Hanbali School
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The Hanbali school ( ar, ٱلْمَذْهَب ٱلْحَنۢبَلِي, al-maḏhab al-ḥanbalī) is one of the four major traditional
Sunni Sunni Islam () is the largest branch of Islam, followed by 85–90% of the world's Muslims. Its name comes from the word '' Sunnah'', referring to the tradition of Muhammad. The differences between Sunni and Shia Muslims arose from a disagr ...
schools ('' madhahib'') of
Islamic jurisprudence ''Fiqh'' (; ar, فقه ) is Islamic jurisprudence. Muhammad-> Companions-> Followers-> Fiqh. The commands and prohibitions chosen by God were revealed through the agency of the Prophet in both the Quran and the Sunnah (words, deeds, and e ...
. It is named after the Arab scholar Ahmad ibn Hanbal (d. 855), and was institutionalized by his students. The Hanbali madhhab is the smallest of four major Sunni schools, the others being the Hanafi, Maliki and Shafi`i. The Hanbali school derives ''
sharia Sharia (; ar, شريعة, sharīʿa ) is a body of religious law that forms a part of the Islamic tradition. It is derived from the religious precepts of Islam and is based on the sacred scriptures of Islam, particularly the Quran and the H ...
'' primarily from the '' Qur'an'', the '' Hadiths'' (sayings and customs of Muhammad), and the views of
Sahabah The Companions of the Prophet ( ar, اَلصَّحَابَةُ; ''aṣ-ṣaḥāba'' meaning "the companions", from the verb meaning "accompany", "keep company with", "associate with") were the disciples and followers of Muhammad who saw or m ...
(Muhammad's companions). In cases where there is no clear answer in sacred texts of
Islam Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...
, the Hanbali school does not accept '' istihsan'' (jurist discretion) or '''urf'' (customs of a community) as a sound basis to derive Islamic law, a method that Hanafi and Maliki Sunni '' madh'habs'' accept. Hanbali school is the strict traditionalist school of jurisprudence in Sunni Islam. It is found primarily in the countries of Saudi Arabia and Qatar, where it is the official '' Fiqh''.Daryl Champion (2002), The Paradoxical Kingdom: Saudi Arabia and the Momentum of Reform, Columbia University Press, , p. 23 footnote 7 Hanbali followers are the demographic majority in four emirates of UAE ( Sharjah, Umm al-Quwain,
Ras al-Khaimah Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) ( ar, رَأْس ٱلْخَيْمَة, historically Julfar) is the largest city and capital of the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates. It is the sixth-largest city in UAE after Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Al Ain ...
and Ajman). Large minorities of Hanbali followers are also found in Bahrain,
Syria Syria ( ar, سُورِيَا or سُورِيَة, translit=Sūriyā), officially the Syrian Arab Republic ( ar, الجمهورية العربية السورية, al-Jumhūrīyah al-ʻArabīyah as-Sūrīyah), is a Western Asian country loc ...
, Oman and Yemen and among Iraqi and Jordanian
bedouin The Bedouin, Beduin, or Bedu (; , singular ) are nomadic Arab tribes who have historically inhabited the desert regions in the Arabian Peninsula, North Africa, the Levant, and Mesopotamia. The Bedouin originated in the Syrian Desert and A ...
s. The Hanbali school experienced a reformation during the 18th-century Wahhabi movement. Historically the school was small; during the 18th to early-20th century Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab and
Al Saud The House of Saud ( ar, آل سُعُود, ʾĀl Suʿūd ) is the ruling royal family of Saudi Arabia. It is composed of the descendants of Muhammad bin Saud, founder of the Emirate of Diriyah, known as the First Saudi state (1727–1818), and ...
greatly aided its propagation around the world by way of their interpretation of the school's teachings. As a result of this, the school's name has become a controversial one in certain quarters of the Islamic world due to the influence he is believed by some to have had upon these teachings, which cites Ahmad Ibn Hanbal as a principal influence along with the thirteenth-century Hanbali reformer Ahmad Ibn Taymiyyah. However, it has been argued by certain scholars that Ibn Hanbal's own beliefs actually played "no real part in the establishment of the central doctrines of Wahhabism,"Michael Cook, “On the Origins of Wahhābism,” Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, Third Series, Vol. 2, No. 2 (Jul., 1992), p. 198 as there is evidence, according to the same authors, that "the older Hanbalite authorities had doctrinal concerns very different from those of the Wahhabis," as medieval Hanbali literature is rich in references to saints, grave visitation, miracles, and relics. For example, contemporary Hanbali scholars, Muhammad Abdul-Wahid Al-Azhari and Yusuf Sadiq, openly criticize the followers of Ibn Abdul Wahhab and the former says they are not to be called Hanbalis. Historically, the Hanbali school was treated as simply another valid interpretation of '' Shariat'' (Islamic law), and many prominent medieval Sufis, such as
Abdul Qadir Gilani ʿAbdul Qādir Gīlānī, ( ar, عبدالقادر الجيلاني, ʿAbd al-Qādir al-Jīlānī; fa, ) known by admirers as Muḥyī l-Dīn Abū Muḥammad b. Abū Sāliḥ ʿAbd al-Qādir al-Jīlānī al-Baḡdādī al-Ḥasanī al-Ḥusayn ...
, were Hanbali jurists and mystics at the same time.Christopher Melchert, The Ḥanābila and the Early Sufis, Arabica, T. 48, Fasc. 3 (Brill, 2001); cf. Ibn al-Jawzī, ''Manāqib al-imām Aḥmad, ed. ʿĀdil Nuwayhiḍ'', Beirut 1393/1973


