Kwa kukabiliana na tatizo jipya, khalifa wa kipindi hicho kwa kawaida alifuata hatua zifuatazo kwa mpangilio ili kulitatua:

Faced with a new problem, the caliph of this period would generally take the following steps in order to solve it:.

(1) Kwanza angetafuta hukumu mahsusi ya tatizo hilo katika Qur'aan.

(1) He would first search for a specific ruling on the problem in the Qur’aan.

(2) Ikiwa hatapata jibu humo, basi atatafuta hukumu yake katika Sunnah, maneno na vitendo vya Mtume ﷺ.

(2) If he did not find the answer there, he would then search for a ruling on it in the Sunnah, the sayings and actions of Prophet (s.w.).

(3) Kama bado hakupata jibu, basi angeitisha kikao cha Maswahaba wakuu na kujaribu kupata makubaliano ya kauli moja juu ya suluhisho la tatizo hilo. (Makubaliano haya ya kauli moja yalijulikana kama Ijma’.)

(3) If he still did not find the answer, he would then call a meeting of the major Sahaabah and try to get unanimous agreement on a solution to the problem. (This unanimity was referred to as Ijma’.) .

(4) Ikiwa kauli moja haikuweza kupatikana, basi angechukua msimamo wa wengi.

(4) If unanimity could not be arrived at, he would then take the position of the majority.

(5) Hata hivyo, ikiwa tofauti za maoni zilikuwa kubwa kiasi kwamba haingewezekana kubaini maoni ya wengi walio wengi kwa kishindo, basi khalifa angefanya Ijtihaad yake mwenyewe, ambayo ingekuwa kisha sheria. Pia inapaswa kutambuliwa kwamba khalifa alikuwa na haki ya kupindua ijmaa'.95

(5) If however, differences were so great that on over-whelming majority opinion could be determined, the caliph would make his own Ijtihaad, which would then become law. It should also be noted that the caliph had the right to over-rule the consensus. 95

Mbali na mikutano rasmi ya Maswahaba wakuu iliyoitishwa na makhalifa kwa ajili ya kufanya maamuzi, zilijitokeza pia hali nyingi za kila siku ambapo Maswahaba binafsi waliulizwa watoe hukumu. Katika hali kama hizo, walielekea kufuata njia tatu za jumla za utendaji.

In addition to formal meetings of the major Sahaabah which were called by the caliphs for decision-making, there arose many day-to-day situations where individual Sahaabah were asked to make rulings. In such cases they tended to follow three general courses of action.

Kwanza, Masahaba waliokuwa katika nafasi za kufanya maamuzi walifanya wazi kwamba mafikio yao ya kisheria si lazima yawe kama alivyokusudia Allaah. Kwa mfano, Ibn Mas'ood alipoulizwa kuhusu haki ya urithi ya mwanamke aliyeolewa bila kuwekewa Mahr (mahari) iliyoainishwa, alisema: "Ninatoa maoni yangu kuhusu jambo hilo. Likiwa sahihi, basi limetoka kwa Allaah, lakini likiwa si sahihi, basi limetoka kwangu mimi na kwa Shetani." 96 Pili, ikiwa walitoa hukumu tofauti kuhusu tatizo fulani kwa uwezo wao binafsi, kisha wakaarifiwa juu ya kauli au tendo sahihi (Hadeeth) la Mtume ﷺ kuhusu jambo hilo, walilikubali mara moja na kuacha tofauti zao zote. Kwa mfano, baada ya kufariki kwa Mtume ﷺ, Masahaba walikuwa na maoni tofauti kuhusu mahali pa kumzika. Abu Bakr alipowaeleza kwamba alimsikia Mtume ﷺ akisema kwamba manabii huzikwa mahali walipokufa, waliacha tofauti zao, wakachimba kaburi lake chini ya nyumba ya mkewe 'Aa'eshah.

In the first place, Sahaabah who were in decision-making positions made it clear that their deductions were not necessarily as Allaah intended. For example, when Ibn Mas’ood was questioned about the inheritance rights of a woman who had been married without a defined Mahr (dowry), he said, “I am giving my opinion about her. If it is correct, then it is from Allaah, but if it is incorrect, then it is from me and Satan.” 96 Secondly, if they made different rulings on a problem in their individual capacities and were later informed of an authentic (Hadeeth) saying or action of the Prophet (s.w.) on the subject, they would immediately accept it dropping all differences. For example, after the Prophet’s (s.w.) death, the Sahaabah held different opinions as to where he should be buried. When Abu Bakr related to them that he had heard the Prophet (s.w.) say that prophets are buried in the spot where they die, they dropped their differences and dug his grave beneath his wife ‘Aa’eshah’s house.

