To discuss authority of apparent (dhahir) meanings of verses is in fact to discuss authority of the very verses, for should the former not be authoritative there would remain nothing from Quranic verses as the principal proof of precepts in order to be applied in inferring religious precepts due to shortage of definite (nass) meanings. However, in order to prove authority of apparent meanings of Quranic verses, like apparent meanings of sunnah and other estimated proofs, we are in need of definite proofs so that we can attain the definite desirable through logical reasoning. In other words, the apparent meanings of Quranic verses are estimated and an estimated proof is not authoritative unless it is based on a definite proof. The most significant proof for authority of apparent meanings of Quranic verses is "The conduct of the Wise" (sirah al-uqala).
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