History

Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, the founder of Hanbali school of thought ('' madhab''), was a disciple of the Sunni Imam Al-Shafi‘i, who was reportedly a student of Imam Malik ibn Anas, who was a student of the
Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq Jaʿfar ibn Muḥammad ibn ʿAlī al-Ṣādiq ( ar, جعفر بن محمد الصادق; 702 – 765 Common Era, CE), commonly known as Jaʿfar al-Ṣādiq (), was an 8th-century Shia Islam, Shia Ulama, Muslim scholar, Faqīh, jurist, and ...
, like Imam
Abu Hanifa Nuʿmān ibn Thābit ibn Zūṭā ibn Marzubān ( ar, نعمان بن ثابت بن زوطا بن مرزبان; –767), commonly known by his '' kunya'' Abū Ḥanīfa ( ar, أبو حنيفة), or reverently as Imam Abū Ḥanīfa by Sunni Mus ...
. Thus all of the four great Imams of Sunni '' Fiqh'' are connected to
Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq Jaʿfar ibn Muḥammad ibn ʿAlī al-Ṣādiq ( ar, جعفر بن محمد الصادق; 702 – 765 Common Era, CE), commonly known as Jaʿfar al-Ṣādiq (), was an 8th-century Shia Islam, Shia Ulama, Muslim scholar, Faqīh, jurist, and ...
from the ''Bayt'' (Household) of Muhammad, whether directly or indirectly. Like Al-Shafi'i and
Dawud al-Zahiri Dāwūd bin ʿAlī bin Khalaf al-Ẓāhirī ( ar, داود بن علي بن خلف الظاهري) (c. 815–883/4 CE, 199-269/270 AH) was a Persian Muslim scholar, jurist, and theologian during the Islamic Golden Age, specialized in the stud ...
, Ahmad was deeply concerned with the extreme elasticity being deployed by many jurists of his time, who used their discretion to reinterpret the doctrines of '' Qur'an'' and '' Hadiths'' to suit the demands of Caliphs and wealthy. Ibn Hanbal advocated for a literal interpretation of '' Qur'an'' and '' Hadiths''. Influenced by the debates of his time, he was known for rejecting religious rulings ('' fatwas'') from the '' 'Ijma'' (consensus) of jurists of his time, which he considered to be speculative theology ('' Kalam''). He associated them with the
Mu'tazili Muʿtazila ( ar, المعتزلة ', English: "Those Who Withdraw, or Stand Apart", and who called themselves ''Ahl al-ʿAdl wa al-Tawḥīd'', English: "Party of ivineJustice and Oneness f God); was an Islamic group that appeared in early Islamic ...
s, whom he despised. Ibn Hanbal was also hostile to the discretionary principles of rulings in jurisprudence ('' Usul al-fiqh'') mainly championed by the people of opinion, which was established by
Abu Hanifa Nuʿmān ibn Thābit ibn Zūṭā ibn Marzubān ( ar, نعمان بن ثابت بن زوطا بن مرزبان; –767), commonly known by his '' kunya'' Abū Ḥanīfa ( ar, أبو حنيفة), or reverently as Imam Abū Ḥanīfa by Sunni Mus ...
, although he did adopt al-Shafi'i's method in usul al-fiqh. He linked these discretionary principles with ''kalam''. His guiding principle was that the ''Quran'' and
Sunnah In Islam, , also spelled ( ar, سنة), are the traditions and practices of the Islamic prophet Muhammad that constitute a model for Muslims to follow. The sunnah is what all the Muslims of Muhammad's time evidently saw and followed and passed ...
are the only proper sources of Islamic jurisprudence, and are of equal authority and should be interpreted literally in line with the
Athari Atharī theology or Atharism ( ar, الأثرية: / , " archeological"), otherwise referred to as Traditionalist theology or Scripturalist theology, is one of the main Sunni schools of Islamic theology. It emerged as an Islamic scholarly mov ...
creed. He also believed that there can be no true consensus ('' Ijma'') among jurists ('' mujtahids'') of his time, and preferred the consensus of Muhammad's companions ('' Sahaba'') and weaker hadiths. Imam Hanbal himself compiled '' Al-Musnad'', a text with over 30,000 saying, actions and customs of Muhammad. Ibn Hanbal never composed an actual systematic legal theory on his own, and was against setting up juristic superstructures. He devoted himself to the task of collection and study of Hadith; and believed that legal rulings must be derived by referring directly to the ''Qur'an'' and ''
Sunnah In Islam, , also spelled ( ar, سنة), are the traditions and practices of the Islamic prophet Muhammad that constitute a model for Muslims to follow. The sunnah is what all the Muslims of Muhammad's time evidently saw and followed and passed ...
''; instead of referring to a body of religious jurisprudence. However; his followers would later establish a systematic legal methodology some generations after Ibn Hanbal's death. Much of the work of preserving the school based on Ibn Hanbal's method was laid by his student
Abu Bakr al-Khallal ʾAḥmad ibn Muḥammad ibn Hārūn ibn Yazīd al Baghdādī () better known as Abū Bakr al Khalāl, was a Medieval Muslim jurist."Khallal, Abu Bakr Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Harun al-" aThe Oxford International Encyclopedia of Legal History Ed. ...
; his documentation on the founder's views eventually reached twenty volumes.Abu Zayd Bakr bin Abdullah, ''Madkhal al-mufassal ila fiqh al-Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal wa-takhrijat al-ashab''. Riyadh: Dar al 'Aminah, 2007. The original copy of the work, which was contained in the
House of Wisdom The House of Wisdom ( ar, بيت الحكمة, Bayt al-Ḥikmah), also known as the Grand Library of Baghdad, refers to either a major Abbasid public academy and intellectual center in Baghdad or to a large private library belonging to the Abba ...
, was burned along with many other works of literature during the Mongol siege of Baghdad. The book was only preserved in a summarized form by the Hanbali juris
al-Khiraqi
who had access to written copies of al-Khallal's book before the siege. Relations with the Abbasid Caliphate were rocky for the Hanbalites. Led by the Hanbalite scholar
Al-Hasan ibn 'Ali al-Barbahari Al-Ḥasan ibn ʻAlī al-Barbahārī was a Muslim theologian and populist religious leader from Iraq. He was a scholar and jurist who is famous for his role in suppressing S̲h̲īʿa missionaries and Mu'tazilism in the Abbasid Caliphate during t ...
, the school often formed mobs of followers in 10th-century Baghdad who would engage in violence against fellow Sunnis suspected of committing sins and all Shi'ites.Joel L. Kraemer, Humanism in the Renaissance of Islam: The Cultural Revival During the Buyid Age, pg. 61. Volume 7 of Studies in Islamic culture and history. Leiden: Brill Publishers, 1992. During al-Barbahari's leadership of the school in Baghdad, shops were looted,Christopher Melchert, Studies in Islamic Law and Society, vol. 4, pg. 151. Leiden: Brill Publishers, 1997. female entertainers were attacked in the streets, popular grievances among the lower classes were agitated as a source of mobilization, and public chaos in general ensued.Joel L. Kraemer, pg. 62. Their efforts would be their own undoing in 935, when a series of
home invasion A home invasion, also called a hot prowl burglary, is a sub-type of burglary (or in some jurisdictions, a separately defined crime) in which an offender unlawfully enters into a building residence while the occupants are inside. The overarching ...
s and
mob violence A riot is a form of civil disorder commonly characterized by a group lashing out in a violent public disturbance against authority, property, or people. Riots typically involve destruction of property, public or private. The property targete ...
on the part of al-Barbahari's followers in addition to perceived deviant views led to the Caliph Ar-Radi publicly condemning the school in its entirety and ending its official patronage by state religious bodies. At some point between the 10th and 12th centuries, the Hanbali scholars began adopting the term “Salafi". The influential 13th century Hanbali theologian
Ibn Taymiyya Ibn Taymiyyah (January 22, 1263 – September 26, 1328; ar, ابن تيمية), birth name Taqī ad-Dīn ʾAḥmad ibn ʿAbd al-Ḥalīm ibn ʿAbd al-Salām al-Numayrī al-Ḥarrānī ( ar, تقي الدين أحمد بن عبد الحليم ...
advocated Salafi thought as a theological endeavour and his efforts would create a lasting impact on the subsequent followers of the Hanbali school.


