Q&A: The Meaning of Talfiq and Following Schools of Thought

Therefore, the Sharī’ah does not deem it right for us to follow the people, only to follow the rules of Allah (swt). However, the reality of Taqlīd has led the Muslims to follow the rules of certain mujtahids whom they have assigned as imams for themselves and they made the rules these mujtahids have deduced by their Ijtihād as a madhhab for themselves. So the Shafi’is, Hanafis, Malikis, Hanbalis, Ja’faris, Zaidis, etc., have an actual presence amongst the Muslims. Even though these people follow the Sharī’ah rules which have been deduced by these mujtahids, their action is legitimate because it constitutes following a Sharī’ah rule..