[tru_Qur'an]

See: The Prerequisites of a Mujtahid by Hamaz Yusuf here:

http://www.marifah.n...amp;#entry20317

This post has been edited by tru_Qur'an: 01 October 2009 - 03:18 AM

[tru_Qur'an]

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Is there a fifth madhhab in addition to the madhhahib of Imams Abu Hanifa, Malik, Al-Shafi`i and Ahmad


the brief answer is no, there is no fifth madhhab in addition to the four madhahib of Ahl Al-Sunna, namely the madhhahib founded by the four scholars you mentioned above (may Allah be pleased with them). Ibn Rajab (may Allah be merciful with him) mentioned the basic reasons for this in his rebuttal against those who do not follow the four madhhahib in several places. But first a bit of context

[The preservation of fiqh through four schools] is among Allah's gentle kindness toward His believing slaves, and among the mass of His customary laws in preserving this religion. If not for this, people would have seen the wonder of wonders: every imbecile, hot-headed, insolent, sham who was impressed with his opinion would claim that he is the greatest of all Imams, that he is the one to guide the umma, that people should turn only to him, and that no one else should be relied upon.

However, with praise for Allah and His gracious bestowal, this door of great danger and tremendous weight was barred. And this great corruption was constrained. This is among gentle kindness, beautiful habits, and tender mercies of Allah Most High towards His slaves.


In spite of this, people still appear, claiming to have reached the level of ijtihad, speak about knowledge without restraint, or following one of those Imams. This is tolerated from some of them because of the outward veracity of their claims; for others, their statement is rebutted and they are declared liars in their claim. As for everyone else who has not reached this level: they are only capable of following one of these Imams and following what the rest of the umma did. (Ibn Rajab, Al-Radd `Ala Man Ittab`a Ghayr Al-Madhahib Al-Arba`. Unpublished translation, copyright Musa Furber 2002 CE. p7-8)

And now Ibn Rajab's words regarding this question can be better understood

If it is said, We concede to preventing the general masses from following the way of ijtihad since this leads to the greatest of wrongs. /34/ However, we do not concede to preventing following an imitated, mujtahid Imam, outside of those famous Imams.

It is said: We have pointed out the reasons for preventing this: it is that the other unpopular schools have not been corrected and perhaps something is attributed to them that they did not say, or understood that they did not intend. Their schools have no one to defend them and point out the mistakes that took place in them, contrary to these famous schools.

If it is asked, So what do you say about another Imam's school if it has been recorded, corrected, and memorized, just like their schools?

It is said: Firstly, this is not known to exist right now. If we assume that it did take place right now, and conceded the permissibility of following it and affiliating with it, this would not be permissible except for someone who visibly shows affiliation to it, gives verdicts according to it, and defends his school.
(Ibid, p8-9)

For further clarification, Sheikh Nuh Keller mentions in the second introduction to The Reliance Of The Traveler quoting `Abd Al-Rahman Ba`alawi

Ibn Salah reports that there is scholarly consensus on its [sic] being unlawful to follow rulings from schools other than those of the four Imams, meaning in one's personal works, let alone give court verdicts or formal legal opinions to people form the, because of the untrustworthiness of the ascription of such rulings to the scholars who reportedly gave them, there being no channels of transmission which obviate the possibility of textual corruption and spurious substitutions.

The Zaydis, for example, who trace themselves to Zayd ibn Husayn (n: son of `Ali and Fatima), the beatitude of Allah be upon them, despite the fact that Zayd was one of the Imams of the religion and a renowned figure well qualified to give guidance to those seeking it, his followers identify him with extreme permissiveness on many questions, ascriptions based on failure to check as to what his positions actually were (n: by naming the intermediate transmitters and establishing their reliability). It is quite otherwise with the four schools, whose Imams (Allah reward them) have spent themselves in checking the positions of their schools, explaining what could be rigorously authenticated as the position of the person it was attributed to, and what could not be. Their scholars have thus achieved safety from textual corruption and have been able to discern the genuine from the poorly authenticated. (Bughya Al-Mustarshidin Fi Talkhis Fatawa Ba`d Al-'Aimma Min Al-Muta'akhkhirin, p8, via Reliance Of The Traveller, b7.6)

S o the answer is that no, there is no madhhab in addition to the four madhhahib of Ahl Al-Sunnah that is permissible for Muslims to follow.

source: http://mac.abc.se/ho...nesr/h/151.html

This post has been edited by tru_Qur'an: 01 October 2009 - 03:53 AM

[tru_Qur'an]

see: Shaykh 'Uthaymin's Advice to the Student of Knowledge

http://www.marifah.n...?showtopic=4495

[tru_Qur'an]

Shaykh Sa'id Ramadan al-Buti [HF] says in his book *Al-La Madhhabiyya page 114:

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If you assign the task of ijtihad to every Muslim, and ask him to scrutinize the evidence in these books from which he could learn the rulings of halal and haram by following one of the Imams, then that means you are frankly telling him: Allah's ruling in any matter you may encounter is the outcome of your own personal conviction. 28

Wait, for then you will find that the Islamic Shari'ah has become a meaningless name, and a title without a topic. It turns into a place just like Juha's cemetary, where on one wall there is a chained gate, but around it there is no fence, and lions and wolves roam freely in it.

