SunniPath Blog - » Fiqh al-Shafi`i or Fiqh al-Sunna?

(No, the answer isn’t: Fiqh al-Hanafi.)

In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful and Compassionate

The FAQ

In recent times, various Muslim circles have discussed whether we
should follow the fiqh of one of the four Imams, such as the fiqh of
Imam al-Shafi`i, the fiqh of Imam Abu Hanifa, etc., or whether we
should follow the fiqh of the Sunna, or, better still, the fiqh of the
Quran and Sunna. This dichotomy comes into high relief when a position
documented in the fiqh of Imam al-Shafi`i, for example, is seemingly
contradicted by the outward meaning of a hadith of the Prophet (Allah
bless him and give him peace). Should we, in such cases, follow the
fiqh of Imam al-Shafi`i, or should we be faithful to the Prophet (Allah
bless him and give him peace) and follow the sahih hadith? [Read the rest of Shaykh Hamza Karamali’s excellent post on the SunniPath Blog]