The schools, explained
Every school below affirms the same testimony of faith. They differ in how scholars read and weigh the evidence. Open any one to read its story, its chain of teachers, and ten things a follower would recognise in daily life today.
Sources & further reading for every school →
Schools of law (fiqh)
- Hanafi
Traced to Imam Abu Hanifa (d. 767). Known for structured legal reasoning, wide use of analogy and juristic preference, and careful attention to general principles.
- Hanbali
Traced to Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (d. 855). Leans strongly on narrated text and reports of the earliest generations, with minimal speculative reasoning.
- Ibadi
An early independent school with its own legal and theological literature, marked by strictness in ethics and moderation in community relations.
- Ja'fari (Twelver)
The main Shi'i school, traced to Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq (d. 765). Centres the teachings narrated from the Prophet's family and living scholarly authority.
- Maliki
Traced to Imam Malik ibn Anas (d. 795). Gives weight to the living practice of the people of Madinah and to public interest alongside text.
- Shafi'i
Traced to Imam al-Shafi'i (d. 820). Built a systematic method of legal theory, tightly binding rulings to Qur'an and authenticated hadith.
- Zaydi
A Shi'i school with much in common with Sunni legal reasoning, honouring the Prophet's family while relying broadly on independent scholarly reasoning.
Approaches to belief (creed)
- Ash'ari (theological creed)
A Sunni theological school named after Imam al-Ash'ari (d. 936), using reasoned argument to defend revealed belief and to interpret difficult texts.
- Athari (textual creed)
An approach to belief that affirms the wording of Qur'an and Sunnah about Allah without rational reinterpretation, entrusting the how to Allah.
- Maturidi (theological creed)
A Sunni theological school named after Imam al-Maturidi (d. 944), close to the Ash'aris but giving the intellect a somewhat wider role.