Major Schools of Islamic Jurisprudence

1 What is a Madhhab in Islamic jurisprudence?
(a) A Quranic chapter (b) A school or established tradition of legal interpretation
(c) A type of pilgrimage (d) None of these

2 Which four schools are the major Sunni schools of jurisprudence?
(a) Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi’i, and Hanbali (b) Umayyad, Abbasid, Fatimid, and Mamluk
(c) Ottoman, Safavid, Mughal, and Seljuk (d) None of these

3 Which school is associated with Imam Abu Hanifah?
(a) Maliki (b) Hanbali
(c) Hanafi (d) None of these

4 Who founded the Maliki school?
(a) Imam al-Bukhari (b) Imam al-Shafi’i
(c) Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (d) None of these

5 Which scholar is associated with the Shafi’i school?
(a) Imam Muhammad ibn Idris al-Shafi’i (b) Imam Muslim
(c) Imam al-Tirmidhi (d) None of these

6 Which scholar is associated with the Hanbali school?
(a) Imam Malik ibn Anas (b) Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal
(c) Imam Abu Hanifah (d) None of these

7 Which school is historically prominent in South Asia, including Pakistan?
(a) Maliki (b) Hanbali
(c) Hanafi (d) None of these

8 Which school has historically been prominent in parts of North and West Africa?
(a) Hanafi exclusively (b) Hanbali exclusively
(c) Shafi’i exclusively (d) None of these

9 Which school has historically had a strong presence in parts of East Africa and Southeast Asia?
(a) Shafi’i (b) Hanbali exclusively
(c) Hanafi exclusively (d) None of these

10 Which school has historically been prominent in Saudi Arabia and some neighboring regions?
(a) Maliki exclusively (b) Hanbali
(c) Shafi’i exclusively (d) None of these

11 Which of the following is a shared foundational source among the four Sunni schools?
(a) Local custom alone (b) Personal preference alone
(c) The Quran (d) None of these

12 Which statement about the four Sunni schools is most accurate?
(a) They reject the Sunnah (b) They all give identical rulings on every detailed issue
(c) They have no recognized legal methodologies (d) None of these

13 Which discipline studies the principles used to derive legal rulings?
(a) Usul al-Fiqh (b) Tajwid
(c) Ilm al-falak (d) None of these

14 Which term refers to analogical reasoning in Islamic jurisprudence?
(a) Ijma (b) Qiyas
(c) Ijtihad (d) None of these

15 Which term refers to consensus in Islamic legal theory?
(a) Qiyas (b) Taqlid
(c) Ijma (d) None of these

16 What is one major reason that juristic schools may differ?
(a) They use no evidence (b) They reject every primary source
(c) They base every ruling solely on geography (d) None of these

17 Which statement about the founders of the four Sunni schools is correct?
(a) They were recognized scholars whose legal approaches developed into enduring traditions (b) They all lived in the same city at the same time
(c) They compiled the same single Hadith book together (d) None of these

18 Which school is associated with Imam Malik ibn Anas?
(a) Hanafi (b) Maliki
(c) Hanbali (d) None of these

19 Which school is associated with Imam Muhammad ibn Idris al-Shafi’i?
(a) Hanafi (b) Maliki
(c) Shafi’i (d) None of these

20 Which school is associated with Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal?
(a) Maliki (b) Shafi’i
(c) Hanafi (d) None of these

21 Which school is associated with Imam Abu Hanifah?
(a) Hanafi (b) Shafi’i
(c) Maliki (d) None of these

22 Which statement about following a legal school is most accurate?
(a) It always means rejecting the Quran (b) It can provide a structured approach to understanding practical legal rulings
(c) It means every scholar agrees on every question (d) None of these

23 Which of the following is a major Shia school of jurisprudence?
(a) Hanafi (b) Maliki
(c) Ja’fari (d) None of these

24 The Ja’fari school is commonly associated with which Imam?
(a) Imam al-Bukhari (b) Imam al-Nasa’i
(c) Imam Abu Dawud (d) None of these

25 Which statement about Sunni and Shia jurisprudence is most accurate?
(a) Both have developed legal traditions, though their sources, methods, and authorities differ in important respects (b) They are identical in every doctrine
(c) Neither has any jurisprudential tradition (d) None of these

26 Which of the following is not one of the four major Sunni schools?
(a) Hanafi (b) Ja’fari
(c) Maliki (d) None of these

27 Which term refers to the juristic effort to derive a ruling?
(a) Hijrah (b) Adhan
(c) Ijtihad (d) None of these

28 Which statement about the geographical distribution of schools is correct?
(a) Each school is confined to one modern country (b) Their distribution has never changed
(c) Every Muslim region follows only one school without exception (d) None of these

29 Which school is historically associated with Imam Abu Hanifah and his legal tradition?
(a) Hanafi (b) Maliki
(c) Shafi’i (d) None of these

30 Which of the following is a recognized Sunni legal school?
(a) Umayyad (b) Shafi’i
(c) Abbasid (d) None of these

31 What is a principal purpose of a madhhab’s legal methodology?
(a) To replace the Quran with custom (b) To eliminate all interpretation
(c) To organize the interpretation and application of legal evidence (d) None of these

32 Which statement about juristic differences is correct?
(a) Differences always indicate bad faith (b) All disagreements concern foundational beliefs
(c) No differences exist among qualified jurists (d) None of these

