Taqlid: Following a Jurist
General Rules
Now it is appropriate to clarify the following issues:
- A person who does not have the ability to extract and derive
the religious laws must take up taqlid of the most learned mujtahid. The deeds
of such a person without taqlid or ihtiyat are null and void.
- The most learned mujtahid (al-a'lam) is the most capable in deriving the
religious laws from their sources.
- In order to determine who is the most learned mujtahid, one must refer
to the ahlul khibra (those who are sufficiently knowledgeable in Islamic jurisprudence).
It is not permissible in this matter to refer to a person who has no expertise
in this subject.
- You can know the opinion (fatwa) of your marja' by one of the following
methods:
- By hearing the ruling from the mujtahid himself.
- By being informed about the mujtahid's fatwa by two just men or by a
reliable person.
- By referring to the Manual of Islamic Laws (risala) of the marja' or
other books of that category.
- When the most erudite mujtahid has no fatwa on an issue or if it is not
possible for the layman to find the opinion of his marja' when he needs it,
he can then refer to another mujtahid who is the second best in the line of
hierarchy of being a'lam.