Principles


Sources of law

Like all other schools of Sunni Islam, the Hanbali school holds that the two primary sources of Islamic law are the Qur'an and the
Sunnah In Islam, , also spelled ( ar, سنة), are the traditions and practices of the Islamic prophet Muhammad that constitute a model for Muslims to follow. The sunnah is what all the Muslims of Muhammad's time evidently saw and followed and passed ...
found in Hadiths (compilation of sayings, actions and customs of Muhammad). Where these texts did not provide guidance, Imam Hanbal recommended guidance from established consensus of Muhammad's companions (
Sahabah The Companions of the Prophet ( ar, اَلصَّحَابَةُ; ''aṣ-ṣaḥāba'' meaning "the companions", from the verb meaning "accompany", "keep company with", "associate with") were the disciples and followers of Muhammad who saw or m ...
), then individual opinion of Muhammad's companions, followed in order of preference by weaker hadiths, and in rare cases qiyas (analogy). The Hanbali school, unlike Hanafi and Maliki schools, rejected that a source of Islamic law can be a jurist's personal discretionary opinion or consensus of later generation Muslims on matters that serve the interest of Islam and community. Hanbalis hold that this is impossible and leads to abuse.
Chiragh Ali Moulví Cherágh Ali (1844-1895) (also spelled Chirágh) was an Indian Muslim scholar of the late 19th century. As a colleague of Sir Sayyid Ahmad Khan he made a contribution to the school of Muslim Modernists and presented reformative thinking ...
, The Proposed Political, Legal and Social Reforms, in Modernist Islam 1840-1940: A Sourcebook, pp. 281-282 Edited by
Charles Kurzman Charles Kurzman is a Professor of Sociology at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill who specializes in Middle East and Islamic studies. Education and employment After completing his B.A. at Harvard University in 1986, he completed his M.A. ...
, Oxford University Press, (2002)
The Hanbali school also rejects '' taqlid'' (blind adherence to scholarly opinions) and encourages the practice of ''
Ijtihad ''Ijtihad'' ( ; ar, اجتهاد ', ; lit. physical or mental ''effort'') is an Islamic legal term referring to independent reasoning by an expert in Islamic law, or the thorough exertion of a jurist's mental faculty in finding a solution to a le ...
'' (independent reasoning) through the study of '' Quran'' and '' Hadith''. Ibn Hanbal rejected the possibility of religiously binding consensus (''Ijma''), as it was impossible to verify once later generations of Muslims spread throughout the world, going as far as declaring anyone who claimed as such to be a liar. Ibn Hanbal did, however, accept the possibility and validity of the consensus of the ''Sahaba'' the first generation of Muslims.Dr. Mohammad Omar Farooq, "The Doctrine of Ijma: Is there a consensus?," June 2006 Later followers of the school, however, expanded on the types of consensus accepted as valid, and the prominent Hanbalite
Ibn Taymiyyah Ibn Taymiyyah (January 22, 1263 – September 26, 1328; ar, ابن تيمية), birth name Taqī ad-Dīn ʾAḥmad ibn ʿAbd al-Ḥalīm ibn ʿAbd al-Salām al-Numayrī al-Ḥarrānī ( ar, تقي الدين أحمد بن عبد الحليم ...
expanded legal consensus to later generations while at the same time restricting it only to the religiously learned. Analogical reasoning (''
Qiyas In Islamic jurisprudence, qiyas ( ar, قياس , "analogy") is the process of deductive analogy in which the teachings of the hadith are compared and contrasted with those of the Quran, in order to apply a known injunction ('' nass'') to a new ...
''), was likewise rejected as a valid source of law by Ibn Hanbal himself,Mansoor Moaddel, ''Islamic Modernism, Nationalism, and Fundamentalism: Episode and Discourse'', pg. 32. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2005. with a near-unanimous majority of later Hanbalite jurists not only accepting analogical reasoning as valid but also borrowing from the works of Shafi'ite jurists on the subject. Ibn Hanbal's strict standards of acceptance regarding the sources of Islamic law were probably due to his suspicion regarding the field of ''Usul al-Fiqh'', which he equated with speculative theology (''kalam''). While demanding strict application of ''Qur'an'' and '' Hadith'', Hanbali '' Fiqh'' is nonetheless flexible in areas not covered by Scriptures. In issues where the ''Qur'an'' and the ''Hadiths'' were ambigous or vague; the Hanbali '' Fuqaha'' (jurists) engaged in ''
Ijtihad ''Ijtihad'' ( ; ar, اجتهاد ', ; lit. physical or mental ''effort'') is an Islamic legal term referring to independent reasoning by an expert in Islamic law, or the thorough exertion of a jurist's mental faculty in finding a solution to a le ...
'' to derive rulings. Additionally, the Hanbali madh'hab accepted the Islamic principle of '' Maslaha'' ('public interest') in solving the novel issues. In the modern era, Hanbalites have branched out and even delved into matters regarding the upholding ('' Istislah'') of public interest ('' Maslaha'') and even juristic preference ('' Istihsan''), anathema to the earlier Hanbalites as valid methods of determining religious law.


