Salah (prayer) is not valid without Wudu' or Tayammum(dry Ablution)

        Bismillahir rahmanir rahim      

..................Is Your Wudu Valid  ?........

Water is an amazing creation; it is unique in many ways and life cannot exist without it. It has some extraordinary properties. One cannot help but conclude that it was specifically created in order for life to exist.

“Have not those who disbelieve known that the heavens and the earth were joined together as one united piece, then we parted them? And we have made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe? (Qur'an 21:30)

Water is the usual medium used to cleanse oneself. Water has different types (e.g. Rain water, sea water, melted ice water, etc) and each can be in different states (used, pure, impure, etc)

Before praying Muslims go through a routine washing ritual, cleansing themselves in preparation for prayer. The ritual washing, called Wudu, can be done in any clean place where there is water. There are special rules to allow for situations when water is not available (e.g. in a desert). Before starting Wudu you 'make your intention'.

Physical purity means cleanliness of the body, clothing and environment. According to the rules of Islam, Muslims should keep their bodies and clothing clean from any impurities, especially the body wastes of humans and animals.

Cleanliness (Taharah) is an important precondition of Islamic worship. Wudu is an essential part of Cleanliness. Salah (prayer) is not valid without Wudu' or Tayammum(dry Ablution).  Islam encourages cleanliness. To ensure this is preformed, it is mandatory that your body and clothing be clean before performing your salaat. Your prayer will not be valid unless your body and clothing are clean. Clothing must be considered tahir and removed of all impurities. Impurities include blood, urine, and excrement
This is based on the 6th Ayat of Surah al-Ma'ida (Qur'an 5:6) which states:

"O ye who believe! when ye prepare for prayer, wash your faces, and your hands (and arms) to the elbows; Rub your heads (with water); and (wash) your feet to the ankles."[3]

Wudu according to the four maddhab is a description of the principles of wudu according to the four major schools of Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh): Hanafi, Hanbali, Maliki and Shafi'i. The issues discussed are how to perform wudu and when wudu is considered invalid.
............Hanafi
.......... Maliki
......... Shafii
........hanbali



The conditions for a correct Wudhu are mentioned as below.

   1. The water should be clean.
   2. The water should be pure (unmixed).
   3. The water must be Mubah, i.e. it should not be usurped. Wudhu with usurped water is not correct.
   4. The container of the water used for Wudhu should not be made of gold or silver.
   5. The container or vessel which contains the water should be Mubah, unusurped.
   6. Parts of the body on which Wudhu is performed should be Pak, at the time of washing and wiping.
   7. The seventh condition is that the person doing Wudhu should have sufficient time at his disposal for Wudhu and prayer.
   8. Wudhu should be performed in the prescribed sequence.
   9. The acts of Wudhu should be done one after the other, without time gap in between.
  10. A person doing Wudhu should wash his hands and face and wipe his head and feet himself.
  11. There should be no constraint for using water.
  12. There should be no impediment in the way of water reaching the parts of Wudhu.

Steps of Wudu are [2]:

   1. Make the intention to perform wudu in the heart.
  
2. Shape the right hand like a cup and take water into it. Afterwards, splash the water on the top of the head and wipe down ONCE with the right hand, washing the parts of the face only between the middle finger and thumb (when stretched out). It isn't necessary to wash the mustache and beard unless you can see the skin. Then, it is obligatory to wash the visible skin. It is obligatory to wash from the area where the hair normally grows to the chin. You must also wipe the topmost part of the neck (across the jaw).
 
 3. Shape the left hand like a cup and take water into it. Afterwards, splash this water onto your right forearm and wash your right forearm ONCE (covering the right forearm in water, leaving no spot dry). Wipe from the elbow to the fingers, and not from the fingers to the elbow.
  
4. Repeat this process except with the left forearm.
  
5. WITHOUT taking more water, wipe your hair from the middle to up to the forehead using your right hand; three fingers ONLY. If you are balding, you would wash your hair as if it were growing when you had a full head of hair. It is NOT allowed to wipe the hair using an obstacle (such as wiping a hat or a turban instead of the hair/skin). It is not obligatory to wipe the actual skin on the head.
 
 6. WITHOUT taking more water, wipe the top of your right foot with your right hand. You only must wipe with a swiping motion once and it is recommended to use three fingers. It is NOT allowed to wipe the feet using an obstacle (such as wiping the shoes or socks instead of the skin).
  
7. Do the same thing, except using your left hand and wiping your left foot.

This is based on the 6th Ayat of Surah al-Ma'ida (Qur'an 5:6) which states:

"O ye who believe! when ye prepare for prayer, wash your faces, and your hands (and arms) to the elbows; Rub your heads (with water); and (wash) your feet to the ankles."[3]

Wudu is considered invalid ('broken') when certain conditions prevail. These conditions differ in the various fiqh.
 Hanafi

    * Passing wind or fluid from any part of the body.
    * Deep sleep in a reclining position; sleeping in a sitting, kneeling or standing position does not break the wudu.
    * Loss of senses.
    * Vomiting.
    * Spitting saliva consisting mainly of blood.
    * Laughing very loudly during prayer
    * To lose blood to a point where it begins to run.

 Hanbali

    * Going to the bathroom or passing wind.
    * Deep sleep.
    * Emission of semen.
    * Vomiting.
    * Emission of blood or pus.
    * Eating the meat of an animal not slaughtered in the name of Allah.
    * Coming in contact with the saliva of a dog or unclean animals (except cats).

Maliki

    * Defecation, urination or passing wind.
    * Deep sleep.
    * Loss of ones senses.
    * Emission of semen.
    * Having doubts regarding whether one's wudu is valid.

 Shafii

From Reliance of the Traveler, e7.0 - e7.6:

    * Anything that exits from the private parts.
    * Loss of intellect through sleep, etc (except for sleep while continuously and firmly seated on the ground).
    * Touching the private parts with bare hands.
    * Touching the skin of someone of the opposite sex when they are not each other's unmarriable kin


Allah says in the Qur'an :
"Surely Allah loves those who turn to Him and those who care for cleanliness" (2:22).

Islam insists on the use of clean water to cleanse the body of impurities, and only when water is not available can a person use other things. Even the clothing should be perfectly clean from any impurities. For that reason, Muslim bathrooms have a source of running water or pitchers of water next to the toilet.
The prerequisite for offering prayers is to be in the state of purity. This is achieved by making wudu(ablution). If one does not make wudu then the prayer is invalid.

