Islamic Scholars and Sunni Schools of Law

Key concepts

1. The four imams

   The Hanafi, Maliki, Shafii and Hanbali schools bear the names of Abu Hanifah, Malik, ash-Shafii and Ahmad respectively. Their personal names are an-Numan ibn Thabit, Malik ibn Anas, Muhammad ibn Idris and Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Hanbal. Malik ibn Anas should not be confused with the Companion Anas ibn Malik. Identifying the imams is a first step towards recognising their books and students.

2. Places and chronological markers

   Abu Hanifah’s teaching is especially associated with Kufah, and Malik’s with Madinah. Ahmad was born in Baghdad. Abu Hanifah died in 150 AH, Malik in 179 AH, ash-Shafii in Egypt in 204 AH and Ahmad in 241 AH. These markers situate the scholars in successive generations and major centres of learning.

3. Major books

   Al-Muwatta preserves Malik’s reports and legal learning. Ash-Shafii’s Ar-Risalah discusses the foundations of understanding legal evidence, while Al-Umm preserves his jurisprudence. Musnad Ahmad groups hadiths under Companion narrators. These different forms of book show how transmitted reports and organised legal study were preserved.

4. Links between teachers and students

   Ash-Shafii studied with Malik in Madinah and learned Al-Muwatta. Ahmad’s teachers included ash-Shafii. These links show that the history of the schools includes direct learning between major scholars. Their biographies are therefore understood through both their own works and the teachers who shaped their education.

5. Students and the preservation of schools

   Abu Yusuf and Muhammad ash-Shaybani were important transmitters of Abu Hanifah’s teaching. Ibn al-Qasim was a major student of Malik. Sahnun is associated with compiling Al-Mudawwanah from material transmitted through Ibn al-Qasim about Malik. The work of students explains how an imam’s teaching continued through books and organised instruction.

Further reading and resources

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• Islamweb: biographies of the four imamsIslamwebRead
• Islamweb: Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbalislamweb.comRead
• Adh-Dhahabi, Siyar: Malik’s origins and MadinahIslamwebRead
• Malik ibn Anas, Al-MuwattaSunnah.comRead
• Islamweb: Imam ash-Shafii, his learning and booksIslamwebRead
• Ash-Shafii, Al-Umm: Book of PurificationIslamwebRead
• Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Musnad: organisation of the collectionSunnah.comRead
• Adh-Dhahabi, Siyar Alam an-Nubala: Abu YusufIslamwebRead
• Adh-Dhahabi, Siyar Alam an-Nubala: Muhammad ash-ShaybaniIslamwebRead
• Islamweb: the Maliki school and Malik’s studentsIslamwebRead
• Adh-Dhahabi, Siyar Alam an-Nubala: Sahnun and Al-MudawwanahIslamwebRead
• Adh-Dhahabi, Siyar: Malik’s death in 179 AHIslamwebRead