Al-Madh'hab kwa maana ya lugha ina maana: At-Tareeq (njia).

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

Katika istilahi ya wanazuoni wa Usūl, neno hili linamaanisha: Njia ambayo Mujtahid hufuata (au hupitia) katika kuchambua na kutoa hukumu za Sharia (Ahkaam Ash-Shar’iyah) kutoka katika dalili zake za kina (Adillah At-Tafseeliyah).

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).