   
How to Perform Wudu

 Before we begin to say As-Salah, we must make ourselves ready for it.  We must make sure that our body, clothes an the place of As-Salah are clean.  Cleansing parts of the body for the purpose of As-Salah is called Wudu.

Allah (SWA) says in the Qur’an: “Oh you who believe, when you prepare for As-Salah, wash your faces and your hand to the elbows; rub your heads and wash your feet up to the ankles.  And if you are unclean, purify yourself”.  (Suratul Ma idah 5:6).

This verse clearly points out the compulsory aspects of wudu.  These are

               1.  Washing face
               2  .Washing hands up to elbows
               3. Wiping head with wet palms
               4. Washing feet up to ankles

There are also the Sunnah (Practice) of the Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh).

Wudu is a must for performing As-Salah,  We cannot offer As-Salah without making Wudu.  The steps to take for Wudu are:



         1. First make Niyyah (Intension) saying Bismillahir rahmanir rahim (In the name of Allah the most Merciful, the most Kind); then wash both hands up to the wrists three times making sure that water has reached between the fingers.
         2. Next, put a handful of water into the month and rince it thoroughly three times
         3. After this sniff water into the nostrils three times to clean them and then wash the tip of the nose.
         4. Wash the face three times from right ear to left and from forehead to throat.
         5. Wash the right arm and then left arm thoroughly from wrist to elbow three times.
         6. Then move the wet palms of both hands over head, starting from the top of the forehead to the back of the head.
         7. Then pass the wet tips of index fingers into the grooves and holes of both ears and also pass the wet thumbs behind the ears.
         8. Next pass the backs of wet hands over the nape.
         9. Finally, wash both feet to the ankles starting from the right foot making sure the water has reached between the toes and all other parts of the feet.

    If you made a complete Wudu before putting on your socks, it is not necessary to take them off every time you repeat your wudu.  It is enough to wipe the upper part of the socks with wet fingers.  Leather socks are preferred for this, but any durable, untorn think socks can serve the purpose.  This type of wiping is valid for twenty four hours only (three days in case of journey).
    At the end of all of the steps, recite:

    Meaning: “I testify that there is no god but Allah and He is one and has no partner and I also testify that Muhammad is His servant and messenger.”

    You should repeat your Wudu after:

         1. Natural discharges, (e.g. urine, stool, wind and the like)
         2. Flow of blood or pus from any part of the body
         3.. Full mouth vomiting
         4.. Falling asleep

    Tayammum (Dry Ablution)
    Islam is a very practical way of life. It has not laid down any impossible duties for us.  For instance, if you cannot make Wudu for any of the following reasons:

         1. Water is not available at all
         2. Enough water is not available (e.g. available water is enough for drinking only)
         3. Use of water is harmful (e.g. in sickness)

    You are allowed to make tayammum and offer your salah.  What you are required is:

         1. Make niyah by saying bismisllah irrahmaaniraheem and place both your hands lightly on earth, sand , stone or any other object having dust on it.
         2. Blow the dust of the hands and wipe your face with the hands once in the sameway as you do in wudu
         3. Repeat as in (1) and wipe the right arm from wrist to the elbow with thelfet hand left arm with the right hand.

........Wudu while wounded...........
What should a person do if one of the areas normally washed during wudu'is wounded?

If a person is wounded in one of the areas of wudu' and is not able to cover the wound with a bandage, he should perform wudu' except for the wounded body part, for which he should then perform ablution with sand (tayammum).1 (Note that this means one performs normal tayammum, not actually placing the sand on the wound itself.)
Purification Before Salaat :

Allah's Messenger SAW said, The key to Paradise is prayer and the key to prayer is cleanliness (Ablution). Tirmidhi, Transmitted Ahmad, Narrated Jabir ibn Abdullah

A desert Arab came to Allah's Apostle SAW and asked him about ablution. He demonstrated (washing each part of his body) thrice, and then said: That is (the method) of the ablution. And he who does more than this has done wrong, transgressed the limit and has oppressed (himself). [Tirmidhi #417, Transmitted by Nasa'i, Ibn Majah, and AbuDawud transmitted something to the same effect.]

Allah (SWT) said, "O you who believe! When you intend to offer prayer, wash your faces and your hands (fore-arms) up to the elbows, rub (by passing wet hands over) your heads, and (wash) your feet up to ankles…" (Al-Ma'idah 5:6)

The Prophet (SAW) said, "Allah does not accept prayer without purification ..."  (Sahih - Muslim and others)

Hadith - Bukhari 1:161, Narrated Humran

(The slave of 'Uthman) I saw 'Uthman bin 'Affan(R.A) asking for a tumbler of water (and when it was brought) he poured water over his hands and washed them thrice and then put his right hand in the water container and rinsed his mouth, washed his nose by putting water in it and then blowing it out. Then he washed his face and forearms up to the elbows thrice, passed his wet hands over his head and washed his feet up to the ankles thrice. Then he said, "Allah's Apostle SAW said 'If anyone Performs ablution like that of mine and offers a two-rak'at prayer during which he does not think of anything else (not related to the present prayer) then his past sins will be forgiven.' " After performing the ablution 'Uthman said, "I am going to tell you a Hadith which I would not have told you, had I not been compelled by a certain Holy Verse (the sub narrator 'Urwa said: This verse is: 'Verily, those who conceal the clear signs and the guidance which we have sent down...)' (2:159). I heard the Prophet SAW saying, 'If a man performs ablution perfectly and then offers the compulsory congregational prayer, Allah will forgive his sins committed between that (prayer) and the (next) prayer till he offers it.'

  

Diseases of the Heart

بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيم
What would you call a religion whose beliefs, practices and followers are being bashed and bad-mouthed in practically every sphere of activity, in almost every corner of the globe, yet it attracts ever-increasing numbers of people?

A Paradox? A Miracle ? Or simply, The Truth: Islam.

There is something very important for both the new Muslims and those who grew up in Islam, without which a person may not really be a "Muslim." It is called the "shahadah."

How to Make Your Shahada/how to become a Muslim
To become a Muslim you must first make your shahada. Shahada is an arabic word which means "witnessing/to testify" . Muslims believe everyone is born muslim until they worship a false god or associate partners with Allah (by giving traits of God to a person or thing that is not God). If you have not continued as a Muslim all your life, and have failed in practising the principle of the Oneness of God, it is necessary for you to reaffirm your faith by testifying/witnessing to the Oneness of God. This is where it becomes necessary to take one's shahada in Islam.

