Obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those vested with...

Obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those vested with authority from among you (4:59) \n Authority cannot come without knowledge; the leaders should always be the most knowledgeable of the people, for they are best equipped to lead the people.

Having knowledge is a pre-requisite for leadership, for with it difficulties are overcome, as Amir Al-Muimineen (S) has explained: \n Knowledge is power ; whoever finds it overcomes by it and whoever does not find it is overcome \nFollowing the knowledgeable applies equally in political and religious matters, regardless of the state of affairs in that region, for the erudite are the closest to Allah (SWT): \n He it is Who has revealed the Book to you; some of its verses are decisive, they are the basis of the Book, and others are allegorical; then as for those in whose hearts there is perversity they follow the part of it which is allegorical, seeking to mislead and seeking to give it (their own) interpretation, but none knows its interpretation except Allah, and those who are firmly rooted in knowledge say: We believe in it, it is all from our Lord; and none do mind except those having understanding (3:7) \n Why should not a company from every group of them go forth to gain profound understanding in religion and to warn their people when they return to them, so that they may beware (9:122) \n The first verse gives the reason why you cannot choose to deduce rulings yourself (or to use qiyas) if you do not have the necessarily knowledge.

This verse also admonishes those who follow their own opinions, even though they lack knowledge: \n And follow not that of which you have no knowledge in (17:36) \n The word used for those who would gain understanding in verse 9:122 is ‘liyataffaqahu’ which means ‘to become fuqaha’. This is exactly what the mujtahids are, Fuqaha.

The Prophet , then no-one has the right to give his ijtihad on it: \n And whatever the Messenger gives you accept it, and whatever he forbids you, abstain (from) (59:7) \n The same applies to matters of the Fundamental Principles of Religion (Usul Al-Deen), for they are matters in belief and you must research these yourself, rather than blindly follow someone in them.

This has been highlighted in several verses, among which are: \n And when it is said to them, come to what Allah has revealed and to the Messenger, they say: That on which we found our fathers is sufficient for us. What!