Madhhab or Mazhab (Arabic مذهب pl. مذاهب Madhaahib) is an Arabic term that refers to an Islamic school of thought or religious jurisprudence (fiqh). In the first 150 years of Islam, there were many schools - in fact, several of the Sahaba are credited as having their own. The prominent schools of Damascus (often named Awza'iyya), Kufa, Basra and Medina survived as the Maliki madhhab, while Iraqi schools were consolidated into the Hanafi madhhab. Shafi'i, Hanbali, Zahiri and Jariri schools were established later. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Quran and Sunnah is a often quoted Islamic term regarding the sources of Islam. ... Taqlid is typically considered blind following, and is allegedly what inspired the Wahhabi movement to eradicate forms of Sufism that had - per their perspective - departed significantly from both the spirit and practice of Islam. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Madhhab (Arabic مذهب pl. ... Minhaj is the Arabic word for methodology. ... In Sunni Islamic jurisprudence, Qiyas is the process of analogical reasoning from a known injunction (nass) to a new injunction. ... Urf العرف is an Arabic Islamic term referring to the custom, or knowledge, of a given society, leading to change in the fiqh فقه (Islamic jurisprudence). ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... In Islamic context, the Ahkam (أحكام) are rulings and orders of the Quran and Sunnah. ... Halaal (حلال, halāl, halal) is an Islamic Arabic term meaning permissible. In English it is most frequently used to refer to food that is permissible according to Islamic law. ... Mustahab, recomended, is a Islamic term denoting a actions between Mubah (neutral) and Wajib (actions which must be performed). ... Mubah is an Islamic Arabic term denoting an action as neither forbidden nor commended; neutral. ... Acts and substances which should be evaded by muslims. ... Haraam (harām) (Arabic: حرام ) is an Arabic word, used in Islam to refer to anything that is prohibited by the faith. ... Fard also farida (فرض obligation, duty) is an Islamic Arabic term which denotes a religious duty. ... Fard also farida (arabic فرض obligation, duty) is an Islamic term which denotes a religious duty. ... A term in Islam. ... A marja, or marja-e-taqleed (Arabic and persian مرجع تقليد), literally source of imitation or source of tradition, is the second highest authority on religion and law in Shia Islam after the prophet and (Shia) Imams. ... Ulema (, translit: , singular: , translit: , scholar) refers to the educated class of Muslim scholars engaged in the several fields of Islamic studies. ... A Mufti (Arabic: مفتى ) is an Islamic scholar who is an interpreter or expounder of Islamic law (Sharia), capable of issuing fataawa (plural of fatwa). // Role of a Mufti in governments In theocracies like Saudi Arabia and Iran, and in some countries where the constitution is based on sharia law, such... Qadi (قاضى) is an Arabic term meaning judge. ... A Faqih is an expert in fiqh, or, Islamic jurisprudence. ... Muhaddith is an Islamic title, referring to one who profoundly knows and narrates hadiths, the chains of their narration (saneed), and the original and famous narrators. ... See also Akhoond, alternate title for such an individual Shaykh Categories: | | | | | ... Imam (Arabic: إمام ,Persian: امام ) is an Arabic word meaning Leader. The ruler of a country might be called the Imam, for example. ... Shaikh, also rendered as Sheik, Shaykh or Sheikh (Arabic: شيخ), is a word in the Arabic language meaning elder of a tribe, lord, revered old man, or Islamic scholar. ... The word Shaykh is used by the Sufis in a special way. ... Ayatollah (Arabic: آية الله; Persian: آيت‌الله) is a high rank given to major Shia clerics. ... Mujaddid (Arabic: مجدد) in Islamic tradition, the term Mujaddid refers to a person who, Muslims believe, is sent by god in the first half of every century of the Islamic calendar. ... The Arabic language ( ), or simply Arabic ( ), is the largest member of the Semitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family (classification: South Central Semitic) and is closely related to Hebrew and Aramaic. ... Islam (Arabic: ; ( â–¶ (help· info)), the submission to God) is a monotheistic faith, one of the Abrahamic religions and the worlds second-largest religion. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... In Islam, the Sahāba (الصحابة) were the companions of the prophet Muhammad. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Kufa (الكوفة al-Kufa in Arabic) is a city in Iraq, about 170 km south of Baghdad, and 10 km northeast of Najaf. ... Location of Basra Basra (also spelled BaÅŸrah or Basara; historically sometimes written Busra, Busrah, and the early form Bassorah; Arabic: , Al-Basrah) is the second largest city of Iraq with an estimated population of c. ... Medina (Arabic: ‎ or المدينة ; also transliterated into English as Madinah) is a city in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia. ... The Maliki madhab (Arabic مالكي) is one of the four schools of Fiqh or religious law within Sunni Islam. ... Hanafi (Arabic: حنفى ) is one of the four schools (madhabs) of jurisprudence (Fiqh) or religious law within Sunni Islam. ... The Šāfiˤī madhab (Arabic: شافعي) is one of the four schools of fiqh, or religious law, within Sunni Islam. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The Zahiri school of Islam (lit. ...