When you make your shahada you testify belief in one true God [Allah] that has no partners/equals, and in Allah's angels, books, and Prophets, and that Mohammed is the last messenger of Allah. Before you do this, you should make sure that you want to be a Muslim: read the Qu'ran, and make sure you understand the core values of the religion. You should become a Muslim with conviction and knowledge for it should be your religion for the rest of your life---there's greater punishment in willingly leaving Islam than there is for failing to be perfect in all of its principles. As a Muslim, you must obey all the laws of Allah, such as learning daily prayers and giving chairty, as well as no adultery and no eating of pork, but those seem minor once you truly understand the more important concepts of submission to God. As soon as you believe in Allah S.W.T as being the One God worthy of worship, and that the Qu'ran is the final message of Allah, and the Prophet Mohammed was sent to explain the Qu'ran with guidance from his Creator [and feel secure in the knowledge that you will always believe this] , than you may make your shahada. You don't have to be perfect in the practice of the faith to make your shahada (but by making your shahada you are making the intention to aspire to be as the faithful described in the Qu'ran) simply understanding and belief in it.

Every Muslim has been taught that the key to "Jennah" (Paradise)  is the statement in Arabic:
  "Laa illaha illa lah."  (There is none worthy of worship except Allah.)

Yet too many Muslims simply rely upon this statement and believe that as long as they have made this statement, nothing will harm them.  They think they will be granted Paradise because of this mere verbal statement of the Shahadah.

There is no question that the mere saying of the shahadah: "I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and messenger" is not sufficient for salvation. In fact, the munafiqeen ( hypocrites) used to make this statement quite often yet Allah describes them as liars and says that they shall abide in the lowest abyss of the Hell-fire.
Think about it. If you try to drive your car with the key to your house will it work? Of course not. So, we see that the statement like a key, must meet certain conditions in order to work. In fact these conditions are what will determine who will benefit from the statement and who will not benefit from saying it, no matter how many times per day they say it. We must work hard to learn, understand and practice these conditions before we run out time and then it would be too late for our shahadah to help us at all. This article has value only if we use it to look at ourselves and make sure we are really meeting these conditions.

Then by Allah's Mercy, the doors to Jennah will open for us with our KEY (muftah) of Laa elaha illa lah".

Declaring the shahada, or testimony, is all one needs to enter Islam. It is the most important of all the five pillars of Islam. This little phrase is what separates Muslims from everyone else. Because those who state this phrase have declared their acknowledgement of Allah’s monotheism and Prophet Muhammad’s(s.a.w) status.


1.) Hidayatul Irshaad: Verily you do not guide those whom you love, but Allaah gives guidance to whom he wills.You can give dawah to the same person more than once, some people will take longer than others but the dawah is still our duty.
2.) Hidayatul tawfiq: This is from Allaah, this is when Allaah opens a persons heart to Islam. Our duty is to only let people know where the truth is. Allaah puts the hidaya in the heart the da’ee (caller) does not do that.

This type of guidance is from Allaah, and when you know that this is true, nothing can stand in your way. In the end direct them and the rest is up to Allaah. Allaah guides whom He wills, and Allaah is the one whom places guidance in the heart.
A person can convert to Islam by stating the Shahada with conviction.

The Meaning of the Shahada

The word shahada actually means to testify or to bear witness. There are actually two parts to the shahada which when taken together is often called the Shahadatayn, meaning “two testimonies.” The full shahadatayn requires a statement testifying to Allah’s monotheistic qualities and another statement testifying that Prophet Mohammad is the messenger of Allah.

Here are both parts of the shahada in English and Arabic.

Ash-hadu an laa ilaaha illallah

“I bear witness that there is no god except Allah”

Wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan rasulullah

“And I bear witness that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.”
There is No God Except Allah. True, But...

After you become a muslim, then you are held responsible for learning when and how to do salah and wudu, acting upon the pillars of Islam and faith, and for implementing what you learn, when you learn it.
You must study and act upon the five principles (pillars) of Islam, and study and believe in the six articles of Faith.
1 KNOWLEDGE: ('ilm)

That is, one must have the basic and general knowledge of what is meant by the shahadah. One must understand what the shahadah is affirming and what the shahadah is denying. Allah says in the Qur'an,

"So know that there is no God save Allah, and ask forgiveness for your sin."
(Surah Muhammad: 19).

Similarly, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said,
“Whoever dies knowing that there is no one worthy of worship except Allah shall enter Paradise.”
(Recorded in Sahih Muslim).

In fact, the shahadah itself is a testimony. When one testifies to something, one must know what it is that he is testifying concerns. Obviously, a testimony about something that one does not have any knowledge about is absolutely unacceptable. Allah says in the Qur'an,

"Except him who bears witness unto the truth knowingly."
(Surah Al-Zukhruf: 86).

Now this condition probably sounds obvious; if someone said to you, "There is no God except Allah," and then said that what he meant by Allah was Jesus, you would immediately tell him that this shahadah is nonsense. Yet can you imagine that there is a Muslim country in the world that until recently used to have a yearly weeklong celebration to "the Gods of the Sea"! All along they call themselves Muslims and they make the shahadah numerous times a day.

This clearly shows that they have no idea what the meaning of their shahadah is. Do you think that this kind of shahadah will open the doors to Paradise for them? Today, there are many Muslims who wonder why we should not accept secularism. They think that there is nothing wrong with secularism! Many of these Muslims pray five times a day and utter the shahadah repeatedly. Yet they see nothing wrong with accepting a Lawgiver other than Allah? What kind of shahadah are these people making?

All of us do our best to learn at least the basics of Islamic beliefs, the basics of what shahadah means. In this way, Allah willing, we will be making the correct shahadah. We will be witnessing to the truth as we are supposed to be witnesses to it.

2- CERTAINTY (yaqeen):

This is the opposite of doubt and uncertainty. In Islam, in fact, any kind of doubt is equivalent to Kufr or disbelief. We must, in our hearts, be absolutely certain of the truth of the shahadah. Our hearts must not be wavering in any way when we testify to the truth of, "There is none worthy of worship except Allah." Allah describes the believers in the Qur'an as those who have belief in Allah and then their hearts waver not. Allah says,

"the (true) believers are those only who believe in Allah and His messenger and afterward doubt not, but strive with their wealth and their lives for the cause of Allah. Such are the sincere."
(al-Hujjarat : 15).