Theology

Ibn Hanbal taught that the Qur'an is uncreated due to Muslim belief that it is the word of God, and the word of God is not created. The
Muʿtazilites Mu'tazilism ( ar, المعتزلة ') was a theological movement that appeared in early Islamic history and flourished in Basra and Baghdad (8th–10th century). Its adherents, the Mutazila or Mutazilites, were known for their neutrality in the dis ...
taught that the Qur'an, which is readable and touchable, is created like other creatures and created objects. Ibn Hanbal viewed this as heresy, replying that there are things which are not touchable but are created, such as the Throne of God. Unlike the other three schools of Islamic jurisprudence ( Hanafi, Maliki, and Shafi), the Hanbali madhab remained largely traditionalist or
Athari Atharī theology or Atharism ( ar, الأثرية: / , " archeological"), otherwise referred to as Traditionalist theology or Scripturalist theology, is one of the main Sunni schools of Islamic theology. It emerged as an Islamic scholarly mov ...
in theology and it was primarily Hanbali scholars who codified the Athari school of thought.


Distinct rulings

* Wudu – One of the seven things which nullifies the minor purification includes, touching a person of the opposite sex for the purpose of ''carnal desire''. Imam Muwaffaq ibn Qudama. ''The Mainstay Concerning Jurisprudence (Al Umda fi 'l Fiqh)''. This ruling is similar to the Maliki opinion, however the Shafi'i opinion is that merely touching will break the wudu, while the Hanafi opinion is that merely touching does not break the wudu. * Al-Qayyam – One position of the school according to Kashshaf al-Qina` of al-Buhuti, and al-Mughni of Ibn Qudama is the same as that of Imam
Abu Hanifa Nuʿmān ibn Thābit ibn Zūṭā ibn Marzubān ( ar, نعمان بن ثابت بن زوطا بن مرزبان; –767), commonly known by his '' kunya'' Abū Ḥanīfa ( ar, أبو حنيفة), or reverently as Imam Abū Ḥanīfa by Sunni Mus ...
and his students; to place one’s hands below the navel. Another position is that hands are positioned above the navel or on the chest while standing in prayer, not similar to the Hanafis, though others state a person has a choice i.e. either above the navel or near the chest * Ruku – The hands are to be raised (Rafa al-Yadayn) before going to ruku, and standing up from ruku, similar to the Shafi'i school. While standing up after ruku, a person has a choice to place their hands back to the position as they were before. Other madh'habs state the hands should be left on their sides. * Tashahhud – The finger should be pointed and not moved, upon mentioning the name of ''Allah''. * Taslim – Is considered obligatory by the Madh'hab."Salat According to Five Islamic Schools of Law"
from Al-Islam.org
* Salat-ul-Witr – Hanbalis pray Two Rak'ats consecutively then perform Tasleem, and then One Rak'at is performed separately. Dua Qunoot is recited after the Ruku' during Witr, and Hands are raised during the Dua. * In the absence of a valid excuse, it is obligatory (at least for adult men) to pray in congregation rather than individually. * The majority of the Hanbali school considers admission in a court of law to be indivisible; that is, a plaintiff may not accept some parts of a defendant's testimony while rejecting other parts. This position is also held by the Zahiri school, though it is opposed by the Hanafi and Maliki schools.


Reception

The Hanbali school is now accepted as the fourth of the mainstream Sunni schools of law. It has traditionally enjoyed a smaller following than the other schools. In the earlier period, Sunni jurisprudence was based on four other schools: Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi'i and Zahiri; later on, the Hanbali school supplanted the Zahiri school's spot as the fourth mainstream school. Hanbalism essentially formed as a
traditionalist Traditionalism is the adherence to traditional beliefs or practices. It may also refer to: Religion * Traditional religion, a religion or belief associated with a particular ethnic group * Traditionalism (19th-century Catholicism), a 19th–cen ...
reaction to what they viewed as '' bid'ah'' (innovations) on the part of the earlier established schools.
Francis Robinson Francis Christopher Rowland Robinson CBE, DL, FRAS (born 23 November 1944 in Barnet) is a British historian and academic who specialises in the history of South Asia and Islam. Since 1990, he has been Professor of History of South Asia at the Un ...
, ''Atlas of the Islamic World Since 1500'', pg. 29.
New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...
: Facts on File, 1984.
Historically, the school's legitimacy was not always accepted. Muslim exegete Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari, founder of the now extinct Jariri school of law, was noted for ignoring the Hanbali school entirely when weighing the views of jurists; this was due to his view that the founder, Ibn Hanbal, was merely a scholar of '' Hadith'' (prophetic traditions) and was not a '' Faqih'' (jurist) at all. The Hanbalites, led by Al-Barbahari, reacted by stoning Tabari's home several times, inciting riots so violent that Abbasid authorities had to subdue them by force. Upon Tabari's death, the Hanbalites formed a violent mob large enough that Abbasid officials buried him in secret, in an attempt to prevent further riots. Similarly, the
Andalusian Andalusia is a region in Spain. Andalusian may also refer to: Animals *Andalusian chicken, a type of chicken *Andalusian donkey, breed of donkey *Andalusian hemipode, a buttonquail, one of a small family of birds *Andalusian horse, a breed of ho ...
Malikite Jurist and theologian Ibn 'Abd al-Barr made a point to exclude Ibn Hanbal's views from the books on Sunni Muslim jurisprudence. Eventually, the Mamluk Sultanate and later the Ottoman Empire codified
Sunni Islam Sunni Islam () is the largest branch of Islam, followed by 85–90% of the world's Muslims. Its name comes from the word '' Sunnah'', referring to the tradition of Muhammad. The differences between Sunni and Shia Muslims arose from a disagre ...
as four schools, including the Hanbalite school at the expense of the Zahirites. The Hanafis, Shafi'is and Malikis agreed on important matters and recognized each other's systems as equally valid; this was not the case with the Hanbalites, who were recognized as legitimate by the older three schools but refused to return the favor.


