The Unique Rulings of Imam Ahmad and His Disagreement with the Imams
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The questioner:
Imam Ahmad.
The Shaykh:
No, it is not that he disagrees with only the three Imams. Imam Ahmad never disagrees with all the jurists. Therefore, it is narrated from him that he does not issue a fatwa unless it has been preceded by a statement from the Companions, the Successors, or the scholars before him. He never issues a unique fatwa that no one from the Ummah has ever said, due to his scrupulousness (may Allah have mercy on him). Yes.
Another questioner:
If the opinion of the Zahiri school disagrees with the majority, it is called a difference of opinion.
The Shaykh:
The Zahiris are a branch of Imam Ahmad. Yes.
Another questioner:
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
The Shaykh:
No, the unique rulings do not involve disagreement with the three Imams: Abu Hanifa, Malik, and al-Shafi'i. These are the unique rulings. Yes.
Imam Ahmad.
The Shaykh:
No, it is not that he disagrees with only the three Imams. Imam Ahmad never disagrees with all the jurists. Therefore, it is narrated from him that he does not issue a fatwa unless it has been preceded by a statement from the Companions, the Successors, or the scholars before him. He never issues a unique fatwa that no one from the Ummah has ever said, due to his scrupulousness (may Allah have mercy on him). Yes.
Another questioner:
If the opinion of the Zahiri school disagrees with the majority, it is called a difference of opinion.
The Shaykh:
The Zahiris are a branch of Imam Ahmad. Yes.
Another questioner:
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
The Shaykh:
No, the unique rulings do not involve disagreement with the three Imams: Abu Hanifa, Malik, and al-Shafi'i. These are the unique rulings. Yes.
Source
شرح بلوغ المرام من أدلة الأحكام [ صالح الفوزان ]، تابع باب نواقض الوضوء - 2 — islamhouse.com (47:03)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.