Similarly, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, "No one meets Allah with the testimony that there is none worthy of worship but Allah and I am the Messenger of Allah, and he has no doubt about hat statement, except that he will enter Paradise." (Recorded by Muslim.)

Indeed, Allah describes the hypocrites as those people whose hearts are wavering. For example, Allah says,

"They alone seek leave of thee (not to participate in jihad) who believe not in Allah and the Last Day and whose hearts feel doubt, so in their doubt they waver."
(al-Tauba: 45).

Many scholars have stated that the diseases of the heart, or the doubt and suspicionsdiseases of the heart that one allows into one's heart, are more dangerous for a person's faith than lusts and desires. This is because lusts and desires may be satisfied at some time yet the person still knows them to be wrong and he may control himself and repent and give up that evil deed. On the other hand, the doubts and suspicions may linger in the heart, with no cure, until the person finally leaves Islam entirely or continues to practice Islam while, in fact, in his heart he does not have the true faith. The greatest cure for these doubts is seeking knowledge. It is through sound knowledge of the Qur'an and the Sunnah that most of these doubts will be removed.
The first part of the shahada deals with our relationship with Allah, may He be Glorified and Praised. Even though the literal translation of “laa ilaaha illallah” means “no god but Allah,” the actual meaning is much deeper than that.

7- LOVE (mahabbah):
That is, the believer loves this shahadah, he loves in accordance with the shahadah, he loves the implications and requirements of the shahadah and he loves those who act and strive for the sake of this shahadah. This is a necessary condition of the shahadah. If a person makes the shahadah but does not love the shahadah and what it stands for, then, in fact, his faith is not complete. It is not the faith of a true believer. And if he loves something more that this shahadah or if he loves something more than Allah, then he has negated his shahadah. The true believer, the one meeting the conditions of the shahadah puts no one whatsoever as an equal to Allah in his love. Allah says in the Qur'an,

"Yet of mankind are some who take unto themselves (objects of worship which they set as) rivals to Allah, loving them with a love like (that which is due to) Allah only. However, those who believe are stauncher in their love of Allah" (al-Baqarah: 165).

And elsewhere Allah says:

"Say: If your fathers, or your sons, or your brethren, or your wives, or your tribe, or the wealth you have acquired, or merchandise for which you fear that there will be no sale, or dwellings you desire are dearer to you than Allah and His Messenger and striving in His way: then wait till Allah brings His command to pass. Allah guides not wrongdoing folk" (al-Tauba: 24).

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "Whoever has three characteristics has tasted the sweetness of faith. [The first of these] is that he loves Allah and His Messenger more than he loves anyone else..." (Recorded by al-Bukhari and Muslim.).

This is one of the most important aspects of Islam yet, for some reason, it is missing from the lives of many Muslims. They act in Islam as if Islam were a chore instead of doing things out of the love of Allah. When Allah orders us to do something, like bear witness to the faith, we should realize that that thing is pleasing to Allah and, therefore, out of our love for Allah, we should be very pleased to do the acts that are pleasing to Allah. But, as I said, this feeling is missing from many, many Muslims today.


Simply stating there is no god but Allah indicates that Allah is the only true deity and creator of all that exists. That is most certainly true. But to really understand the essence of Islamic monotheism you must take it further. After all, a person may agree that Allah is the only god, but they may worship Him through other entities.

There are many other faiths that use intermediaries, or “go-betweens”, when worshipping Allah. Sometimes these “go-betweens” may be  an idol. But whatever the intermediary is, the person focuses their worship towards them first, instead of towards Allah only. Whatever that intermediary is, it is a created being and not the creator. Therefore, it does not deserve any portion of worship.

The more accurate meaning of “laa ilaaha illallah” would be “There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah.” Using this phrase, we make it perfectly clear that we are not going to worship anything else besides Allah. We are not only declaring that Allah is the one and only true God of all, we are also stating we will only worship Him and reject everything that even remotely compromises that worship.

Muhammad(s.a.w) is Not Just a Prophet of Allah

The second part of the shahadah deals with our understanding of the status of Prophet Muhammad Ibn Abdullah, may Allah be pleased with him. The phrase “Muhammadan rasulullah” does not mean “Muhammad is the prophet of Allah,” even though he certainly was. This phrase actually means “Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.” While this may seem insignificant to some, it is actually very important.

Allah has sent several men to mankind to remind them of their duty towards Him. Muslims believe that all of these men were prophets. These prophets of Allah include Adam, Noah, Abraham, Ismail, Isaac, Jacob, Jonah, Moses, Joseph, Jesus, and Muhammad, peace be upon them all. However, some of these prophets actually came with a message from Allah for mankind.

The prophets that came with a message are also called “Messengers of Allah.” Prophet Moses (Musa in Arabic) was a messenger as he came with the Torah. Prophet Jesus (Isa in Arabic) was a messenger as he came with the Gospel. And Prophet Mohammed (s.a.w)  was also a messenger as he came with the Quran.

In order for a person to be Muslim, they must accept the second shahada along with the first shahada. A person cannot be Muslim if they only believe in the oneness of Allah, but do not accept that Muhammad was the Messenger of Allah. When a person testifies that Muhammad was also Allah’s messenger, they are also accepting the message he came with, that being the Quran.

So how can anyone worship Allah as the only God, but not accept Prophet Muhammad who taught us how to worship Him, and the Quran that was His message to mankind? It’s impossible and implausible.

DAROOD / SALAWAT (BLESSINGS) UPON MUHAMMAD

56 INN ALLAHA WA MALAI KATAHU YU SALLU NA ALAN NABIYY YA AYUHAL LAZEENA AMANU SALLU ALAIHI WA SALLIMU TASLIMA

56 Allah and His angels shower blessings on the Nabee (Prophet). You who believe! Ask blessings on him and salute him with a worthy salutation.

[Quran: Al Ahzab Chapter 33]

The Five Pillars of Islam (or the five basic duties of a Muslim):

[Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/7, Narrated by Ibn 'Umar]

Allah’s Messenger said: Islam is based on the following five (principles):

   1.To testify La ilaha ill Allah wa anna Muhammad-ur-Rasul-Allah (none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and that Muhammad is Allah’s Messenger).
   2.To offer the (compulsory congregational) prayers dutifully and perfectly (Iqamat-as-Salat, i.e. Salah).
        
