Influence of The Noble Hadith Upon Differences of Opinion Amongst The Jurist Imams

A question commonly posed in different circles is: if we all refer to the same sacred texts of the Quran and Sunnah for guidance, why are there so many differences between the schools of Islamic law (madhahib)? In other words, why did the great jurists (fuqaha) of Islam such as the four main Imams and their students differ in their opinions and rulings? This work attempts to answer this very question, focusing on one aspect, namely: how different understandings of the hadith literature influenced and shaped these differences in opinion. In addition, the author responds to some of the misgivings and objections which some people levy against these distinguished luminaries of Islam.