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The Hanbali school or Hanbalism is one of the four major schools of Islamic jurisprudence, belonging to the
Ahl al-Hadith () is an Islamic school of Sunni Islam that emerged during the 2nd and 3rd Islamic centuries of the Islamic era (late 8th and 9th century CE) as a movement of hadith scholars who considered the Quran and authentic hadith to be the only authority ...
tradition within
Sunni Islam Sunni Islam is the largest Islamic schools and branches, branch of Islam and the largest religious denomination in the world. It holds that Muhammad did not appoint any Succession to Muhammad, successor and that his closest companion Abu Bakr ...
. It is named after and based on the teachings of the 9th-century scholar,
jurist A jurist is a person with expert knowledge of law; someone who analyzes and comments on law. This person is usually a specialist legal scholar, mostly (but not always) with a formal education in law (a law degree) and often a Lawyer, legal prac ...
and traditionist, Ahmad ibn Hanbal (), and later institutionalized by his students. One who ascribes to the Hanbali school is called a Hanbali (, or ). It adheres to the Athari school of theology and is the smallest out of the four major Sunni schools, the others being the Hanafi, Maliki and
Shafi'i The Shafi'i school or Shafi'i Madhhab () or Shafi'i is one of the four major schools of fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence), belonging to the Ahl al-Hadith tradition within Sunni Islam. It was founded by the Muslim scholar, jurist, and traditionis ...
schools.Ziauddin Sardar (2014), Mecca: The Sacred City, Bloomsbury, , p. 100 Like the other Sunni schools, it primarily derives
sharia Sharia, Sharī'ah, Shari'a, or Shariah () is a body of religious law that forms a part of the Islamic tradition based on Islamic holy books, scriptures of Islam, particularly the Quran, Qur'an and hadith. In Islamic terminology ''sharīʿah'' ...
from the
Quran The Quran, also Romanization, romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a Waḥy, revelation directly from God in Islam, God (''Allah, Allāh''). It is organized in 114 chapters (, ) which ...
,
hadith Hadith is the Arabic word for a 'report' or an 'account f an event and refers to the Islamic oral tradition of anecdotes containing the purported words, actions, and the silent approvals of the Islamic prophet Muhammad or his immediate circle ...
and views of Muhammad's companions. In cases where there is no clear answer in the sacred texts of Islam, the Hanbali school does not accept juristic discretion or customs of a community as sound bases to derive Islamic law on their own—methods that the Hanafi and Maliki schools accept. Hanbalis are the majority in the Arabian Peninsula, although the Salafi movement has grown, especially in
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,
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and the UAE.Daryl Champion (2002), The Paradoxical Kingdom: Saudi Arabia and the Momentum of Reform, Columbia University Press, , p. 23 footnote 7 Hanbali minorities are found in
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,
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,
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, and among Jordanian bedouins. With the rise of the 18th-century conservative Wahabbi movement, the Hanbali school experienced a great reformation. The Wahhabi movement's founder, Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab, collaborated with the
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to spread Hanbali teachings with a Wahhabist interpretation around the world. However, British orientalist Michael Cook argues Ahmad'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 and in spite of their shared tradition, "the older Hanbalite authorities had doctrinal concerns very different from those of the Wahhabis".