Says al-Khattabi, “Basically, one’s prayer does not suffice if he does not recite al-Fatihah. If one can recite neither al-Fatihah nor other portions of the Qur’an, he should recite at least seven verses of a similar meaning from the Qur’an. If he can not learn any part of the Qur’an (due to some innate inability, poor memory, or because it’s a foreign language), he should say the tasbeeh (Subhaan Allah – Glory be to Allah), the tamheed (al-Hamdu lillah – All praise is due to Allah), and tahleel (La ilaha illal-lah – There is no God except Allah). It is related that he said, “The best remembrance after the speech of Allah is Subhaan Allah, al-Hamdu lillah, La ilaha illal-lah and Allahu akbar.” This is supported by Rafa’ah ibn Rafa’, who narrated that the Prophet said, “If you have something from the Qur’an, recite it. If not, then say the tamheed, takbir and the tahleel and then bow.” [This hadith is related by Abu Dawud, at-Tirmidhi, an-Nasa'i and al-Baihaqi. The former considers it as hassan]

"We must take this religion one step at a time. It is a complete way of life and requires time to adjust. In learning your religion, you must begin to re-examine and regard things in its new light. Apply Allah's commands in the spirit of 'We hear and we obey' (Qur'an, 5:7). Assimilating what you learn consistently will facilitate this. It is through Allah's mercy and wisdom that we are shown our faults gradually. As many converts to Islam can attest, it may take years to really shed non-Islamic manners and patterns of behaviour. Whether new to Islam or not, your keeping to Islam is a tremendous blessing from Allah, for in it lies the means to earthly and eternal happiness."


You don't have to be perfect in the practice of the faith to make your shahada (but by making your shahada you are making the intention to aspire to be as the faithful described in the Qu'ran) simply understanding and belief in it.

Difference of Opinion-ummah’s greatest ‘ulema

......................The Four Imams...............

Think of what would it be like to look inside the minds of the ummah’s greatest ‘ulema. Imagine the benefit of getting an

‘insider’s view’ of the way they thought, learned, and lived.

Learn from the lives of the very people who attained ultimate success –in the Dunya and the Akhirah.
Who were these great people?
They were the men and women who carried the standard of Islam.

Those who sought to enliven the vision of La illaha illa Allah through the power of their words and the beauty of their actions.

Those who refused to rest, in the hope of benefiting others - others, like you and I, who thousands of years after their passing

continue to benefit from the fruits of their labour.

They are the ‘Ulema of Islaam.

“The virtue of the scholar to a worshipper is similar to the virtue of the moon when it is full to the rest of the stars”
1.The sharpest minds.
2. The best manners.
3 The highest degree of Discipline.

Better known as `Imam-e-`Adham' (The Greatest Imam), or by his kunyah `Abu Hanifah', Nu'man ibn Thabit was born in the

city of Kufa (modern day Iraq) in the year 80 A.H (689 A.D). Born into a family of tradesmen, the Imam's family were of Persian

origin as well as descending from the noble Prophet's (saw) Companion Salman al-Farsi (ra). Imam Abu Hanifah's father,

Thabit, had met in Kufa Imam `Ali Ibn Abi Talib (ra) who made dua for him and his progeny, and some say that Abu Hanifahwas a result of this dua.

A Wise Young Muslim Boy........
Many years ago, during the time of the Tâbi'în (the generation of Muslims after the Sahâbah), Baghdâd was a great city of

Islam. In fact, it was the capital of the Islamic Empire and, because of the great number of scholars who lived there, it was the center of Islamic knowledge.

One day, the ruler of Rome at the time sent an envoy to Baghdad with three challenges for the Muslims. When the messenger reached the city, he informed the khalîfah that he had three questions which he challenged the Muslims to answer.

The khalîfah gathered together all the scholars of the city and the Roman messenger climbed upon a high platform and said, "I have come with three questions. If you answer them, then I will leave with you a great amount of wealth which I have brought from the king of Rome." As for the questions, they were: "What was there before Allâh?" "In which direction does Allâh face?"

"What is Allâh engaged in at this moment?"

The great assembly of people were silent. (Can you think of answers to these questions?) In the midst of these brilliant scholars and students of Islam was a man looking on with his young son. "O my dear father! I will answer him and silence him!" said the youth. So the boy sought the permission of the khalîfah to give the answers and he was given the permission to do so.

The Roman addressed the young Muslim and repeated his first question, "What was there before Allâh?"

The boy asked, "Do you know how to count?"

"Yes," said the man.

"Then count down from ten!" So the Roman counted down, "ten, nine, eight, ..." until he reached "one" and he stopped counting

"But what comes before 'one'?" asked the boy.

"There is nothing before one- that is it!" said the man.

"Well then, if there obviously is nothing before the arithmetic 'one', then how do you expect that there should be anything before the 'One' who is Absolute Truth, All-Eternal, Everlasting the First, the Last, the Manifest, the Hidden?"

Now the man was surprised by this direct answer which he could not dispute. So he asked, "Then tell me, in which direction is

Allâh facing?"

"Bring a candle and light it," said the boy, "and tell me in which direction the flame is facing."

"But the flame is just light- it spreads in each of the four directions,

North, South, East and West. It does not face any one direction only," said the man in wonderment.

The boy cried, "Then if this physical light spreads in all four directions such that you cannot tell me which way it faces, then what do you expect of the Nûr-us-Samâwâti-wal-'Ard: Allâh - the Light of the Heavens and the Earth!? Light upon Light, Allâh faces all directions at all times."

The Roman was stupified and astounded that here was a young child answering his challenges in such a way that he could not argue against the proofs. So, he desperately wanted to try his final question. But before doing so, the boy said,

"Wait! You are the one who is asking the questions and I am the one who is giving the answer to these challenges. It is only fair that you should come down to where I am standing and that I should go up where you are right now, in order that the answers may be heard as clearly as the questions."

This seemed reasonable to the Roman, so he came down from where he was standing and the boy ascended the platform.

Then the man repeated his final challenge, "Tell me, what is Allâh doing at this moment?"

The boy proudly answered, "At this moment, when Allâh found upon this high platform a liar and mocker of Islam, He caused

him to descend and brought him low. And as for the one who believed in the Oneness of Allâh, He raised him up and

established the Truth. Every day He exercises (universal) power (Surah 55 ar-Rahmân, Verse 29)."

