Will a Muslim Be Asked About His Madhhab in The Hereafter ?

Shaykh Muhammad Sultaan al-Ma’soomee wrote:

I ask you, by Allaah, the Great, O intelligent and just Muslim that when a Muslim dies, will he be asked in his grave or on the Day of Reckoning, why did you not follow the madhhab of so and so? Or why did you not enter the tareeqah of so and so? By Allaah, you will not be asked about that at all; rather you will be asked, 'why did you stick to the madhhab of so and so or follow the tareeqah of so and so?' This is because, undoubtedly, doing such is a form of taking scholars and monks as lords besides Allaah. In addition, [blind-following of] these madhhabs and [following a] tareeqah are innovations in the religions and every innovation is misguidance.

Rather, you will only be asked about that which Allaah has made the obligatory upon you as regards belief in Him and His Messenger and acting on that which it necessitates. Belief in Allaah and His Messenger does not necessitate following a particular madhhab or the tareeqah of so and so. Yes, it necessitates that you ask the people of knowledge among the scholars of the Book and Sunnah about what you do not know and to refer whatever is not clear to you to the Book and Sunnah. This is the religion of Islaam which our leader Muhammad  - the  Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) - came with.

So, O Muslim, return to your religion, which is acting upon what is manifest of the Qur’aan and the Sunnah and that upon which the pious predecessors and righteous Imaams agreed, because in it lies your salvation and your happiness. Be a Muslim and monotheist. Do not worship anyone other than Allaah; do not have hope in anyone except Allah and do not fear anyone except Allaah. Consider yourself a brother to every Muslim. Love for them what you love for yourself.

Sufficient for you is what al–Imaam at–Tirmidhee reported in his Sunan from al-‘Irbaad bin Saariyah (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said: “The Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) gave us an admonition one day after the Fajr prayer, by which our eyes shed tears and our hearts were afraid. So a man said, “This is as if it is a farewell sermon, so counsel us, O Messenger of Allaah. He said: ‘I counsel you to fear Allaah and to hear and obey even if an Ethiopian slave becomes your leader, because he who lives will see great differences. Beware of newly invented matters for they are misguidance. Whoever reaches that time amongst you should cling to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs; cling to that with your teeth.” At-Tirmidhee graded it hasan saheeh and it can also be found in Sunan Abee Daawood

If the matter is like this, then we must beware of blind following, because there is no doubt that one who blindly follows a particular madhhab in every matter will be leaving off acting on many authentic ahaadeeth and going against them. There is no doubt that this is nothing but misguidance…

Source: Hidaayatus-Sultaan ilaa Muslimee Bilaad al-Yabaan, p. 10-11 by Shaykh Muhammad Sultaan al-Ma’soomee (may Allaah have mercy on him)