Dalam peringkat seterusnya, iaitu zaman Khulafa' Ar-Rasyidin, prinsip Fiqh Ijma' (keputusan secara sebulat suara) berkembang, dan Ijtihad menjadi prinsip Fiqh yang berdiri sendiri di bawah nama Qiyas. Mazhab pada zaman ini sebenarnya ialah mazhab setiap Khulafa' Ar-Rasyidin, kerana kata putus dalam urusan hukum terletak di tangan mereka. Walau bagaimanapun, semua keputusan hukum tertakluk kepada perubahan berdasarkan pernyataan atau amalan Nabi ﷺ yang telah direkodkan, iaitu Hadis. Oleh itu, tidak ada ruang untuk sikap tegar dan berpuak-puak.

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.

Pada peringkat awal dinasti Umayyah, para ulama fiqh terbahagi kepada dua mazhab utama berkenaan ijtihad: Ahl ar-Ra'i dan Ahl al-Hadeeth. Kedua-dua mazhab ini berkembang menjadi beberapa mazhab baharu semasa peralihan daripada khilafah kepada kerajaan beraja, apabila khalifah/raja tidak lagi menjadi ketua mazhab. Oleh kerana para ulama dan murid-murid mereka tersebar di seluruh negara Umayyah, ijtihad peribadi mereka semakin bertambah bagi menyelesaikan isu-isu tempatan. Namun, perlu diingat bahawa sama ada pada zaman Umayyah mahupun zaman awal 'Abbasiyyah, para penuntut fiqh dengan bebas dan kerap menukar guru serta bertukar-tukar pandangan hukum. Oleh itu, pada hakikatnya, fleksibiliti zaman sebelumnya tetap dikekalkan.

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.

Seperti yang akan ditunjukkan dalam bab tujuh dan lapan, pada bahagian akhir zaman Dinasti 'Abbaasiyyah, Fiqh telah diformalkan dan disistematikkan. Bilangan Madh-hab berkurangan dan perbezaan antara mereka menjadi semakin ditekankan kerana keutamaan yang diberikan oleh negara kepada sebahagian Madh-hab berbanding yang lain, serta kebangkitan persaingan antara Madh-hab yang didorong oleh perdebatan di istana. Dan selepas kehancuran Khilafah 'Abbaasiyyah serta kemerosotan Ijtihaad yang memuncak dengan kehilangannya sepenuhnya, bilangan Madh-hab berkurang kepada empat, yang kemudiannya berkembang menjadi entiti yang benar-benar berasingan dan kerap kali saling bermusuhan. Perbezaan antara mereka menjadi tidak dapat diatasi dalam minda para penganutnya, dan fanatisme serta sektarianisme Madh-hab berleluasa. Oleh kerana kebolehterapan Shari'ah pada setiap zaman dan tempat bergantung sebahagian besarnya kepada prinsip Ijtihaad, kehilangan prinsip yang penting ini membawa kepada kebekuan dan kemerosotan Fiqh yang tidak dapat dielakkan.

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.

Dalam dua bab berikut, kami akan meneliti dengan lebih mendalam mazhab-mazhab tersebut secara kronologi berdasarkan pengasas, pembentukan dan prinsip asasnya. Kemudian kami akan meninjau sebab-sebab utama bagi perbezaan yang timbul di antara mereka.

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.