What is meant by the necessity of knowing one's country to determine the jurisprudential school of thought, and does this mean that a layperson must follow the madhhab of their country even if it is Sufi, a tariqa, or contrary to the Qur’an and Sunnah?

An ijtihad-qualified scholar is obligated to act upon what becomes clear to him as preponderant based on Sharia evidence. Whoever is able to examine the evidences of each madhhab is obligated to act upon the strongest of them. As for the common people, they must ask the trustworthy people of knowledge (ahl adh-dhikr) who are known for their knowledge and piety, in accordance with the Almighty's saying: "So ask the people of the message if you do not know." And our statement, "The matter depends on knowing the country to determine the madhhab there," does not mean obligating a specific madhhab. Rather, it indicates a person's tendency, often, towards what is well-known in their country and their trust in its scholars. Also, we do not advise a beginner to read fiqh books of madhhabs that are not prevalent in their country. Sufism and various tariqahs are not fiqh madhhabs and do not fall under the اصطلاحي (technical) concept of fiqh. A student of knowledge should differentiate between fiqh and aqidah.