Differences with other Sunni schools

In contrast to the Hanafis and the Malikis, in the absence of a '' 'Ijma'' (juristic consensus), the opinion of a Sahabi (companion of Prophet Muhammad) is given priority over ''
Qiyas In Islamic jurisprudence, qiyas ( ar, قياس , "analogy") is the process of deductive analogy in which the teachings of the hadith are compared and contrasted with those of the Quran, in order to apply a known injunction ('' nass'') to a new ...
'' (analogical reasoning, which early Hanbalis rejected) or '' al-'urf'' (customs of a land) which is completely rejected by Hanbalis. While Hanbalis require a unanimous consensus, Hanafis tend to follow the consensus of Kufa and Malikis that of
al-Madina Medina,, ', "the radiant city"; or , ', (), "the city" officially Al Madinah Al Munawwarah (, , Turkish: Medine-i Münevvere) and also commonly simplified as Madīnah or Madinah (, ), is the second-holiest city in Islam, and the capital of the ...
. Zahiris, a less mainstream school, is sometimes seen as the closest to Hanbalis and Hanafis. However the similarities are only true for early Zahiris who followed the
Athari Atharī theology or Atharism ( ar, الأثرية: / , " archeological"), otherwise referred to as Traditionalist theology or Scripturalist theology, is one of the main Sunni schools of Islamic theology. It emerged as an Islamic scholarly mov ...
creed. The branch that was largely instigated by Ibn Hazm which developed in al-Andalus,
al-Qarawiyyin The University of al-Qarawiyyin ( ar, جامعة القرويين; ber, ⵜⴰⵙⴷⴰⵡⵉⵜ ⵏ ⵍⵇⴰⵕⴰⵡⵉⵢⵉⵏ; french: Université Al Quaraouiyine), also written Al-Karaouine or Al Quaraouiyine, is a university located in ...
and later became the official school of the state under the
Almohads The Almohad Caliphate (; ar, خِلَافَةُ ٱلْمُوَحِّدِينَ or or from ar, ٱلْمُوَحِّدُونَ, translit=al-Muwaḥḥidūn, lit=those who profess the unity of God) was a North African Berber Muslim empire fo ...
, differed significantly from Hanbalism. It did not follow the
Athari Atharī theology or Atharism ( ar, الأثرية: / , " archeological"), otherwise referred to as Traditionalist theology or Scripturalist theology, is one of the main Sunni schools of Islamic theology. It emerged as an Islamic scholarly mov ...
and '' Taqlid'' schools and opted for "logical Istidlal" (deductive demonstration/inference) as a way to interpret scripture that wasn't clear literally. Hanbalis rejected '' kalam'' as a whole and believed in the supremacy of the text over the mind and did not engage in dialectic debates with the '' Mu'tazila''. Ibn Hazm, on the other hand, engaged in these debates and believed in logical reasoning rejecting most of ''Mu'tazila'' claims as sophism and absurd. Ibn Hazm, also scrutinised '' hadith'' corpus more severely. He adopted an attitude where he'd reject ''hadiths'' if he discovered something suspicious about the lives of those who reported it, or in the case where a narrator in the '' Sanad'' (transmission chain) is not a widely known figure. In doing so, he was aided by his vast historical knowledge. By the end of the classical era, the other three remaining schools had codified their laws into comprehensive jurisprudential systems; enforcing them far and wide. However, the Hanbalis stood apart from the other three '' madh'habs''; by insisting on referring directly back to the ''
Qur’an The Quran (, ; Standard Arabic: , Quranic Arabic: , , 'the recitation'), also romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a revelation from God. It is organized in 114 chapters (pl.: , sing.: ...
'' and ''
Sunnah In Islam, , also spelled ( ar, سنة), are the traditions and practices of the Islamic prophet Muhammad that constitute a model for Muslims to follow. The sunnah is what all the Muslims of Muhammad's time evidently saw and followed and passed ...
'', to arrive at legal rulings. They also opposed the codification of ''
Sharia Sharia (; ar, شريعة, sharīʿa ) is a body of religious law that forms a part of the Islamic tradition. It is derived from the religious precepts of Islam and is based on the sacred scriptures of Islam, particularly the Quran and the H ...
'' (Islamic law) into a comprehensive system of jurisprudence; considering the ''Qur'an'' and '' Hadith'' to be the paramount sources.


