a loan is metaphorical. Yet an expression’s being metaphorical does not prevent it from conveying the apparent meaning of the discourse. For a metaphor accompanied by clarifying verbal indications is explicit in its meaning; the discourse has no apparent meaning other than that.

The discussion here is not about whether an expression is literal or metaphorical, or whether the Quran contains metaphor. That is a separate question, for which the evidence is many times greater than what he has cited. Rather, the point here concerns your claim that the various groups agree that some passages of the Quran and prophetic reports must be interpreted away from their apparent meanings, and that such interpretation means diverting speech from its apparent meaning to one contrary to it. But is the apparent meaning of these