The Ruling on a Muslim Adhering to a Specific School of Jurisprudence

Question:
What is the impact of the four schools of jurisprudence on the division of Muslims or the unification of their word, and is a person obligated to follow a specific school?

Answer:
The four schools of jurisprudence are the schools of scholars; four scholars who understood the religion and taught those who connected with them: Abu Hanifa al-Nu'man ibn Thabit, Malik ibn Anas al-Asbahi, Muhammad ibn Idris al-Shafi'i, and Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Hanbal al-Shaybani. These are scholars who became famous, so they had jurisprudence and extensive knowledge, and they had followers and companions who became famous, and they were called the four schools of jurisprudence. It is not obligatory for anyone to follow a specific one. No, it is obligatory for Muslims to follow the truth, following the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him).
These four scholars are like the rest of the scholars, such as Ishaq ibn Rahawayh, Sufyan al-Thawri, al-Awza'i, Sufyan ibn 'Uyaynah, and others from the imams of guidance. It is obligatory for all— all Muslims— to be like them, meaning they follow the truth, ask about the truth, look into the truth, and cooperate with the scholars of their time in following the truth. And that is following what the Qur'an indicated or what the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) indicated. It is not obligatory for Zayd or 'Umar to be a Hanbali, a Maliki, a Shafi'i, a Hanafi, a Thawri, or an Awza'i. No, the obligatory thing is to follow the truth. "Obey Allah and obey the Messenger" [al-Nisa: 59], and "What the Messenger gives you, take it, and what he forbids you from, abstain from it" [al-Hashr: 7].
However, there are among the followers of these four, and others, who become so fanatical that they cause division. The fanatics who say, "Nothing is correct except what Abu Hanifa said," and another says, "No, the correct view is with Malik," and another says, "The correct view is with al-Shafi'i," and another says, "The correct view is with Ibn Hanbal." This is wrong. This is because it is what causes division and fanaticism. But if they cooperate in good, look at what these scholars said, follow the truth from their statements, and leave the weaker position from their statements, this is the path of guidance, and this is the path of the community. The Hanafi does not become fanatical for the Hanafi, the Maliki for the Maliki, the Shafi'i for the Shafi'i, the Hanbali for the Hanbali, the Awza'i for the Awza'i, or the Zahiri for the Zahiri. No.
The goal must be to follow the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and proceed according to his methodology in what he brought of knowledge and guidance. The Maliki, the Hanafi, the Shafi'i, the Hanbali, and others must cooperate in understanding the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), and in following the truth, and they must not be fanatical. This one does not become fanatical for his shaykh, or this one for his school, or this one for so-and-so. No.
The obligatory thing is that the Book and the Sunnah be above everyone, and that his intention be good, and that the goal and the striving be to conform to the truth that the Book of Allah brought and that the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) brought, whether it conforms to the school of al-Shafi'i, or conforms to the school of Ahmad, or conforms to the school of Malik, or conforms to the school of the Hanafis. And this is the statement of the imams and scholars themselves; they say this. The four imams say, "Do not imitate us, and take from where we took."
Ahmad says that, and Malik says that, and al-Shafi'i says that, and Abu Hanifa says that, and others prohibit the imitation of them and prohibit following what they said without evidence and without proof. They order their followers to look into the evidence, follow the evidence, and take the truth. And they say: "If what came in the Book and the Sunnah contradicts our statement, then leave our statement. Abandon our statement. Take the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him)."
This is what they say, may Allah have mercy on them. They advised the people, but some of the followers, out of their ignorance, became fanatical for them without proof and without evidence, until they divided their religion and harmed the people.

Question: If these schools of jurisprudence were unified...?

Answer: It is not possible. This is impossible. This is among the impossibilities.