Evaluating the Legitimacy of Researching the Unobligatory Fatwas with the Analysis of Selection Issue in Taqlid

Researching the unobligatory fatwas which can be found/accessed under the topic of ‘selection’ in Imamite jurisprudence and ‘combination’ in Sunni jurisprudence, is an approach in performing fatwas that allows followers to take the easiest fatwa from among existing fatwas in different issues. Proving the legitimacy of this approach in Imamite jurisprudence is dependent upon proving the unobligatoriness of imitation/taqlid from the more knowledgeable mujtahid and also the permissibility of selection in imitation/taqlid. The analytical and critical study of the written documents shows that firstly, the posed reasons on the obligatoriness of imitation/taqlid from the more knowledgeable authority (i.e., consensus, the manner/method of the wise, closeness of the more knowledgeable mujtahid’fatwas to reality, collection of traditions and providing reasons to the legitimacy of taqlid) do not have the capacity to prove its sought-after but reasons including the permissibility of taqlid from less knowledgeable mujtahid (i.e., verses of Quran and traditions, the method of the faithful/pious, the difficulty of taqlid from more knowledgeable mujtahid and traditions) can altogether prove their point and secondly, the correct opinion in different forms of selection is its permissibility in its absolute form. Therefore, performing fatwas relying on the approach of unobligatory fatwas is not juridically prohibited. unobligatory fatwa, researching the unobligatory fatwas, more knowledgeable authority, selection in imitation/taqlid, legitimacy of researching the unobligatory fatwas.