Katika ukuzaji wa Fiqh wakati huu, zilikuwepo mienendo miwili mikuu inayohusiana na mabadiliko ya Madh-habs. Ya kwanza ilitokea wakati wa Maimamu Wakubwa, waanzilishi wa Madh-habs kuu, na wanafunzi wao wakuu. Ingawa Madh-habs hizi zilikuwa zinakuwa vyombo tofauti kwa kasi, ziliendelea na mila ya unyumbufu katika kutoa na kukubali hukumu za kisheria ambayo ilikuwa sifa ya zama zilizotangulia. Mwelekeo wa pili ulihusu kipindi kilichofuata kifo cha wanazuoni wakuu wa Madh-habs. Unawakilisha mwanzo wa ugumu katika kutoa na kukubali hukumu za kisheria, ambao ni sifa kuu ya Madh-habs, na kwa hiyo ya Fiqh, katika vizazi vilivyofuata.

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.

Maendeleo ya Fiqh katika kipindi cha Maimamu Wakuu (750-850 CE) na wanafunzi wao wakuu yaliathiriwa na mambo yafuatayo.

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

Khalifa wa mwanzo wa Abbasi walionyesha heshima kubwa kwa sheria ya Kiislamu na wanazuoni wake. Sababu ya hili ilikuwa kwamba walipata madaraka yao kwa dai lao kwamba walikuwa wakitafuta kurejea kwenye ukhalifa unaotegemea Sharia na tafsiri yake sahihi. Kwa hiyo, makhalifa wa Abbasi wa kipindi hiki wote walijivunia kuwapeleka watoto wao kusoma chini ya wanazuoni wakuu wa wakati huo, na zaidi ya hayo, baadhi ya makhalifa wakawa wanazuoni wa sheria ya Kiislamu kwa haki yao wenyewe; kwa mfano, Khalifa Haruna ar-Rashidi (utawala 786-809 CE). Aidha, makhalifa hawa walifanya desturi ya kushauriana na wanazuoni mashuhuri wa Kiislamu katika mambo mengi ya Fiqh. Mfano wa kawaida ni wa Imamu Malik, ambaye Khalifa al-Mansoor alimwagiza kukusanya kitabu chenye mamlaka cha Sunnah ya Mtume ﷺ. Kitabu hicho kilipokamilika, Khalifa alimshauri Malik kuhusu kukiruhusu kiwe katiba ya dola, jambo ambalo lingefanya Madh-hab ya Imamu Malik kuwa ya lazima kwa Waislamu wote. Hata hivyo, Imamu alikataa kufanya hivyo, kwa kuwa alijua kwamba mkusanyiko wake ulijumuisha tu Hadithi za Mtume ﷺ zilizopatikana Hijaazi, mahali ambapo Imamu Malik alikuwa amefundisha na kuanzisha Madh-hab yake. Alisisitiza kwa nguvu kwamba hakuna Madh-hab moja inayopaswa kuwa ya lazima kwa Waislamu wote, kwa kuzingatia kwamba Madh-hab yoyote moja ingeyatenga Hadithi nyingi nyingine zilizosimuliwa na Maswahaba waliosafiri hadi sehemu nyingine za dola.111 Hili ni mfano wazi wa unyumbufu ambao ulikuwa sifa ya waanzilishi wa Madh-habs. Jambo la msaada wa dola na udhamini wa wanazuoni wa Fiqh lilichangia sana kustawi kwa Madh-habs nyingi zilizoibuka katika kipindi cha mwisho cha utawala wa Umayyad.

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.

Kila walipokutana wanazuoni au wanafunzi wao, walibadilishana mawazo kuhusu masuala mbalimbali ya Kiislamu yaliyojitokeza katika maeneo yao husika. Iwapo kulikuwa na tofauti kubwa ya maoni kuhusu suluhisho fulani, walijadiliana kwa muda mrefu hadi wakafikia hitimisho la pamoja au kukubali chaguo mbalimbali.

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.

Mijadala hii ya kisheria pia ilifanyika kwa barua, kama ilivyokuwa katika mdahalo kati ya Imamu Maalik na Imamu al-Layth kuhusu desturi za Madina.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

Ongezeko kubwa la idadi ya vikao vya majadiliano, iwe kwa barua au katika mikutano ya ana kwa ana kati ya waanzilishi na wanafunzi wa Madh-habu mbalimbali, lilisababisha kufafanuliwa kwa masuala kadhaa muhimu na kuondolewa kwa hukumu au maamuzi yaliyokosewa miongoni mwa wanazuoni wa sheria za Kiislamu.

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.

Katika hatua hii ya mwanzo ya kuendelezwa kwa Madh-hab kulikuwepo upungufu mkubwa wa ukakamavu au msimamo mkali usiobadilika kwa upande wa wanazuoni na wanafunzi wao. Yaani, masuala yalichambuliwa kwa lengo na hitimisho lilifikiwa kwa kuzingatia uhalali wa hoja zilizowasilishwa. Kwa hakika, Imaam Abu Haneefah na Imaam Shafi'ee wanajulikana kwa kauli yao kwamba ikiwa Hadeeth inajulikana kuwa sahihi, basi hiyo ndiyo inapaswa kuchukuliwa kuwa Madh-hab yao. Mfano mashuhuri unahusu hukumu ya unywaji wa Khamr na vileo vingine. Imaam Abu Haneefah, mwanzilishi wa Madh-hab ya Hanafi, alikuwa ametoa hukumu kwamba katazo la Kiislamu la Khamr lilihusu tu bidhaa ya juisi ya zabibu iliyochachushwa (maana halisi ya 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)