The Four Imams: Their Lives, Works and Schools of Jurisprudence by Muhammad Abu Zahra is a comprehensive study of the founders of the four major Sunni schools of Islamic law—Imam Abu Hanifa, Imam Malik, Imam al-Shafi‘i, and Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal. The book explores their lives, scholarly journeys, methodologies in deriving rulings, and the historical contexts that shaped their schools of thought. With clarity and depth, Abu Zahra highlights the wisdom, diversity, and unity within Islamic jurisprudence, helping readers understand how these Imams’ teachings continue to influence Muslim thought and practice today.
Author Description
Muhammad Abu Zahra (1898-1974) was a distinguished Egyptian scholar of Islamic law, a professor at Cairo University and a member of Al-Azhar’s Academy of Islamic Research. His scholarly output includes more than forty works on jurisprudence, biography and Islamic legal history.