Dalam perkembangan Fiqh pada tempoh ini, terdapat dua aliran utama yang berkaitan dengan evolusi Mazhab-mazhab. Aliran pertama berlaku pada zaman Imam-imam Besar, pengasas mazhab-mazhab utama, dan murid-murid utama mereka. Walaupun mazhab-mazhab ini semakin menjadi entiti yang tersendiri, mereka terus meneruskan tradisi keanjalan dalam membuat dan menerima hukum-hukum syarak yang telah menjadi ciri tempoh-tempoh sebelumnya. Aliran kedua meliputi tempoh selepas kewafatan para ulama besar mazhab-mazhab tersebut. Ia menandakan permulaan kekakuan dalam membuat dan menerima hukum-hukum syarak, yang merupakan ciri utama mazhab-mazhab, dan seterusnya Fiqh, dalam generasi-generasi yang berikutnya.

In the development of Fiqh during this period, there were two major trends relating to the evolution of the Madh-habs. The first occurred during the period of the Great Imaams, founders of the major Madh-habs, and their major students. Although these Madhhabs were fast becoming distinct entities, they continued the tradition of flexibility in making and accepting legal rulings which had characterized the earlier periods. The second trend covered the period following the death of the major scholars of the Madh-habs. It represents the beginning of that rigidity in making and accepting legal rulings which is the main characteristic of Madh-habs, and consequently of Fiqh, in succeeding generations.

Perkembangan Fiqh pada zaman para Imam Besar (750-850 M) dan murid-murid utama mereka dipengaruhi oleh faktor-faktor berikut.

The development of Fiqh in the period of the Great Imaams (750-850 CE) and their major students was affected by the following factors.

Khalifah-khalifah 'Abbasiyyah yang awal menunjukkan penghormatan yang besar terhadap syariat Islam dan para ulamanya. Sebabnya ialah mereka memperoleh jawatan mereka atas dakwaan bahawa mereka sedang berusaha mengembalikan sebuah khilafah yang berasaskan Syari'ah serta tafsiran yang sahih terhadapnya. Oleh itu, khalifah-khalifah 'Abbasiyyah pada zaman ini semuanya berbangga menghantar anak-anak mereka untuk belajar di bawah sarjana-sarjana utama pada zaman itu, dan lebih dari itu, sebahagian khalifah menjadi sarjana syariat Islam dengan sendirinya; sebagai contoh, Khalifah Harun ar-Rasyid (memerintah 786-809 M). Tambahan pula, khalifah-khalifah ini sering berunding dengan para ulama Islam yang terkemuka mengenai kebanyakan perkara fiqh. Satu contoh klasik ialah Imam Malik, yang ditugaskan oleh Khalifah al-Mansur untuk menyusun sebuah kitab yang berwibawa tentang Sunnah Nabi ﷺ. Setelah ia siap, Khalifah berunding dengan Malik mengenai cadangan untuk menjadikannya perlembagaan negara, yang akan mewajibkan mazhab Imam Malik ke atas semua umat Islam. Namun, Imam enggan membenarkannya kerana beliau sedar bahawa kompilasinya hanya merangkumi hadis-hadis Nabi ﷺ yang terdapat di Hijaz, tempat Imam Malik mengajar dan mengasaskan mazhabnya. Beliau berpendirian kuat bahawa tiada satu mazhab tunggal wajar diwajibkan ke atas semua umat Islam, memandangkan mana-mana satu mazhab sahaja akan mengetepikan banyak hadis lain yang diriwayatkan oleh para sahabat yang telah mengembara ke bahagian-bahagian lain negara. Ini ialah contoh yang jelas tentang sifat fleksibiliti yang menjadi ciri para pengasas mazhab. Faktor sokongan dan naungan negara terhadap para ulama fiqh banyak menyumbang kepada kemaraan pelbagai mazhab yang telah muncul pada separuh akhir zaman Umayyah.