The Roman had nothing to say except to leave and return back to his country, defeated. Meanwhile, this young boy grew up to become one of the most famous scholars of Islam. Allâh, the Exalted, blessed him with special wisdom and knowledge of the deen. His name was Abu Hanîfah (rahmatullâh 'alayhi- Allâh have mercy on him) and he is known today as Imâm-e-A'dham, the Great Imâm and scholar of Islam.

A hadith given by al-Bukhari and Muslim states that Abu Hurairah (ra) narrated Allah's Messenger (saw) as saying:"If the Religion were at the Pleiades, even then a person from Persia would have taken hold of it, or one amongst the Persian descent would surely have found it." Abu Hurairah (ra) also narrates:"We were sitting in the company of Allah's Apostle (saw) when

Surat al-Jum`a was revealed to him and when he recited amongst them, (those who were sitting there) said `Allah's Messenger?' but Allah's Apostle (saw) made no reply, until he was questioned once, twice or thrice, and there was amongst us Salman the Persian. Allah's Apostle (saw) placed his hand on Salman and then said:"Even if faith were near the Pleiades, a
man from amongst these would surely find it."

Imam as-Suyuti a Shafi'i alim (rh) remarked:"It has been communicated unanimously that this hadith refers to Imam Abu Hanifah."
Kufa at the time of the Imam's birth was a great center of knowledge and learning, with many of the noble Prophet's (saw)

Companions (ra) having taken residence there. Due to the presence of these venerable people who had engendered so much

interest in hadith and riwayat that practically every house in Kufa had become a center of these disciples and their disciplines.

At first, Imam Abu Hanifah was not a student of knowledge. However, by coincidence, while one day passing by the house of Sha'bi (an acclaimed "Great Scholar among the Successors (rh)"), Abu Hanifah was called in by the shaykh who mistook him for a student. "Where are you going young man?" asked Sha'bi. Abu Hanifah named the merchant he was going to see. "I meant to ask," asked Sha'bi, "Whose classes you attend?" "Nobody's," replied the Imam regretfully. "I see signs of intelligence in you," began Sha'bi,"you should sit in the company of learned men."

It was after this encounter that the young Imam began his quest for knowledge. Imam Abu Hanifah acquired knowledge from over four thousand people. His teachers included many prestigious men of the time whose sanad went back to a number of Companions (ra). He himself was blessed with the meeting of the Companions: Anas ibn Malik, Abdullah ibn Afwa and Sahl ibn Sa'ad (ra), thus gaining him the rank of being a Tabi'i (Successor to the Companions).

Amongst Imam Abu Hanifah's shayukh was Hammad ibn Sulayman, he joined his circle at the age of 22, having already become a well-known debater and studied with this shaykh until the latter's death, whereupon he took over his majlis (circle) at the age of forty. Shu'ba, a leading muhaddith who knew-by-heart two thousand traditions was also a teacher of Imam Abu

Hanifah. Shu'ba was greatly attached to Imam Abu Hanifah saying: "Just as I know that the sun is bright, I know that learning and Abu Hanifah are doubles of each other."

The Imam's quest for knowledge inevitably took him to the Holy Sanctuaries, at a time when Makkah was a busy center for learning. A number of acknowledged masters of hadith, who had had access to the Prophet's (saw) Companions (ra) had

established their own schools there. Of these was `Ata bin Rabah's (rh) school. `Ata was a famous Tabi'i who had associated with most of the Companions (ra) and acquired from this association a status of authority. He himself claimed to have met two hundred men who had associated with the Noble Prophet (saw). The leading Companions (ra) all acknowledged his learning.

Abdullah ibn `Umar (ra), son of the Caliph `Umar (ra) often used to say:"Why do people come to me when `Ata ibn Abi Rabah is there for them to go to?" Of the other Muhaddithin of Makkah whose classes the Imam attended was `Ikrimah. He was the slave and pupil of Abdullah ibn `Abbas, who educated him with great care and attention, making him so proficient that he,

during his own lifetime gave Imam Abu Hanifah the authority to exercise personal judgement and rulings. "Imam Abu Hanifah was the first to analyze Islamic jurisprudence, divide it into subjects, distinguish its issues and determine the range and criteria

for analytical reasoning (qiyas)."

Al-Hafiz al-Kabir Abu Bakr Ahmad al-Harizmi wrote in his book"Musnad":

`Saif al-Aimma' reports that when Imam Abu Hanifah derived a matter from the Qur'an and Hadith, he would not give the answer to the inquirer unless all of them [his students] confirmed it. One thousand of Abu Hanifah's disciples attended all his classes when he taught in the Mosque of Kufa City. Forty of them were mujtahids. When he would find an answer for a matter, he
would suggest to his students who would study it together, and when they reached an agreement of it being consistent with the Qur'an and Hadith, and with the words of the Sahabah (ra), he would be delighted and say, "Al-hamdu li'llah wallahu Akbar," and all those who were present would repeat his words. Then he would tell them to write it down.

Ibn `Abd al-Barr relates in"Al-Intiqa'":

`Abd Allah ibn Ahmad al-Dawraqi said:"Ibn Ma'inn was asked about Abu Hanifah as I was listening, so he said"He is trustworthy (thiqatun), I never heard that anyone had weakened him." No less than Shu'ba wrote to him [for narrations], and ordered him to narrate hadith.'
..Ibn Hajar said in Kharija ibn al-Salt's notice in"Tahdhib al-Tahdhib":

Ibn Abi Khaythama said:"If al-Shu'bi narrates from someone and names him, that man is trustworthy (thiqa) and his narration is used as proof (yuhtajju bi hadithihi)".

Many well-known shuyukh narrated from Imam Abu Hanifah, to name but a few: al-Thawri, ibn al-Mubarak, Hammad ibn Zayd and `Abd al-Razzaq (one of Imam al-Bukhari's shaykhs.) Al-Mizzi in"Tahdhib al-Kamal" names about one hundred names of those who narrated from Imam Abu Hanifah.

Imam as-Shafi'i (rh) is recorded to have stated:"All men of fiqh are Abu Hanifah's children" and"I would not have acquired

anything of knowledge had it not been for my teacher. All men of knowledge are children of the ulema of Iraq, who were the disciples of the ulema of Kufa, and they were the disciples of Abu Hanifah."

The Hanafi madhhab, entitled after the Imam, spread far-and-wide during the time of the Ottoman Empire. Today, more than half of the Muslims on the earth perform their `ibabadah according to the Hanafi madhhab. The Hanafi school has decided court cases in the majority of Islamic lands for the greater part of Islamic history, including the `Abbasid and Ottoman periods.

