DefinePK

Abstract

The four major schools of Islamic jurisprudence, known as the Sunni schools of Fiqh, have played a pivotal role in shaping Islamic legal thought and practice. This abstract presents an overview of these schools—Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi'i, and Hanbali—and provides an analytical and comparative assessment of their principles, methodologies, and legal reasoning.  Each school has its distinct origins, development, and approaches to interpreting and applying Islamic law. The Hanafi school, founded by Imam Abu Hanifa, emphasizes rationality and flexibility in legal reasoning. The Maliki school, established by Imam Malik ibn Anas, relies on local customs and practices of Madinah. The Shafi'i school, founded by Imam Al-Shafi'i, emphasizes textual evidence from the Quran and Sunnah, as well as principles of analogy and juristic preference. The Hanbali school, established by Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, adheres strictly to textual sources and resists legal innovation. Through this comparative analysis, similarities, differences, strengths, and weaknesses among the schools are explored, fostering a deeper understanding of the diversity within Islamic jurisprudence. This study contributes to scholarly discourse on Islamic law and provides insights into the rich intellectual tradition of Fiqh.