Madhhab ini berasal dari salah seorang cucu cicit ‘Alee ibn Abee Taalib melalui puteranya al-Husayn. Ayah Imaam Zayd, ‘Alee Zayn al-‘Aabideen, terkenal dengan ilmu fiqhnya yang luas dan periwayatannya terhadap Hadeeth. Dilahirkan di al-Madeenah pada tahun 700 M, Zayd ibn ‘Alee tidak lama kemudian menjadi salah seorang ulama terkemuka dari keluarga ‘Alawee. Beliau meriwayatkan Hadeeth daripada semua kaum kerabatnya, termasuk abangnya, Muhammad al-Baaqir.137 Zayd memperluas ilmunya dengan mengembara ke pusat-pusat keilmuan utama yang lain di Iraq, iaitu Kufah, Basrah dan Wasit, di mana beliau duduk dan bertukar pandangan dengan rakan-rakan sezamannya seperti Abu Haneefah dan Sufyaan ath-Thawree.

This Madh-hab traces its origin to one of ‘Alee ibn Abee Taalib’s great grandsons through his son al-Husayn. Imaam Zayd’s father, ‘Alee Zayn al-‘Aabideen, was well known for his great legal knowledge and his narration of Hadeeths. Born in al-Madeenah in the year 700 CE, Zayd ibn ‘Alee soon became one of the foremost scholars of the ‘Alawee family. He narrated Hadeeths from all of his relatives including his older brother, Muhammad al-Baaqir.137 Zayd expanded his knowledge by travelling to the other major centers of learning in Iraq, Kufah, Basrah and wasit, where he sat and exchanged views with his contemporaries like Abu Haneefah and Sufyaan ath-Thawree.

Khalifah Umayyah, Hisyam bin ‘Abdul-Malik (memerintah 724–743 M), tidak pernah melepaskan peluang untuk menghina dan merendahkan keluarga ‘Alawi, dan Zayd bin ‘Ali sering menjadi sasaran penghinaan.

The Umayyad caliph, Hishaam ibn ‘Abdul-Malik (reign 724- 743 CE) never missed an opportunity to degrade and humiliate the ‘Alawee family and Zayd ibn ‘Alee was often singled out for abuse.

Dia tidak dibenarkan meninggalkan bandar Madeenah tanpa kebenaran gabenornya, dan permohonan kebenarannya sering ditolak berulang kali. Akhirnya, Zayd menjadi keturunan ‘Alee yang pertama cuba merampas khalifah daripada Bani Umayyah selepas malapetaka di Karbalaa. Dia mengembara secara rahsia ke Kufah, di mana dia disertai oleh golongan Syi'ah dari Iraq, Wasit dan tempat-tempat lain, lalu membuat persiapan untuk berperang dengan Bani Umayyah. Beberapa orang saudaranya memberi amaran kepadanya supaya tidak bergantung kepada penduduk Kufah, kerana pengkhianatan merekalah terhadap Imaam Husayn yang menyebabkan kematiannya yang awal, tetapi dia tidak mengendahkan amaran mereka. Sebelum persiapannya selesai, perbalahan timbul dalam kalangan pengikut barunya apabila mereka mendapati bahawa dia tidak menganggap khalifah pertama, Abu Bakr dan ‘Umar, sebagai murtad yang telah merampas khalifah daripada datuknya. Majoriti pengikutnya meninggalkannya dan mengisytiharkan anak saudaranya, Ja’far as-Sadiq, sebagai Imaam zaman itu menggantikan Zayd.

He was not allowed to leave the city of Madeenah without the permission of its governor and his repuests for permission were often turned down repeatedly. Eventually, Zayd became the first of ‘Alee’s descendants to try to wrest the caliphate from the Umayyads after the catstrophe at Karbalaa. He travelled sectetly to Kufah where he was joined by the Shi’ites of Iraq, Wasit and other places, and made preparation to do battle with the Umayyads. A number of his relatives warned him against depending on the Kufans, as it was their betrayal of Imaam Husayn which led to his untimely death, but he did not heed their warnings. Before his preparations were complete, disputes arose among his new followers when they found out that he did not consider the first caliphs, Abu Bakr and ‘Umar, to be apostates who stole the caliphate from his grandfather. The majority of his followers broke away from him and declared his nephew, Ja’far as-Sadiq, to be the Imaam of the time instead of Zayd.

Tentera Hishaam mengambil kesempatan daripada kekeliruan itu lalu melancarkan serangan mengejut ke atas Kufah. Hanya lebih empat ratus pengikut sahaja yang berhimpun di sisi Imam Zayd, dan beliau terbunuh semasa pertempuran yang berlaku selepas itu. 138

Hishaam’s army took advantage of the confusion and made a surprise attack on Kufah. Only a little more than four hundred followers rallied to Imaam Zayd’s side and he was killed during the fighting which ensued. 138

Imam Zayd ialah seorang ulama yang memberi tumpuan utama kepada periwayatan hadis dan pembacaan al-Qur'an. Beliau mengajar di halaqah-halaqah ilmu di bandar-bandar Madinah, Basrah, Kufah dan Wasit, dan oleh itu beliau mempunyai ramai murid. Kaedah yang digunakan oleh Zayd ialah meriwayatkan hadis dan mengajar seni bacaan al-Qur'an. Jika timbul persoalan fiqh, beliau akan menyelesaikannya atau memilih pendapat salah seorang sezamannya, seperti ahli fiqh 'Abdur-Rahman ibn Abee Laylaa. Hukum-hukum mazhab tidak didiktekan mahupun dicatatkan oleh Zayd sendiri, tetapi oleh murid-muridnya.

