1- don’t we all have a direct connection to Allah? When I stand up to pray, what maulvi is serving as a translator to god?
2- not “following” right scholars but utilizing their guidance where appropriate. You may need a different guide for different situations or questions. I don’t know if leaving it at that is the best thing. What constitutes a good guide is absolutely critical. And I stand by my assertion that not having a guide is better than having a misguided guide.
Interpretation should be done by a council of the most knowledgeable, and not just in divinity studies, but also mastery of atleast one other subject, medicine, sociology, law, finance etc and their interpretations should be the ones used as a guide.
And once again, the biggest issue is not caused by those who are not relying on some guide, but those relying on the wrong guide. Had the followers of these extremist cults decided to use their own brains instead of relying on the misguided ignorant tribal types