He was asked—may Allah be pleased with him:

“What do the esteemed scholars, the imams of the religion—may Allah be pleased with them all—say about a man who was asked, ‘Which school of law do you follow?’

“He replied, ‘I am a follower of Muhammad. I follow the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.’

“He was told, ‘No! Every believer must follow a school of law. Whoever has no school of law is a devil.’

“He replied, ‘Which school did Abū Bakr al-Siddīq and the caliphs after him follow—may Allah be pleased with them?’

“He was told, ‘You must follow one of these schools.’ Which of the two is correct? Give us your ruling, and may you be rewarded.”

He replied:

All praise is due to Allah.

What is obligatory upon people is obedience to Allah and the Messenger. As for those in authority whom Allah has commanded people to obey in His words:

“Obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you,”

they must be obeyed only as part of obedience to Allah and His Messenger, not independently. Then He said:

“If you disagree over anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger, if you believe in Allah and the Last Day. That is best and most favorable in outcome.”

When a Muslim faces an issue requiring a ruling, he should consult someone whom he believes will give him a ruling according to the law of Allah