What are the names, evidence, and standing of the Shafi‘i and Hanbali scholars who hold the view of adopting any fatwa in cases of disagreement, and how are they refuted? And is the saying of the Salaf: "Whoever follows every scholar's concession has gathered all evil, or has become a heretic (zindeeq)" considered a refutation of them?

Scholars have differed on whether an ordinary person is obliged to strive in choosing which scholar to follow (taqlid) or not. Some have permitted him to follow whomever he wishes, provided he does not intend to seek out dispensations. This is the view of Judge Abu Ya'la, Abu al-Khattab, and a group of jurists, who argued that this is the apparent meaning of Imam Ahmad's words, and that identifying the most knowledgeable scholar may be difficult for the ordinary person. Others, such as Ibn Aqil, held that it is obligatory to strive in choosing the most religious, most scrupulous, and most knowledgeable among the muftis. Some scholars have favored the view that the ordinary person has a choice, as long as he does not seek out dispensations, while others have inclined towards preferring the imitation of the most knowledgeable and scrupulous scholar, to the extent possible.