The Sunni School The ruling khalifah invariably assumed the...

The Sunni School The ruling khalifah invariably assumed the mantle of the chief exponent of the shariah. For nearly a hundred years following the death of the Prophet the State retained absolute control over authentication, collection and publication of the sayings (ahadees) of the Prophet. A few unscrupulous khalifahs did not hesitate to use this power to legitimize their misdeeds by arranging to have apocryphal ahadees produced. After the Banu Abbas came into power in 132 A.H.

(750 A.D.), the formation of the Sunni community was formalised.Although there are many sects and sub-sects in the sunni school of thought, the four main sects are- 1 The Hanafis, founded by Imaam Abu Hanifa an-Nu'maan ibn Thabit (died 150 A.H./769 A.D.). He is a scholar greatly respected not only by his followers but also the other sunnis. The Malikis, founded by Imaam Abu Abdullah Malik ibn Anas (died 179 A.H./797 A.D).

The Shafeis, founded by Imaam Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn Idris al- Shafei (died 204 A.H/819 A.D.) The Hanbalis, founded by Imaam Ahmed ibn Muhammad ibn Hanbal (died 241 A.H./855 A.D.) Although there are many irreconcilable differences in the four Sunni schools, in the main, however, they agree on the fundamental bases of their doctrines and laws.

Each claims to have derived them from the following four sources: The Qur’an The Sunnah of the Holy Prophet and at times the Sunnah of the first four khalifahs The Ijmaa (consensus among the companions of the Prophet or of the religious leaders or among the followers) The Qiyas (deduction of legal prescriptions from the Qur’an and the sunnah through rational analogy).

The extent of the acceptance of the theological and legal doctrines of any of the above four sunni schools depended largely on the inclination of the ruler of the time. For example, although Abu Hanifa himself did not gain great popularity with the khalifah, his successor Abu Yusuf became a powerful figure in the court and held office of the Chief Kadhi.

The khalifah, however, always continued to remain the final arbiter in the exposition of the law and the jurists were relegated to an advisory role. Since the abolition of the institution of khilafah following the fall of the Ottoman Empire the sunni schools have not developed as fast as they need to so as to keep pace with the social, economic, political and scientific development.

Some Sunni sects have recognized the need for Ijtehaad, a few appear to concentrate on Ijmaa as the main instrument for reform.