The contents that will be covered for this session are as follows; Life of Imām Ahmad and his works His knowledge on Fiqh and Hadeeth His legal theory and methodological framework. Contributors to the development of his school His students Testimony of scholars about Imām Ahmad Analysis of some criticisms against him and detailed responses.

1. Presented by
Mufti Abdul Waheed
Senior Lecturer and Researcher in Fiqh and Usool ul-Fiqh
at JKN Institute
fatawa@jkn.org.uk
@AbdulAwm786
Date: 7/11/14
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2. Agenda
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10:15am Welcoming and introduction to the course
10:20am Session 1: Part 1 & Part 2
11:45am Break (10 mins)
11:55pm Session 2: Continuation of Part 2 & 3
12:45pm Q&A session and closing remarks
1:15pm Zuhr Salah

3. Course Content
1. PART 1 - Imām Ahmad Ibn Hanbal
2. PART 2 – Legal Methodology
3. PART 3 – Overview of the Four School and their legal
principles.
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4. Previous Sessions Discussed
The Meaning of Shari’ah
The Formative Period of Usool ul-Fiqh in the first
three generation.
The Emergence of the four Schools and dissemination
throughout the World
The Legal Methodology of the Hanafi School
The Legal Methodology of the Māliki School
The Legal Methodology of the Shāfi’ee School
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5. Part 1
Imām Ahmad Ibn Hanbal (164AH/780 CE – 241
AH/856 CE)
His Name, Early Education, Teachers, Testimony by scholars & Death
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6. 1. His Name & Family
Born on 12th Rabi’ul Awwal 164 AH/780 CE in Marw.
Full name is Ahmad Ibn Muhammad Ibn Hanbal Ibn
Hilal.
A pure Arab descendent.
Father was a Mujahid, but he died in Baghdad whilst
Imām Ahmad was young.
His mother, Safiyyah, brought him to Baghdad where
he undertook his initial Islamic training.
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7. 2. Livelihood & Environment
Received income from the estate which he inherited
from his father.
His upbringing was in Baghdad, the capital of the
Muslim world in various Islamic sciences.
The reign in which the Abbasids reach to the pinnacle
of their rule.
The science of Hadeeth and Fiqh flourished
throughout the Muslim world and the Madhabs of the
previous Imāms were in the initial stages of
consolidation.
Heavy influence of the Mu’tazilite sect.
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8. 3. Early Life & Education
Memorised Qur’ān at a tender age.
Endured a poverty life from the beginning and
throughout his quest for knowledge.
 Dedicated to Hadeeth studies around the age of 16.
His travels for seeking Hadeeth included Kufā, Basra,
Makkah, Madeenah and Yemen.
 Scholars have disputed whether to classify him
amongst the Mujtahid Imāms or the rank of the senior
Muhaditheen.
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9. 4. His Teachers
Muhammad Ibn Idrees Ash-Shāfi’ee
Hushaym Ibn Bashir
Jareer Ibn Abdul Hameed
Yahya Ibn Sa’eed Al-Qattān
Sufyān Ibn Uyaynah
Wakee Ibn Jarrah
Abdullah Ibn Nameer
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10. 5. His Works
Many works have been attributed to him;
1. Kitābul Amāl
2. Kitābut Tafseer
3. Kitābul Masāil
His most famous work is the Musnad of Imām Ahmad
comprising of 27,000 Ahadeeth.
He would lecture to his students from his own
Hadeeth collection.
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11. 6. Inquisition & Death
The Caliph Mamoon embraced Mutazalism and
compelled the scholars to accept the Qur’an being
created.
The Caliphs who followed him in this path were
Mutasim and Wāthiq.
Imām Ahmad was imprisoned and endured severe
persecution on the account of not accepting their
dogmatic creeds.
He was released and dignity restored under the Caliph
Mutawakkil and continued lecturing Hadeeth until
his death.
He died in 241 AH/856 CE in Baghdad.
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12. Part 2
The Fiqh of Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal
His Legal Methodology, sources of principles, Works and
Development
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13. 1. The Era of Imām Ahmad Ibn Hanbal
 Formation of principles and early development of two
schools namely, the Hanafi and Māliki schools.
 Spread and profound influence of the deviant sects upon
the Ummah.
 Rationalization of the tenants of Deen and the spread of
the Mutazilites
 Imām Ahmad personally refused to engage in debates in
Kalām and philosophical issues.
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14. 2. Mujtahid or Muhaddith?
Common reasons why some classify him as a
Muhaddith;
1. Rare connection with Fiqh
2. Heavy reliance of the apparent meaning of Hadeeth.
Reasons for Classifying him as a Mujtahid:
1. Studied Fiqh under Imām Shafi’ee
2. Reported to have issued Fatwas on many occasions.
3. Employed Ijtihād but only as a last resort.
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15. 4. Foundation of Deduction
Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah explains the Hanbali
Methodology;
1. Textual source – Qur’ ān and Sunnah
2.Fatwa of the Companions;
- Consensus of the companions on principles of Deen
4. Differences of the Companions
5. Mursal Hadeeth
6. Analogy
- Istishāb – Presumption of continuity
- Masālih – Public interest
- Adh-Dhara’I – Judgment by Means
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16. 5. Transmitters of the Hanbali School
Abdullah Ibn Ahmad Ibn Hanbal
Sālih Ibn Ahmad Ibn Hanbal
Ahmad Ibn Muhammad Al-Marwazi
Ibraheem Ibn Ishāq Al-Harbi
Abu Bakr Ahmad Ibn Muhammad Al-Khalāl
Taqiyyuddeen Ahamad Ibn Taymiyyah
Abdullah Ibn Zar’i known as Ibn Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah
Muwaffaq ud-Deen Ibn Qudamah
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17. 7. Spread of the His legal School
Those regions in which the School of Ahmad Ibn
Hanbal were Egypt and the whole of the Arab
Peninsula. Reasons for its unpopularity could be
explained;
1. Initial stages of consolidation of the previous three
Madhabs.
2. Less attachments of the Hanbali followers in the
augmentation of his legal theory as opposed to the
previous schools.
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18. Part 3
Over view of the Four Madhab
Compare and contrasts in their Legal Methodology.
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19. 1. The Foundation of Deduction
1. Qur’ ān
2. Sunnah
3. Statements of the Companions
4. Consensus
5. Weak Hadeeth (only when necessary)
6. Analogical Deduction
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20. Qur’ān
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 Imperative and prohibited commands.
 Arrogations and abrogated verses
 Specific terms or general terms.
 Multiple meanings of terms and those interpreted.
 Primary usage and secondary usage.
 The Quranic injunctions are decisive commands
 Majority part of the Qur’an relates to non-legal
matters e.g. accounts, eschatological matters etc.

