The four Sunni Imams explained

The four Sunni Imams founded the four madhhab (schools of thought) recognized in Sunni Islam. While they agree on the foundational principles of fiqh according to the Sunni narrative, their interpretations of certain legal and practical matters differ, which led to the development of the four distinct madhhab. These differences reflect variations in legal methodology and reasoning, but all are considered valid within the broader framework of fiqh.^[1]

Imam Abu Hanifa al-Nu'man is the first of the four imams and the only taabi'i among them. He also had the opportunity to meet a number of the companions of the Prophet. Imam Malik ibn Anas was a sheikh of Imam Shafi'i. Imam Muhammad ibn Idris al-Shafi'i was a student of Imam Malik and a sheikh of Imam Ahmad.^[2] Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal was a student of Imam Shafi'i.

Madhhab

• Hanafi school of thought was founded in Baghdad, Iraq, by Imam Abu Hanifa al-Nu'man (80 AH/699 AD - 150 AH/767 AD).^{[3] [4]}
• Maliki school of thought was founded in the Medina, Hejaz. by Imam Malik ibn Anas (93 AH/715 AD - 179 AH/796 AD).^{[5] [6]}
• Shafi'i school of thought was founded in Baghdad by Imam Muhammad ibn Idris al-Shafi'i (150 AH/766 AD - 204 AH/820 AD) and subsequently expanded in Egypt.^[7]
• Hanbali school of thought was founded in Baghdad by Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (164 AH/780 AD - 241 AH/855 AD).^{[8] [9]}

Notes and References

1. The Four Imams, Mustafa al-Shakaa, c4, p243
2. https://web.archive.org/web/20150715171158/http://www.aldaawah.com/?p=7932 "Islamic Dawa Foundation Press
3. https://web.archive.org/web/20190507105308/http://masjidsalahudin.com/?p=506 "The Hanafi school... the most widespread school in the world".
4. https://web.archive.org/web/20190507105334/http://www.islamist-movements.com/6012 "The Hanafi school of thought. The Most Widespread Madhhab"
5. https://www.noor-book.com/%D9%83%D8%AA%D8%A7%D8%A8-%D8%A3%D8%B7%D9%84%D8%B3-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AD%D8%AC-%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D9%85%D8%B1%D8%A9-%D8%AA%D8%A3%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%AE%D8%A7-%D9%88%D9%81%D9%82%D9%87%D8%A7-%D9%85%D9%84%D9%88%D9%86-pdf Atlas of Hajj and Umrah History and Jurisprudence, by: Sami bin Abdullah bin Ahmed al-Mughlouth
6. [iarchive:abo_abdrahman_kordi_barid_20160522_2028/page/n393/mode/2up|Maqasid al-Shari'ah as a Philosophy of Islamic Legislation: A Systemic Vision, authored by: Dr. Jasser Odeh, Arabic: Abdul Latif Al-Khayat, Publisher: International Institute of Islamic Thought, first edition: 2012, p. 393.]
7. [iarchive:20221223_20221223_2337/page/n145/mode/2up|The Four Schools of Jurisprudence: Their Imams - Their Phases - Their Origins - Their Effects, authored by: Scientific Research Unit of the Ifta Department (Kuwait), Publisher: Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs, Kuwait, first edition: 2015, p. 132.]
8. https://www.noor-book.com/book/review/547159 Al-Turki, Abdullah bin Abdul Mohsen (1990). Fundamentals of Imam Ahmad's doctrine: A Comparative Fundamentalist Study. Al-Risala Foundation, Beirut. 3 p. 434
9. [iarchive:ibn.hanball/page/n237/mode/2up|Ibn Hanbal, Muhammad Abu Zahra, p. 237-238]