Determining the Most Knowledgeable Religious Authority

Question

The question revolves around whether one can choose from a list of religious authorities or if the highest level of knowledge is limited to a specific individual among them. [AR_ID:568]

Answer 1

Peace be upon you.

First: We apologize for not engaging in identifying who is the most knowledgeable among them, but you can determine the most knowledgeable through the methods mentioned by scholars.

Regarding Sayyid Sistani, Sayyid Khamenei, Sayyid Muhammad Saeed al-Hakim, and Sheikh Wahid Khorasani:

To establish ijtihad and knowledge:

First: Through knowledge and the certainty gained from rational sources such as testing and similar methods.

Second: Through the testimony of just individuals from the knowledgeable community.

Third: Is the testimony of a trustworthy expert sufficient?

Sayyid Sistani: Yes, it is established by the testimony of someone trusted from the knowledgeable community, even if it is just one person.

Sayyid Khamenei: No, it is not established.

Sayyid Hakim: The testimony of a trustworthy expert is sufficient if it is based on testing or similar methods that are verifiable, but not if it relies on conjecture and guesswork.

Sheikh Wahid: It is not far-fetched to establish it through the testimony of a trustworthy individual if there is no suspicion to the contrary.

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Sources:

Sayyid Sistani: Al-Minhaj Al-Salihīn, Part 1: Issue 20.

Sayyid Khamenei: Facilitated Jurisprudential Rulings: Issues 2, 7, Methods of Knowing the Jurist with Required Conditions + Special Inquiry.

Sayyid Hakim: Al-Minhaj Al-Salihīn, Part 1: Issue 6.

Sheikh Wahid Khorasani: Al-Minhaj Al-Salihīn, Part 1: Issue 20.