Relationship with Sufism

Sufism Sufism ( ar, ''aṣ-ṣūfiyya''), also known as Tasawwuf ( ''at-taṣawwuf''), is a mystic body of religious practice, found mainly within Sunni Islam but also within Shia Islam, which is characterized by a focus on Islamic spirituality, r ...
, often described as the inner mystical dimension of Islam, is not a separate "school" or "sect" of the religion, but, rather, is considered by its adherents to be an "inward" way of approaching Islam which complements the regular outward practice of the five pillars; Sufism became immensely popular during the medieval period in practically all parts of the
Sunni Sunni Islam () is the largest branch of Islam, followed by 85–90% of the world's Muslims. Its name comes from the word '' Sunnah'', referring to the tradition of Muhammad. The differences between Sunni and Shia Muslims arose from a disagr ...
world and continues to remain so in many parts of the world today. As Christopher Melchert has pointed out, both Hanbalism and classical Sufism took concrete shapes in the ninth and early tenth-centuries CE, with both soon becoming "essential components of the high-medieval Sunni synthesis."Christopher Melchert, "The Ḥanābila and the Early Sufis," ''Arabica'', T. 48, Fasc. 3 (2001), pp. 352-367 Although many Hanbali scholars today, identifying themselves with various
Salafi The Salafi movement or Salafism () is a reform branch movement within Sunni Islam that originated during the nineteenth century. The name refers to advocacy of a return to the traditions of the "pious predecessors" (), the first three generat ...
movements and the contemporary manifestation of the Wahhabi movement within Hanbalism, shun Sufism and its practices such as the '' Ziyarat'' (visitations of the graves of ''
Awliyaa A wali (''wali'' ar, وَلِيّ, '; plural , '), the Arabic word which has been variously translated "master", "authority", "custodian", "protector", is most commonly used by Muslims to indicate an Islamic saint, otherwise referred to by the ...
''), which they deem heretical innovations in religion; the Hanbali school of Sunni law had a very intimate relationship with Sufism throughout
Islamic history The history of Islam concerns the political, social, economic, military, and cultural developments of the Islamic civilization. Most historians believe that Islam originated in Mecca and Medina at the start of the 7th century CE. Muslims r ...
. There is evidence that many medieval Hanbali scholars were very close to the Sufi martyr and saint Hallaj, whose mystical piety seems to have influenced many regular jurists in the school.Christopher Melchert, "The Ḥanābila and the Early Sufis," ''Arabica'', T. 48, Fasc. 3 (2001), p. 352 Many later Hanbalis, meanwhile, were often Sufis themselves, including figures not normally associated with
Sufism Sufism ( ar, ''aṣ-ṣūfiyya''), also known as Tasawwuf ( ''at-taṣawwuf''), is a mystic body of religious practice, found mainly within Sunni Islam but also within Shia Islam, which is characterized by a focus on Islamic spirituality, r ...
, such as
Ibn Taymiyyah Ibn Taymiyyah (January 22, 1263 – September 26, 1328; ar, ابن تيمية), birth name Taqī ad-Dīn ʾAḥmad ibn ʿAbd al-Ḥalīm ibn ʿAbd al-Salām al-Numayrī al-Ḥarrānī ( ar, تقي الدين أحمد بن عبد الحليم ...
and
Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah Shams al-Dīn Abū ʿAbd Allāh Muḥammad ibn Abī Bakr ibn Ayyūb al-Zurʿī l-Dimashqī l-Ḥanbalī (29 January 1292–15 September 1350 CE / 691 AH–751 AH), commonly known as Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya ("The son of the principal of he school ...
.Christopher Melchert, "The Ḥanābila and the Early Sufis," ''Arabica'', T. 48, Fasc. 3 (2001), p. 353 Both these men, sometimes considered to be completely anti-Sufi in their leanings, were actually initiated into the '' Qadiriyya''
order Order, ORDER or Orders may refer to: * Categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated, and understood * Heterarchy, a system of organization wherein the elements have the potential to be ranked a number of d ...
of the celebrated mystic and
saint In religious belief, a saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of Q-D-Š, holiness, likeness, or closeness to God. However, the use of the term ''saint'' depends on the context and Christian denomination, denominat ...
Abdul Qadir Gilani ʿAbdul Qādir Gīlānī, ( ar, عبدالقادر الجيلاني, ʿAbd al-Qādir al-Jīlānī; fa, ) known by admirers as Muḥyī l-Dīn Abū Muḥammad b. Abū Sāliḥ ʿAbd al-Qādir al-Jīlānī al-Baḡdādī al-Ḥasanī al-Ḥusayn ...
, who was himself a renowned Hanbali '' Faqih''. As the ''Qadiriyya'' ''Tariqah'' is often considered to be the largest and most widespread Sufi order in the world, with many branches spanning from Turkey to Pakistan, one of the largest Sufi branches is effectively founded on Hanbali school. Other prominent Hanbalite scholars who praised Sufism include
Ibn 'Aqil Abu al-Wafa Ali Ibn Aqil ibn Ahmad al-Baghdadi (1040–1119) was an Islamic theologian from Baghdad, Iraq. He was trained in the tenets of the Hanbali school (''madhab'') for eleven years under scholars such as the Qadi Abu Ya'la. Despite this, I ...
, Ibn Qudamah,
Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali Imam Abd Al-Rahman ibn Ahmad ibn Rajab (736-795 AH/1335–1393 CE), best known as ''Ibn Rajab Al-Hanbali'' and also ''Ibn Rajab'', which was a nickname he inherited from his grandfather who was born in the month of Rajab, was a Muslim scholar. B ...
, Muhammad Ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhab, etc. Although Muhammad Ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab is sometimes regarded as a denier of Sufism, both he and his early disciples acclaimed ''
Tasawwuf Sufism ( ar, ''aṣ-ṣūfiyya''), also known as Tasawwuf ( ''at-taṣawwuf''), is a mystic body of religious practice, found mainly within Sunni Islam but also within Shia Islam, which is characterized by a focus on Islamic spirituality, r ...
''; believing it to be an important discipline in
Islamic religion Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God (or ''Allah'') as it was revealed to Muhammad, the main ...
. Ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab prescribed various Sufi spiritual exercises to his followers for attaining '' Zuhd'' (asceticism), in accordance with '' Qur'an'' and '' Hadith''. Extolling the virtuous Sufi ''
Awliya A wali (''wali'' ar, وَلِيّ, '; plural , '), the Arabic word which has been variously translated "master", "authority", "custodian", "protector", is most commonly used by Muslims to indicate an Islamic saint, otherwise referred to by t ...
'' (saints) who attained '' Ma'rifa'' (highest stage of mystical awareness in Sufism) as exemplars to his followers, Ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab stated:
" “From among the wonders is to find a Sufi who is a '' faqih'' and a scholar who is an ascetic (''
zahid Zahid is a male given name particularly popular in several Asian countries. It has its roots in the Arabic language. In Arabic, there are a few variations based on the exact pronunciation of the name thus having different meanings. One of the meanin ...
'').” For indeed those who are concerned with the piety of the heart are often associated with a lack of '' ma‘rifah'', which would necessitate abstinence from wrong and make ''
jihad Jihad (; ar, جهاد, jihād ) is an Arabic word which literally means "striving" or "struggling", especially with a praiseworthy aim. In an Islamic context, it can refer to almost any effort to make personal and social life conform with Go ...
'' necessary. And those who are in-depth in knowledge at times mention such wickedness and doubts that place them in err and deviation... So, His love itself is the basis of His worship, and assigning equals ('' shirk'') in love is the basis of polytheism in His worship... This is why the ''
‘arif Maʿrifa (Arabic: “interior knowledge”) is the mystical knowledge of God or the “higher realities” that is the ultimate goal of followers of Sufism. Sufi mystics came to maʿrifa by following a spiritual path that later Sufi thinkers categ ...
'' Sufi '' shaykhs'' would advise many to pursue knowledge. Some of them would say: “A person only leaves a single ''
Sunnah In Islam, , also spelled ( ar, سنة), are the traditions and practices of the Islamic prophet Muhammad that constitute a model for Muslims to follow. The sunnah is what all the Muslims of Muhammad's time evidently saw and followed and passed ...
'' due to the pride in him.” "