Imaam Zayd was a scholar concerned mainly with the narration of Hadeeths and recitation of the Qur’aan. He taught in circles of learning in the cities of Madeenah, Basrah, Kufah and Wasit, and thus had a large number of students. The method used by Zayd was that of narrating Hadeeths and teaching the art of Qur’anic recitation. If legal questions were raised, he would solve them or choose an opinion of one of his contemporaries like the jurist ‘Abdur-Rahman ibn Abee Laylaa. The rulings of the Madh-hab were not dictated nor recorded by Zayd himself; but by his students.

Para ahli fiqh dalam mazhab itu membentuk sumber-sumber berikut daripada fatwa-fatwa Imam Zayd sebagai asas yang mereka gunakan untuk menyimpulkan hukum-hukum Islam.

The jurists of the Madh-hab evolved the following Sources from Imaam Zayd’s rulings as the basis from which they deduced Islamic laws.

Al-Qur'an dianggap sebagai sumber utama hukum Islam.

The Qur’aan was considered the primary source of Islamic law.

Salinan Al-Qur'an yang sedia ada dianggap lengkap tanpa sebarang pengurangan yang didakwa oleh banyak puak Syiah ekstremis.

The existing cop0y of the Qur’aan was considered to be complete without any of the deletions claimed by many extremist Shi’ite sects.

Perkataan, perbuatan dan pengesahan Nabi (s.w.) dianggap sebagai sumber hukum Islam yang kedua paling penting. Sunnah tidak terhad kepada riwayat keluarga ‘Alawee atau para pengikut mereka, sebaliknya merangkumi semua riwayat yang boleh dipercayai.

The sayings, actions and approvals of the Prophet (s.w.) were considered the second most important source of Islamic law. The Sunnah was not restricted to narrations of the ‘Alawee family or their followers, but included all reliable narration.

Penyataan dan hukum-hukum 'Alee ibn Abee Taalib yang bukan sekadar pendapat peribadinya dianggap oleh Imaam Zayd sebagai sebahagian daripada Sunnah. Iaitu, jika 'Alee tidak mengatakan atau memberi isyarat bahawa ia adalah pendapatnya, maka Zayd menganggap bahawa ia berasal daripada Nabi ﷺ. Namun, Zayd tidak menerima setiap perkara yang disandarkan kepada 'Alee, dan kadangkala beliau membuat hukum yang bertentangan dengan apa yang didakwa sebagai hukum-hukum 'Alee. Sebagai contoh, dilaporkan bahawa 'Alee memutuskan bahawa zakat boleh dikutip daripada anak-anak yatim, manakala Zayd memutuskan bahawa ia tidak boleh dikutip.

Rulings and statements of ‘Alee ibn Abee Taalib which were not merely his personal opinions were considered by Imaam Zayd to be a part of the Sunnah. That is, If ‘Alee did not say or imply that it was his opinion, then Zayd assumed that it was from the Prophet (s.w.). However, Zayd did not accept everything attributed to ‘Alee and somethimes made rulings contrary to what were claimed to be ‘Alee’s rulings. For example, it is reported that ‘Alee ruled that Zakaah could be collected from orphans while Zayd ruled that it could not.

Zayd mengiktiraf ijmak para Sahabat sebagai sumber hukum Islam. Oleh itu, walaupun dia berpendapat bahawa datuknya lebih layak memimpin berbanding Khalifah Abu Bakar, ‘Umar dan ‘Uthman, penerimaan sebulat suara para Sahabat terhadap kekhalifahan mereka menjadikannya, pada pandangannya, mengikat dari segi hukum.

Zayd recognized the Ijmaa’ of the Sahaabah as a source of Islamic law. Hence, although he felt that his grandfather was better suited for leadership than Caliphs Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, and ‘Uthmaan, the unanimous acceptance of their caliphate by the Sahaabah made it, in his opinion, legally binding.

Menurut para fuqaha mazhab ini, kedua-dua prinsip Istihsan dan Istislah melibatkan satu bentuk penaakulan kias. Oleh itu, mereka menganggap kedua-duanya sebahagian daripada apa yang dikenali sebagai Qiyas dalam mazhab yang lain.