History

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, like Imam Abu Hanifa. Thus all of the four great Imams of Sunni ''
Fiqh ''Fiqh'' (; ) is the term for Islamic jurisprudence.Fiqh
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''Fiqh'' is of ...
'' are connected to Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq from the ''Bayt'' (Household) of Muhammad, whether directly or indirectly. Like Al-Shafi'i and Dawud al-Zahiri, 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 The Quran, also romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a revelation directly from God ('' Allāh''). It is organized in 114 chapters (, ) which consist of individual verses ('). Besides ...
'' and '' Hadiths'' to suit the demands of Caliphs and wealthy. Ibn Hanbal advocated for a literal interpretation of ''
Qur'an The Quran, also romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a revelation directly from God ('' Allāh''). It is organized in 114 chapters (, ) which consist of individual verses ('). Besides ...
'' and '' Hadiths''. Influenced by the debates of his time, he was known for rejecting religious rulings (''
fatwas A fatwa (; ; ; ) is a legal ruling on a point of Islamic law (sharia) given by a qualified Islamic jurist (''faqih'') in response to a question posed by a private individual, judge or government. A jurist issuing fatwas is called a ''mufti'', ...
'') from the '' 'Ijma'' (consensus) of jurists of his time, which he considered to be speculative theology ('' Kalam''). He associated them with the Mu'tazilis, whom he despised and referred to as heretical apostates. When asked whether or not people should pray behind them in congregation , he said "One does not pray behind them, such as the Jahmiyyah and the Mu’tazilah.". 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, 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 is the body of 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 supposedly saw, followed, and passed on to the next generations. Diff ...
are the only proper sources of Islamic jurisprudence, and are of equal authority and should be interpreted literally in line with the Athari 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 Muhammad (8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious and political leader and the founder of Islam. Muhammad in Islam, According to Islam, he was a prophet who was divinely inspired to preach and confirm the tawhid, monotheistic teachings of A ...
. 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 is the body of 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 supposedly saw, followed, and passed on to the next generations. Diff ...
''; 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; 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''.
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: Dar al 'Aminah, 2007.
The original copy of the work, which was contained in the
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, 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, the school often formed mobs of followers in 10th-century
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who would engage in violence against fellow Sunnis suspected of committing sins and the Shias.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 invasions and mob violence 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. According to Christopher Melchert, medieval Hanbali literature is rich in references to saints, grave visitation, miracles, and relics.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 Historically, the Hanbali school has been seen as one of the four major
Sunni Sunni Islam is the largest branch of Islam and the largest religious denomination in the world. It holds that Muhammad did not appoint any successor and that his closest companion Abu Bakr () rightfully succeeded him as the caliph of the Mu ...
'' madhahib'' (schools of law), and many prominent medieval Sufis, such as Abdul Qadir Gilani, were Hanbali jurists and mystics at the same time. 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 advocated Salafi thought as a theological endeavour and his efforts would create a lasting impact on the subsequent followers of the Hanbali school. Some scholars maintain Ibn Hanbal was "the distant progenitor of Wahhabism" and also inspired the similar Salafi movement. Now, most of the followers of the Salafi movement are present in
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,
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,
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.


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 The Quran, also romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a revelation directly from God ('' Allāh''). It is organized in 114 chapters (, ) which consist of individual verses ('). Besides ...
and the
Sunnah is the body of 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 supposedly saw, followed, and passed on to the next generations. Diff ...
found in
Hadith Hadith is the Arabic word for a 'report' or an 'account f an event and refers to the Islamic oral tradition of anecdotes containing the purported words, actions, and the silent approvals of the Islamic prophet Muhammad or his immediate circle ...
s (compilation of sayings, actions and customs of
Muhammad Muhammad (8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious and political leader and the founder of Islam. Muhammad in Islam, According to Islam, he was a prophet who was divinely inspired to preach and confirm the tawhid, monotheistic teachings of A ...
). Where these texts did not provide guidance, Imam Hanbal recommended guidance from established consensus of Muhammad's companions ( Sahabah), then individual opinion of Muhammad's companions, followed in order of preference by weaker hadiths, and in rare cases analogy ( Qiyas). 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, The Proposed Political, Legal and Social Reforms, in Modernist Islam 1840-1940: A Sourcebook, pp. 281-282 Edited by Charles Kurzman, Oxford University Press, (2002) 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 Taymiyya expanded legal consensus to later generations while at the same time restricting it only to the religiously learned. Analogical reasoning ('' Qiyas''), 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.
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, 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'i The Shafi'i school or Shafi'i Madhhab () or Shafi'i is one of the four major schools of fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence), belonging to the Ahl al-Hadith tradition within Sunni Islam. It was founded by the Muslim scholar, jurist, and traditionis ...
te 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 Hadith is the Arabic word for a 'report' or an 'account f an event and refers to the Islamic oral tradition of anecdotes containing the purported words, actions, and the silent approvals of the Islamic prophet Muhammad or his immediate circle ...
'', Hanbali ''
Fiqh ''Fiqh'' (; ) is the term for Islamic jurisprudence.Fiqh
Encyclopædia Britannica
''Fiqh'' is of ...
'' is nonetheless flexible in areas not covered by Scriptures. In issues where the ''Qur'an'' and the ''Hadiths'' were ambiguous or vague; the Hanbali '' Fuqaha'' (jurists) engaged in '' Ijtihad'' 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 In monotheistic belief systems, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator, and principal object of faith. In polytheistic belief systems, a god is "a spirit or being believed to have created, or for controlling some part of the un ...
, and the word of God is not created. The Muʿtazilites 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 in theology and it was primarily Hanbali scholars who codified the Athari school of thought.


