How can a Shafi'i Muslim who is keen on following the evidence and the more preponderant opinion in jurisprudential matters, even if it contradicts his madhhab, pursue this while benefiting from books that favor opinions with evidence, and is his action correct?
It is permissible for a person to adhere to a specific (school of thought), and their obligation is fulfilled by this adherence. However, if it becomes clear to them that another opinion is stronger in a particular issue, or if a trustworthy scholar gives them a contrary to the madhhab, then they may act upon that fatwa.
All the Imams aimed to follow the and the evidence. Therefore, whoever imitates one of them because they are unfamiliar with the methods of deriving evidence, intending thereby to follow the evidence, is on the right path.
If a person has a discerning ability to differentiate between opinions, they may act upon what their discernment leads them to, as this is preferable to pure imitation.
A person seeking a fatwa is not obligated to adhere to the opinion of a specific individual in everything that they declare obligatory, forbidden, or permissible, except for the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him.
There are books that focus on the fiqh of evidence, such as "Ash-Sharh Al-Mumti'" by Ibn Uthaymeen, and the works of Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn Al-Qayyim, whose authors departed from their respective madhhabs when they found something to be in accordance with the evidence.
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