If the Sunnah is not clarified, should one follow a scholar? And when is following a scholar without knowing his evidence forbidden?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : That is, if the Sunnah is not clarified, should I follow a scholar? If you do not find a lawfully slaughtered animal, do you eat carrion? If you do not find a lawfully slaughtered animal, do you eat carrion?
The Shaykh : Out of dire necessity, you eat this[An-Nahl 16:43]. So you may follow a scholar in this situation. But following a scholar after the Sunnah has been clarified is not permissible; it is forbidden. The one who follows a scholar after the Sunnah has been clarified is to be feared of falling into what Allah the Exalted said: [An-Nisa 4:115].
The questioner : Our school of jurisprudence, and it is obligatory for us to follow the school of jurisprudence.
The Shaykh : If that means that your Messenger is your imam, not Muhammad, this issue is serious.
The Shaykh : Out of dire necessity, you eat this
So ask the people of the message if you do not know.
فَاسْأَلُوا أَهْلَ الذِّكْرِ إِن كُنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَAnd whoever opposes the Messenger after guidance has become clear to him and follows other than the way of the believers - We will give him what he has taken and drive him into Hell, and evil it is as a destination.
وَمَن يُشَاقِقِ الرَّسُولَ مِن بَعْدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُ الْهُدَىٰ وَيَتَّبِعْ غَيْرَ سَبِيلِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ نُوَلِّهِ مَا تَوَلَّىٰ وَنُصْلِهِ جَهَنَّمَ وَسَاءَتْ مَصِيرًاThe questioner : Our school of jurisprudence, and it is obligatory for us to follow the school of jurisprudence.
The Shaykh : If that means that your Messenger is your imam, not Muhammad, this issue is serious.
Source
قناة «فضيلة الشيخ محمد بن صالح العثيمين»، 3990 - 4600 إذا لم تتبين السنة فهل يقلد ومتى يكون التقليد حراماً؟ ابن عثيمين — youtube.com
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.