Al-Madhhab dari segi bahasa bermaksud: At-Tareeq (jalan/cara).

Al-Madh’hab linguistically means: At-Tareeq (the way/path).

Dalam istilah (konvensi terminologi) para ulama Usul, ia bermaksud: Jalan yang ditempuh oleh Mujtahid dalam istinbat (penggalian hukum) Ahkam Ash-Shar'iyah daripada Adillah At-Tafseeliyah (dalil-dalil terperinci).

In the Istilaah (terminological convention) of the scholars of Usool it means: The path that the Mujtahid follows (or treads) in the Istinbaat (deduction) of the Ahkaam Ash-Shar’iyah from its Adillah At-Tafseeliyah (detailed evidences).

Ia digunakan untuk menggambarkan sejumlah besar hukum-hukum (Ahkaam) yang dikeluarkan oleh seorang Mujtahid, seperti Mazhab Asy-Syaafi'iy, Mazhab Abu Haneefah, Mazhab Al-Maalikiy, Mazhab Al-Hanbaliy dan Mazhab Ibn Hazm, di antara yang lainnya.

It is used to describe the host of Ahkaam that the Mujtahid deduced like the Madh’hab of Ash-Shaafi’iy, the Madh’hab of Abu Haneefah, the Madh’hab Al-Maalikiy, the Madh’hab Al-Hanbaliy and the Madh’hab of Ibn Hazm amongst others.

Sahabi menurut pandangan majoriti ulama Usul ialah: orang yang menyaksikan Nabi ﷺ, beriman kepadanya, dan menemani baginda dalam tempoh yang cukup panjang sehingga perkataan Sahib (sahabat) boleh disandarkan kepadanya mengikut kebiasaan. Maka contohnya termasuk empat Khulafa' Rasyidin, Abdullah bin Mas'ud, Abdullah bin 'Abbas dan sahabat-sahabat lain yang beriman kepadanya ﷺ, menyokongnya, mendengar daripadanya dan dipandu oleh petunjuknya (Radiyallahu 'Anhum Jami'an).

The Sahaabiy in the view of the majority of the ‘Ulamaa of Usool is: The one who witnessed the Nabi (saw), believed in him and accompanied him for a period long enough for the word Saahib (companion) to be attributed to him in accordance to custom. So for example this would include the four rightly guided Khulafaa’, Abdullah Ibn Mas’oud, Abdullah Ibn ‘Abbaas and other Sahaabah who believed in him (saw), supported him, heard from him and were guided by his guidance (Radiy Allahu ‘Anhum Jamee’an).

Oleh itu, maksud Madh'hab As-Sahaabiy ialah:

Consequently, the meaning of Madh’hab As-Sahaabiy is:

Ia adalah tuan rumah bagi Ahkaam, yang mana para Sahabat menyimpulkan darinya bahawa dia memutuskan hukum dengan Ahkaam ini dan menghakimi selaras dengannya. Sebahagian perawi dari kalangan Taabi'een dan Taabi' At-Taabi'een mengambil berat tentang riwayat-riwayat sebegini dan merakamkannya, manakala sebahagian yang lain merakamkannya bersama Sunan Rasulullah ﷺ.

It is the host of Ahkaam that the Sahaabiy deduced where he passed verdicts with these Ahkaam and judged in accordance to them. Some of the transmitters from the Taabi’een and the Taabi’ At-Taabi’een were concerned with such narrations and recording them whilst some recorded them alongside the Sunan of the Messenger of Allah (saw).