9. Compilation of Fiqh

For the first time fiqh became its own independent science on a large and systematic scale. Fiqh was divided into Usool (primary principles) and Furoo’ (secondary principles) of Islamic law. Before the compilation there were some personal compilations. Some were written by the fuqaha themselves and others were dictated to the students. Imam Malik’s Muwatta was a mix of ahadeeth fiqh. While Imam As-Shafi’s Ar-Risalah was a total book of Usool al Fiqh. Qabeelat Tayybah TCE Notes Revolution 55

Aqeedah and Fiqh (Part Two) The general body and those in power, were of ahlus-sunnah in part one of Aqeedah and Fiqh. But now you had the Mu’tazila take control of power and influence the general body. The transition of power from Ahlul Sunnah to the Mutazilah ideology was through the Abbassid khalifa Haroon Rasheed. Haroon Rasheed wanted his sons to be the most knowledgeable and have the best teachers. Unfortunately, one of their most influential teachers was of the Mu’tazila ideology by the name of Abul Hudayn al ‘Alaa. He was the primary teacher of Rasheed’s son, Al Me’mun and his brother. Al Me’mun eventually became the Khalifa and tried to enforce his Aqeedah intellectually through debate. When this did not work, he used force to convert scholars to the Mutazilah Aqeedah. He exiled, killed and even tortured many scholars which led many to become weak and accept him out of Taqiyyah (allowance of denouncing your faith to save your life). Because of this the position of Ahlul Sunnah wal Jamah became weak. Many young people would succumb to Me’mun in order to gain power. Imam Ahmed was one of the well-known scholars to keep standing against the Khalifa’s aqeedah. State religion became Mu’tazila and Al-Mahdi came after three Khulafaa to remove this strictness but the effect lasted till today. Though the Mutazilah no longer held political power they still held intellectual power, it became one of the most rampant ideologies amongst the Muslims. Therefore they had to be debated and defeated. Two approaches were used to answer the Mu’tazila. Ahlul hadith (aka Ahlul Hijaaz) said to stick to the Quran and Sunnah and leave philosophy and innovation. Ahlul Ra’i (aka Ahlul Iraq) said to use their same ideology to refute them (The Muutazilah used ‘Aql as their primary source of law). The approach of Ahlul Ra’i led to the evolution of the deviant ideology, Ashari. Ahlul Ra’i since they decided to use the Mutazilah ideology to defeat the Mutazilah they had to create rules and guidelines for themselves. However, when they did this they trapped themselves into a corner and were forced to accept some of the Mutazilah ideas. This led to the introduction of the Ashari sect. This is also when the term "Salafia" became popular. Salafi refers to the practice of the first 3 generations. Today, it has been tarnished with a stereotype such as people who connect their feet, look weird, and are really strict. Can you use it for identification? Sure, but its verity depends on your actions and your actions could verify it or negate it. The true definition that was intended by those who first used it was the practice of the Qur’aan and Sunnah according to the Prophet (S.A.W) and the first 3 generations. This was done to differentiate from the innovators like the Shia and Mu’tazila. Salahuddin Ayyubi was an Asharee and still we love him for the work he has done which was unmatchable in his time in terms of Jihaad. That being said, we love him for what he did for this Ummah and we make du’a for him that Allah forgives his mistakes but we don’t love his aqeedah! Qabeelat Tayybah TCE Notes Revolution 56

Evolution of the Madhaahib Stage One: Period of the Imams Stage Two: Period of the Students of the Imams It was the students that made their school of thought influential. If you had good followers, your knowledge would spread. Also, the dates shown after each name indicate the date of death. The date of birth is no less important than the date of death. It just helps you put the historical era in context to determine what type of knowledge they may have been influenced by. Faqeeh Says… The dates shown after every name usually, according to the classical works of history, indicate the year the Imam died in. Although the birth date is no less important but we’ll here follow the same tradition unless otherwise required. This is to help you put the picture in its historical context. I’m sure it’ll help you a lot, the way it helped me. 1. al-Hasan al-Basri 110H/727CE He was in Basra in Iraq. There is a debate over which school of thought he belonged to, both the Iraaqi and the Hejaazi sides claim him. Khaled ibn Safwan was a close neighbour of al-Hasan al-Basree. Describing him once he said: I never saw a man like him. His outward appearance is identical to his inner reality, his words are identical to his deeds; if he enjoins what is right he is the first to do it, and when he forbids what is wrong he is the farthest one from it. I found him never in need of other people, but people were in need of him.