Distinct rulings


Purity (''tahara'')


Ablution (''wudu)

*Saying " with the name of God" (''bi-smi llāh'') is necessary, but waived if one forgets or is ignorant. *It is obligatory and a pillar (''rukn'') to wash the mouth and nose, and is not waived. *It is obligatory and a pillar to wipe the entire head, including the ears, and is not waived. Wiping the neck is not recommended. *It is recommended to lengthen the whiteness that will appear on the Day of Judgement by washing to the top of the arms and shins. *Impurities, such as blood, pus, and vomit, nullify ablution if they come out the body in large amounts, but not small amounts. If they come out the front or back private parts, it nullifies it regardless of the amount. Also, urine and stool nullify it regardless of the amount and where it came out from. *Light sleep when standing or sitting does not nullify ablution. *Touching someone of the opposite sex with any part of the body nullifies ablution if done with lust (''shahwah''). The hair, teeth, and nails are not included. *Touching the front or back private part with the hand nullifies ablution. The testicles are not included. *Wind passing from the woman's front private part nullifies ablution. *Eating camel meat nullifies ablution, whether raw or cooked. All other parts, such as its fat, liver, or pancreas, do not. * Washing the dead nullifies ablution. *
Apostasy Apostasy (; ) is the formal religious disaffiliation, disaffiliation from, abandonment of, or renunciation of a religion by a person. It can also be defined within the broader context of embracing an opinion that is contrary to one's previous re ...
nullifies ablution.


Impurities (''najasa'')

*A minimum of three wipes is obligatory to cleanse the impurity after relieving oneself, and any less will not suffice. If there is still impurity after that, more wipes must be used until the effect is achieved. Microscopic amounts are excused. *Washing the hands three times is obligatory after awakening from a night's sleep. Naps during the day are not included. *Impurities must be washed seven times with water to be rendered pure. Nothing can cleanse impurities except purifying (''ṭahūr'') water. *Transforming one substance into another does not render it pure, even if it changes its chemical properties, except alcohol (''khamr''). *If an impurity falls into pure (''ṭāhir'') water less than two ''qullahs'' in volume, all of it is rendered impure (''najis''). If it is more than two ''qullahs'', it remains pure. If the liquid the impurity falls into is other than water, it will be rendered impure regardless of the amount. *Semen (''madī'') is pure. *Blood, pus, vomit, pre-ejaculate fluid (''madhī''), and white discharge after urinating (''wadī'') are impure. However, a small amount of blood and pus is excused. *Cat hair and saliva are pure. *All seafood is generally pure and permissible. *Pigs, dogs, donkeys, predators larger than a cat, birds with talons, and all animals derived from them are all impure and impermissible. *Leather from unslaughtered animals is impure, even if tanned. *Rennet from unslaughtered animals is impure and impermissible. *Vinegar made with human intervention is impure and impermissible, but pure and permissible if formed naturally.


Prayer (''salah'')


Standing (''qiyam'')

*It is recommended to grasp (''qabd'') the hands below the navel, as stated in ''Kashshaf al-Qina by Mansur al-Buhuti, '' al-Mughni'' of Ibn Qudamah, and other works. This is also the position of the Hanafi school, as well as Abu Hanifa and his students, Sufyan ath-Thawri, Ishaq ibn Rahuyah, Ibrahim an-Nakha'i, and other scholars among the predecessors (''salaf''). Other views on where to place them do exist in the school, due to conflicting narrations from Ahmad: #Above the navel and below the chest Ibn Qudamah. ''The Mainstay Concerning Jurisprudence (Al Umda fi 'l Fiqh)''. #On the navel #A choice wherever to place them #Letting them hang free (''ṣadl'') #Grasping them in obligatory prayers, but letting them hang free in voluntary prayers *Reciting another chapter (''sūrah'') after reciting the chapter al-Fatihah is recommended and not obligatory. *It is recommended to look at the place of prostration when standing and throughout the entire prayer, except the testimony.


