Are students of knowledge who engage with the Prophetic hadith considered followers of a scholar without knowing his evidence?

The questioner : Shaykh, can it be said about people like us that we are followers of a scholar without knowing his evidence in hadith?

The Shaykh: Of course.

The questioner : Is it said that way?

The Shaykh : Yes, either followers of a scholar without knowing his evidence or followers of the evidence. There is a slight difference. Whoever is able to distinguish and knows the reason for authenticating or weakening a hadith follows with insight, if he has looked into the chain of narration... But if he has no knowledge at all, he is a follower of a scholar without knowing his evidence.