However, if you give the Muslim a new set of books by other mujtahids, having convinced him to abstain from the books of the four Imams, and have commanded him to follow these new books instead, all you have done is that you have forced him to change from following al-Shafi'i, Abi Hanifah, Malik, or Ahmad, to following so and so from among the contemporaries. This coercion only means one thing, and that is hatred and resentment toward the four Imams and their followers. It is bigotry and a prejudice for the sake of promoting the ijtihad of so and so...

Foot Note 28 One of the most notable proponents of la madhhabiyya describes the books which contain the ijtihad of the four Imams as rusty!

[Emphasis Mine]

*Al-La Madhhabiyya can be purchased here: http://www.sunnipubs...h...t&Itemid=26

.....................

From the Article Madhhab Differences in Islam : http://www.livingisl...rg/mdf_e.html#4

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Ibn Taymiyya in the Mukhtasar al-fatawa al-misriyya says:

al-a'imma ijtima`uhum hujjatun qati`atun wa ikhtilafuhum rahmatun wasi`a -- The consensus of the Imams [of fiqh] on a question is a definitive proof, and their divergence of opinion is a vast mercy... If one does not follow any of the four Imams [of fiqh]... then he is completely in error, for the truth is not found outside of these four in the whole shari`a.
{Ibn Taymiyya, Mukhtasar al-fatawa al-misriyya (Cairo, 1980) p. 35, 54}

This post has been edited by tru_Qur'an: 07 October 2009 - 02:08 AM

[tru_Qur'an]

Another nasiha for the stubborn and arrogant ones

Taken from the Encyclopedia Of Islamic Doctrine, Forgotten Aspects of Islamic Worship: Part 2 Volume 7 page 140

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Jamal al-Din al-Qasimi said, "It is required by justice that differences of opinion not be a pretext for disaffection. Enmity that stems from religious quarrels typifies the ignorant, not the knowledgeable; it typifies the people of folly, not the fair-minded.30

30 Jamal al-Din al-Qasimi, Risalat al-jarh wa al-tadil

This post has been edited by tru_Qur'an: 23 February 2011 - 05:18 AM

[ShahAliShah]

Schools of Jurisprudence (Madhaahib)

After the age of the Companions of the Prophet and their eminent successors - in the period from the end of the first century after the hijrah to the middle of the third century - there appeared some thirteen schools of thought (madhaahib; singular, madhhab) in Islamic jurisprudence. They all identified with Ahl al Sunnah (Upholders of the Sunnah) school, which was and still is the predominant school in the Muslim world. Unfor tunately, only the works of eight or nine of the leading scholars or a'immah of these schools have been fully or partially recorded. From these recorded works in their various forms, the juristic principles (usool) and methodologies of the different schools have become known. These leading scholars were:

1. Aboo Sa`eed al Hasan ibn Yasaar al Basree (d. 110 AH)

2. Aboo Haneefah al Nu`maan ibn Thaabit ibn Zootee (d. 150 AH)

3. Al Awzaa`ee Aboo `Amr `Abd al Rahmaan ibn `Amr ibn Muhammad (d. 157 AH)

4. Sufyaan ibn Sa`eed ibn Masrooq al Thawree (d. 160 AH)

5. Al Layth ibn Sa`d (d. 175 AH)

6. Maalik ibn Anas al Asbahee (d. 179 AH)

7. Soofyaan ibn `Uyaynah (d. 198 AH)

8. Muhammad ibn Idrees al Shaafi`ee (d. 204 AH)

9. Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Hanbal (d. 241 AH)

There are other a'immah such as Daawood ibn `Alee al Isbahaanee al Baghdaadee (d. 270 AH) better known as al Zaahiree because of his insistence on sticking to the manifest (.zaahir) or literal meaning of expressions in the Qur'an and the Sunnah; Ishaaq ibn Raahawayh (d. 238 AH); and Aboo Thawr Ibraaheem ibn Khaalid al Kalbee (d. 240 AH). There are others whose schools of jurisprudence did not spread, or whose followers were not many, or who in fact were considered to be followers of the schools of the more well-known scholars.

However, the a'immah whose schools have lasted to this day, who have followers throughout the Muslim world, and whose principles and jurisprudence are still employed in assessing issues and in making legal judgments are mainly four: Aboo Haneefah, Maalik, al Shaafi`ee, and Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Hanbal.