Lesson 1 - Introduction to Kitab Zad al Mustaqni

note 2026-06-11

#area/academic #source/logical-progression #topic/fiqh #topic/islamic-studies #type/lecture-notes #type/study-note

https://archive.org/details/ZadAlMustaqni/page/n3/mode/2up

Introduction:

“Do not have prejudice! Learn different opinions, support and get exposed to the science of fiqh.“

Enjoy the differences in religion. This

Use logical progression ->

Scientific progression - consensus. How fiqh works is one of the deepest jurisprudences compared to christianity.

A bit about the text

زاد المستقنع في اختصار المقنع

About the transliteration:

Recital of the text in Arabic. Top students will attempt to memorize it. The memorize is for reference, explanation is on paper.
No dedicated student will say he’s behind about x or y

Intro 2

Muslims follow the arabs as a respected inspiration.

Study with an amanah/trust

Preponderant - the rajih. What he consideres to be the strongest according to the evidence.

Background to what all the names are:

Context: Some Sahabah are there all the time. And some all the time they could. Not 24/7 with the prophet. Not every companion/any companion has a complete handle on the sunnah.

No,1 reason why there are differences in peoples opinion regarding action.

A clear example of valid difference in interpretation is the hadith of Banū Qurayẓah. After the Battle of al-Aḥzāb, the Prophet ﷺ told the Companions: “None of you should pray ʿAṣr except at Banū Qurayẓah.” On the way, the time for ʿAṣr came in. One group understood the instruction literally, so they delayed ʿAṣr until they reached Banū Qurayẓah. Another group understood the Prophet ﷺ as meaning, “hurry there quickly,” so they prayed ʿAṣr on the way before its time ended. When this was mentioned to the Prophet ﷺ, he did not rebuke either group. This shows that sincere Muslims can differ because they are interpreting the same text differently, not necessarily because one side is being careless or rebellious.

Fiqh are the legal differences.

Ijtihad: Coming up with a new legal decision. Subjective to their person, context, reality, education. Always a difference. It is not praised to differ, its a consequence.

Now its about principles. We follow the principles, my teacher would prefer x or y. And thus its usul fiqh. (What are the salaf’s usul.). Thus, schools and thoughts are solidified.

Schools and imams rises. So many powerful imams. But 4 imams came forth and legacy is a testament to their work and remained.

-> Sham / Damascus. Modernday Palestine.

Ahmad ibn Hambal. -> Muhaddith, Defender of muslims, etc. -> Acceptable / academic -> Not as ‘Faqi’. If we were to compare the people of fiqh like Imam Abu Hanifa etc cannot. But you cant compare him to hadith. Qadi abd yusuf, studied from Shafi’ and shafi’ studied imam malek.

shafi’ is very hadith -> Narration based

Divide these 4 imams

Malik & abu Hanifa - Thoughts and opinion

Used to be forced to come up with a decision mainly because so many sects and so much fitnah in Iraq. Abu Hanifa had to lay the road down and doesnt have as good resource vs the people. He was forced more to rely upon his skill of interpretation vs having so many hadith i front of him Shafi’ and Imam Ahmad -Ahlul Hadith.

Its a lot of nuance.

Introduction

“Do not have prejudice. Learn different opinions, learn what support thems and learn the science of fiqh.

Fiqh should be studied with an open mind. Differences of opinion are not there so people can argue, but so we can understand how scholars reasoned from the Qur’an, Sunnah, Arabic language, principles, and context.

A bit about the book

زاد المستقنع في اختصار المقنع
Zād al-Mustaqniʿ fī Ikhtiṣār al-Muqniʿ

This is a summarized Hanbali fiqh text.

The Arabic wording is important. Students may recite it, and stronger students may try to memorize it. Memorization gives a reference point, but real understanding comes through explanation and the study.

Video 2

Muslims respect Arabic because it is the language of the Qur’an, Sunnah, and early Islamic scholarship. This is not about ethnicity, but about the language of revelation and transmission.

Study with amānah: honesty, trust, humility, and seriousness.

Rājiḥ means the preponderant opinion AKA the view a scholar considers strongest based on the evidence.

Background: why differences happen

Not every Companion was with the Prophet ﷺ all the time. Some were present constantly, while others were present when they could. Because of this, not every Companion had the exact same access to every hadith or situation.

This is one major reason why differences in action and rulings appeared among the early Muslims.

