8/6/2019 FOUR PROMINENT IMAMS OF AHLE SUNNAH WAL JAMAAT AND THEIR DIFFERENCES

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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 MALIKI SHAFII HANBALI

Founder Abu Haneefah Malik ibn Anas ibn Amir Muhammed Ibn Idrees Ash-Shafi Ahmed Ibn Hanbal Ash Shaybani

(actual name Numan ibn Thabit)

Period 703 - 767 CE 717 - 801 CE 769 - 820 CE 778 - 855 CE

Based in Kufah, Iraq Madeenah Madeenah, Yemen, Egypt Baghdad, Iraq

Family Details Grandfather Amir was among major Sahabas.

Teacher/s 1 Hammad Ibn Zayd, a great hadith scholar 1 Az-Zuhri, a great hadith scholar 1 Malik ibn Anas ibn Amir 1 Muhammed Ibn Idrees Ash-Shafi

2 Naffi, a great hadith narrator, a freed slave of Sahabi 'Abdullah ibn umar' 2 Muhammad ibn Al-Hasan Ash-Shaybani 2 Abu-Yoosuf Ya'qoob ibn Ibraheem

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1Stipulation that Hadith be widely known

1 1Insisted that Hadith be authentic

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3Students and early followers also known as 'What-iffers' or Ahl ar-rai

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Notable Points1 1 1 1

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3 Imam's students deserve credit of the Madhhab as much as the Imam. 3 3

4 Taught Hadeeth for a period of 40 years in Madeenah

Notable Events1

Became teacher of Hadith after his tutor of 18 years passed away.1 1 1

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Imam was well known for his science of Hadith criticism

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Was in hiding for 5 years during the reign of Khalifa Al-Wathiq

4 Died in imprisonment

Notable 1 Zafar ibn Al-Hudhayl 1 Abu abdur Rahman ibn Al-Qasim 1 Al-Muzani 1 Imam Bukhari

Students 2 Abu-Yoosuf Ya'qoob ibn Ibraheem 2 Abu Abdillah ibn Wahd 2 Ar-Rabee Al-Maradi 2 Imam Muslim

3Muhammad ibn Al-Hasan Ash-Shaybani

3 3Yoosuf ibn Yahya Al-Buwayti

3Imam Dawood (Dhahiree Madhhab)

4 Muhammed Ibn Idrees Ash-Shafi (shafi Madhhab) 4 Ahmed Ibn Hanbal Ash Shaybani (Hanbali Madhhab)

5 Abu Thawr (Abu Thawr Madhhab)

Area followed Palestine, Saudi Arabia

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4 "When a hadeeth is found to be saheeh, then that is my madhhab." 4 " When a hadeeth is found to be saheeh, then that is my madhhab."

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Father a prominent Silk Merchant, accepted Islam during reign of KhulafaRashidon

Imam Al-Layth's Students (Al-Layth ibn S'ad, founder of Laythi Madhabwhich is not existing today)

Principle inMadhhab

Stipulations that Hadith not contradict the Ijma and customary practiseof Madeenites

Weak hadith held. Only stipulation was that it be Marfoo, i.e. attributedto Prophet pbuh

Principle of Shoora (group discussion) where legal / hypothetical problemswere presented to students for debate and record the solution

Method of teaching based on narration of hadiths and discussion of theirmeaning in context of problems of that day.

Combined the Hanafi Madhhab, Maliki Madhhab and Laythi Madhhab andcreated a new Madhhab

Imam's concern was collecting of hadith and dictating from his vast collectionof hadith as well as opinions of sahabas for their interpretation

Would narrate hadiths and athars on various topics to students and discusstheir implications

Rejected all other conditions of acceptance of Imam Hanifa and Imam Malikand systemized the fundamental principle of Fiqh.

If no suitable hadith or opinion is found, he would offer his own opinion, butforbade students from recording. Thus, Madhhab recorded by his students.

Qualification for hadith was that it should be widely known (mash-shoor) tobe used as legal proof.

Would enquire about problems which had arisen in areas of his students andthen narrate appropriate hadiths or Athars which could be used to sovle them

Credit given to individual opinion of Sahabas on the conditions that they arenot in variance with each other.

Instead of applying his own reasoning, Imam used to prefer weak hadiths onthe conditions that weakness is not due to degenerate man or liar.

Preference was given to hadith more suitable to the situation even if theselected one is weaker than the other one.

Avoided speculation and hypothetical hadith (like hanafis) and thus followersreferred as people of hadith, Ahl Al-Hadeeth.

