ADAB AL

IKHTILAF
Schools of Jurisprudence (Madhahib)

After the age of the companions of the Prophet and their eminent successors, there
appeared some thirteen schools of thought in Islamic jurisprudence. They all identified with
Ahl al Sunnah – unfortunately, only the works of eight or nine of the leading scholars of these
schools have been fully or partially recorded.
1. Abu Sa’id al Hasan ibn Yasar al Basri
2. Abu Hanifah al Nu’man ibn Thabit ibn Zuti
3. Al Awza’i Abu Amr’ ‘Abd al Rahman ibn ‘Amr ibn Muhammad
4. Sufyan ibn Sa’id ibn Masruq al Thawri
5. Al Layth ibn sa’ad
6. Malik bin Anas al Asbahi
7. Sufyan ibn Uyaynah
8. Muhammad ibn Idris al Shafi’i
9. Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Hanbal
However, there are only four whose principles and jurisprudence are still employed in
assessing issues and in making legal judgements: Abu Hanifah, Malik, al Shafi’i, and Imam
Hanbal.

Methodologies of the Famous Scholars

The three leading scholars -Malik, al Shafi’i and ibn Hanbal- are considered as jurists
af hadith and the established precedents of the Companions of the Prophet. Imam Abu
Hanifah however, was the inheritor of the jurisprudence of upholders of independent
reasoning.
This differences was naturally passed on to whoever adopted the methodology of
either school. The maintained differences was reduced considerably after the khilafah went to
the Banu ‘Abbas.
Nonetheless, we can find that the three scholars -Malik, al Shafi’i and ibn Hanbal-
were quite similar in their methodology even though they differed in some approaches in
using deduction. But the methodology of Imam Abu Hanifah remained quite different from
the other scholars.
Methodology of Imam

Imam Abu Hanifah Imam al Shafi’i

 Firstly, find evidence in Quran.
 If did not find it, resort to the authentic
Sunnah.
 Then, resort to the statements of the
Companions.
 Last resort is using his ijtihad.
 There are also some subsidiary or
secondary principles that different from
others.
 His book al Risalah (first and most
comprehensive book on the principles of
Islamic jurisprudence).
 Considered the Quran and the Sunnah as
equal in formulating legislation.
 Rejects hadith mursal (except from Sa’id
ibn al Musayyib), istihsan, the
formulation of laws (public interest), the
analogy not based on an effective cause,
proofs from the people of Madinah.
 Did not confine himself to the hadith of
the people of Hijaz as Malik.

Imam Malik Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal

 His methodology was that of the people  Extremely close to Imam Shafi’i.
of the Hijaz (upholders Sa’id ibn al
Musayyib).
 There are five principles with regard to
the Quran.
 Ten principles from the Sunnah.

Imam Dawud al Zahiri

 The important feature is its adherence to the outwardly manifest meanings of the text
from Quran and Sunnah.
 Prohibited istihsan and only draw upon ijma’ arrived during the time of the Companions.
 Do not use any hadith mursal and munqati’ and do not accept the validity of any laws
previous to the Quran also do not allow anyone to apply independent reasoning on
Quranic verses.
 Consider that following the rulings handed down by a given school is prohibited and that
every adult Muslim has the responsibility to learn the correct ruling by himself.