⚖️ Scholarly Perspectives — آراء المَذَاهِب
"The difference of opinion in my community is a mercy."
— Saying attributed (authenticity debated, but the meaning is true)
📖 Introduction
After seeing the agreements (90% of fiqh), let's now explore the different perspectives — these 10% that make the richness of the Islamic legal heritage.
These differences are not errors or divisions. They are legitimate interpretations of the same texts, by sincere scholars.
📿 Perspectives on Prayer
1. Raising the Hands (Raf' al-Yadayn)
| School | Position |
|---|
| 🟢 Hanafi | Only at takbīrat al-iḥrām |
| 🟡 Maliki | Only at takbīrat al-iḥrām |
| 🔵 Shafi'i | At takbīr, at rukū', when rising from rukū' |
| 🟣 Hanbali | At takbīr, at rukū', when rising from rukū' |
Source of debate: Several authentic hadiths mention raising hands at different moments. Schools prioritize different hadiths.
2. Hand Position
| School | Position |
|---|
| 🟢 Hanafi | Below the navel |
| 🟡 Maliki | Arms at sides (basic position) |
| 🔵 Shafi'i | On the chest |
| 🟣 Hanbali | On the chest or below the navel |
Source of debate: Different hadiths describe different positions. None is categorically stronger.
3. Reciting al-Fātiḥa Behind the Imam
| School | Opinion |
|---|
| 🟢 Hanafi | Not required (imam recites for all) |
| 🟡 Maliki | Recommended in silent prayers |
| 🔵 Shafi'i | Obligatory in all prayers |
| 🟣 Hanbali | Recommended |
Source of debate: The hadith "No prayer without Fātiḥa" vs the verse "When the Quran is recited, listen."
4. The Qunūt
| School | Opinion |
|---|
| 🟢 Hanafi | In Witr only |
| 🟡 Maliki | In Fajr (before rukū') |
| 🔵 Shafi'i | In Fajr (after rukū') |
| 🟣 Hanbali | In Witr only |
5. Number of Rak'āt in Witr
| School | Opinion |
|---|
| 🟢 Hanafi | 3 rak'āt (continuous, with tashahhud in middle) |
| 🟡 Maliki | 1 or 3 rak'āt |
| 🔵 Shafi'i | 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 or 11 rak'āt |
| 🟣 Hanbali | 1 or 3 rak'āt (preference for separation) |
🚿 Perspectives on Purification
1. Does Touching a Woman Invalidate Wuḍū'?
| School | Opinion | Proof |
|---|
| 🟢 Hanafi | No | "Touching" in verse = metaphor |
| 🟡 Maliki | If with desire | Intention distinguished |
| 🔵 Shafi'i | Yes (all skin to skin contact) | Apparent meaning of verse |
| 🟣 Hanbali | If with desire | Combination of proofs |
The debated verse: "أَوْ لَامَسْتُمُ النِّسَاءَ" (Quran 4:43)
2. Wuḍū' with Nabīdh (Date Drink)
| School | Opinion |
|---|
| 🟢 Hanafi | Permitted in necessity (old opinion) |
| 🟡 Maliki | Not permitted |
| 🔵 Shafi'i | Not permitted |
| 🟣 Hanbali | Not permitted |
3. Wiping Over Socks
| School | Conditions |
|---|
| 🟢 Hanafi | Thick and opaque socks |
| 🟡 Maliki | Leather only (khuff) |
| 🔵 Shafi'i | Leather or thick socks |
| 🟣 Hanbali | All socks, even thin ones |
🌙 Perspectives on Fasting
1. Gargling / Rinsing the Nose
| School | Opinion |
|---|
| 🟢 Hanafi | Permitted, even deeply |
| 🟡 Maliki | Permitted, avoid exaggeration |
| 🔵 Shafi'i | Permitted but exaggerating is makrūh |
| 🟣 Hanbali | Exaggerating is makrūh |
2. Injection / IV Drip
| School | Contemporary Opinion |
|---|
| 🟢 Hanafi | Doesn't invalidate (if not nutritive) |
| 🟡 Maliki | Doesn't invalidate (if not nutritive) |
| 🔵 Shafi'i | Internal debate |
| 🟣 Hanbali | Some say it invalidates |
3. Kohl (Eye Liner)
| School | Opinion |
|---|
| 🟢 Hanafi | Doesn't invalidate |
| 🟡 Maliki | Doesn't invalidate (makrūh if it descends) |
| 🔵 Shafi'i | Doesn't invalidate |
| 🟣 Hanbali | Makrūh, some say it invalidates |