Bowing (''ruku)

*It is recommended to raise the hands ('' rafʿ al-yadayn'') when going into bowing and rising from it. *It is obligatory to recite the remembrance, "Glory be to my Lord, the Most Great" (''subḥāba rabbiya l-ʿaẓīm''), once, and recommended to do so three or more times. *When standing after bowing, it is obligatory to recite the remembrance, "Our Lord, to you is all praise" (''rabbanā laka l-ḥamd''). One has a choice whether to grasp the hands like before or not.


Prostration (''sujud'')

*The fingers should be closed together and facing the direction of prayer (''qiblah''), including the thumb, and the tips should be align with the top of the shoulders. *It is obligatory to recite the remembrance, "Glory be to my Lord, the Most High" (''subḥāba rabbiya l-aʿlā''), once, and recommended to do so three or more times.


Sitting (''jalsa'')

*It is obligatory to recite the supplication, "Lord, forgive me" (''rabbi ghfir lī'') once, and recommended to do so three or more times.


Testimony of faith (''tashahhud'')

*The little and ring fingers of the right hand should be folded in, a circle should be made with the middle finger and thumb, and the index finger should be pointed when saying the name of God (''Allāh''). *It is recommended to look at the finger. *It is permissible to raise the hands when rising. *Peace and salutations upon Muhammad and extra supplications are only done in the sitting of the final testimony. *It is recommended to sit in the outstretched (''at-tawarruk'') position in the sitting of the final testimony when the prayer has more than one.


Greeting of peace (''taslim'')

*Two are obligatory and pillars which are not waived. The exact wording must be used: "All peace be on you and the mercy of God" (''as-salāmu ʿalaykum wa-raḥmatu llāh''). It is not permissible to omit a single letter, not even the definite article ''al-'', or to replace ''alaykum'' with ''alayk''."Salat According to Five Islamic Schools of Law"
from Al-Islam.org


Voluntary prayers


=Odd prayer (''salah al-witr'')

= *It is recommended to pray two cycles (''rakʿatayn'') consecutively, and then separately. It is recommended to recite the special supplication (''qunūt'') after bowing, while raising the hands. However, other ways to perform it are permissible. *After reciting the special supplication, it is recommended to raise the hands when going into prostration.


Congregational prayer

*In the absence of a valid excuse, it is obligatory for adult men to pray in congregation rather than individually.


Other

*Most Hanbali scholars consider 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 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 The Shafi'i school or Shafi'i Madhhab () or Shafi'i is one of the four major schools of fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence), belonging to the Ahl al-Hadith tradition within Sunni Islam. It was founded by the Muslim scholar, jurist, and traditionis ...
and Zahiri; later on, the Hanbali school supplanted the Zahiri school's spot as the fourth mainstream
school A school is the educational institution (and, in the case of in-person learning, the Educational architecture, building) designed to provide learning environments for the teaching of students, usually under the direction of teachers. Most co ...
. Hanbalism essentially formed as a traditionalist reaction to what they viewed as '' bid'ah'' (innovations) on the part of the earlier established schools. Francis Robinson, ''Atlas of the Islamic World Since 1500'', pg. 29. New York: 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 Hadith is the Arabic word for a 'report' or an 'account f an event and refers to the Islamic oral tradition of anecdotes containing the purported words, actions, and the silent approvals of the Islamic prophet Muhammad or his immediate circle ...
'' (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 The Abbasid Caliphate or Abbasid Empire (; ) was the third caliphate to succeed the prophets and messengers in Islam, Islamic prophet Muhammad. It was founded by a dynasty descended from Muhammad's uncle, Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib (566–653 C ...
authorities had to subdue them by force. Upon Tabari's death, the Hanbalites formed a violent mob large enough that
Abbasid The Abbasid Caliphate or Abbasid Empire (; ) was the third caliphate to succeed the prophets and messengers in Islam, Islamic prophet Muhammad. It was founded by a dynasty descended from Muhammad's uncle, Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib (566–653 C ...
officials buried him in secret, in an attempt to prevent further riots. Similarly, the Andalusian 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 The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...
codified
Sunni Islam Sunni Islam is the largest Islamic schools and branches, branch of Islam and the largest religious denomination in the world. It holds that Muhammad did not appoint any Succession to Muhammad, successor and that his closest companion Abu Bakr ...
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

