Then some of the contemporary ‘ulamā’ began to call for...

Then some of the contemporary ‘ulamā’ began to call for opening the doors and restoration the practice of ijtihād, due to what the time requirements necessitating, and to find solutions for new questions and issues that were unknown during the lifetime of the four imāms (leaders of Sunni schools).

Whereas the Shi’ah never permit (anyone) to imitate the dead mujtahid (for the first time), referring in all their rules to the alive mujtahid possessing all the necessary qualifications we mentioned previously, during the occultation of the Infallible Imam, who charged them to refer to the equitable ‘ulamā’ in the time of his occultation (ghaybah) till his reappearance.

The Sunni Māliki, for instance, may declare: This thing is lawful (halāl) and that thing is forbidden (harām) according to the belief of al-’Imām Mālik, who is dead more than twelve centuries ago. The same claim is uttered by the followers of the Hanafi, Shāfi‘i and Hanbali schools, since these four leaders lived contem prory, with each one of them learning under the hand of the other.

Besides, the follower of any of the Sunni schools never believes in the infallibility of these four leaders (imāms), who never claimed this trait for themselves, but believing in the possibility to err and to be…