Laymen Have No Madhab

Imam Nawawi ash-Shafi’ii said:

والذي يقتضيه الدليل أنه ـ أي العامي ـ لا يلزمه التمذهب بمذهب، بل يستفتي من يشاء، أو من اتفق، لكن من غير تلقط للرخص

“What is dictated by the evidence is that a layperson is not obliged to adhere to a madhhab; rather he can ask for fatwa whoever he wishes or whomever he can find but without picking and collecting reliefs and dispensations.”

[“Rawdah”, 8/101].