Taqleed (blind following) is impermissible in Islam...

Taqleed (blind following) is impermissible in Islam...even the pagans used to do taqleed of their fore fathers and went astray.

“And when it is said to them:`Follow what Allah has revealed !’ They say: `Nay ! We will follow what we found our ancestors following.’ What ! Even though their Ancestors were void of wisdom and guidance?”

{Surah Al-Baqarah 2:170}

And when it is said to them, "Follow what Allah has revealed," they say, "Rather, we will follow that upon which we found our fathers." Even if Satan was inviting them to the punishment of the Blaze?

{Surah Luqman 31:21}

So do not be in doubt, [O Muhammad], as to what these people [polytheists] worship. They worship nothing but what their fathers worshiped before (them). And indeed, We shall repay them in full their portion without diminution.

{Surat Hud, verse 109}

But according to the scholars taqleed is permissible in such a case where a person takes advice or follows a fatwa that must match the Sunnah of beloved Prophet Muhammed SAW & the Qur'an. No matter who they are if their quote goes against The Qur'an & The Sunnah we shall reject it.

Saalim ibn 'Abdullaah ibn 'Umar, who said:

"I was sitting with Ibn 'Umar (radi Allaahu 'anhu) in the mosque once, when a man from the people of Syria came to him and asked him about continuing the 'Umrah onto the Hajj (known as Hajj Tamattu'). Ibn 'Umar replied, 'It is a good and beautiful thing.' The man said, 'But your father (i.e. 'Umar ibn al-Khattaab) used to forbid it!' So he said, 'Woe to you! If my father used to forbid something which the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) practised and commanded, would you accept my father's view, or the order of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) ?' He replied, 'The order of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam).' He said, 'So go away from me.'

{Ahmad (no. 5700) related similarly, as did Tirmidhi (2/82) and declared it saheeh}

Taqleed shall not be like even if a person goes wrong with his quote he shall still be followed ignoring the truth and without verifying for your own soul.

Abu Dhar said : "I was with the Prophet Muhammed (Peace be upon him) one day and I heard Him saying "There is something I fear for my Ummah than the dajjal". It was then I became afraid, so I said "O Messenger of ALLAH what thing is that?" He (PBUH) replied "Misguided and astray scholars" [Recorded in Musnad Ahmad, 20335]

And whoever calls with the call of Jahilliyah, he will be in the fire." The companions asked: "O Messenger of Allah! Even though he prayed and fasted?" The Prophet replied: "Even though he prayed and fasted? and claimed to be a Muslim. Call the Muslims by their names, the names which Allah has called them, Of Muslimeen, Mu'mineen, and Ibad Allah."

[Ahmed, At-Tirmidhi, Ibn Hibban, and Al-Hakim]

One must not also stick to one Madhab than to follow all and if they differ from their view according to The Qur'an & Sunnah then we must back off leaving such complicated things ...Neither had Abu hanifa (RH) , Imam Shafae (RH), Imam Hanbal (RH) & Imam Malik (RH) ever asked his student or to anyone to FOLLOW THEM. Rather they said the same command of Beloved Prphet MUhammed (Peace Be Up on Him) stating

"Follow The Qur'an & The Sunnah"

Anyhow below are the quote of respective 4 Imams who clearly said "If any of our quote goes against Quran & The Sunnah reject them by throwing against the wall"

Abu Haneefah (rahimahullaah) said:

"When a hadeeth is found to be saheeh, then that is my madhhab." !!!
{Ibn 'Aabideen in al-Haashiyah (1/63) and in his essay Rasm al-Mufti (1/4 from the Compilation of the Essays of Ibn 'Aabideen), Shaikh Saalih al-Fulaani in Eeqaaz al-Himam (p. 62) and others. Ibn 'Aabideen quoted from Sharh al-Hidaayah by Ibn al-Shahnah al-Kabeer, the teacher of Ibn al-Humaam}

"It is haram (prohibited) for someone who does not know my evidence to give fatwaa (verdicts) on the basis of my words." Another narration adds, " for we are mortals: we say one thing one day, and take it back the next day."

{Ibn 'Abdul Barr in Al-Intiqaa' fi Fadaa'il ath-Thalaathah al-A'immah al-Fuqahaa' (p. 145), Ibn al-Qayyim in I'laam al-Mooqi'een (2/309), Ibn 'Aabideen in his Footnoes on Al-Bahr ar-Raa'iq (6/293) and in Rasm al-Mufti (pp. 29, 32) & Sha'raani in Al-Meezaan (1/55) with the second narration. Similar narrations exist on the authority of Abu Haneefah's companions Zafar, Abu Yoosuf and 'Aafiyah ibn Yazeed; cf. Eeqaaz (p. 52). Ibn al-Qayyim firmly certified its authenticity on the authority of Abu Yoosuf in I'laam al-Mooqi'een (2/344).}

"When I say something contradicting the Book of Allah the Exalted or what is narrated from the Messenger (saaws), then ignore my saying." !!!