Imam was among the Tabi'oon, met few of sahabah and hence felt noobligation to accept the ruling of other Tabi'oon if no clear proof wereavailable.

Never travelled outside Madeenah except for Hajj and limited himself toknowledge available in Madeenah.

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

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

Ottomon (usmani) Khilafat used Hanafi Madhhab as state law and made itobligatory to learn, hence followers especially in Area under Ottomon rule

Imam considered that since madeenites customs were not objected byProphet pbuh and khalifas, then they are the accepted practises

Studied Hanafi Madhhab, Maliki Madhhab, Laythi Madhhab andmemorized the whole book of Imam Malik, Al-Muatta, word perfect.

Multiple ruling found in Madhhab due to credence given to all individualopnions of sahabah even if conflicting.

Refused his book Al-Muatta to be made state law pointing out that many ofthe other sunnah are scattered throughout islamic empire and hence missingfrom his book.

Initially wrote book combining Hanafi and Maliki Fiqh, but during visit to Egyptgot exposue to complete new set of hadiths and legal reasoning of LaythiMadhhab which he absorbed in his Madhhab

Severely beaten by Ameer of Madeenah for opposing state ruling on forceddivorce

Was accused of Shia leaning and was taken as Prisoner but later releaseafter proving the correctness of his belief

Was persecuted by Khalifas of his time due to their belief in Mutazilitephilosophy

Was offered the position of Qadi of Kufah during the rule of Abbasids but herefused, and thus was physically beaten.

Tied and beaten to such a defree than he bacame unable to clasp hand onthe chest for Salah, Hence on sides.

Wrote two books on Madhhab, one before absorbing Laythi Madhhab andother after.

Jailed and beaten for 2 years by order of Khalifa Al-Mamoom because of hisrejection of the concept that Quran was created.

Also refused royal appointment and was imprisoned in Baghdad by KhalifaAbu Jafar Al- Mansoor.

Later Khalifa Abu Jafar Al-Mansoor requested Imam for compilation of hadithand wanted to apply it as state law. But imam malik refused. (see notablepoints)

Muhammad ibn Al-Hasan Ash-Shaybani (later changed Madhhab fromHanafi to Maliki)

India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Turkey, Guyana, Trinidad, Surinamand Egypt

Egypt, Sudan, Tunisia, Algeria, Morrocco, Mali, Nigeria, Chad, Kuwait, Qatar,Bahrain, etc.

Egypt, Yemen, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Malaysia, Kenya, Tanzania, Surinam,Parts of india

Saying of Imams inmatter of Fiqh

"Woe to you, O Ya'qub! Do not write down everything you hear from me, for ithappens that I hold one opinion today and reject it tomorrow, or hold oneopinion tomorrow and reject it the day after tomorrow."

"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 Bookand the Sunnah, accept it; and all that does not agree with the Book and theSunnah, ignore it."

"The sunnahs of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam)reach, as well as escape from, every one of us. So whenever I voice myopinion, or formulate a principle, where something contrary to my view existson the authority of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam),then the correct view is what the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam) has said, and it is my view."

"Do not follow my opinion; neither follow the opinion of Maalik, nor Shaafi'i,nor Awzaa'i, nor Thawri, but take from where they took. Do not copy yourDeen from anyone of these, but whatever comes from the Prophet(sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) and his Companions, take it; next are theirSuccessors, where a man has a choice."

"It is not permitted for anyone to accept our views if they do not know fromwhere we got them."

"Everyone after the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) will have hissayings accepted and rejected - not so the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam)."

"The Muslims are unanimously agreed that if a sunnah of the Messenger ofAllaah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) is made clear to someone, it is notpermitted for him to leave it for the saying of anyone else."

"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 thenarrations (from the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) and hisCompanions)."

"It is prohibited for someone who does not know my evidence to give verdictson the basis of my words."

"If you find in my writings something different to the Sunnah of theMessenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam), then speak on the basisof the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam), andleave what I have said."

"Whoever rejects a statement of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alaihiwa sallam) is on the brink of destruction."

"When I say something contradicting the Book of Allaah the Exalted or whatis narrated from the Messenger (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam), then ignoremy saying."

"You (to Imam Ahmed Ibn Hanbal) are more knowledgeable about Hadeeththan I, so when a hadeeth is saheeh, inform me of it, whether it is fromKufah, Basrah or Syria, so that I may take the view of the hadeeth, as longas it is saheeh."

"... for we are mortals: we say one thing one day, and take it back the nextday."

"Every statement on the authority of the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam) is also my view, even if you do not hear it from me."