💰 Perspectives on Zakāt
1. Zakāt on Women's Jewelry
| School | Opinion |
|---|
| 🟢 Hanafi | Obligatory |
| 🟡 Maliki | Not obligatory (personal use) |
| 🔵 Shafi'i | Not obligatory (personal use) |
| 🟣 Hanbali | Two opinions (tendency: obligatory) |
2. Giving Zakāt in Cash
| School | Opinion |
|---|
| 🟢 Hanafi | Permitted and sometimes preferable |
| 🟡 Maliki | Not permitted (except necessity) |
| 🔵 Shafi'i | Not permitted |
| 🟣 Hanbali | Not permitted (except necessity) |
🐄 Perspectives on Animals
1. Eating Horse Meat
| School | Opinion |
|---|
| 🟢 Hanafi | Makrūh (disliked) |
| 🟡 Maliki | Makrūh |
| 🔵 Shafi'i | Ḥalāl |
| 🟣 Hanbali | Ḥalāl |
2. Seafood (Other Than Fish)
| School | Opinion |
|---|
| 🟢 Hanafi | Only fish is ḥalāl |
| 🟡 Maliki | All seafood is ḥalāl |
| 🔵 Shafi'i | All seafood is ḥalāl |
| 🟣 Hanbali | Fish + what resembles fish |
👨👩👧 Perspectives on Marriage
1. Marriage Without Walī
| School | Opinion |
|---|
| 🟢 Hanafi | Valid (if husband is suitable) |
| 🟡 Maliki | Invalid |
| 🔵 Shafi'i | Invalid |
| 🟣 Hanbali | Invalid |
2. Minimum Number of Witnesses
| School | Opinion |
|---|
| 🟢 Hanafi | 2 men OR 1 man + 2 women |
| 🟡 Maliki | 2 men required |
| 🔵 Shafi'i | 2 men required |
| 🟣 Hanbali | 2 men required |
📊 Why These Different Perspectives?
1. Textual Ambiguity
The same Arabic word can have multiple meanings:
| Word | Possible Meanings |
|---|
| قُرُوء | Menstrual periods OR purity periods |
| لامستم | Touch OR intimate relations |
| الصعيد | Earth OR surface of the earth |
2. Different Hadiths
Sometimes, authentic hadiths seem to contradict:
| Subject | Hadith A | Hadith B |
|---|
| Raising hands | Ibn 'Umar: yes | Ibn Mas'ūd: no |
| Reciting behind imam | "No prayer without Fātiḥa" | "When the Quran is recited, listen" |
3. Methodological Priorities
| Situation | Hanafi | Maliki | Shafi'i | Hanbali |
|---|
| Āḥād hadith vs General principle | Principle | 'Amal | Hadith | Hadith |
| Weak hadith vs Ra'y | Ra'y | Case by case | Ra'y | Weak hadith |
💡 The Wisdom of Plurality
1. Flexibility for the Umma
Every context finds an adapted answer. What is difficult in one madhhab may be easy in another.
2. Proof of Honesty
If the imams had copied each other, we would doubt their sincerity. Their independent perspectives prove their integrity.
3. Intellectual Richness
The debates deepened understanding of the texts and developed analytical tools.
⚠️ Rules of Disagreement
What is Permitted
- ✅ Following one madhhab consistently
- ✅ Changing madhhab for a valid reason
- ✅ Studying the proofs and following the strongest
What is Forbidden
- ❌ Blameworthy talfīq: combining opinions to avoid any obligation
- ❌ Criticizing other schools as deviant
- ❌ Imposing your madhhab as the only true one
📝 Summary
| Aspect | Typical Difference |
|---|
| Prayer | Raising hands, hand position, Fātiḥa |
| Purification | Touching a woman, wiping over socks |
| Fasting | Injections, kohl |
| Zakāt | Jewelry, cash payment |
| Food | Horse, seafood |
| Marriage | Walī, witnesses |
🌟 Final Quote
"Whoever knows the different perspectives of the scholars has an expanded heart."
— Qatāda (Tābi'ī)
"Our opinion is correct with the possibility of error. The opinion of others is wrong with the possibility of being correct."
— Al-Shāfi'ī
📚 Sources
| Work | Author |
|---|
| Bidāyat al-Mujtahid | Ibn Rushd |
| Al-Mughnī | Ibn Qudāma |
| Al-Majmū' | Al-Nawawī |
| Raḥmat al-Umma fī Ikhtilāf al-A'imma | Al-Dimashqī |
والله أعلم
رَبِّ زِدْنِي عِلْمًا — "My Lord, increase me in knowledge"