List of Hanbali scholars

* Abu Dawood (d. 275 A.H.) Famous compiler of
Sunan Abu Dawood ''Sunan Abu Dawood'' ( ar-at, سنن أبي داود, Sunan Abī Dāwūd) is one of the ''Kutub al-Sittah'' (six major hadith collections), collected by Abu Dawud al-Sijistani (d.889). Introduction Abu Dawood compiled twenty-one books related to ...
. *
Abu Bakr al-Khallal ʾAḥmad ibn Muḥammad ibn Hārūn ibn Yazīd al Baghdādī () better known as Abū Bakr al Khalāl, was a Medieval Muslim jurist."Khallal, Abu Bakr Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Harun al-" aThe Oxford International Encyclopedia of Legal History Ed. ...
– Jurist responsible for the school's early codification. *
Al-Hasan ibn 'Ali al-Barbahari Al-Ḥasan ibn ʻAlī al-Barbahārī was a Muslim theologian and populist religious leader from Iraq. He was a scholar and jurist who is famous for his role in suppressing S̲h̲īʿa missionaries and Mu'tazilism in the Abbasid Caliphate during t ...
(d. 329 A.H.), an Iraqi traditionist and a jurist, author of the book Sharh al-Sunnah (disputed). *
Ibn Battah al-Ukbari Abu Abdullah `Ubaidullah bin Muhammad bin Battah al-`Ukbari al-Hanbali, known as Ibn Battah was a Hanbali theologian and jurisconsult born at 'Ukbara in 304/c. 917. He learned from a number of Hanbali scholars of his time and also personally knew ...
(d. 387 A.H.), an Iraqi theologian and jurisconsult, author of the book Al-Ibaanah. * Abū 'Abdullāh Muhammad Ibn Manda (d. 395 A.H.), hadīth master, biographer and historian from
Isfahan Isfahan ( fa, اصفهان, Esfahân ), from its Achaemenid empire, ancient designation ''Aspadana'' and, later, ''Spahan'' in Sassanian Empire, middle Persian, rendered in English as ''Ispahan'', is a major city in the Greater Isfahan Regio ...
. *
Al-Qadi Abu Ya'la Abū Yaʿlā Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥusayn Ibn al-Farrāʾ (April 990 – 15 August 1066), commonly known as al-Qāḍī Abū Yaʿlā or simply as Ibn al-Farrāʾ, is a great Hanbali Jurist, Athari theologian and a major authority in the Hanbali sch ...
(d. 458 A.H.) *
Ibn Aqil Abu al-Wafa Ali Ibn Aqil ibn Ahmad al-Baghdadi (1040–1119) was an Islamic theologian from Baghdad, Iraq. He was trained in the tenets of the Hanbali school (''madhab'') for eleven years under scholars such as the Qadi Abu Ya'la. Despite this, I ...
(d. 513 A.H.) * Awn ad-Din ibn Hubayra (d. 560 A.H.) *
Abdul Qadir Gilani ʿAbdul Qādir Gīlānī, ( ar, عبدالقادر الجيلاني, ʿAbd al-Qādir al-Jīlānī; fa, ) known by admirers as Muḥyī l-Dīn Abū Muḥammad b. Abū Sāliḥ ʿAbd al-Qādir al-Jīlānī al-Baḡdādī al-Ḥasanī al-Ḥusayn ...
(d. 561 A.H.) *
Abu-al-Faraj Ibn Al-Jawzi ʿAbd al-Raḥmān b. ʿAlī b. Muḥammad Abu 'l-Faras̲h̲ b. al-Jawzī, often referred to as Ibn al-Jawzī (Arabic: ابن الجوزي, ''Ibn al-Jawzī''; ca. 1116 – 16 June 1201) for short, or reverentially as ''Imam Ibn al-Jawzī'' by ...
(d. 597 A.H.) – A famous jurist, exegete, critic, preacher and a prolific author, with works on nearly all subjects. * Hammad al-Harrani (d. 598A.H.) – A jurist, critic and preacher who lived in Alexandria under the reign of Salahudin. *
Abd al-Ghani al-Maqdisi ‘Abd al-Ghanī ibn ‘Abd al-Wāḥid al-Jammā’īlī al-Maqdisi ( ar, عبدالغني المقدسي) (1146-1203 CE) was a classical Sunni Islamic scholar and a prominent Hadith master. His full name was ''al-Imam al-Hafidh Abu Muhammad Abdu ...
(d. 600 A.H.) – A prominent hadith master from
Damascus )), is an adjective which means "spacious". , motto = , image_flag = Flag of Damascus.svg , image_seal = Emblem of Damascus.svg , seal_type = Seal , map_caption = , ...
and the nephew of Ibn Qudamah. * Ibn Qudamah (d. 620A.H.) – One of the major Hanbali authorities and the author of the profound and voluminous book on Law, '' al-Mughni'', which became popular amongst researchers from all juristic backgrounds. One of two individuals referred to as
Shaykh al-Islām Shaykh al-Islām ( ar, شيخ الإسلام, Šayḫ al-Islām; fa, شِیخُ‌الاسلام ''Sheykh-ol-Eslām''; ota, شیخ‌ الاسلام, Şhaykḫu-l-İslām or ''Sheiklı ul-Islam''; tr, Şeyhülislam) was used in the classical e ...
within the Hanbali school. * Diya al-Din al-Maqdisi (d. 643 A.H.) *
Ibn Hamdan Abū Abd-Allah Najm al-Dīn Aḥmad bin Ḥamdān bin Shabīb bin Ḥamdān al-Ḥarrānī al-Ḥanbalī (Arabic: أبو عبد الله نجم الدِّين أحمد بن حمدان بن شبيب بن حمدان الحراني الحنبلي) ...
, Ahmad al-Harrani (d. 695 A.H.) - A jurist and judge born and raised in Harran and later practiced in Cairo *
Taqi al-Din Ibn Taymiyah Ibn Taymiyyah (January 22, 1263 – September 26, 1328; ar, ابن تيمية), birth name Taqī ad-Dīn ʾAḥmad ibn ʿAbd al-Ḥalīm ibn ʿAbd al-Salām al-Numayrī al-Ḥarrānī ( ar, تقي الدين أحمد بن عبد الحليم ...
(d. 728 A.H.) – A well-known figure in the Islamic history, known by his friends and foes for his expertise and controversial views in Islamic sciences. *
Ibn Muflih Ibn Mufliḥ al-Maqdisī, in full "Shams al-Din Abu Abd Allah Muhammad ibn Muflih ibn Muhammad ibn Mufarraj al-Ramini al-Maqdisi" (710-763 AH/1310-1362 CE), was one of the leading authorities in Hanbali Law and one of the most prolific writers of t ...
al Maqdisi (d. 763 A.H.) * Ibn al-Qayyim (d. 751 A.H.) – The closest companion and a student of Ibn Taymiyah, also a respected jurist in his own right. * Ibn Rajab (d. 795 A.H.) – A prominent jurist, traditionist, ascetic and preacher, who authored several important works, largely commenting upon famous collections of traditions. * al-Bahūtī (d. 1051 A.H.) *
Muhammad ibn Abd-al-Wahhab ; "The Book of Monotheism") , influences = , influenced = , children = , module = , title = Imam, Shaykh , movement = Muwahhidun (Wahhabi) , native_name = محمد بن ...
– A controversial Hanbali jurist and traditionalist, patronym of the Wahhabi movement. *
Ibn Humaid Abdullah Ibn Humaid (1908–1981) also known as Abdullah bin Muhammad bin Humaid was the Chief Justice of Saudi Arabia and Imam of the Great Mosque of Mecca. He was succeeded as Great Mosque imam by his son Salih bin Abdullah al Humaid. He is t ...
(d. 1295 A.H.) – A Hanbali jurist, traditionist, historian. *
Abd al-Aziz ibn Baz Sheikh Abd al Aziz ibn Abdullah ibn Baz ( ar, عبد العزيز بن عبد الله بن باز, ʿAbd al ʿAzīz bin ʿAbdullāh bin Bāz, 21 November 1912 – 13 May 1999) was a Saudi Arabian Islamic scholar who served as the Grand Mufti of S ...
(d. 1419 A.H.) – Former Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia. * Ibn al-Uthaymeen (d. 1421 A.H.) – A leading jurist, grammarian, linguist, and a popular preacher. * Abdullah Ibn Jibreen – A leading scholar of Saudi Arabia and was a former member of the Permanent Committee for Islamic Research and Fataawa in Saudi Arabia. * Saleh Al-Fawzan – A well known scholar in Saudi Arabia and prolific author. He is currently a member of the
Permanent Committee The Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta (also the General Presidency of Scholarly Research and Ifta, ar, اللجنة الدائمة للبحوث العلمية والإفتاء, al-Lajna ad-Dāʾima lil-Buḥūṯ al-ʿIlmiyya wa ...
. * Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais – The leading imam and khateeb of the Grand mosque chief of presidency of Haramain Committee, Saudi Arabia. * Saud Al-Shuraim – The Imam and khateeb of the Grand Mosque Mecca and a professor of Islamic law at Umm al-Qura University.