Differences can happen because of:

different access to hadith,
different interpretation of the same text,
different ways of weighing evidence,
different legal principles,
different contexts.

Example: Banū Qurayẓah

A clear example of valid difference in interpretation is the hadith of Banū Qurayẓah. After the Battle of al-Aḥzāb, the Prophet ﷺ told the Companions:

“None of you should pray ʿAṣr except at Banū Qurayẓah.”

On the way, the time for ʿAṣr came in. One group understood the command literally, so they delayed ʿAṣr until they arrived. Another group understood it as meaning, “hurry there quickly,” so they prayed ʿAṣr on the way before its time ended.

When this was mentioned to the Prophet ﷺ, he did not rebuke either group.

This shows that sincere Muslims can differ because they are interpreting the same text differently.

Also a lot of people state that “We should embrace differences and celebrate them” -> My personal opinion is its not a beauty or embracing, we embrace the most correct opinion or the strongest accoridng to our Fiqh teachings, but it is a consequences of differing ways of thinking.

Fiqh, ijtihād, and uṣūl

Fiqh is Islamic legal understanding.

Ijtihād - When a qualified scholar works to derive a ruling from the evidence. It is influenced by their knowledge, context, access to evidence, Arabic understanding, and legal principles.

Difference is not praised for its own sake. It is a consequence of interpretation with a science.

At this level, the discussion becomes about principles. Scholars are following methods of reasoning. This is where uṣūl al-fiqh becomes important.

The question becomes:
What principles did the early scholars use?
How did they understand evidence?
How did their schools develop?

Rise of the schools

Many powerful imams existed, but four schools became especially preserved:

Ḥanafī
Mālikī
Shāfiʿī
Ḥanbalī

The four imams

Imām Abū Ḥanīfah

Based in Iraq, where there was much fitnah, sectarian debate, and many complex legal issues. Used to be forced to come up with a decision mainly because so many sects and so much fitnah in Iraq. Abu Hanifah had to lay the road down and doesnt have as good resource vs the people. He was forced more to rely upon his skill of interpretation vs having so many hadith in front of him.

Imām Mālik

Based in Madīnah.

His school gave special importance to the practice of the people of Madīnah, because Madīnah preserved much of the living practice of the early Muslims.

Imām al-Shāfiʿī

Studied from Imām Mālik and became famous for organizing the principles of uṣūl al-fiqh.

His school is strongly associated with textual evidence and systematic legal reasoning.

Imām Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal

A great muḥaddith and faqīh.

He is especially known for hadith, narration, and defending orthodox belief. His fiqh was later preserved and organized by his students and the Hanbali school.

Broad grouping

A simple way to understand the schools:

Mālikī and Ḥanafī
Often associated more with legal reasoning, context, and juristic principles.

Shāfiʿī and Ḥanbalī
Often associated more with hadith, narration, and textual evidence.

But this is only a simplification. All four schools use Qur’an, Sunnah, consensus, analogy, and principles. The difference is in method and emphasis.

Final point

Fiqh has a lot of nuance.

Valid difference exists, but it must be based on evidence, scholarship, and sound principles.

A serious student should respect the scholars, learn the reasoning behind opinions, and study with humility.

Introduction 3

On the topic of Bismillah:

Discussions about a bunch of sheikh just throwt that these issues exis

Fiqh al aqaliyad / Fiqh al da’ad. Fiqh of utter weaknes. We cant do what we want to do. If we do, we get thrown into the sea.

Joke:

We are the minority but khalas in a few years,

We get the somalis on the case. 3 Abdis and 2 hamdis each. Imam has 5 abdis.

Sprinkle some zahids etc. We are restricted what we can say and do.

Political Reality + People/Cultural, sticking to one opinion doesnt cut it anymore. We are in a time where we are in such a diff realities, even the staunchest madhab followers who say cant look anywhere else find fatwas with others.

Fatwa shopping etc. Its still a real fear and people are weak.

Regarding wiping the socks: most madhabs dont allow it. Except for a small minority. The amount of people following it actually and the madhabs/betraying their madhhab. But if they know they get caught a second time in the bathroom by their boss. Working environment, thats like difficult. Dark dark days haha.

Another way different madhhab sheikh: Very big sheikh Muamalat and Islamic Finance. Main instruments for islamic finance in the west. We are in a different time. We dont celebrate it. Because there is a danger because people will be misguided.

Have some fear of allah before finding a fatwa.