DETAILS ABOUT FOUR PROMINENT MADH-HAB FROM AHLE-SUNNAT JAMAAT AND THEIR DIFFERENCES

References : 1 The Evolution of Fiqh by Dr. Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips 2 The Prophets Prayer described by Shaikh Muhammed Naasiruddin Al-Albani

HANAFI
Founder Period Based in Family Details Teacher/s 1 Abu Haneefah (actual name Numan ibn Thabit) 703 - 767 CE Kufah, Iraq Father a prominent Silk Merchant, accepted Islam during reign of Khulafa Rashidon Hammad Ibn Zayd, a great hadith scholar 1 2

MALIKI
Malik ibn Anas ibn Amir 717 - 801 CE Madeenah Grandfather Amir was among major Sahabas. Az-Zuhri, a great hadith scholar Naffi, a great hadith narrator, a freed slave of Sahabi 'Abdullah ibn umar'

SHAFII
Muhammed Ibn Idrees Ash-Shafi 769 - 820 CE Madeenah, Yemen, Egypt

HANBALI
Ahmed Ibn Hanbal Ash Shaybani 778 - 855 CE Baghdad, Iraq

Malik ibn Anas ibn Amir 1 1 Muhammad ibn Al-Hasan Ash-Shaybani 2 2 3 Imam Al-Layth's Students (Al-Layth ibn S'ad, founder of Laythi Madhab which is not existing today) 1 Insisted that Hadith be authentic

Muhammed Ibn Idrees Ash-Shafi Abu-Yoosuf Ya'qoob ibn Ibraheem

Principle in Madhhab

Stipulation that Hadith be widely known

2 Principle of Shoora (group discussion) where legal / hypothetical problems were presented to students for debate and record the solution 3 Students and early followers also known as 'What-iffers' or Ahl ar-rai 4 Qualification for hadith was that it should be widely known (mash-shoor) to be used as legal proof.

1 Stipulations that Hadith not contradict the Ijma and customary practise of Madeenites 2 Method of teaching based on narration of hadiths and discussion of their meaning in context of problems of that day. 3 Would narrate hadiths and athars on various topics to students and discuss their implications 4 Would enquire about problems which had arisen in areas of his students and then narrate appropriate hadiths or Athars which could be used to sovle them 5 Avoided speculation and hypothetical hadith (like hanafis) and thus followers referred as people of hadith, Ahl Al-Hadeeth. 1 Never travelled outside Madeenah except for Hajj and limited himself to knowledge available in Madeenah.

2 Combined the Hanafi Madhhab, Maliki Madhhab and Laythi Madhhab and created a new Madhhab 3 Rejected all other conditions of acceptance of Imam Hanifa and Imam Malik and systemized the fundamental principle of Fiqh. 4 Credit given to individual opinion of Sahabas on the conditions that they are not in variance with each other.

1 Weak hadith held. Only stipulation was that it be Marfoo, i.e. attributed to Prophet pbuh 2 Imam's concern was collecting of hadith and dictating from his vast collection of hadith as well as opinions of sahabas for their interpretation 3 If no suitable hadith or opinion is found, he would offer his own opinion, but forbade students from recording. Thus, Madhhab recorded by his students. 4 Instead of applying his own reasoning, Imam used to prefer weak hadiths on the conditions that weakness is not due to degenerate man or liar.

5 Preference was given to hadith more suitable to the situation even if the selected one is weaker than the other one. Notable Points 1 Imam was among the Tabi'oon, met few of sahabah and hence felt no obligation to accept the ruling of other Tabi'oon if no clear proof were available. 2 Ottomon (usmani) Khilafat used Hanafi Madhhab as state law and made it obligatory to learn, hence followers especially in Area under Ottomon rule 3 Imam's students deserve credit of the Madhhab as much as the Imam.

Imam holds distinction of being the first Imam to systemize the fundamental principles of Fiqh.

Hadith be attributed to Prophet pbuh and not be fabricated. Doubtful hadith considered a part of Sunnah

