Question

Can you source this statement of As Suyuti? In which book of his can I find it?

“The difference found in the four Schools of Islamic law (Hanafi, Shafi’i, Maliki and Hambali) is a huge blessing and an enormous virtue. It has a subtle hidden wisdom the intelligent are able to grasp, but the ignorant are blind of. I have even heard some of them say: ‘The Prophet (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) came with one law, so where did the four Madhhabs come from?”

Answer

‘Allamah Suyuti (rahimahullah) has mentioned this in his book “Jazilul Mawahib Fikhtilafil Madhahib.”

(Jazilul Mawahib, pg. 25)

The Arabic text is as follows:

اعلم أن اختلاف المذاهب في الملة نعمة كبيرة، وفضيلة عظيمة، وله سر لطيف أدركه العالمون، وعمي عنه الجاهلون، حتى سمعت بعض الجهال يقول: النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم جاء بشرع واحد، فمن أين مذاهب أربعة

And Allah Ta’ala Knows best.

Answered by: Mawlana Suhail Motala

Approved by: Mawlana Muhammad Abasoomar

Checked by: Mawlana Haroon Abasoomar