See also

* Outline of Islam *
Adhan Adhan ( ar, أَذَان ; also variously transliterated as athan, adhane (in French), azan/azaan (in South Asia), adzan (in Southeast Asia), and ezan (in Turkish), among other languages) is the Islamic call to public prayer (salah) in a mos ...
* Islamic schools and branches *
Islamic views on sin Sin is an important concept in Islamic ethics that Muslims view as being anything that goes against the commands of God in Islam Allah (God) or breaching the laws and norms laid down by religion. Islam teaches that sin is an act and not a stat ...
*
Salat (, plural , romanized: or Old Arabic ͡sˤaˈloːh, ( or Old Arabic ͡sˤaˈloːtʰin construct state) ), also known as ( fa, نماز) and also spelled , are prayers performed by Muslims. Facing the , the direction of the Kaaba wit ...
* Wudu


References


Further reading

* Abd al-Halim al-Jundi, ''Ahmad bin Hanbal Imam'' ''Ahl al-Sunnah'', published in Cairo by Dar al-Ma'arif * Dr. 'Ali Sami al-Nashshar, ''Nash'ah al-fikr al-falsafi fi al-islam'', vol. 1, published by Dar al-Ma'arif, seventh edition, 1977 * Makdisi, George. "Hanābilah". ''Encyclopedia of Religion''. Ed. Lindsay Jones. Vol. 6. 2nd ed. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2005. 3759–3769. 15 vols. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Thomson Gale. (Accessed December 14, 2005) * Dar Irfan Jameel
"Introduction to Hanbali School of Jurisprudence"
* Vishanoff, David. "Nazzām, Al-." Ibid. * Iqbal, Muzzafar
Chapter 1, "The Beginning"
''Islam and Science'', Ashgate Press, 2002. * Leaman, Oliver

''Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy'', v. 5, pp. 13–16.


External links



at Overview of World Religions {{Islamic theology , state=collapsed Madhhab Schools of Sunni jurisprudence Sunni Islamic branches Sunni Islam