By the end of the
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, 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, also Romanization, romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a Waḥy, revelation directly from God in Islam, God (''Allah, Allāh''). It is organized in 114 chapters (, ) which ...
'' and ''
Sunnah is the body of 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 supposedly saw, followed, and passed on to the next generations. Diff ...
'', to arrive at legal rulings. They also opposed the codification of ''
Sharia Sharia, Sharī'ah, Shari'a, or Shariah () is a body of religious law that forms a part of the Islamic tradition based on Islamic holy books, scriptures of Islam, particularly the Quran, Qur'an and hadith. In Islamic terminology ''sharīʿah'' ...
'' (Islamic law) into a comprehensive system of jurisprudence; considering the ''Qur'an'' and ''
Hadith Hadith is the Arabic word for a 'report' or an 'account f an event and refers to the Islamic oral tradition of anecdotes containing the purported words, actions, and the silent approvals of the Islamic prophet Muhammad or his immediate circle ...
'' to be the paramount sources.


Relationship with Sufism

Sufism Sufism ( or ) is a mysticism, mystic body of religious practice found within Islam which is characterized by a focus on Islamic Tazkiyah, purification, spirituality, ritualism, and Asceticism#Islam, asceticism. Practitioners of Sufism are 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 and the largest religious denomination in the world. It holds that Muhammad did not appoint any successor and that his closest companion Abu Bakr () rightfully succeeded him as the caliph of the Mu ...
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 The Hanbali school of Sunni law historically had a very intimate relationship with Sufism throughout Islamic history. There is evidence that many early 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 This is likely due to Al-Hallaj himself being a fanatical follower of Hanbali school with reports saying he would pray 500 time a day outside the tomb of Ahmed Bin Hanbal. Hallaj was also saved by many Hanbalis during the multiple times he was arrested in Baghdad prior to his execution. Tustari was also known to be a Hanbali and was the Sufi teacher of the Hanbali polemicist al-Barbahari. Many later Hanbalis, meanwhile, were often Sufis themselves, including figures not normally associated with
Sufism Sufism ( or ) is a mysticism, mystic body of religious practice found within Islam which is characterized by a focus on Islamic Tazkiyah, purification, spirituality, ritualism, and Asceticism#Islam, asceticism. Practitioners of Sufism are r ...
, such as
Ibn Taymiyyah Ibn Taymiyya (; 22 January 1263 – 26 September 1328)Ibn Taymiyya, Taqi al-Din Ahmad, The Oxford Dictionary of Islam. http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780195125580.001.0001/acref-9780195125580-e-959 was a Sunni Muslim ulama, ...
and Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah.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 of the celebrated mystic and
saint In Christianity, Christian belief, a saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of sanctification in Christianity, holiness, imitation of God, likeness, or closeness to God in Christianity, God. However, the use of the ...
Abdul Qadir Gilani, 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 Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...
to
Pakistan Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...
, one of the largest Sufi branches is effectively founded on Hanbali school. Other prominent Hanbalite scholars who praised Sufism include Ibn 'Aqil, Ibn Qudamah, Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali, 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''; believing it to be an important discipline in Islamic religion. Ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab prescribed various Sufi spiritual exercises to his followers for attaining '' Zuhd'' (asceticism), in accordance with ''
Qur'an The Quran, also romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a revelation directly from God ('' Allāh''). It is organized in 114 chapters (, ) which consist of individual verses ('). Besides ...
'' and ''
Hadith Hadith is the Arabic word for a 'report' or an 'account f an event and refers to the Islamic oral tradition of anecdotes containing the purported words, actions, and the silent approvals of the Islamic prophet Muhammad or his immediate circle ...
''. Extolling the virtuous Sufi '' Awliya'' (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'').” 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'' (; ) is an Arabic word that means "exerting", "striving", or "struggling", particularly with a praiseworthy aim. In an Islamic context, it encompasses almost any effort to make personal and social life conform with God in Islam, God ...
'' 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'' Sufi '' shaykhs'' would advise many to pursue knowledge. Some of them would say: “A person only leaves a single ''
Sunnah is the body of 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 supposedly saw, followed, and passed on to the next generations. Diff ...
'' due to the pride in him.” "


