Reconciling the Four Schools of Jurisprudence
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The fourth question of the fatwa number ( 4272 )
Q 4: We see the imams of each school following a madhhab that contradicts the other, and the matter usually ends in a conflict between them; this leads to some of the worshippers leaving the prayer. We want a sufficient and comprehensive answer on this topic, and whether we should follow one single madhhab, and how we can reconcile between the madhahib so that the matter is settled?
A 4: Praise be to Allah alone, and blessings and peace be upon His Messenger, his family, and his Companions.. And after: The disagreement existing in the branches of Islamic jurisprudence between the imams of the four schools of jurisprudence, goes back to the causes from which it arose; such as a hadith being authentic according to some of them but not others, or a hadith reaching one of them but not the other, among other causes of disagreement. Therefore, it is obligatory for the Muslim to have a good opinion
of them, for each one of them is a mujtahid in the jurisprudence that issued from him, seeking the truth. If he was correct, he has two rewards: the reward of his ijtihad, and the reward of his correctness. And if he was mistaken, he has the reward of his ijtihad, and his mistake is forgiven. As for following these four imams, whoever is able to take the truth with its evidence, it is obligatory for him to take the evidence. And if he is not able, he follows the most trustworthy scholar of knowledge according to his ability. And this disagreement in the branches does not result in preventing the disagreeing parties from some of them praying behind others; rather, the obligatory thing is that some of them pray behind others. The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) used to differ in branch issues, and some of them would pray behind others, and so did the Tabi'un and those who followed them with excellence. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Q 4: We see the imams of each school following a madhhab that contradicts the other, and the matter usually ends in a conflict between them; this leads to some of the worshippers leaving the prayer. We want a sufficient and comprehensive answer on this topic, and whether we should follow one single madhhab, and how we can reconcile between the madhahib so that the matter is settled?
A 4: Praise be to Allah alone, and blessings and peace be upon His Messenger, his family, and his Companions.. And after: The disagreement existing in the branches of Islamic jurisprudence between the imams of the four schools of jurisprudence, goes back to the causes from which it arose; such as a hadith being authentic according to some of them but not others, or a hadith reaching one of them but not the other, among other causes of disagreement. Therefore, it is obligatory for the Muslim to have a good opinion
of them, for each one of them is a mujtahid in the jurisprudence that issued from him, seeking the truth. If he was correct, he has two rewards: the reward of his ijtihad, and the reward of his correctness. And if he was mistaken, he has the reward of his ijtihad, and his mistake is forgiven. As for following these four imams, whoever is able to take the truth with its evidence, it is obligatory for him to take the evidence. And if he is not able, he follows the most trustworthy scholar of knowledge according to his ability. And this disagreement in the branches does not result in preventing the disagreeing parties from some of them praying behind others; rather, the obligatory thing is that some of them pray behind others. The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) used to differ in branch issues, and some of them would pray behind others, and so did the Tabi'un and those who followed them with excellence. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.