Neither of them may follow the other …

His statement, “Neither of them may follow the other,” refers here to following in determining the qiblah. Thus, neither of them may follow the other, even if one of them is more learned and more knowledgeable, so long as he differs with him. However, if, after one competent person has exercised independent judgment, the other—who is more learned than him—also exercises independent judgment, and this causes him to doubt his own judgment while the other’s judgment becomes more likely in his estimation, then, according to the madhhab, he may not follow him, because they say that the report of a trustworthy person must be based on certainty (1).

The correct view is that he should follow him, because once he doubts his own judgment, that judgment is invalidated; and once the correctness of his companion’s judgment becomes more likely in his estimation, he must follow what is more likely to be correct. The Prophet ﷺ said, in the hadith of Abdullah ibn Mas'ud concerning uncertainty over the number of rak'ahs: “Let him seek what is correct, then base his prayer upon it” (2). This proves that whoever has a preponderant belief regarding any matter of worship should act upon that preponderant belief.

This also has a basis in the Quran. Allah the Exalted says: “So fear Allah as much as you are able” [al-Taghabun: 16]. This is the extent of his ability.

His statement, “Neither of them may follow the other,” also includes following him as an imam in congregational prayer; thus, he may not pray behind him. This is because each of them believes that the other has erred regarding the qiblah. The imam considers the qiblah to be south, whereas the person praying behind him considers it to be north. The imam therefore faces south while the follower faces north, so the follower has turned his back to the imam. When the imam bows toward the south, the follower bows toward the north; this is a contradiction.