The prevalence of sarcasm and mockery toward the people of authority and decision in these days, and their praise of what happens in the West

Question:
May Allah reward you. Honorable Shaykh, this questioner says: In these days, there is a lot of talk about the people of authority and decision, involving sarcasm and mockery, to the point that some do not even recognize them. They say that every Muslim has the right to choose, and they cite what happens in the West as evidence for this. Is this statement correct? And who are the people of authority and decision?

Answer:
The fact that they cite what is in the West is sufficient to show that this statement is invalid, because our role model is not the West. Our role model is the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and the practice of the Muslims. It was not in the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) nor in the practice of the Muslims that everyone chooses, elects, and pledges allegiance. No, rather, this is for the people of authority and decision among the Muslims. The Muslims are one hand, one community, such that even the weakest of them strives for the safety of the strongest of them. If a Muslim grants safety to a disbeliever and he enters under his protection, it is obligatory for the rest to grant him safety, because the one who granted him safety among the Muslims strives for the safety of the strongest of them. How much more so if those who pledged allegiance to the Imam are the role models and the elite of the nation, the scholars?
And the leaders and the people of opinion. These people want to promote the method of the West and invalidate the method of Islam in choosing rulers. Yes.