The Ruling on Blindly Following a Specific Scholar

Question:
In the name of the Shaykh. There are people who blindly follow a specific scholar or a specific person. They host people and praise their intentions, and groups host them and engage in this.

Answer:
No specific person is to be followed except the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). The Shaykh al-Islam said: Whoever says that it is obligatory to follow a specific person, that it is obligatory to follow a person other than the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), is a disbeliever and an apostate. He is given the opportunity to repent; if he repents, well and good, otherwise he is killed. There is no one who must be followed and emulated except the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). After the Messenger, whoever emulated the Messenger and proceeded according to the Sunnah of the Messenger is to be followed and emulated, not for his own sake, but for the sake of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him).