A cikin mataki na gaba, wato na Khulafa Ar-Rashidun, ka'idar Fiqhu ta Ijma'i (yanke hukunci bisa kauna baki ɗaya) ta bunkasa, kuma Ijtihadi ya zama ka'ida mai zaman kanta ta Fiqhu a ƙarƙashin sunan Qiyas. Madhhabin a wannan zamani, a zahiri, shi ne na kowane ɗaya daga cikin Khulafa Ar-Rashidun, tun da hukuncin ƙarshe a al'amuran shari'a yana hannunsu. Duk da haka, dukkan hukunce-hukuncen shari'a suna iya canzawa bisa ga maganganu ko ayyukan da aka rubuta daga Annabi ﷺ, wato Hadisi. Saboda haka, babu wurin tauri ko ɓangaranci.

In the following stage, that of the Righteous Caliphs, the Fiqh principle of Ijmaa’ (decisions by unanimity) evolved and Ijtihaad became an independent principle of Fiqh under the name Qiyaas. The Madh-hab during theis period was, in rality, that of each of the Righteous Caliphs, since the final say in legal matters rested with them. However, all legal decisions were subject to alteration on the basis of recorded statements or practices of the Prophet (s.w.): that is, Hadeeth. Therefore there was no room for rigidity of factionalism.

A farkon zamanin daular Umayyawa, malaman fiqhu sun rabu zuwa manyan mazhabobi biyu dangane da ijtihadi: Ahl ar-Ra'i da Ahl al-Hadeeth. Wadannan mazhabobi biyu sun rikide zuwa wasu sababbin mazhabobi da dama a lokacin sauyawa daga halifanci zuwa sarauta, lokacin da halifa/sarki ya daina zama shugaban mazhaba. Tun da malamai da dalibansu sun warwatsu a cikin daular Umayyawa, ijtihadinsu na kansu ya karu domin warware matsalolin yankunansu. Sai dai ya kamata a lura cewa, a lokacin Umayyawa da kuma farkon Abbasawa, daliban fiqhu sun kan canza malamai da musayar ra'ayoyin shari'a cikin 'yanci da yawaitawa. Saboda haka, a zahiri, sassaucin da ake da shi a baya ya ci gaba da kasancewa.

The early period of the Umayyad dynasty saw the division of Fiqh scholars into two main Madh-habs with respect to Ijtihaad: Ahl ar-Ra’i and Ahl al-Hadeeth. These two Madh-habs evolved into a number of new Madh-habs during the shift from caliphate to monarchy when the caliph/King was no longer the head of the Madhhab. Since scholars and their students were dispersed throughout the Umayyad state, their personal Ijtihaad increased in order to solve local issues. It should be noted, however, that during both the period of the Umayyads and that of the early ‘Abbaasids, students of Fiqh freely and frequently changed teachers and exchanged legal opinions. In effect, therefore, the flexibility of the previous was maintained.

Kamar yadda za a gani a babi na bakwai da na takwas, a ƙarshen zamanin daular 'Abbasiyya, an tsara fiqhu tare da sanya masa tsari. Adadin madhhabai ya ragu, kuma bambance-bambancen da ke tsakaninsu sun ƙara fitowa fili saboda yadda masarauta ta fi goyon bayan wasu madhhabai a kan wasu, da kuma yadda gardama tsakanin madhhabai a fadar sarki ta haifar da gasa. Bayan an hallaka Khalifancin 'Abbasiyya, kuma ijtihadi ya rasa ƙarfinsa har ya ɓace gaba ɗaya, adadin madhhabai ya ragu zuwa huɗu, waɗanda suka zama ƙungiyoyi daban-daban, sau da yawa masu adawa da juna. Bambance-bambancen da ke tsakaninsu sun zama ba za a iya sasantawa da su ba a zukatan masu bin su, kuma fanaticism na madhhabi da son zuciyar ƙungiya sun yawaita. Tun da yake dacewar Shari'ah ga kowane zamani da kowane wuri ya dogara sosai a kan ƙa'idar ijtihadi, rasa wannan ƙa'ida muhimmiya ya haifar da tsayuwa da raguwar fiqhu babu makawa.

As will be shown in chapters seven and eight, during the latter part of the ‘Abbaasid dynasty, Fiqh was formalized and systematized. The number of Madh-habs decreased and the differences between them became emphasized due to the state’s preference for some Madh-habs over others and the rise of inter Madh-habs rivalry promoted by court debates. And after the destruction of the ‘Abbaasid Caliphate and the decline of Ijtihaad culminating in its disappearance, the number of Madh-habs decreased to four which evolved into completely distinct and often times antagonistic entities. The differences between them became insurmountable in the minds of their adherents and Madh-hab fanaticism and sectarianism was rife. Since the applicability of Sharee’ah to all times and places depended largely upon the principle of Ijtihaad, the loss of this vital principle spelled the inevitable stagnation and decline of Fiqh.

A cikin babi biyu masu zuwa za mu duba da zurfi madhhabai bisa tsari na lokaci, dangane da wadanda suka kafa su, yadda aka samar da su, da kuma ginshikan ka'idojinsu. Daga nan kuma za mu duba manyan dalilan da suka haifar da sabanin da ya shiga tsakaninsu.

In the following two chapters we will examine more closely the madh-habs chronologically with respect to their founders, formation and fundamental principles. Then we will have a look at the main reasons for the differences which arose between them.