MADHAB OF IMAM ZAID
Imam Zaid bin Ali (80 AH - 122 AH) was born in Medinah. His father Ali, son of Al-Hussein bin Ali bin Abi Talib the fourth Khaleefah, was one of the few descendants of Hussein that were spared at Karbalah. Imam Zaid's father was highly respected and highly educated, and rejected the extremism of those who claimed themselves to be Shi'ah.
It was in this environment that Imam Zaid was born. His father died when he was 14 years old and his elder brother Muhammed al-Baaqir took care of him. His early education was taken from his elder brother Muhammed al-Baaqir, who was considered at that time as a great scholar. He also studied with another great scholar, Abdullah bin Hasan bin Ali. Both Al Baaqir and Abdullah bin Hasan were teachers of many great scholars and Imams like Abu Hanifah and Imam Malik, who took Hadith from them. Zaid also studied under other Tabi'een who were residing in Medinah.
Later on Imam Zaid moved to Basrah where he met Waasil bin Ataa, the founder of the Mu'tazilahs. He kept moving between Iraq and Hijaz seeking knowledge. Abu Hanifah once said about Imam Zaid, "I met with Zaid and I never saw in his generation a person more knowledgeable, as quick a thinker, or more eloquent than him. He was in a class by himself."
Imam Zaid had differences with Khaleefah Abdul Malik, and even rebelled against him. He went to Kufah where he was joined by Shi'ah or Iraq. 15,000 people gave him the Bay'ah in a Masjid, but only about 400 of them stood with him when he faced the army of the Khaleefah. Imam Zaid felt that a military confrontation was the best way to deal with Khaleefah, and felt let down after he was abandoned by his so-called supporters in the same way that his grandfather Hussein was abandoned by his supporters.
Even though both Imam Hussein and Imam Zaid utilised military confrontation to correct the situation in the Islamic State at that time, it seems that what was needed to be established was a group that would work in the Ummah to educate it and serve as a safeguard for the Ummah, instead of rebelling against the Khaleefah without this preparation, which did not at all solve the problem but rather made matters more complicated.
The stand by Imam Zaid and his few supporters against the army of the Khaleefah ended with his death. He was heard saying: "I am worried that I will be let down just like my grandfather Al Hussein was let down," and in fact this was true.
Although he viewed Ali (RA) as deserving of the Khilafah, he also recognised the Khilafah of Abu Bakr, Umar, and Uthman (RA). He also believed that the Khulafaa did not have to be predetermined by the texts, but that it was enough to be from Banu Hashim, and that the Khaleefah was not infallible. He did not document his Madhab, rather it was done afterwards.
His Fiqh was documented in Al Majmu', which was documented by his student Abu Khalid Amr ibn Khalid Waasifi. The Grand Majmu' or Al-Majmu' Al-Akbar is made up of two sections, Majmu' Al-Hadith and Majmu' Al-Fiqh.
After Imam Zaid's death, many students from his Madhab emerged, especially in Yemen. The most interesting thing about this Madhab is that they never closed the door of Ijtihad. This Madhab is very close to that of Abu Hanifah's in the areas of Mu'amalaat or transactions. Nowadays this Madhab is said to be the closest to the four popular Madhabs of Abu Hanifah, Malik, Shafii and Hanbal.
Imam Abu Zahrah, in his book History of the Islamic Schools of Thought (Taareekhul Madhabil Islamiyyah), said that there are two Zaidi Madhabs, the one before his death and the one that emerged after his death.
After the problems which occurred with the Khaleefah Al Mansoor, the Zaidi Madhab became weak and other Shi'ah Imams started to influence it. Some of these Imams did not approve of the Khilafah of Abu Bakr (RA) and Umar (RA) and so there is an appearance that this was an inherent part of the Madhab. However, presently the Zaidis have gone back to Imam Zaid's adoptions. Two of these scholars who followed the early Madhab of Imam Zaid are Imam Shawkanee and Imam Muhammed bin Isma'eel As-Sana'anee
IMAM SHAWKANEE
One of the most famous scholars of the Madhab of Imam Zaid is Imam Shawkanee. Imam Shawkanee died in 1250 AH in Yemen. His writings show that he was against Taqleed. They also show that he treated all Madhabs equally, including the Zaidis, and in the issues of the Aqeedah he did not go against that of the Salaf at all. Imam Shawkanee's books include Nayl Awtaar, in Hadith and Fat-hul-Qadeer, in Tafseer.
IMAM MUHAMMED BIN ISMA'EEL AS-SANA'ANEE
Imam Muhammed bin Isma'eel as-Sana'anee (1059 AH - 1182 AH) was born in Yemen and moved to Mecca, where he developed to be an extremely capable Mujtahid. He rejected the Taqleed, and was severely challenged by those who refused the concept of Ijtihad; however, he held his ground and never paid attention to his objectors. One of his many books is Subul-us-Salaam, in Hadith.
Both Subul-us-Salaam and Nayl Awtaar are considered presently to be extremely essential for their contributions in the area of Fiqh and Hadith.
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