2 Imam considered that since madeenites customs were not objected by 2 Studied Hanafi Madhhab, Maliki Madhhab, Laythi Madhhab and 2 Multiple ruling found in Madhhab due to credence given to all individual Prophet pbuh and khalifas, then they are the accepted practises opnions of sahabah even if conflicting. memorized the whole book of Imam Malik, Al-Muatta, word perfect. 3 Refused his book Al-Muatta to be made state law pointing out that many of 3 Initially wrote book combining Hanafi and Maliki Fiqh, but during visit to Egypt the other sunnah are scattered throughout islamic empire and hence missing got exposue to complete new set of hadiths and legal reasoning of Laythi from his book. Madhhab which he absorbed in his Madhhab 4 Taught Hadeeth for a period of 40 years in Madeenah 1 Severely beaten by Ameer of Madeenah for opposing state ruling on forced 1 Was accused of Shia leaning and was taken as Prisoner but later release divorce after proving the correctness of his belief 2 Tied and beaten to such a defree than he bacame unable to clasp hand on 2 Wrote two books on Madhhab, one before absorbing Laythi Madhhab and the chest for Salah, Hence on sides. other after. 3 Later Khalifa Abu Jafar Al-Mansoor requested Imam for compilation of hadith 3 and wanted to apply it as state law. But imam malik refused. (see notable Imam was well known for his science of Hadith criticism points) 1 2 3 4 Abu abdur Rahman ibn Al-Qasim Abu Abdillah ibn Wahd Muhammad ibn Al-Hasan Ash-Shaybani (later changed Madhhab from Hanafi to Maliki) Muhammed Ibn Idrees Ash-Shafi (shafi Madhhab) Egypt, Sudan, Tunisia, Algeria, Morrocco, Mali, Nigeria, Chad, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, etc. 1 "Truly I am only a mortal: I make mistakes (sometimes) and I am correct (sometimes). Therefore, look into my opinions: all that agrees with the Book and the Sunnah, accept it; and all that does not agree with the Book and the Sunnah, ignore it." 2 "Everyone after the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) will have his sayings accepted and rejected - not so the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam)." 1 2 3 4 5 Al-Muzani Ar-Rabee Al-Maradi Yoosuf ibn Yahya Al-Buwayti Ahmed Ibn Hanbal Ash Shaybani (Hanbali Madhhab) Abu Thawr (Abu Thawr Madhhab) Egypt, Yemen, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Malaysia, Kenya, Tanzania, Surinam, Parts of india Palestine, Saudi Arabia 1 Was persecuted by Khalifas of his time due to their belief in Mutazilite philosophy 2 Jailed and beaten for 2 years by order of Khalifa Al-Mamoom because of his rejection of the concept that Quran was created. 3 Was in hiding for 5 years during the reign of Khalifa Al-Wathiq

Notable Events

Became teacher of Hadith after his tutor of 18 years passed away.

2 Was offered the position of Qadi of Kufah during the rule of Abbasids but he refused, and thus was physically beaten. 3 Also refused royal appointment and was imprisoned in Baghdad by Khalifa Abu Jafar Al- Mansoor. 4 Died in imprisonment Notable Students 1 2 3 Zafar ibn Al-Hudhayl Abu-Yoosuf Ya'qoob ibn Ibraheem Muhammad ibn Al-Hasan Ash-Shaybani

1 2 3

Imam Bukhari Imam Muslim Imam Dawood (Dhahiree Madhhab)

Area followed 1 Saying of Imams in matter of Fiqh

India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Turkey, Guyana, Trinidad, Surinam and Egypt

"Woe to you, O Ya'qub! Do not write down everything you hear from me, for it happens that I hold one opinion today and reject it tomorrow, or hold one opinion tomorrow and reject it the day after tomorrow." 2 "It is not permitted for anyone to accept our views if they do not know from where we got them." 3 "It is prohibited for someone who does not know my evidence to give verdicts on the basis of my words." 4 "When a hadeeth is found to be saheeh, then that is my madhhab." 5 "When I say something contradicting the Book of Allaah the Exalted or what is narrated from the Messenger (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam), then ignore my saying." 6 "... for we are mortals: we say one thing one day, and take it back the next day."

1 "The sunnahs of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) 1 "Do not follow my opinion; neither follow the opinion of Maalik, nor Shaafi'i, reach, as well as escape from, every one of us. So whenever I voice my nor Awzaa'i, nor Thawri, but take from where they took. Do not copy your opinion, or formulate a principle, where something contrary to my view exists Deen from anyone of these, but whatever comes from the Prophet on the authority of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam), (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) and his Companions, take it; next are their then the correct view is what the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa Successors, where a man has a choice." sallam) has said, and it is my view." 2 2 "The opinion of Awzaa'i, the opinion of Maalik, the opinion of Abu Haneefah: all of it is opinion, and it is all equal in my eyes. However, the proof is in the narrations (from the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) and his Companions)." 3 "If you find in my writings something different to the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam), then speak on the basis "Whoever rejects a statement of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alaihi of the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam), and wa sallam) is on the brink of destruction." leave what I have said." "When a hadeeth is found to be saheeh, then that is my madhhab." "You (to Imam Ahmed Ibn Hanbal) are more knowledgeable about Hadeeth than I, so when a hadeeth is saheeh, inform me of it, whether it is from Kufah, Basrah or Syria, so that I may take the view of the hadeeth, as long as it is saheeh." "Every statement on the authority of the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) is also my view, even if you do not hear it from me." "The Muslims are unanimously agreed that if a sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) is made clear to someone, it is not permitted for him to leave it for the saying of anyone else."

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