Conclusion

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The four mentioned scholars did not oblige other people to follow them in every single matter. Rather, they stated their view and the opinion they consider to be the preponderant one but they called the Muslims to abide by the truth wherever they found it even if it does not conform to their [Imams’] opinion.

Indeed, one of them said: “If you find a sound Hadeeth, then that is my Madhhab [my methodology, opinion] (even if I have said something else).”

Another one of them said: “If you find a saying of the Prophet contradicting my opinion, then throw my opinion against the wall (and act according to the Prophet's saying)'.

There were many other eminent scholars during the time of these four Imams who were not less knowledgeable than them such as Al-Layth, Al-Awzaa’i, Sufyaan and others. But Allah, the Almighty, made the knowledge of these four Imams spread and remain, as Allah prepared the existence of students who recorded their opinions and spread them. In Sha Allah we will get to know about their excellence by adding their biographies in future and also some reasons why some Madhabs became prominent over others as we study the evolution of fiqh.

Therefore, the student of religious knowledge should not return away from what these Imams and other eminent Muslim scholars wrote, as this is the correct way of knowing the Islamic jurisprudence. On the contrary, a student of knowledge should learn what has been recorded by the scholars of one of the Schools of jurisprudence [Madhhab] and act according to it. However, he should not be an extremist or fanatic to a given Madhhab and should know that he is not obliged to follow the Madhhab in all matters. In fact, it is not compulsory on us to follow anybody except the Prophet .

To conclude, we say that suggesting giving up these Madhaahib (Schools of jurisprudence) and throwing them away is a big mistake and so is being fanatic to one Madhhab or the other or preferring an opinion of a Madhhab over a clear and sound text.

The correct procedure is to take these Madhahib as a means of knowledge, and the student of knowledge should take what is more sound according to its evidence even if it contradicts the view of the Madhhab that he is studying [or following].

Allah knows best.