TO WHICH MADHHAB DID THE SAHÂBA BELONG ?

Question: “Wahhâbîs, a heretical group established by the English, and people who read their books say: ‘The Madhhabs emerged in the second century of the Hegira. To which Madhhab did the Sahâba and the Tâbi’ûn belong?’ ”

Answer: An ‘imâm al-madhhab’ was a great scholar who collected religious knowledge that he acquired from the Sahâbat-al-kirâm and which was clearly stated in the Qur’ân al-kerîm and Hadîth ash-sherîf, and committed it to books. As for the teachings that were not declared clearly, he would examine them by comparing them to the ones declared clearly. “There were also many other imâms each having his own Madhhab during the time of the well-known four imâms. But people who followed them decreased in number over the centuries, and, as a result, none are left today.” Each Sahabî was a mujtahîd, a profound scholar, and an imâm al-madhhab. Each had his own Madhhab and was superior to and more learned than the four a’immat al-madhâhib. Their Madhhabs could have been more correct and superior. Yet, because they did not write books, their Madhhabs were forgotten. It soon became no longer possible to follow any Madhhab other than the four. Saying, “To which Madhhab did the Sahâba belong?” is like saying, “To which squadron does the colonel belong?” or, “To which class of the school does the physics master belong?”