How can we provide a strong, detailed, and convincing response to those who reject and cast doubt upon the words of the Four Imams and every jurist who exercised ijtihad during their era or thereafter, and who clarified matters in religion?

The phrase "is not accepted" can carry two meanings:

1. That the words of the Imam are not, in themselves, a proof. The definitive proofs lie in the Quran, the Sunnah, and scholarly consensus (Ijma'). This is correct, as Imams are human beings who make mistakes and are correct at times, and the proof lies in the transmitted texts, not in personal opinion. 2. That the jurisprudence and deductions of the Imams should not be relied upon. This is false and ignorant, for they are guides to the truth and beacons that illuminate the understanding of religious texts. They cannot be dispensed with. Many of those who advocate abandoning taqlid (imitation) are, in reality, imitating their own selves rather than the evidence, due to their lack of knowledge and incorrect grounding in religious principles.