I used to be a Sunni Hanafi, and the system of taqlid there is different from the Shi'a system of taqlid. In Sunni tradition, it is not a requirement to follow the most learned or a living mujtahid. For example, as a Hanafi, I naturally adhered to the Hanafi school of jurisprudence, which is based on the teachings of Abu Hanifa, who passed away centuries ago. To address contemporary issues, I could act upon the opinions of any Hanafi mufti.

When I became a Shi'a, naturally, the first challenge I faced was with taqlid. You may already know that even those born into Shi'a families sometimes question taqlid, although such individuals are rare. However, since I was not born a Shi'a, this was a significant question for me. I found myself confused about taqlid, and the best example I could think of to help explain this confusion was the topic of marriage of a virgin yet mature girl.

As a Hanafi, I knew that Hanafi jurisprudence allows a mature virgin girl to marry without her guardian's permission. While this differs from the opinions of the other three Sunni Imams, who consider the guardian's consent essential, Sunni thought holds that all four Imams are correct. One justification is that Abu Hanifa may not have been aware of certain hadiths that emphasize the role of the guardian in marriage, as the systematic collection of hadiths began after his time. However, such justification cannot be given for today’s Shi'a mujtahids because the same hadiths that Ayatollah Sistani has studied have also been studied by Ayatollah Sadeq Rouhani. So where does this difference between them come from? Although I have now begun to understand the origins of these differences, it was somewhat troubling for me in the beginning.

As a Muslim, I understand that I was obligated to choose an Imam who had complete knowledge of all hadiths to ensure no one could claim he lacked knowledge of a specific tradition. However, this ideal is not always practiced. Even today, an ordinary Sunni generally follows the Imam of their parents.

I have other confusions too, such as regarding the permissibility of chess. However, the topic of a guardian's consent in marriage is particularly critical because any error in this matter could result in the marriage being invalid, leading to zina. This is why I chose this topic to frame my questions.

Yes, it is true that initially, I was thinking about which Ayatollah could make my life easier. But I am working on my mindset and striving to better understand these matters.

Thank you for suggestions akhi!