Is a lay Muslim's adoption of the opinion of a respected scholar on a jurisprudential issue, such as divorce, considered a form of ijtihad that cannot be overturned, or can it be overturned on the grounds that he is a follower (muqallid), even if he adopted the opinion of an independent mujtahid scholar?

If a mujtahid (independent jurist) issues a fatwa, and then his ijtihad changes and the muqallid (follower) becomes aware of this, then:

If the muqallid has not acted upon the first fatwa, he is not permitted to act upon it.

If he has already acted upon it before the mujtahid's retraction: - If the ruling contradicted a definitive proof, it must be annulled. - If it was a matter subject to ijtihad, then ijtihad is not overturned by ijtihad. Therefore, he is not obliged to annul it except in matters of marriage and divorce, as a precaution for private parts and sexual relations.

There is a difference of opinion among scholars regarding obliging the muqallid to annul the first action. Some oblige him, some do not, and some differentiate between marriage and other matters.