{Al-Fulaani in Eeqaaz al-Himam (p. 50), tracing it to Imaam Muhammad and then saying, "This does not apply to the mujtahid, for he is not bound to their views anyway, but it applies to the muqallid.}

It is not Allowed for Anybody to accept our opnions if they do not know where we took them from: {Al intiqaa fi fadhalil Ath- thalathat Al-aimah Al furqaan :- p: 145 By Ibne Abdil Barr Ilaam-il Muqeem 2/309 Ibn al Qauum and others.}

Imam Abu Hanifa Rahimahullah Said :

Woe to you “ oh Yaqoob Do not write everything you hear from me, May be I have an opinion today , and may be I refuse it tomorrow. Or may be I hold myself to one opinion tomorrow and refuse it the next day.

{An Nafi- Al kabir p:135 by Abdul hasanaat al Luqnawi}

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Imaam Maalik ibn Anas (rahimahullaah) said:

"Truly I am only a mortal: I make mistakes (sometimes) and I am correct (sometimes). Therefore, look into my opinions: all that agrees with the Book and the Sunnah, accept it; and all that does not agree with the Book and the Sunnah, ignore it."

{Ibn 'Abdul Barr in Jaami' Bayaan al-'Ilm (2/32), Ibn Hazm, quoting from the former in Usool al-Ahkaam (6/149), and similarly Al-Fulaani (p. 72)}

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Imaam Shaafi'i (rahimahullaah) said:

"The sunnahs of the Messenger of Allah (saaws) reach, as well as escape from, every one of us. So whenever I voice my opinion, or formulate a principle, where something contrary to my view exists on the authority of the Messenger of Allah (saaws), then the correct view is what the Messenger of Allah (saaws) has said, and it is my view."

{Related by Haakim with a continuous sanad up to Shaafi'i, as in Taareekh Dimashq of Ibn 'Asaakir (15/1/3), I'laam al-Mooqi'een (2/363, 364) & Eeqaaz (p. 100)}.

Imam Shaafi'i (rahimahullaah)

."Every statement on the authority of the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) is also my view, even if you do not hear it from me."

{Ibn Abi Haatim (pp. 93-4)}.

Imam Shafaii Rahmtullah Said:-

" follow it (the Sunnah), and do not look sideways at anyone else's saying."

{Harawi in Dhamm al-Kalaam (3/47/1), Khateeb in Al-Ihtijaaj bi ash-Shaafi'i (8/2), Ibn 'Asaakir (15/9/10), Nawawi in Al- Majmoo' (1/63), Ibn al-Qayyim (2/361) & Fulaani (p. 100); the second narration is from Hilyah al-Awliyaa' of Abu Nu'aim}.

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Ahmad ibn Hanbal (rahimahullaah) said:

"Do not follow my opinion; neither follow the opinion of Maalik, nor Shaafi'i, nor Awzaa'i, nor Thawri, but take from where they took."

{Fulaani (p. 113) & Ibn al-Qayyim in I'laam (2/302)}.

"Do not copy your Deen from anyone of these, but whatever comes from the Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) and his Companions, take it; next are their Successors, where a man has a choice."

"Following (ittibaa') means that a man follows what comes from the Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) and his Companions; after the Successors, he has a choice."

{Abu Daawood in Masaa'il of Imaam Ahmad (pp. 276-7)}

"The opinion of Awzaa'i, the opinion of Maalik, the opinion of Abu Haneefah: all of it is opinion, and it is all equal in my eyes. However, the proof is in the narrations (from the Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) and his Companions)."

{Ibn `Abdul Barr in Jaami' Bayaan al-'Ilm (2/149)}.

"Whoever rejects a statement of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) is on the brink of destruction."

{Ibn al-Jawzi (p. 182)2)}

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Finallly, The Qur'an says the same

O you who believe! Obey Allâh and obey the Messenger (Muhammad SAW), and those of you (Muslims) who are in authority. (And) if you differ in anything amongst yourselves, refer it to Allâh and His Messenger (SAW), if you believe in Allâh and in the Last Day. That is better and more suitable for final determination.

{The Noble Qur'an 4:59}

The Glorious Qur’an mentions in several verses, “Obey Allah and obey His Messenger”. A true Muslim should only follow the Glorious Qur’an and the Sahih Hadith. He can agree with the views of any scholar as long as they conform to the teachings of the Qur’an and Sahih Hadith. If such views go against the Word of Allah, or the Sunnah of His Prophet, then they carry no weight, regardless of how learned the scholar might be.If only all Muslims read the Qur’an with understanding and adhere to Sahih Hadith, Inshallah most of these differences would be solved and we could be one united Muslim Ummah.