How do (Sunni) people choose their madh-hab?

Question

There are now several school of thoughts (madh-habs) in Islam. They are following different Imams and the method of practicing the religion is slightly different. Basically the question is how people select their Imam and choose to follow him?

In Shia perspective for example, they follow the most knowledgeable, pious people after the Prophet (according to Shia of course) which is the holy household of the Prophet (12 Imams). They believe that the 12 Imams have said the same thing, one confirming the other and all confirm the true Sunnah of the Prophet. Shia people follow them because they think that these Imams are the most knowledgeable people on earth and give them the right guidance.

For Sunni people, there are 4 major schools of thoughts following 4 distinct Imams. Wahabism is sth new. All of them slightly different in Fiqh (how they practice Islam). For more information about their Imams rejecting each other see here, and here for example. Unfortunately in Persian (Farsi) or Arabic. I translate one: In helliatul Ulia: Imam Shafei says:

I looked at the Abu Hunaife book. It had 120 or 130 pages. 80 pages were about the prayer or ablution. These were either in contrary to Quran, Sunnah, different sayings, paradox or Qiyas.

You can also refer to Tarikh Khatib Baqdadi a Sunni scholor where he talks about Ahmad hanbal and Abu hunaifah.

Please explain to me, firstly, what is the method (criteria ) that people have chosen these 4 person in Sunnism? like knowledge, etc. Secondly, do Sunni people think that there is no body on earth more worthy of having those criteria? Because then that person is more worthy to be followed.

I hope the question is clear enough. I am more looking for Sunni answer, but Shia viewpoint on Shism and Sunnism is also encouraged.

Answer 1

Let me first correct some of the assumptions in your question before answering it.

There are four major schools of thought today, correct. This is in jurisprudence (fiqh). Wahhabism is not a school of fiqh. These schools of fiqh do not reject one another - in fact they acknowledge and respect one another.

Secondly, it is important to distinguish the founder of the madh-hab from the madh-hab itself. The madh-hab is an institution; its present status and situation is as much due to the founder as it is the thousands of scholars who came after the founders and researched his methods and rulings and tweaked them and solidified the whole institution. The popularity and spread of four madhahib today is purely a circumstance of history. To say that there are four imams is not to diminish the greatness and genius of other imams like Imams al-Awza'i, Laith b. Sa'd, Sufyan ath-Thawri, and many many more, may Allah SWT have mercy upon them all. It is a circumstance of history that their students did not spread their ideas and teachings as well as the students of the founders of the four madhahib that did survive. As a result, the books and teachings of the other imams did not undergo the same amount of scrutiny and patching up to become a full-fledged madh-hab.

Thirdly, fiqh is not belief or creed. Differences in fiqh are acceptable as long as they have a textual basis (and, in our times, historical precedent) and they are not a reason to declare someone's unorthodoxy or to reject someone else's faith.

Now, coming to your question, all madhahib acknowledge each other's legitimacy. Most Sunnis follow the madh-hab that is most prevalent in their land because it is likely that it has the most developed institutions and it makes it slightly easier to interface with the rest of society. Other people choose a madh-hab based upon their access to a teacher or scholar who they trust. Yet others choose it based on their affinity with the principles underlying the methods of a madh-hab.