List of Hanbali scholars

* Abu Bakr al-Khallal (d.311 AH) – Jurist responsible for the school's early codification. * Al-Hasan ibn 'Ali al-Barbahari (d. 329 A.H.), an Iraqi traditionist and a jurist, author of the book Sharh al-Sunnah (disputed). * Ibn Battah al-Ukbari (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 or Esfahan ( ) is a city in the Central District (Isfahan County), Central District of Isfahan County, Isfahan province, Iran. It is the capital of the province, the county, and the district. It is located south of Tehran. The city ...
. * Al-Qadi Abu Ya'la (d. 458 A.H.) * Ibn Aqil (d. 513 A.H.) * Awn ad-Din ibn Hubayra (d. 560 A.H.) * Abdul Qadir Gilani (d. 561 A.H.) * Abu-al-Faraj Ibn Al-Jawzi (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 (d. 600 A.H.) – A prominent hadith master from
Damascus Damascus ( , ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in the Levant region by population, largest city of Syria. It is the oldest capital in the world and, according to some, the fourth Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. Kno ...
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. * Diya al-Din al-Maqdisi (d. 643 A.H.) * Ibn Hamdan, Ahmad al-Harrani (d. 695 A.H.) - A jurist and judge born and raised in
Harran Harran is a municipality and Districts of Turkey, district of Şanlıurfa Province, Turkey. Its area is 904 km2, and its population is 96,072 (2022). It is approximately southeast of Urfa and from the Syrian border crossing at Akçakale. ...
and later practised in
Cairo Cairo ( ; , ) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Egypt and the Cairo Governorate, being home to more than 10 million people. It is also part of the List of urban agglomerations in Africa, largest urban agglomeration in Africa, L ...
* Taqi al-Din Ibn Taymiyah (d. 728 A.H.) – A well-known figure in Islamic history, known by his friends and foes for his expertise and controversial views in Islamic sciences. * Ibn Muflih 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. * Mar'ī al-Karmī (d. 1033 A.H.) - The main jurist of Hanbali Madhhab of his time in Al-Azhar University, Egypt and authority from the later generation of Hanbali Scholars. He was a scholar, the most knowledgeable person, a researcher, an interpreter of the Qur’an, a narrator of Hadith, an Islamic jurist, al-Usuli, a grammarian and one of the most prominent Hanbalis in Egypt. * al-Buhūtī (d. 1051 A.H.) - The leading jurist of Hanabilah of his time in Egypt and authority from the later generation of Hanbali Scholars. * Muhammad ibn Abd-al-Wahhab – A Hanbalī jurist and traditionalist, very controversial both amongst his Hanbalī & Non-Hanbalī contemporaries. He is the patronym of the Wahhabi movement.


Notes


See also

* Outline of Islam * Adhan *
Islamic schools and branches Islamic schools and branches have different understandings of Islam. There are many different sects or denominations, Madhhab, schools of Islamic jurisprudence, and schools of Islamic theology, or ''Aqidah, ʿaqīdah'' (creed). Within Sunni I ...
* Islamic views on sin *
Salat ''Salah'' (, also spelled ''salat'') is the practice of formal ibadah, worship in Islam, consisting of a series of ritual prayers performed at prescribed times daily. These prayers, which consist of units known as rak'a, ''rak'ah'', include ...
* The four Sunni Imams * 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