Hatimaye, pale ambapo hoja ya kweli iliyothibitishwa wala makubaliano ya kauli moja hayakupatikana, Masahaba wa Mtume ﷺ walikuwa wakiheshimu maoni ya kila mmoja wao na hawakuwalazimisha Masahaba wengine kufuata maoni yoyote ya mtu mmoja. Ubaguzi pekee kwa kanuni hii ulikuwa pale walipokuta watu wanafuata mazoea ambayo, ingawa hapo awali yalikubalika, baadaye yalikatazwa. Kwa mfano, Mut'ah, aina ya ndoa ya muda ya kabla ya Uislamu ambayo ilikuwa imeruhusiwa katika hatua za mwanzo za Uislamu, ilikuwa imekatazwa kufikia wakati wa kifo cha Mtume ﷺ.

Ingawa Maswahaba walijadiliana na kutofautiana katika baadhi ya masuala ya fiqhi, tofauti zao mara chache zilifikia kiwango cha mgawanyiko na mapambano ya makundi, jambo lililokuwa tabia ya vipindi vya baadaye. Hili lilitokana hasa na sababu zifuatazo, ambazo ziliwasaidia kuhifadhi umoja wao:

Although the Sahaabah debated and differed on various points of law, their differences rarely reached the level of disunity and factionalism, which characterized later periods. This was mainly due to the following factors, which tended to preserve their unity:.

(1) Utegemezi wa Makhalifa kwenye mashauriano ya pamoja (Shoorā) ili kufikia hukumu.

(1) The Caliphs’ reliance on mutual consultation (Shooraa) to arrive at a ruling.

(2) Urahisi wa kufikia makubaliano ya pamoja. Ilikuwa rahisi kufanya vikao vya mashauriano kwa sababu makhalifa wa mwanzo hawakuwaruhusu Maswahaba kwenda mbali sana na mji mkuu wa Dola ya Kiislamu, Madina.

(2) The ease with which a consensus could be arrived at. It was easy to hold consultative meetings since the early caliphs did not allow the Sahaabah to move far from the capital of the Islamic State, Madeenah.

(3) Kusita kwa jumla kwa Maswahaba binafsi kutoa hukumu za kisheria (Fatwa). Badala yake, walielekea kuelekeza maswali yenye utata kwa Maswahaba wengine waliokuwa na sifa zaidi za kujibu.

(3) The general reluctance of individual Sahaabah to make legal rulings (Fatwaas). Instead, they tended to re-direct puzzling questions to other Sahaabah who were better qualified to answer them.

(4) Kunukuu hadithi kwa uchache, jambo ambalo walilielekeza zaidi kwenye matatizo mahsusi na halisi. Hili lilitokana na: (a) Hofu yao ya kunukuu vibaya maneno ya Mtume ﷺ, ambaye alisema: “Atakayesema uongo kwa jina langu, atapata kiti chake motoni.”98.

(4) The infrequent quotation of Hadeeth, which they tended to confine to specific and actual problems. This was due to: (a) Their fear of misquoting the Prophet (s.w.) who had said, “Whoever tells a lie in my name will find in my name find his seat in the fire.”98.

(b) Ukweli kwamba Khalifa ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab alikataza kunukuu Hadith kupita kiasi, na akawaamuru Maswahaba wajikite katika kusimulia na kujifunza Qur’an.

(b) The fact that Caliph ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab forbade excessive quotation of Hadeeth and ordered the Sahaabah to concentrate on the narration and study of the Qur’aan.

Tunapofuatilia maendeleo ya kihistoria ya Fiqh, tunaona kwamba ilionyesha mienendo tofauti katika vipindi tofauti vya maendeleo ya kisiasa na kijamii na kiuchumi. Kwanza, tunaweza kubaini kwamba sifa bainifu ya Fiqh wakati wa kipindi cha Makhalifa Waongofu ilikuwa uhalisia wake; yaani, ilijengwa juu ya matatizo halisi badala ya yale ya kudhania au ya kufikirika tu. Aina hii ya Fiqh ya kihalisia baadaye ilijulikana kwa Kiarabu kama al-Fiqh al-Waqi'ee (Fiqh ya kihalisia), ili kuitofautisha na Fiqh ya kudhania iliyotetewa na "Watu wa Kufikiri" (Ahl ar-Ra'i), ambao walipata umaarufu huko Kufah, Iraq, wakati wa Bani Umayya.

As we trace the historical development of Fiqh showed different characteristic trends during different periods of political and socio-economic development. First, we can discern that the outstanding characteristic of Fiqh during the period of the Righteous Caliphs was its realism; that is, it was based on actual problems rather than on hypothetical or imaginary ones. This realistic form of Fiqh was later referred to in Arabic as al-Fiqh al-Waqi’ee (realistic Fiqh) to distinguish it from the hypothetical Fiqh advocated by the “Reasoning People” (Ahl ar-Ra’i) who came to prominence in Kufah, Iraq, during the time of the Umayyads.