Shi'a Islam has its own school of law, the Jafari, founded by the sixth Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq. Shia Islam, also Shiite Islam, or Shiism (Arabic:شيعة, Persian:شیعه translit: ) is a denomination of the Islamic faith. ... Twelvers or the Ithna Asharia are members of the group of Shias who believe in twelve Imams. ... Imam (Arabic: إمام ,Persian: امام ) is an Arabic word meaning Leader. The ruler of a country might be called the Imam, for example. ... Imam Jafar As-Sadiq (April 20, 702 – December 4, 765), in full Jafar ibn Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Husayn, was the sixth Shia imam, and a theologian and jurist. ...

The four Sunni Islam schools are not generally regarded as distinct sects, as there has been great harmony amongst their various scholars throughout Islamic history. Sunni Muslims are the largest denomination of Islam. ...

• Imam Abu Hanifa was the 'founder' of the Hanafi school, lived in modern-day Iraq, not long after the prophet Muhammad's death. It is reported that Imam Abu Hanifa studied under many teachers, including Imam Jafar Sadiq¹. He also met the Sahabi Anas ibn Malik, making Imam Abu Hanifa one of the Tabi'een.
• Imam Malik was born shortly thereafter in Medina. There are reports that they lived at the same time and, although Malik was much younger, their mutual respect is well-known. In fact, one of Abu Hanifa's main students, on whose teaching a lot of the Hanafi school is based, studied from Imam Malik as well.
• Imam Shafi'i was also taught by both Abu Hanifa's students and Imam Malik and his respect for both men is also well-documented.
• Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal studied with Imam Shafi'i, and consequently there are many similarities between the madhhabs.

Sunnis believe that all four schools have correct guidance, and the differences lie not in the fundamentals of faith, but instead in finer judgements and jurisprudence, which are a result of the independent reasoning of the Imams and the scholars who followed them. Because their individual methodologies in interpretation and extraction from the primary sources were different, they came to different judgements on particular matters. For example, there are subtle differences in the methods of prayer in the four schools, yet the difference is not so great that separate prayers need to be held for followers of each school. In fact, a follower of any school can usually pray behind an Imam of another school without any confusion. An-Númān ibn Thābit (Arabic: ) also know as Imam Abu Hanifa (Arabic: ) (699 - 765) was an important Islamic scholar and jurist and is considered the founder of the Hanafi school of fiqh. ... For other persons named Muhammad, see Muhammad (disambiguation). ... In Islam, the Sahāba (الصحابة) were the companions of the prophet Muhammad. ... The Tābiʕīn Followers (Arabic: are the generation of Muslims that came after the Ṣahāba Companions. As such they played an important part in the development of Islamic thought and philosophy, and in the political development of the early Caliphate. ... Malik ibn Anas ibn Malik ibn Amr al-Asbahi (Arabic مالك بن أنس) (c. ... This article may not be written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia entry. ... Imam Ahmed ibn Hanbal (Arabic: ‏‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎أحمد بن حنبل‏‎‎‎‏‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎ Ahmad bin Hanbal ) (780 [164 AH] - 855 [241 AH] ) was an important Muslim scholar and theologian. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Imam (Arabic: إمام ,Persian: امام ) is an Arabic word meaning Leader. The ruler of a country might be called the Imam, for example. ...

Not all Sunni Muslims choose to follow any particular school, particularly those Muslims living in Muslim-minority countries. Those who do not follow a single school usually draw advice and guidance from all four major schools.

External links

• What is a Madhab and why is it necessary to follow one?
• Why Muslims Follow Madhhabs

Footnotes

1. Although it is generally accepted among Sunnis and Shias that Imam Abu Hanifa was a student of Imam Jafar Sadiq, some Sunni apologetics have cast doubt . The question whether Imam Malik also was a student of Imam Jafar Sadiq is generally disputed among Sunnis, though it is generally accepted by Shias.