According to the jurists of this Madh-hab, both the principles of Istihsaan and that of Istislaah involved a form of analogical deduction. Consequently, they considered them a part of what was known a Qiyaan in the other Madh-hab

Akal manusia dianggap sebagai sumber hukum Islam pada abad ke-... di mana tiada satu pun daripada sumber-sumber sebelumnya yang dapat diterapkan. Semasa muda, Imam Zayd pernah bertemu dan belajar di bawah bimbingan Waasil ibn 'Ataa, pengasas aliran pemikiran Mu'tazilah. Golongan Mu'tazilah adalah yang pertama mengemukakan prinsip 'Aql; apa sahaja yang dianggap baik oleh akal adalah baik, dan apa sahaja yang dianggap buruk oleh akal adalah buruk. Namun, menurut Mu'tazilah, 'Aql diletakkan selepas al-Qur'an dan Sunnah secara langsung, dan oleh itu mereka menolak Qiyaas, serta pendapat para Sahabah,139 manakala Imam Zayd meletakkan prinsip 'Aql di tempat terakhir dan mengiktiraf Qiyaas.

Human intellect was considered as a source of Islamic law in ce where none o the previous sources was applicable. As a youth, Imaan Zayd had met and studied under Waasil ibn ‘Ataa, founder of the Mu’tazilite school of thought. The Mu’tazilites were the first to propound the principle of ‘Aql; whatever, the intellect considered good was good and whatever it consedered bad was bad. However, according to the Mu’taziah, ‘Aql came directly after the Qur’aan and Sunnah, and thus they rejected Qiyaas, as well as the opinions of the Sahaabah,139 whereas Imaam Zayd placed the principle of ‘Aql last and recognized Qiyaas.

Murid-murid Imam Zayd merekodkan mazhab tersebut. Namun, mereka turut memasukkan hukum-hukum daripada ulama-ulama lain dari keluarga 'Alawi serta sezaman dengan Zayd.

Imaam Zayd’s students recorded the Madh-hab. However, they also included the rulings of others scholars form the ‘Alawee family as well as Zayd’s contemporaries.

‘Amr ibn Hai ialah mungkin yang paling terkenal di antara murid-murid Imam Zayd. Beliau menghabiskan masa yang lama bersama Imam Zayd di Madinah dan menyertai baginda dalam kebanyakan perjalanannya. ‘Amr telah menghimpunkan pengajaran Imam Zayd dalam dua karya utama yang bertajuk Majmoo’ al-Hadeeth dan Majmoo’ al-Fiqh. Kedua-duanya secara kolektif dikenali sebagai al-Majmoo’ al-Kabeer. Walaupun semua riwayat hadis dalam Majmoo’ al-Hadeeth adalah daripada keluarga ‘Alawi, kesemuanya mempunyai riwayat yang sepadan dalam enam kitab hadis yang terkenal.

‘Amr ibn hai was perhaps the most famous of Imaam Zayd’s students. He spent a long time with him in Madeenah and accompanied him on most of his journeys. ‘Amr compiled Imaam Zayd’s teaching in two major works entitled Majmoo’ al-Hadeeth and Mjmoo’ al-Fiqh. Together they are called al-Majmoo’ alKabeer. Although all of the Hadeeth narrations in Majmoo’ alHadeeth are from the ‘Alawee family they all have corresponding narrations in the famous six books of Hadeeth.

Kaum Zaydi tidak menghadkan diri mereka kepada hukum-hukum daripada cabang Husaynee bagi keluarga 'Alawee. Oleh itu, pandangan al-Qaasim ibn Ibraaheem al-Hasanee (787-857 M), yang terkenal kerana keilmuannya, turut dimasukkan dalam hukum-hukum Mazhab Zaydi. Namun, cucu al-Qaasim, al-Haadee elaa al-Haqq, yang dilantik sebagai Imam Yaman, memberi kesan yang lebih besar terhadap mazhab tersebut. Sebuah negara Islam telah ditubuhkan di Yaman mengikut Mazhab Zaydi, yang memberikan asas yang kukuh kepadanya serta memastikan kelangsungannya sehingga hari ini.

The Zaydees did not restrict themselves to the rulings of the Husaynee side of the ‘Alawee family. Hence, the opinions of alQaasim ibn Ibraaheem al-Hasanee (787-857 CE), who became renowned for his scholarship, were also included in the rulings of the Zaydee Madh-hab. However, al-Qaasim’s grandson, al-Haadee elaa al-Haqq, who was made the Imaam of Yemen, made an even greater impact on the Madh-hab. An Islamic state was set up in Yemen according to the Zaydee Madh-hab which gave it a firm footing and ensured its survival till today.

Al-Hasan, yang dikenali sebagai an-Naasir al-Kabeer, adalah sezaman dengan al-Haadee. Beliau mengajarkan mazhab Zaidiyyah di Dailam dan Jeelan. Beliau adalah seorang ulama yang agung, dan para pengganti selepasnya menganggapnya sebagai penghidup mazhab tersebut.140

Al-Hasan, known as an-Naasir al-Kabeer, was a contemporaryof alHaadee. He taught the Zaydee Madh-hab in Dailam and Jeelan. He was a great scholar and its considered by his successors as the reviver of the Madh-hab.140

Hari ini, para pengikut mazhab ini kebanyakannya terdapat di Yaman, di mana ia merupakan mazhab majoriti penduduknya.

Today, the followers of this Madh-hab are mostly found in Yemen where it is the Madh-hab of the Majority of its inhabitans.