Who should you take advise from and obey? The Signs of the Good people:
Let us look at what Allah Almighty said:
"Obey those who ask no reward of you (for themselves), and who have themselves received Guidance. (The Noble Quran, 36:21)"
Those who don't ask for earthly rewards from you; who have received the Guidance of Islam, the belief of the Absolute One True Living GOD Almighty, are the ones that you should seek advise from and be near as much as possible. The reason for this is because they will always be sincere and honest with you. These are normal people from among the general population that you run into in your daily life. You filter out those great ones from the average people, which include the hypocrites and the bad by using Noble Verse 36:21.
There are, however, more advanced and specific people that you should obey and seek advise from. These are the people that give verdicts and issue new Laws to the general population. They are the ones that have the religious authority:
"O ye who believe! Obey God, and obey the Apostle, and those charged with authority among you. If ye differ in anything among yourselves, refer it to God and His Apostle, if ye do believe in God and the Last Day: That is best, and most suitable for final determination. (The Noble Quran, 4:59)"
"When there comes to them some matter touching (Public) safety or fear, they divulge it. If they had only referred it to the Apostle, or to those charged with authority among them, the proper investigators would have Tested it from them (direct). Were it not for the Grace and Mercy of God unto you, all but a few of you would have fallen into the clutches of Satan. (The Noble Quran, 4:83)"
However, if the religious minister or leader (Sheikh in Arabic) shows signs of hypocrisy to the current corrupted government for instance (as most Muslim scholars today do in the Muslims countries that are ruled by dictators), or practices injustice and oppression toward other ordinary Muslims by apostatizing them as many of the fanatic Muslim leaders do, then you are commanded to not follow them:
Narrated 'Abdullah: "The Prophet said, 'A Muslim has to listen to and obey (the order of his ruler) whether he likes it or not, as long as his orders involve not one in disobedience (to Allah), but if an act of disobedience (to Allah) is imposed one should not listen to it or obey it. (Translation of Sahih Bukhari, Judgments (Ahkaam), Volume 9, Book 89, Number 258)"
Allah, Islam, Quran, Muhammad questions and answers.