Katika hatua inayofuata, ile ya Makhalifa Waongofu, kanuni ya Fiqh ya Ijmaa' (maamuzi kwa kauli moja) ilikua, na Ijtihaad ikawa kanuni huru ya Fiqh chini ya jina la Qiyaas. Madh-hab katika kipindi hiki kwa kweli ilikuwa ya kila mmoja wa Makhalifa Waongofu, kwa kuwa neno la mwisho katika mambo ya kisheria lilikuwa mikononi mwao. Hata hivyo, maamuzi yote ya kisheria yalikuwa yanaweza kubadilishwa kwa msingi wa kauli au matendo ya Mtume ﷺ yaliyorekodiwa, yaani Hadeeth. Kwa hiyo hapakuwa na nafasi ya ugumu wa makundi.

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.

Kipindi cha mwanzo cha nasaba ya Bani Umayya kilishuhudia mgawanyiko wa wanazuoni wa Fiqh katika Madh-hab mbili kuu kuhusu Ijtihaad: Ahl ar-Ra’i na Ahl al-Hadeeth. Madh-hab hizi mbili ziligeuka kuwa Madh-hab kadhaa mpya wakati wa mabadiliko kutoka ukhalifa hadi ufalme, pale ambapo khalifa/mfalme hakuwa tena kiongozi wa Madh-hab. Kwa kuwa wanazuoni na wanafunzi wao walitawanyika katika dola nzima ya Bani Umayya, Ijtihaad yao binafsi iliongezeka ili kutatua masuala ya kienyeji. Hata hivyo, inapaswa kutajwa kwamba katika kipindi cha Bani Umayya na kile cha mwanzo cha Bani 'Abbaas, wanafunzi wa Fiqh walibadilisha walimu na kubadilishana maoni ya kisheria kwa uhuru na mara kwa mara. Kwa hiyo, kwa vitendo, unyumbufu wa kipindi kilichotangulia uliendelea kudumishwa.

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.

Kama itakavyoonyeshwa katika sura ya saba na ya nane, katika kipindi cha mwisho cha utawala wa Abbasi, Fiqh ilipangwa na kuwekwa katika mfumo maalum. Idadi ya Madh-hab ilipungua, na tofauti zilizopo baina yao zikasisitizwa kutokana na upendeleo wa dola kwa baadhi ya Madh-hab kuliko nyingine, pamoja na kuibuka kwa ushindani baina ya Madh-hab uliochochewa na mijadala ya mahakamani. Baada ya kuangamizwa kwa Ukhalifa wa Abbasi na kudorora kwa Ijtihaad hadi kutoweka kwake kabisa, idadi ya Madh-hab ilipungua hadi nne, ambazo zikageuka kuwa taasisi tofauti kabisa na mara nyingi zenye uhasama. Tofauti baina yao zikawa kubwa mno katika akili za wafuasi wao, na ushabiki wa Madh-hab pamoja na mifarakano ya kimadhehebu ukaenea sana. Kwa kuwa utekelezwaji wa Shari'ah katika kila zama na kila mahali ulitegemea sana kanuni ya Ijtihaad, kupotea kwa kanuni hii muhimu kukasababisha bila shaka kudumaa na kudorora kwa Fiqh.

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.

Katika sura mbili zifuatazo tutachunguza kwa undani zaidi madh-hab kwa mpangilio wa wakati, kuhusiana na waasisi wake, kuundwa kwake na kanuni zake za msingi. Kisha tutaangalia sababu kuu za tofauti zilizotokea baina yao.

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.