Only follow the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam)
Salim bin Abdullah narrated that he had heard a man from al-Shaam asking Abdullah bin Umar about Tamattu (to perform 'umrah [during the Hajj months] followed by Hajj), so Abdullah bin Umar said: "It is lawful."
The man from al-Shaam said: "But your father prohibited it."
So Abdullah bin Umar said: "Is the order to follow my father or is the order (to follow) for the Messenger of Allah?" The man said: "Rather it is for the Messenger of Allah." So he said: "Indeed the Messenger of Allah did it."
[Jaami al-Tirmidhi]
We are to only follow the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam). We are not to follow anyone else. When we have evidence that the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said something or did something or approved of something, we follow that and not what some scholar or Imaam says.
Abdullaah bin Umar did not try to justify what his father, Umar, said. He did not say he might have forgotten. He did not say anything but that we are to follow the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam).
Muslims need to stop justifying the verdicts of fallible men which oppose the Sunnah. They need to learn to follow the way of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam).
It does not matter what anyone says. It does not matter who says what. A person's rank has no value. If anyone says anything which opposes the saying or doing of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam), we reject it and follow the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam). This is the way of the truth.
This is the way to guidance and salvation.
Everything else is baatil and misguidance.
Do not let the taunts and mockery of people stop you from following the way of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam).
Your job is to follow the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam). People will tell you that you are not a scholar. They will tell you that you are such and such.
Ignore it all. On the Day of Judgment, they will not be there to save you. They will run from you. Your very own mother will abandon you. No Imaam will come to your rescue.
You will stand in front of the King of kings alone and answer for your deeds.
Follow only the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) if you want to succeed.