Imam al-Muzani's Independent Views

Imam al-Muzani's Independent Views

 Imam Ibrahim al-Muzani, The Defender of the Shafi’i School

Isma’il bin Yahya bin Isma’il bin ‘Amr bin Ishaq, more famously known as Ibrahim al-Muzani, was born in 174 AH. Imam al-Muzani studied under Imam al-Shafi’i, Nu’am bin Hammad, and others. His students include: Ibn Khuzaymah, al-Tahawi, Zakariyya al-Saji, Ibn Jawsa, Ibn Abi Hatim, and many others. Imam al-Muzani was a mountain of knowledge and a great debater, so much so that his teacher al-Shafi’i once remarked, “If al-Muzani debated with the devil, he would certainly win.” The great imam was extremely scrupulous and refrained from worldly-pleasures; only sufficing himself with what was necessary. If al-Muzani missed a group prayer, he would repeat the prayer twenty five times. Al-Muzani would wash the dead purely for the sake of Allah, and he would say, “I wash the dead so that my heart may become pure.” Imam Abu Ishaq al-Shirazi described al-Muzani as being someone who renounced the world and was great scholar and mujtahid. The Imam possessed debating skills and was immersed in the subtle meanings of things. Al-Muzani authored many works, among them: al-Jami’ al-Kabir, al-Jami’ al-Saghir, al-Mukhtasar, al-Manthur, al-Masa’il al-Mu’tabarah, al-Targhib fi al-’Ilm, Kitab al-Watha’iq, Kitab al-’Aqarib, and the work Nihayat al-Ikhtisar. Al-Shafi’i referred to him as the Defender of the Shafi’i School. Whenever al-Muzani would finish writing  a legal issue in his Mukhtasar he would pray two rak’ats. ‘Amr bin ‘Uthman al-Makki once praised him by saying, “out of all of the devout worshippers that I have seen, I have never seen one more skilled in ijtihad than al-Muzani, nor have I seen anyone who continually worships more than al-Muzani, nor have I seen anyone who honors knowledge and the people of knowledge more than him. In matters of piety, he was extremely hard on himself and lenient on others. Al-Muzani exclaimed that he was molded by the noble character of Imam al-Shafi’i. Abu ‘Asim mentioned that al-Muzani would not perform ablution from the streets of Ibn Tulun, nor would he drink from its clay jugs. The reason why he refrained was because manure was used to make the jugs, and fire, used to bake the clay, could not purify the filth. Scholars from all over the Muslim world came to benefit from Imam al-Muzani, including scholars from Khurasan, Iraq, and Sham. After a lifetime of service to Islam and the school of his beloved teacher, al-Shafi’i, al-Muzani passed on to his Lord in the month of Ramadhan in the year 264 AH (Tabaqat al-Shafi’iyyah al-Kubra 2/93).


Independent Views of Imam al-Muzani

1. Doubting about the purity of water or a garment

The Madhhab:

If one has two containers of water, one containing pure water and the other containing impure water, and one has doubts about which one is pure, there are three views: the soundest-view is that is impermissible to use either vessel until one attempts to determine which vessel is pure and finds evidence that indicates that the water in the vessel is most- likely pure (Rawdhat al-Talibin 1/35). In this case, garments have the same ruling as water with regards to ascertaining the purity of an object when in doubt (al-Najm al-Wahhaj 1/248)

Imam al-Muzani’s View:

If one has doubts about two vessels of water, one containing pure water and the other containing impure water, one should not attempt to determine which water is pure, rather, one should perform the dry ablution and pray. One does not have to repeat the prayer later. Similarly, when one doubts about a pure garment and an impure garment, one should pray one prayer in each garment, without attempting to determine which garment is pure. This was also the view of Imam Abu Thawr (ibid, al-Bayan 1/56).

2. Cleaning After Relieving Oneself

The Madhhab:

It is obligatory to clean one’s private parts after relieving oneself (Rawdhat al-Talibin 1/65).

Imam al-Muzani’s View

It is not obligatory to clean after relieving oneself, just as it is not obligatory to remove the traces remaining after cleaning oneself with stones (al-Najm al-Wahhaj 1/300).

3. Wiping the head in ablution

The Madhhab:

It is obligatory to wipe a portion of the head or a portion of hair, even as single strand, provided that the wiping takes place within the limits of the head. However, it is recommended to wipe the entire head (Mughni al-Muhtaj 1/93, Rawdhat al-Talibin 1/60).

Imam al-Muzani’s View

It is obligatory to wipe the entire head in ablution. This is also the view of Imam Malik and Imam Ahmad. Al-Muzani narrates this opinion from al-Shafi’i in his work al-Manthur (al-Najm al-Wahhaj 1/329).

