What is a Zahiri?

The following are my notes from the book.

• Theology: madhab al-Zahir or madhab Dawud
• The follower of the school are called Zahiri or Dawudi 
• School of thought: ahl al-Zahiri or al-Zahiriyah

Muslim scholars (studying Islamic law) are broadly classified into 

- ahl al-hadith (people of hadith) : Studying the transmitted source (hadeeth)

- ahl al-ra’y (people of opinion/judgment/ rhetorical): Practical aspect of laws/legal deduction

Madhab al-Fiqh (Sunni Orthodox schools): The determining factor in all these schools is the level of ra’y allowed or permitted. 

The two extreme were the school of Sunni Imam Abu Hanifa and School of Dawud Al-Zahiri. Imam Abu Hanifah allowed considerable level of opinions (ra’y) in his school/madhab. Dawud al-Zahiri completely forbade using opinions to derive Islamic laws.

Initially, the other Sunni Imams i.e., Malik b. Anas (madhab al-Maliki), al-Shafii (madhab al-Shafii) and Ahmad b. Hanbal (madhab al-Hanbali) took a middle position between the two extreme.

After a while, it was no longer apparent (in the course of sects development) if these schools were aligned to the People of Hadeeths or the People of Opinions.

Continue reading part three