The Ruling on Blindly Following the Mathhab of the Shiites

Question :

Some people consider that it is an obligation upon the Muslim to blindly follow one of the four well known schools of Islamic Jurisprudence in order for their acts of worship and their deeds to be correct. Yet the Mathhab of the Shiites is not included amongst them, not even the Mathhab of the Zaidi Shiites. Does your Eminence agree absolutely with this view, and thus prohibit the blind following of the Mathhab of the Shiites, such as the Imamate of the Ithna Ashriyyah?

Answer:

It is an obligation upon the Muslim to follow what came from Allah and His Messenger, if he is able to infer the legal rulings himself; if he is unable to do so, he should ask the people of knowledge regarding what troubles him in the matter of his religion. He should make inquiries of the most knowledgeable scholar with whom he is able to make contact, so that he may ask him, either in person, or in writing.

It is not permissible for the Muslim to blindly follow the Shiite Imamate Mathhab, nor the Zaidi Mathhab, nor any other such like Mathhab from the people of innovation, such as the Khawarij 'the Mu'tazilah, the Jahmiyyah[3] and others. As for belonging to one of the four well known Mathhabs, there is no objection to this, so long as he is not a fanatical follower of the Mathhab to which he belongs and does not dispute (authentic) evidence on account of it.

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