The Types Of Muqallideen (followers)
1 - Al-Muqallid Al-Muttabi’u (The follower based on pursuance):
He is the Muqallid (follower/imitator) who possesses some of the knowledge considered in relation to the Tashree’ (legislation) however he is unable to undertake Ijtihaad with that knowledge. He therefore makes Taqleed to someone else in the case where he takes the Hukm along with the Daleel (evidence) for the Hukm. So for instance he would know the Furood (obligations) of the Wudoo’ and he would know that these obligations have been taken from the Qawl of Allah (swt):
O you who have believed, when you rise to [perform] prayer, wash your faces and your forearms to the elbows (Al-Maa’idah 6).
2 – Al-Muqallid Al-‘Aammiy (the general follower):
He is the Ummiy (blind) Muqallid who does not possess some of the considered sciences or areas of knowledge (‘Uloom) related to the legislation. Consequently, he enquires about the Hukm of the action or the matter that he wants to undertake and then it is said to him: It is Haraam, Waajib, Mandoob, Makrooh or Mubaah. He then follows that without knowing the Daleel from which the Hukm was deduced and taken and this is permitted by the Shar’a.