Madhhab (School of Law)
An Islamic school of law with its own methodology for legal derivation from the sacred sources.
Madhhab (plural: madhahib) literally means "way" or "direction" and refers to an Islamic school of law with its own systematic methodology for deriving legal rules from the Quran and Sunnah. In Sunni Islam, there are four recognized schools of law: Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi'i, and Hanbali.
Each madhhab has its own approach to prayer with characteristic differences in details: the placement of the hands (qabd vs. irsal), recitation of Bismillah (aloud or silently), saying "Amin" (aloud or silently), calculation of Asr time, and the number of rak'ah in certain voluntary prayers.
The four imams deeply respected each other despite their differences. Imam Abu Hanifah said: "When a hadith is authentic, it is my madhhab." Imam al-Shafi'i said: "If you find an authentic hadith that contradicts my statement, then know that my statement is that hadith." And Imam Ahmad said: "Do not follow me blindly — take from the sources they took from." This humility illustrates the flexibility of the schools of law.
Related terms
Zakat (Alms)
The obligatory alms that the Quran mentions alongside prayer.
Salat al-Eid (Festival Prayer)
The special prayer performed on the two Islamic festival days.
Tashahhud (Testimony of Faith in Prayer)
The testimony of faith recited in the sitting position during prayer.
Makruh (Discouraged)
Actions that are discouraged in Islamic law but not forbidden.
Du'a Abu Hamza al-Thumali (Ramadan Night Supplication)
A profound Ramadan supplication taught by Imam Sajjad, recited at sahur time.
Salat al-Istikhara (Guidance Prayer)
A prayer where one asks Allah for guidance to make the right decision.