Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Let none of you place his religion in blind imitation of another man, so that if he believes, this one believes, and if he disbelieves, this one disbelieves. If you must follow someone, then follow those who have died, for the living person is never safe from falling into trial."
Hadith Referenceالمعجم الكبير للطبراني / باب العين / 8732