Hanafi

Hanafi refers to the Hanafi madhhab, one of the four major Sunni schools of Islamic jurisprudence. It was founded by Abu Hanifa an-Nu'man ibn Thabit in Kufa, Iraq, during the 8th century. The school’s early development was carried forward by his students Abu Yusuf and Muhammad al-Shaybani, and it was expanded by later jurists renowned for systematizing its principles.

The Hanafi school is known for a distinctive methodological approach. It relies on the Qur’an and hadith, but also places significant emphasis on reasoned opinion (qiyas), consensus (ijma), and the consideration of local custom (urf) and public welfare (maslaha). It has historically used juristic preference (istihsan) to avoid rigidly applying analogies, allowing a degree of flexibility in applying the law to varied circumstances.

Historically, the Hanafi madhhab became the dominant legal tradition across a broad region. It spread with Islamic scholarship and governance to Central Asia, Persia, the Indian subcontinent, the Ottoman Empire (including Anatolia and parts of the Balkans), and parts of Southeast Asia. Today it remains the most widely followed Sunni school in South Asia and is influential in many parts of the Middle East and Central Asia; in some jurisdictions it informs personal status laws and court practice.

Followers of this school are known as Hanafi. The tradition is characterized by its emphasis on systematic reasoning, adaptability, and the integration of scriptural sources with reasoned analysis.