The word mujtahids is central. A mujtahid is a jurist qualified to derive legal rulings through knowledge of the sources, the implications of legal texts, and principles of interpretation.
«والمعتبر في هذا الباب إجماع أهل الرأي والاجتهاد»
In this discussion, the consensus of those qualified in legal reasoning and ijtihad is considered.
A ruling is not made authoritative merely because many people favor it. The relevant factor in this technical discussion is informed juristic competence alongside agreement among the qualified participants.