Pili, ingawa Makhalifa Waongofu, kama tulivyoeleza hapo juu, walielekea kufuata taratibu fulani ili kupata hukumu za kisheria, wala wao wala Maswahaba kwa ujumla hawakuweka taratibu maalum za kufuatwa katika taifa zima la Kiislamu (Ummah); wala hawakuandika rekodi ya sheria zilizotokana na hukumu zao. Ukaribu huu wa mawazo katika maeneo ambayo Sharia'a haijayafafanua wazi unaakisi, kwanza kabisa, heshima ya Maswahaba kwa uhuru wa maoni katika mambo kama hayo. Mtazamo kama huo unatofautiana sana na msimamo wa ukakamavu uliojitokeza kwa baadhi ya wanazuoni wa baadaye. Pili, ulikuwa sambamba na sera ya Maswahaba ya kuwahimiza watu wengi wasome kwa makini Qur-aan bila kusumbuliwa na hukumu za kisheria juu ya mambo ambayo hayajafafanuliwa humo.

Secondly, although the Righteous Caliphs tended, as we have noted above, to follow certain procedures to achieve legal rulings, neither they nor the Sahaabah as a whole prescribed set procedures to be followed throughout the Islamic nation (the Ummah); nor did they make a record of the laws resulting from their legal rulings. This open mindedness in areas not clearly defined by Sharee’ah reflects, in the first place, the Sahaabah’s respect for freedom of opinion in such matters. Such an attitude contrasts strongly with the appearance of rigidity on the part of certain later scholars. In the second place, it was in keeping with the Sahaabah’s policy of recommending for the masses the careful study of the Qur’aan without the distraction of legal rulings on matters not defined therein.

Sifa ya tatu ya Fiqh katika kipindi hiki inahusu matumizi ya maoni binafsi katika kutoa hukumu za kisheria. Wengi wa Maswahaba walipendelea kushikamana sana na maana za wazi za matini za Qur'ani na Sunnah. Kwa kawaida, waliepuka kutoa tafsiri za kibinafsi. Ibn 'Umar, mmoja wa wanasheria wakuu miongoni mwa Maswahaba ambaye alibaki Madina maisha yake yote, alifuata mwenendo huu. Kwa upande mwingine, kulikuwa na Maswahaba wengine waliopendelea matumizi mapana ya maoni binafsi katika maeneo ambayo hayakubainishwa na Qur'ani wala Sunnah. Hata hivyo, walikuwa makini kuhusu kuyahusisha makosa yatakayotokea na nafsi zao wenyewe pekee, ili wasilete aibu kwa sheria ya Kiislamu. 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud (ambaye baadaye alihamia Iraq) aliwakilisha mkondo huu wa mawazo.

1. Msingi wa kanuni za fiqhi za kiistidlali, yaani Ijmaa' na Qiyaas (Ijtihaad), uliwekwa wakati wa Makhalifa Waongofu.

1. The basis of the deductive Fiqh principles, Ijmaa’ and Qiyaas (Ijtihaad)(, was laid during the time of thje Righteous Caliphs.

2. Kuongezwa ghafla kwa maeneo makubwa mapya kuliwaleta Waislamu katika mawasiliano ya ghafla na tamaduni nyingi tofauti, jambo lililozaa matatizo mengi mapya ambayo hayakushughulikiwa kwa undani na sheria za Sharia'a.

2. The sudden addition of vast new territories brought Muslims into sudden contact with many different cultures, and this produced a host of new problems which were not specifically covered by the laws of Sharee’ah.

3. Hukumu za kisheria zilizidi kuwa za lazima, na Makhalifa Waongofu walianzisha taratibu fulani kwa hatua kwa hatua za kufikia Ijtihaad kwa kiwango cha chini kabisa cha kutofautiana.

3. Legal rulings became increasingly necessary, and the Righteous Caliphs gradually developed certain procedures for arriving at Ijtihaad with minimum of disagreement.

4. Maswahaba kwa ujumla pia walifuata taratibu za kufanya maamuzi ambazo ziliwasaidia kuepuka hukumu kali na zisizobadilika.

4. The Sahaabah in general also followed decision-making procedures which helped them to avoid hard and fast rulings.

5. Kukubaliana kwa pamoja kwa Makhalifa Waongofu na Maswahaba katika masuala ya hukumu za kisheria kulielekea kuleta umoja na kutoa nafasi ndogo au hakuna kabisa ya mifarakano ndani ya umma wa Kiislamu.

5. The combined approval of the Righteous Caliphs and the Sahaabah in the matter of legal rulings tended to promote unity and to provide little of no occasion for factionalism within the Islamic nation.

6. Madhhabu moja pekee ilikuwepo wakati wa Makhalifa Waongofu. Mbinu hii ya umoja katika Fiqh ilizuia kuibuka kwa madhehebu yasiyohusishwa na dola hadi mwishoni mwa kipindi hicho.

6. Only one Madh-hab existed during the period of the Righreous Caliphs. This unified approach to Fiqh prevented the rise of Madh-habs not linked to the state until the end of the period.

7. Msisitizo maalum uliwekwa katika kujifunza Qur'ani kwa watu wote, huku kunukuu Hadithi kupita kiasi kukikatazwa.

7. Particular emphasis was placed on the study of the Qur’aan by the masses, while excessive quotation of Hadeeths was discouraged.