4. Rubbing the limbs in ablution and the purificatory bath

The Madhhab:

It is recommended to rub one’s limb after washing it with water as a precautionary measure, to ensure complete purity, and to avoid differences of opinion among those who consider rubbing the limb mandatory (al-Ghurar al-Bahiyyah 1/296).

Imam al-Muzani’s View:

It is obligatory to rub the limbs in ablution and the purificatory bath. This is also the opinion of Imam Malik (al-Najm al-Wahhaj 1/392).

5. Permeating a Thick Beard

The Madhhab

Permeating a thick beard is among the recommended acts of ablution.

Imam al-Muzani’s View:

It is obligatory to permeate a thick beard (al-Najm al-Wahhaj 1/351).

6. Performing Ablution in Order

The Madhhab:

Performing Ablution is an integral of ablution.

Imam al-Muzani’s View

It is not obligatory to perform the integrals of ablution in order. This is also the preferred-view of Ibn Mundhir, Sheikh Nasr al-Din al-Maqdisi, and al-Bandiji. Al-Baghawi relates that the majority of scholars also held this opinion (ibid 1/333).

7. Does Tayammum lift ritual impurity?

The Madhhab:

Tayammum does not lift ritual impurity

Imam al-Muzani’s View

Tayammum lifts ritual impurity (al-Najm al-Wahhaj 1/463).

8. Praying more than one obligatory prayer with a single dry ablution

The Madhhab:

One may not pray more than a one obligatory prayer with a single dry ablution.

Imam al-Muzani’s View

One can pray as many obligatory and supererogatory prayers as one wishes with a single dry ablution. The reason being that dry ablution lifts ritual impurity, therefore, one may pray as many prayers as one likes. This is also the view of Ibn al-Mundhir and a position that al-Ruwyani preferred (ibid 1/474).

9. Performing dry ablution before the prayer’s time

The Madhhab:

One can only make dry ablution after the prayer’s time has entered.

Imam al-Muzani’s View

One can perform dry ablution before the prayer's time. This is based on al-Muzani’s view that dry ablution lifts ritual impurity. al-Ruwyani also preferred this view. (ibid 1/478).

10. Praying when one is unable to obtain water or earth

The Madhhab:

When one is unable to obtain water for ablution or earth for dry ablution, one must pray and then repeat the prayer later according to the jadid position.

Imam al-Muzani’s View

If one is unable to use earth or water, one must pray and one does not have to repeat the prayer later. This is the qadim position and the view that al-Nawawi adopted in Sharh al-Muhadhdhab (ibid 1/479).

11. The duration of post-natal bleeding

The Madhhab:

The minimum duration of post-natal bleeding is a moment, its usual time is forty days, and its maximum duration is sixty days.

Imam al-Muzani’s View

The minimum post-natal bleeding is four days and the maximum is forty (ibid 1/512-13).


12. The beginning of ‘Isha

The Madhhab:

The time for ‘Isha prayer enters with the disappearance of the red twilight (Rawdhat al-Talibin 1/181).

Imam al-Muzani’s View

 ‘Isha time enters when the white twilight disappears. This is also the position of Imam Abu Hanifah (ibid, al-Najm al-Wahhaj 2/15).

13. The minimum number of witr

The Madhhab:

The minimum witr prayer consists of a single rak'at, however, Qadhi Abu Tayyib considered it disliked to offer a single-rak’at witr prayer.

Imam al-Muzani’s View:

The minimum witr is three. al-Muzani based this view on Shafi’i’s statement: “Offer three rak‘ats of witr (ibid 2/293).

14. The ‘awrah of a free-woman

The Madhhab:

The ‘awrah of a free-woman includes her entire body, except for the face and hands.

Imam al-Muzani’s View

The ‘awrah of a free-woman includes her entire body, except for the face, hands, and feet (ibid 2/192-193).

15. Delaying a make-up fast until the following year

The Madhhab

Whenever one delays a make-up fast until the following Ramadhan, in addition to the make-up, one must give one mudd for each day missed.

Imam al-Muzani’s View
One must only make up the missed fast; giving a mudd is not obligatory. This is also the position of Imam Abu Hanifah (ibid 3/341).

The Status of Independent Views in the Shafi’i School

Sheikh ‘Abd Allah BaSudan writes that some of the Shafi’i scholars held independent views--views that went against the official view of the school. Scholars have relied upon such views for personal practice when following the relied-upon view of the school is burdensome or impossible. Independent views in the school are well-known and many. But in reality, independent views are not completely outside of the school, because an independent view can either be founded on istinbat, qiyas, or an ikhtiyar based on the school’s principles. Similarly, an independent view can be based on an earlier view of al-Shafi’i, a qadim position, or based upon a sound proof, since Shafi’i himself said: “When a hadith is found to be authentic, it is my position” (Mukhtasar al-Fawa’id al-Makkiyyah 60-61).

And Allah knows best,

Ahmad Adams