How Should I Choose a School of Thought (Madhhab) for Study?

Answered by Shaykh Bassem Itani

Question

If I want to start seeking knowledge, how should I choose a school of thought (madhhab) for study?

Answer

All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and blessings and peace be upon our master Muhammad, his Family, and all his Companions.

Scholars of Ahl al-Sunna wa al-Jama‘a agree on the permissibility of following any of the four schools of thought: Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi‘i, and Hanbali. These schools have been documented, structured, and refined over time, and they have been adhered to by great scholars up until the present day. [See: al-Insaf]

To provide you with some reassurance, I will mention prominent scholars who followed each of these schools, demonstrating that following a madhhab is a path taken by both classical and contemporary scholars:

Scholars of the Hanafi School (founded by Imam Abu Hanifa, 80-150 AH)

• Imam Muhammad Ibn al-Hasan al-Shaybani (131-189 AH) – A prominent jurist and narrator of Imam Malik’s Muwatta.
• Imam Abu Ja‘far Ahmad Ibn Muhammad al-Tahawi (238-321 AH) – Author of al-‘Aqida al-Tahawiyya.
• Imam Abdullah Ibn Ahmad al-Nasafi (d. 710 AH) – Author of Madarik al-Tanzil, known as Tafsir al-Nasafi.
• Imam Badr al-Din al-‘Ayni (d. 855 AH) – Author of ‘Umdat al-Qari, a commentary on Sahih al-Bukhari.
• Imam Mulla Ali al-Qari (d. 1014 AH) – Author of Mirqat al-Mafatih, a commentary on Mishkat al-Masabih.

Scholars of the Maliki School (founded by Imam Malik, 93-179 AH)

• Imam Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr (368-463 AH) – Author of al-Istidhkar, a comprehensive work on the opinions of jurists.
• Imam Sulayman Ibn Khalaf al-Baji (403-474 AH) – Author of al-Muntaqa, a commentary on Imam Malik’s Muwatta.
• Imam Muhammad Ibn Ahmad al-Qurtubi (d. 671 AH) – Author of al-Jami‘ li Ahkam al-Quran, known as Tafsir al-Qurtubi.
• Imam Ahmad Ibn Idris al-Qarafi (626-684 AH) – Author of al-Furuq, a significant work on legal principles.
• Imam Ibrahim Ibn Musa al-Shatibi (d. 790 AH) – Author of al-Muwafaqat, a foundational text on Islamic legal theory.

Scholars of the Shafi‘i School (founded by Imam al-Shafi‘i, 150-204 AH)

• Imam Abu Hamid al-Ghazali (450-505 AH) – known as the Proof of Islam, and the author of Ihya’ ‘Ulum al-Din (Revival of the Religious Sciences).
• Imam ‘Izz al-Din Ibn ‘Abd al-Salam (577-660 AH) – known as Sultan of Scholars, and the author of Qawa’id al-Ahkam fi Islah al-Anam (The Rules of Governance for the Reform of Mankind).
• Imam Ahmad Ibn ‘Ali Ibn Hajar al-‘Asqalani (773-852 AH) – a prominent hadith scholar, and the author of Fath al-Bari, a commentary on Sahih al-Bukhari.
• Imam Yahya Ibn Sharaf al-Nawawi (631-676 AH) – known as Shaykh al-Islam, and the author of al-Minhaj, a commentary on Sahih Muslim.
• Imam Ibn al-Jazari (751-833 AH) – known as the master of Quranic recitation and the author of Tayyibat al-Nashr fi al-Qira’at al-‘Ashr.

Scholars of the Hanbali School (founded by Imam Ahmad, 164-241 AH)

• Imam ‘Umar Ibn al-Husayn al-Khiraqi (d. 334 AH) – known as Shaykh of the Hanbalis, and the author of Mukhtasar al-Khiraqi, a key text in the Hanbali madhhab.
• Imam Ibn al-Jawzi (510-597 AH) – a renowned scholar of tafsir, and the author of Zad al-Masir (Provisions of the Traveler) in Quranic exegesis.
• Imam Ibn Qudama (d. 620 AH) – known for his monumental work al-Mughni, a comprehensive text on Hanbali jurisprudence.
• Imam Ibn Rajab (736-795 AH) – a distinguished hadith scholar, and the author of Sharh ‘Ilal al-Tirmidhi (Commentary on the Hidden Flaws of Tirmidhi’s Collection).
• Imam Mansur al-Buhuti (1000-1051 AH) – a leading Hanbali jurist, and the author of al-Rawd al-Murbi‘ (The Lush Garden), a commentary on Zad al-Mustaqni‘.

Why One Should Follow a Madhhab?

These are just a few examples of great scholars (Allah have mercy on them), who reached the highest levels of knowledge and made significant contributions to the fields of Quranic sciences, recitations, hadith, jurisprudence, and other disciplines like Arabic grammar, rhetoric, and literature.

There are thousands of scholars, both past and present, representing Ahl al-Sunna wal-Jama‘a, all of whom follow one of these four madhhabs and adhere to the teachings of one of the four imams. None have deviated from this path.

This indicates that anyone with less knowledge than these scholars is obligated to follow one of the four madhhabs and adhere to the teachings of an imam such as Abu Hanifa, Malik, Shafi‘i, or Ahmad.

Therefore, if you are a student of knowledge and wish to begin studying Islamic jurisprudence, it is recommended to choose the madhhab practiced by the people of your country and dominant in the place where you live. If you choose a different madhhab, you may find yourself alienated from the community, which could lead to social discord.

For example, if you live in a country like Pakistan, where the Hanafi madhhab is prevalent, it would be best to study with a Hanafi scholar who can guide you through the stages of Hanafi jurisprudence, from beginner to intermediate, until you develop a strong foundation in fiqh. This approach can be applied to other madhhabs as well.

Advice

If you adopt a specific school of thought (madhhab) for your studies, beware of fanaticism and rigidity, as the four imams were the farthest from such behavior. Avoid criticizing the opinions of other madhhabs and refrain from disputes with others, as Allah (Most High) says:

“Do not dispute with one another, or you would be discouraged and weakened.” [Quran, 8:46]

You should understand that the differences in jurisprudential opinions among the scholars are based on their ijtihad (independent reasoning) regarding speculative matters, and the diversity of opinions among the scholars is a mercy for the Umma.

Imam Malik’s Advice to Caliph

I will mention to you the statement of Imam Malik, which reflects his open-mindedness and avoidance of fanaticism. When the Abbasid Caliph, Abu Ja‘far al-Mansur, wanted to make Malik’s Muwatta compulsory for all regions, Imam Malik advised:

“O Commander of the Faithful, do not do this! People have already received various views, heard different hadiths, and narrated different traditions, and each community has taken and acted upon what reached them. They follow what they have come to believe based on the differences among the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) and others. Forcing them to abandon what they believe would be extremely difficult. Leave the people to what they are upon, and let each region follow what its people have chosen for themselves.” [Malik, Muwatta]

We ask Allah to enlighten your heart and grant you understanding in His religion, for He is the Guide to all that is good.

[Shaykh] Bassem Itani