33 Which of the following is commonly studied within each school’s jurisprudential tradition?
(a) Rules concerning worship and transactions (b) Only political history
(c) Only Arabic poetry (d) None of these

34 Which term refers to following an established juristic authority or school?
(a) Qiyas (b) Taqlid
(c) Ijma (d) None of these

35 Which statement about the four Sunni schools is correct?
(a) They are four different versions of the Quran (b) Each has its own independent revealed scripture
(c) They are legal traditions within Sunni Islam (d) None of these

36 Which of the following is a Hadith collection rather than a school of jurisprudence?
(a) Hanafi (b) Maliki
(c) Hanbali (d) None of these

37 Which scholar is associated with compiling Sahih al-Bukhari?
(a) Imam Muhammad ibn Isma’il al-Bukhari (b) Imam Abu Hanifah
(c) Imam al-Shafi’i (d) None of these

38 Which statement about a legal school and a Hadith collection is correct?
(a) They are identical categories (b) A legal school develops juristic methods; a Hadith collection gathers transmitted reports
(c) A Hadith collection is always a court (d) None of these

39 Which term refers to a qualified jurist?
(a) Qiblah (b) Adhan
(c) Faqih (d) None of these

40 Which statement best describes the relationship between schools and primary sources?
(a) Schools replace all primary sources (b) Schools do not use legal evidence
(c) Every school rejects the Sunnah (d) None of these

41 Which of the following is a recognized topic in comparative jurisprudence?
(a) Comparing the methods and rulings of different legal schools (b) Ranking modern cities by population
(c) Classifying the stars by color (d) None of these

42 Which statement about the Maliki school is correct?
(a) It was founded by Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (b) It is associated with Imam Malik ibn Anas
(c) It was founded by Imam al-Bukhari (d) None of these

43 Which statement about the Shafi’i school is correct?
(a) It was founded by Imam Abu Hanifah (b) It was founded by Imam Malik
(c) It is associated with Imam al-Shafi’i (d) None of these

44 Which statement about the Hanbali school is correct?
(a) It was founded by Imam Malik (b) It was founded by Imam al-Shafi’i
(c) It was founded by Imam Abu Hanifah (d) None of these

45 Which statement about the Hanafi school is correct?
(a) It is associated with Imam Abu Hanifah (b) It is associated with Imam al-Nasa’i
(c) It is associated with Imam Muslim (d) None of these

46 Which of the following is not a recognized legal school name?
(a) Maliki (b) Abbasid
(c) Shafi’i (d) None of these

47 What is a principal benefit of studying comparative Fiqh?
(a) It proves that all differences are meaningless (b) It removes the need to study evidence
(c) It helps explain the reasoning and differences behind legal opinions (d) None of these

48 Which statement about the four Sunni schools and Ijtihad is most accurate?
(a) All schools forbid all juristic reasoning (b) The schools have no scholarly methods
(c) Every ruling was reached without interpretation (d) None of these

49 Which term refers to the practical rulings developed within Islamic jurisprudence?
(a) Fiqh (b) Tajwid
(c) Isnad (d) None of these

50 Which statement best summarizes the major schools of Islamic jurisprudence?
(a) They are political dynasties rather than legal traditions (b) They are scholarly traditions that interpret foundational sources through established legal methods
(c) They all reject the Quran and Sunnah (d) None of these

Answer Key

1 (b) A school or established tradition of legal interpretation
2 (a) Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi’i, and Hanbali
3 (c) Hanafi
4 (d) None of these
5 (a) Imam Muhammad ibn Idris al-Shafi’i
6 (b) Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal
7 (c) Hanafi
8 (d) None of these
9 (a) Shafi’i
10 (b) Hanbali
11 (c) The Quran
12 (d) None of these
13 (a) Usul al-Fiqh
14 (b) Qiyas
15 (c) Ijma
16 (d) None of these
17 (a) They were recognized scholars whose legal approaches developed into enduring traditions
18 (b) Maliki
19 (c) Shafi’i
20 (d) None of these
21 (a) Hanafi
22 (b) It can provide a structured approach to understanding practical legal rulings
23 (c) Ja’fari
24 (d) None of these
25 (a) Both have developed legal traditions, though their sources, methods, and authorities differ in important respects
26 (b) Ja’fari
27 (c) Ijtihad
28 (d) None of these
29 (a) Hanafi
30 (b) Shafi’i
31 (c) To organize the interpretation and application of legal evidence
32 (d) None of these
33 (a) Rules concerning worship and transactions
34 (b) Taqlid
35 (c) They are legal traditions within Sunni Islam
36 (d) None of these
37 (a) Imam Muhammad ibn Isma’il al-Bukhari
38 (b) A legal school develops juristic methods; a Hadith collection gathers transmitted reports
39 (c) Faqih
40 (d) None of these
41 (a) Comparing the methods and rulings of different legal schools
42 (b) It is associated with Imam Malik ibn Anas
43 (c) It is associated with Imam al-Shafi’i
44 (d) None of these
45 (a) It is associated with Imam Abu Hanifah
46 (b) Abbasid
47 (c) It helps explain the reasoning and differences behind legal opinions
48 (d) None of these
49 (a) Fiqh
50 (b) They are scholarly traditions that interpret foundational sources through established legal methods