21. Hanafi &
Maliki
• Quranic rulings are compared
with solitary Ahadeeth in case
of conflict.
• Ahnaf employ it as a standard
principle whereas the Maliki
school on certain occasions.
Shafi’ee &
Hanbali
• The Sunnah clarifies and
explains Quranic commands,
even in the case of conflict. It
explains the literal text of the
Qur’an and specify certain
rulings in the Qur’an.
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22. Sunnah
Hanafi
• Solitary Hadeeth
are accepted as
long as they
don’t conflict
with the
Qur’anic
injunction. In
case they does
and
irreconcilable
then the Qur’an
will be preferred
as a final resort.
• The narrator
does not act
against his own
report.
Maliki
• The report must
be supported by
the practice of
the people of
Madeenah.
• Give preference
to the
companions and
reporters
residing in
Madeenah.
Shafi’ee
• Soundness of the
chain of
transmission is
sufficient to act
upon a Hadeeth
even if it conflicts
the general practice
of community.
• The Sunnah
qualifies to clarify
and restrict
Qur’anic
injunctions.
• The Qur’an and
Sunnah are on the
same category
Hanbali
• Similar to the
Shafi’ee
principles,
however can
have multiple
opinions on one
single issue due
to conflicting
reports.
• Preferred those
reports who he
transmitted
from his
teachers.
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23. Ijma
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Hanafi
• Accept the
consensus of
the
Mujtahids on
legal matters
regardless of
the
geographical
locations or
time.
Maliki
• Accept the
consensus of
the people of
Madeenah.
Shafi’ee
• Consensus on
the principles
of Deen only.
Hanbali
• Consensus of
the
companions
on principles
of Deen.
Generally
don’t
recognise
consensus
outside the
of the
Companions.

24. Qiyas
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Hanafi
• Frequently used
compared to
other Madhahbs
for exploring the
legal commands
in the textual
sources.
• Recognise
Istihsan, Urf,
and public
needs.
• Inductive
approach when
inferring laws
and establishing
principles
Maliki
• Use Ijtihad
though not often
as the Hanafis.
• Masālih
Mursalah (valid
public interest)
• Urf (local
custom)
• Blocking the
means
Shafi’ee
• Does not recognise
Istihsan.
• Accept Masalih and
blocking the means.
• Use deductive
means to establish
principles.
Hanbali
• Similar to the
Shafi’ee
principles,
however, rarely
found in the
Hanbali school.
• Principles
refined by his
students, not set
by himself.

25. The juristic Differences Regarding the
Saliva of a Dog – How many times it should be washed?
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Hanafi, Shafi’ee & Hanbali School regard it as
impure due to the Qur’anic verse, “And He
forbids for you the impure things…”
Maliki School
Saliva of Dog is not
impure
.
Hanafi School
If a dog drinks from a utensil
then it must be washed thrice
like any other impurity.
“If one of you awakes during
the night then he must not dip
his hands in the utensil until
he washes his hands twice or
thrice.” (Tahawi)
The Shafi’ee & Hanbali
Schools;
If a dog drinks from a utensil
then it should be washed seven
times
“If a dog licks in the utensil then
wash it seven times.” (Tahawi)
“And what you have
trained from the
predators (dog) who you
teach (the hunting
strategies)..”
This suggest that
whatever prey animal it
captures does not render
the area impure.

26. Recommended Reading
Hasan, F. Fa Usool Fiqh Ki Tareekh, (Urdu),
Pakistan, Dārul-Ishāt.
Abu Zahra, The Four Imāms, London, Darul
Taqwa.
Haddad G.F The Four Imāms, Muslim Academy
Trust, London
Doi, A. R Shariah
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27. Scholarly Giants
Let us take you on a journey to the Truth
Following one Legal School
Date:11/01/15
www.jkn.org.uk.co.uk
Not to be missed!
By
Mufti Abdul Waheed
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28.  Is Taqleed necessary or not?
 Arguments related to Ijtihad & Talfeeq between Schools.
 Is Taqleed equal to blind Following?
 The Issue of selecting the most reliable opinion.
 Analysing the evidences proving the Talqeed Shakhsi.
 Did the Four Imams prohibit others of doing Taqleed of
them?
 Is it possible to strictly adhere to Authentic Ahadeeth?
 Why Taqleed of these four Schools?
 Is it possible to inaugurate a new form of Ijtihadic
principles?
 And much more…..
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29. ‫ا‬‫ري‬‫خ‬ ‫هللا‬ ‫اك‬‫ز‬‫ج‬
Q & A
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