 169]

إنا نقول إذا لم يرد نص يوافق ظاهر الآية ولا يخالفها واحتملت النسخ والتقييد والتأويل وغير ذلك لا يجوز الجزم بإرادة ظاهرها ولا الجزم بمخالتفه ويجب التوقف عن الأمرين والعمل بالاحتياط

“We say that if neither a text has been transmitted that agrees with the outward appearance (Zahir) of the verse, nor one that differs from it, as well as abrogation (Naskh), restriction (Taqyid), interpretation (Ta’wil) and other things are possible, it is neither allowed to have the certainty that outward appearance (Zahir) is meant by it, nor the certainty about the opposite of it and one must stop (Tawaqquf) before both viewpoints  and must act accordingly with extreme caution (Ihtiyat).” [Al-Fawa’id-ut-Tusiyyah, page 176]