Sunnism: Traditions, Jurisprudence, and Principal Writings

Introduction to Sunnism

Sunnism is the largest denomination in Islam, adhering to the traditions (Sunnah) of the Prophet Muhammad as recorded in the collections of hadith (traditions). Sunnīs accept the “six correct books” (also known as the Six Canonical Hadith Collections) and follow four main schools (madhabs) of jurisprudence, which are Hanafī, Shāfiʿī, Hanbalī, and Mālikī. Each school derives its principles from foundational texts and differing interpretations.

Etymology

• Sunnī (سنيّ)
• Tradition (Hadith/حديث)
• Jurisprudence (Fiqh/فقه)

Major Hadith Collections

The Six Canonical Hadith Collections

The major collections of hadith accepted by all Sunnīs are:

1. Ṣaḥīḥu ʾl-Bukhārī (صحيح البخاري): Compiled by Imam Bukhārī.
2. Ṣaḥīḥu Muslim (صحيح مسلم): Compiled by Imam Muslim.
3. Sunanu ʾt-Tirmiẓī (سنن الترمذي): Compiled by Imam Tirmiẓī.
4. Sunanu Abī Dāʾūd (سنن أبي داود): Compiled by Imam Abī Dāʾūd.
5. Sunanu an-Nasāʾī (سنن النسائي): Compiled by Imam an-Nasāʾī.
6. Sunanu Ibn Mājah (سنن ابن ماجه): Compiled by Imam Ibn Mājah.

Additionally, the Muwaṭṭāʾ of Imam Mālik is also highly regarded.

Four Schools of Sunni Jurisprudence

Hanafī (حنفي)

Founded by Abū Hanīfah Nuʿmān ibn Thābit, it is the most prevalent school in Turkey, the Balkans, Central Asia, and the Indian subcontinent.

• Principal writings: Al-Fiqh al-Akbar, Al-Mabsūṭ, Al-Hidāyah

Shāfiʿī (شافعي)

Founded by Muhammad ibn Idrīs al-Shāfiʿī, prevalent in parts of Africa, Yemen, and South-East Asia.

• Principal writings: Kitāb al-Umm, Ar-Risālah fi Uṣūl al-Fiqh

Hanbalī (حنبلي)

Founded by Ahmad ibn Hanbal, it is mostly followed in Saudi Arabia and parts of the Arabian Peninsula.

• Principal writings: Al-Musnad, Al-Anwār al-Bahiyyah

Mālikī (مالكي)

Founded by Mālik ibn Anas, predominantly found in North and West Africa.

• Principal writings: Al-Muwaṭṭāʾ, Mudawwanah al-Kubrā

Key Writings and Commentaries

• Kanz-ud-Daqāʾiq by An-Nasafī
• Al-Baḥru ʾr-Rāʾiq by Zain-ul-ʿĀbidīn Ibn Najīm
• Multaqa ʾl-Abḥār by Ibrahim al-Halabī
• The Fatāwā ʿĀlamgīrī, a renowned collection ordered by Emperor Aurangzeb Alamgīr.

Principal Jurisprudential Contributions

Hanafī Contributions

• Adab-ul-Kāzī by Abū Yusuf
• Al-Jāmiʿu ʾl-Kabīr and Zāhiru ʾr-Rawāyāt by Imām Muhammad

Shāfiʿī Contributions

• Kitāb al-Umm by al-Shāfiʿī
• Al-Muhadhdhab by Al-Muzanī

Hanbalī Contributions

• Al-Musnad by Ahmad ibn Hanbal
• Al-Fatāwā al-Kubrā by Ibn Taymiyyah

Mālikī Contributions

• Al-Muwaṭṭāʾ by Mālik ibn Anas
• Mudawwanah al-Kubrā by Saḥnūn

Further Reading

1. “Al-Muwaṭṭāʾ” by Mālik ibn Anas
2. “The Reliance of the Traveller: A Classic Manual of Islamic Sacred Law” by Noah Ha Mim Keller
3. “Hadith: Muhammad’s Legacy in the Medieval and Modern World” by Jonathan A.C. Brown
4. “The Four Imams: Their Lives, Works and Their Schools of Thought” by Muhammad Abu Zahra

Takeaways and Conclusion

Sunnism, the largest branch within Islam, relies on a rich tradition of hadith and a diverse array of juristic interpretations. The four Sunni schools offer insight into the dynamic interaction between religious law and cultural contexts across the Muslim world. The legacy of such scholarly traditions continues to influence Islamic jurisprudence to this day.