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**Anamehuskeene** · 04-21-2009, 12:47 PM

JazakAllah Khair bro al Faruqi, I appreciate your candor. I believe though that Imam Hanbal's (rh) usul, path etc was the most accurate and upon the way of the Salaf (while accepting that each Imam was correct in their own way). Because Imam Ahmad had the compilation of the most ahadith, and was the most learned of ahadith science something that his other three predecessors did not posses. Imam Shafii (rh) I believe expressed that amongst them both he (Hanbal) possessed the most knowledge of ahadith.

I agree that without proper resources to attempt to study Hanbali fiqh would be a unrealistic goal, considering that there is the Reliance maybe I should just switch to Shafii.

Wasalaam.

As Salamu Alaykum

What we need to remember however, is that the madhhab is not just the opinions or knowledge of the founding Imam. A madhhab is a collective effort of thousands of scholars who over the centuries refined, reevaluated, revised their respective school's rulings in light of the usul of that particular school.

So to compare the Imams in relation to their knowledge of hadith isn't a fair assessment of the strength of the particular madhhab. Also mind you, the four imams were all at the level of mujtahid mutlaq. This means that they all had total competance in deriving rulings from all areas of Sacred Law from the primary sources.

Also to say Imam Ahmad's madhhab is the closest or most accurate to the Salaf as Salih is a subjective comment. If we look at each Imam and who they studied with, the same argument can be made about Imam Abu Hanifa, Imam Malik and Imam Shafi'i. The fact is all four represent the diversity and accuracy of the Salaf as Salih. No madhhab is greater than the other, nor closer to the sunnah than the other.

Instead of jumping around trying to figure out each madhhab, one should learn the basics of the deen by studying with a teacher in your area. So if all the people in your community, especially the scholars are Hanafi then it behooves you to study the Hanafi school and understand the basics. The madhhab isnt the destination, its the way, the vehicle to aid one in their destination.

04-21-2009, 12:47 PM	#8
Anamehuskeene Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 432 Senior Member	JazakAllah Khair bro al Faruqi, I appreciate your candor. I believe though that Imam Hanbal's (rh) usul, path etc was the most accurate and upon the way of the Salaf (while accepting that each Imam was correct in their own way). Because Imam Ahmad had the compilation of the most ahadith, and was the most learned of ahadith science something that his other three predecessors did not posses. Imam Shafii (rh) I believe expressed that amongst them both he (Hanbal) possessed the most knowledge of ahadith. I agree that without proper resources to attempt to study Hanbali fiqh would be a unrealistic goal, considering that there is the Reliance maybe I should just switch to Shafii. Wasalaam. As Salamu Alaykum What we need to remember however, is that the madhhab is not just the opinions or knowledge of the founding Imam. A madhhab is a collective effort of thousands of scholars who over the centuries refined, reevaluated, revised their respective school's rulings in light of the usul of that particular school. So to compare the Imams in relation to their knowledge of hadith isn't a fair assessment of the strength of the particular madhhab. Also mind you, the four imams were all at the level of mujtahid mutlaq. This means that they all had total competance in deriving rulings from all areas of Sacred Law from the primary sources. Also to say Imam Ahmad's madhhab is the closest or most accurate to the Salaf as Salih is a subjective comment. If we look at each Imam and who they studied with, the same argument can be made about Imam Abu Hanifa, Imam Malik and Imam Shafi'i. The fact is all four represent the diversity and accuracy of the Salaf as Salih. No madhhab is greater than the other, nor closer to the sunnah than the other. Instead of jumping around trying to figure out each madhhab, one should learn the basics of the deen by studying with a teacher in your area. So if all the people in your community, especially the scholars are Hanafi then it behooves you to study the Hanafi school and understand the basics. The madhhab isnt the destination, its the way, the vehicle to aid one in their destination.
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