Not only was Imam Abu Hanifah's extraordinary mind and knowledge something to be admired, but so too was his exemplary

character and piety. Al-Dhahabi writes:"Accounts of his piety and devotion have reached a degree of tawatur (i.e., an unbroken chain of uncontradicted narrations)."

He was given the title of"The `Peg'" by some, for his continuous standing in prayer, often reciting the entire Qur'an in his nightly rakahs. He performed the Fajr prayer with the ablution made for the Isha prayers for forty years (due to him praying the whole night through). It is reported that he had recited the whole Qur'an seven thousand times in the place where he died.

He earned his living through trade (sending goods to other places), and with the earnings he made, he met the needs of his students. He gave much to charity and every Friday he would distribute twenty gold coins to the poor for his parents' souls.

In the year 146 A.H, Abu Hanifah was sent to prison by Mansur, the leader at the time, after the Imam's refusal to state that Mansur was the rightful khalifa, as well as refusing the position of presidency of the Supreme Court in recompense. While in prison, Imam Abu Hanifah was thrashed with a stick. Mansur repented and sent the Imam money, only to be refused again. By
now, Imam Abu Hanifah had become well-known and thousands flocked to meet and seek his opinion wherever he went. His imprisonment far from reduced his popularity, and Mansur realized that he would have to treat the Imam carefully, thus he allowed him to teach while still in prison. Mansur finally decided to do away with the great Imam and had him poisoned. Abu
Hanifah, feeling the effects of the poison, bent down in prayer and died in the month of Rajab. News of the Imam's death reached far-and-wide, and thousands gathered at the prison.The city Qadi washed his body, and kept repeating:"By God, you were the greatest faqih and the most pious man of our time ..."
By the time the bathing was finished, so many people had assembled that the funeral prayer was performed attended by fifty thousand people.

The Great Imam died in Baghdad in 150 A.H at the age of seventy. May Allah (swt) be pleased with him. Ameen


Al-Nu`man ibn Thabit al-Taymi, al-Imam Abu Hanifa (d. 150), called "The Imam" by Abu Dawud, and "The Imam, one of those

who have reached the sky" by Ibn Hajar, he is known in the Islamic world as "The Greatest Imam" (al-imâm al-a`zam) and his school has the largest number of followers among the four schools of Ahl al-Sunna. He is the first of the four mujtahid imams and the only Successor (tâbi`i) among them, having seen the Companions Anas ibn Malik, `Abd Allah ibn Abi Awfa, Sahl ibn

Sa`d al-Sa`idi, Abu al-Tufayl, and `Amir ibn Wathila.

Abu Hanifa is the first in Islam to organize the writing of fiqh under sub-headings embracing the whole of the Law, beginning with purity (tahara) followed by prayer (sala), an order which was retained by all subsequent scholars such as Malik, Shafi`i,

Abu Dawud, Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidhi, and others. All these and their followers are indebted to him and give him a share of their reward because he was the first to open that road for them, according to the hadith of the Prophet: "He who starts something good in Islam has its reward and the reward of those who practice it until the Day of Judgement, without lessening in the least the reward of those who practice it. The one who starts something bad in Islam will incur its punishment and the punishment of all those who practice it until the Day of Judgement without lessening their punishment in the least." Al-Shafi`i referred to this when he said: "People are all the children of Abu Hanifa in fiqh, of Ibn Ishaq in history, of Malik in hadith, and of Muqatil in tafsîr."

Al-Khatib narrated from Abu Hanifa’s student Abu Nu`aym that the latter said: "Muslims should make du`a to Allah on behalf ofAbu Hanifa in their prayers, because the Sunan and the fiqh were preserved for them through him. Al-Dhahabi wrote one volume on the life of each of the other three great Imams and said: "The account of Abu Hanifa’s life requires two volumes." His son Hammad said as he washed his father’s body for burial: "May Allah have mercy on you! You have exhausted whoever tries to catch up with you."
Abu Hanifa was scrupulously pious and refused Ibn Hubayra’s offer of a judgeship even when the latter had him whipped. Like al-Bukhari and al-Shafi`i, he used to make 60 complete recitations (khatma) of Qur’an every Ramadan: one in the day, one in the night, besides his teaching and other duties. Ibrahim ibn Rustum al-Marwazi said: "Four are the Imams that recited the entire Qur’an in a single rak`a: `Uthman ibn `Affan, Tamim al-Dari, Sa`id ibn Jubayr, and Abu Hanifa." Ibn al-Mubarak said:

"Abu Hanifa for a long time would pray all five prayers with a single ablution."

Al-Suyuti relates in Tabyid al-Sahifa that a certain visitor came to observe Abu Hanifa and saw him all day long in the mosque,teaching relentlessly, answering every question from both the scholars and the common people, not stopping except to pray, then standing at home in prayer when people were asleep, hardly ever eating or sleeping, and yet the most handsome and gracious of people, always alert and never tired, day after day for a long time, so that in the end the visitor said: "I becameconvinced that this was not an ordinary matter, but wilâya (Friendship with Allah)."

Al-Shafi`i said: "Knowledge revolves around three men: Malik, al-Layth, and Ibn `Uyayna." Al-Dhahabi commented: "Rather, it revolves also around al-Awza`i, al-Thawri, Ma`mar, Abu Hanifa, Shu`ba, and the two Hammads [ibn Zayd and ibn Salama]."

Sufyan al-Thawri praised Abu Hanifa when he said: "We were in front of Abu Hanifa like small birds in front of the falcon," and Sufyan stood up for him when Abu Hanifa visited him after his brother’s death, and he said: "This man holds a high rank in knowledge, and if I did not stand up for his science I would stand up for his age, and if not for his age then for his Godwariness
(wara`), and if not for his Godwariness then for his jurisprudence (fiqh)." Ibn al-Mubarak praised Abu Hanifa and called him a sign of Allah. Both Ibn al-Mubarak and Sufyan al-Thawri said: "Abu Hanifa was in his time the most knowledgeable of all people on earth." Ibn Hajar also related that Ibn al-Mubarak said: "If Allah had not rescued me with Abu Hanifa and Sufyan [al-Thawri] I would have been like the rest of the common people." Dhahabi relates it as: "I would have been an innovator."