The early ‘Abbaasid Caliphs made a show of great respect for Islamic law and its scholars. The reason for this lay in the fact that they owed their office to their claim that they were seeking a return to a caliphate based on Sharee’ah and its legitimate interpretation. Consequently, the ‘Abbaasid caliphs of this period all took pride in sending their children to study under the major scholars of the time, and, what is more, some of the caliphs became scholars of Islamic law in their own right; for example, Caliph Haroon arRasheed (rule 786-809 CE). Furthermore, these caliphs made a practice of consulting the outstanding Islamic scholars on most matters of Fiqh. A classical example is that of Imaam Maalik whom Caliph al-Mansoor commissioned to compile an authoritative book of the Sunnah of the Prophet (s.w.). On its completion, the Caliph consulted Maalik about allowing him to make it the state constitution, which would have made the Madh-hab of Imaam Maalik binding on all Muslims. However, the Imaam refused to have it done, since he was aware that his compilation including only those Hadeeths of the Prophet (s.w.) that were available in Hijaaz where Imaam Maalik had taught and founded his Madh-hab. He felt strongly that no single Madh-hab should be binding on all Muslims in view of the fact that any single Madh-hab would exclude the many other Hadeeths narrated by Sahaabah who had traveled to other parts of the state.111This is a clear example of that flexibility which characterized the founders of the Madh-habs. The factor of state support and patronization of Fiqh scholars contributed largely to the flourishing of the many Madh-habs which had arisen in the latter part of the Umayyad period.

Setiap kali para ulama atau murid-murid mereka bertemu, mereka akan saling bertukar pendapat tentang pelbagai isu Islam yang timbul di kawasan masing-masing. Jika terdapat perbezaan pendapat yang besar mengenai sesuatu penyelesaian, mereka akan berbahas bolak-balik sehingga tercapai kesimpulan bersama atau pelbagai pilihan diterima.

Whenever scholars or their students met, they would exchange thoughts on various Islamic issues which had arisen in their particular areas. If there was a major difference of opinion about a particular solution, they would debate back and forth until a common conclusion was reached or various options were accepted.

Perdebatan-perdebatan hukum ini juga berlangsung melalui surat-menyurat, seperti dalam kes perdebatan antara Imam Malik dan Imam al-Laith mengenai adat kebiasaan penduduk Madinah.114

These legal debates also took place by mail, as in the case of the debate between Imaam Maalik and Imaam al-Layth about Madeenite customs.114

Peningkatan besar dalam bilangan sesi perdebatan, sama ada melalui surat-menyurat atau dalam pertemuan bersemuka antara para pengasas dan penuntut daripada pelbagai mazhab, telah membawa kepada penjelasan terhadap beberapa isu penting dan penyingkiran hukum atau keputusan yang keliru di kalangan para ulama fiqh.

The huge increase in the number of debating sessions, whether by mail or in face to face meetings between founders and students of various Madh-habs resulted in the clarification of certain important issues and the seeding out of mistaken rulings or judgements among scholars of Islamic law.

Pada peringkat awal perkembangan Mazhab ini, terdapat kekurangan ketara dari segi ketegasan atau dogmatisme di pihak para ulama dan murid-murid mereka. Iaitu, isu-isu dianalisis secara objektif dan kesimpulan dicapai berdasarkan kesahihan dalil-dalil yang dikemukakan. Malah, Imam Abu Haneefah dan Imam Shafi'ee telah dicatatkan menyatakan bahawa jika sesuatu Hadis diketahui sahih, maka itulah yang harus dianggap sebagai mazhab mereka. Satu contoh yang patut diberi perhatian berkaitan dengan hukum meminum Khamr dan minuman memabukkan lain. Imam Abu Haneefah, pengasas Mazhab Hanafi, pernah memutuskan bahawa larangan Islam terhadap Khamr hanya meliputi hasil perahan anggur yang difermentasikan (makna harfiah bagi Khamr).

In this early stage in the development of Madh-habs there was a marked lack of rigidity or dogmatism on the part of scholars and their students. That is, issues were objectively analyzed and conclusions arrived at on the basis of the validity of the proofs presented. In fact Imaam Abu Haneefah and Imaam Shafi’ee were on record as stating that if a Hadeeth was known to be accurate, then that should be considered their Madh-hab. A noteworthy example concerns the law relating to the drinking of Khamr and other intoxicants. Imaam Abu Haneefah, founder of the Hanafee Madhhab, had ruled that the Islamic prohibition of Khamr covered only the product of fermented grape juice (the literal meaning of Khamr)