Page 75 - The Importance of the Ahl Al-Sunnah

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half also led to the emergence of various differences.
The Companions’ words are another reason for the differ-
ences between the schools of thought. For example, the
Hanafis and Malikis prefer the Companions’ words to analogi-
cal reasoning (qiyas), while in some circumstances the Shafi`is
do not accept a Companion’s report. This has led to different
fatwas being issued. In addition, different climates, geographical
features, traditions, and customs have also given rise to this
phenomenon.
The imams of the schools have kept disputes outside the
sphere of personal passions and sought only to gain Allah’s
(swt) approval. They have never claimed that only their own
views represented the truth; rather, they have said that their
approach could be more suitable.
Indeed, Imam al-A`zam Abu Hanifah has said: “Our
thoughts consist of an opinion and are the best opinion we
have. If someone else proposes a better opinion, then that
one should be followed, rather than ours.” (Muhammad
Abu Zahra, Tareekh al-Madhahib al-Islamiyah)
When one examines the imams’ lives, one sees that rather
than mutual accusations, there were always bonds of mutual
respect among them. In his Catechism, Omer Nasuhi Bilmen
reports that this respect is a sign of the Ahl al-Sunnah:
“The adherents of each of the four schools of these four
mujtahids all believe that their own school is better, more
accurate, and more efficacious and proper in terms of the
Sunnah. Otherwise, there would be no meaning in their
choosing that particular school. But they never even think
of denigrating the other schools. They respect all four
schools. That respect is a sign of the Ahl al-Sunnah.” (Omer
Nasuhi Bilmen, The Great Islamic Catechism, p. 42)

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