An example of Abu Hanifa’s perspicuity in inferring legal rulings from source-texts is his reading of the following hadith:

The Prophet said: "Your life in comparison to the lifetime of past nations is like the period between the time of the mid-afternoon prayer (‘asr) and sunset. Your example and the example of the Jews and Christians is that of a man who employed laborers and said to them: ‘Who will work for me until mid-day for one qirât (a unit of measure, part of a dinar) each?’

The Jews worked until mid-day for one qirât each. Then the man said: ‘Who will work for me from mid-day until the ‘asr prayer for one qirât each?’ The Christians worked from mid-day until the ‘asr prayer for one qirât each. Then the man said: ‘Who will work for me from the `asr prayer until the maghrib prayer for two qirât each?’ And that, in truth, is all of you. In truth, you have double the wages. The Jews and the Christians became angry and said: ‘We did more labor but took less wages.’ But Allah said: ‘Have I wronged you in any of your rights?’ They replied no. Then He said: ‘This is My Blessing which I give to whom I wish.’".
One great advantage that accrued to him from his being attached to nobody was that he could express his true opinions without fear or favour. However independent-minded and frank a man may be, he cannot help being influenced by those from whom he accepts favours. Abu Hanifah never accepted a favour from anybody throughout his life, and so he retained his independence. He sometimes used to mention this fact too.

Ibn Hubairah, governor of Kufah and a man of renown, once said to Abu Hanifah, "I would consider it a favour if you could come and see me occasionally." "What is the point in my visiting you?" replied the Imam. "If you treated me kindly, I might fall into your trap. If, on the other hand, you received me rudely, I would consider it a disgrace. I do not need anything from your treasury, and whatever I have nobody can snatch away from me." A similar conversation is said to have taken place between him and 'Isa b. Musa.

A dispute having arisen between the Caliph Mansur and his wife Harrah over an accusation made by the latter that the former was not a just ruler, Abu Hanifah was called in to arbitrate between them. The queen sat behind a veil in order to hear the Imam's verdict with her own ears. Mansur began by asking how many wives a Muslim was permitted to have at a time according to the Shari'ah. The Imam replied, "Four." "Do you hear?" shouted Mansur to the queen. "Yes, I've heard it," replied the queen. At that point the Imam addressed himself to the Caliph and added, "But this permission is for a man who is capable of doing justice. No other man can have more than one wife. God Himself says: 'If you doubt your ability to do justice (between your wives), have only one wife.' " Mansur remained silent. A little while after the Imam returned home, a servant came to him with a gift of fifty thousand dinars. "The queen," he said, "sends you her respectful salutations and says that she is grateful to you for your truthful verdict." The Imam returned the money with a message for the queen that he had expressed the opinion he had expressed not in the expectation of a reward but because it was his duty as an arbitrator to express it.

Sufyan al-Thawri, Abu Hanifa, and his two companions Muhammad ibn a-Hasan and Abu Yusuf therefore considered it better to lengthen the time between zuhr and `asr by delaying the latter prayer as long as the sun did not begin to redden, while the majority of the authorities considered that praying `asr early is better, on the basis of other sound evidence to that effect.
Like every Friend of Allah, Abu Hanifa had his enemies. `Abdan said that he heard Ibn al-Mubarak say: "If you hear them mention Abu Hanifa derogatively then they are mentioning me derogatively. In truth I fear for them Allah’s displeasure."

Authentically related from Bishr al-Hafi is the statement: "No-one criticizes Abu Hanifa except an envier or an ignoramus."

Hamid ibn Adam al-Marwazi said: I heard Ibn al-Mubarak say: "I never saw anyone more fearful of Allah than Abu Hanifa, even on trial under the whip and through money and property." .

.........Difference of Opinion................
The four Imaams had the ability and necessary knowledge to practice ijtihaad.
The differences between the Imaams are based on the different narrations or the difference of interpretation. However, all the Imaams have their proofs from the Qur'an and Sunnah. Thus it is the duty of every person, while strictly following his Imaam, to respect and honour the other Imaams and their followers.

At this point somebody may ask: "If all the Imaams deduced the laws directly from the Qur'an and Hadith, how is it possible for them to differ on various aspects?" In order to understand the reality of these differences, we will have to go back in history right upto the time of the Sahaaba (radhiallahu anhum).

Once Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) had just returned from a battle when he ordered the Sahaaba (radhiallahu anhum) to immediately proceed to the place of Banu Quraizah — a clan of Jews who lived on the outskirts of Madina Munawwarah. The purpose was to lay a siege upon them for having broken the pact that they had made with the Muslims. In order to impress the urgency of the matter upon the Sahaaba (R.A.), Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said to them: "None of you should perform your salaah al-Asr except in Banu Quraizah." While the Sahaaba (R.A.) were still en-route, the time of Asr arrived. Some Sahaaba (radhiallahu anhum) felt that they should perform their Asr immediately. They regarded the instruction of Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) as actually being a command to proceed very swiftly to their destination. It did not imply that the Asr salaah could not be performed en-route. They thus performed their salaah there. Another group of Sahaaba (radhiallahu anhum.) viewed the instruction literally. They therefore continued and only performed their Asr salaah after having reached Banu Quraizah. Later when Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) was informed about this, he did not rebuke either group. [Sahih Bukhaari]

Thus we find that the difference arose from a point of interpretation. However, this difference of interpretation is only entertained when it comes from a person who has in-depth knowledge of Deen and has attained a mastery in the Qur'an and Hadith and the other related aspects. At times a difference of opinion occurs due to the different narrations that are found with regards to a particular aspect. One Imaam gives preference to one narration on the basis of various criteria while the other Imaam, in the light of his knowledge, prefers the other narration. This is basically the manner in which these differences occur. However, just as Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) did not rebuke either of the two groups in the incident mentioned above, similarly since the Imaams have attained the status of a mujtahid (one who is capable of deriving the laws directly from the Qur'an and Hadith), they will not be blame worthy even if they have erred. Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) is reported to have said: "When a haakim (ruler) passes judgement, and after having exerted his utmost effort he arrives at the correct solution, he gets a double reward. And if he errs after having exerted his utmost ability, he gets one reward." (Bukhari vol. 2 pg. 1092). Ibn al-Munzir (R.A.) while commenting on this Hadith writes that a ruler will only get this reward if he has thorough knowledge and in the light of his knowledge he passed judgement. (see footnotes of Sahih Bukhari; ibid). The four Imaams had the ability and necessary knowledge to practice ijtihaad. Thus they fall under the ambit of this Hadith.
Allah Ta’ala Knows Best