Who made the theoretical base of Ahlul Sunnah Manhaj?

[The Alchemist]

There are alot of similarities and differences between shia and sunni manhaj.

Aqaid of Ahlul Sunnah manhaj are different from that of Tashayu. Which scholars made those aqaid? Were these Four Imams (Abu Hanifa, Malik, Shafi, Ibn Hanbal) of Ahlul Sunnah?

Sunni method of hadith collection is also different. Who is behind that method?

In short, who made the theoretical base of Ahlul Sunnah manhaj? He must be some influencial scholar who either wrote books himself or his students transferred his ideas into books.

Edited August 19, 2022 by The Alchemist

[The Alchemist]

I thought some sunni member might answer or some knowledgeable shia.

 

[ShiaMan14]

I will leave the minhaj to others but focus on the grouping Ahle-Sunnah-Wal-Jama.

During the shura to elect the 3rd caliph, Abdul Rehman ibn Awf asked Imam Ali (عليه السلام) if he would follow the Quran, the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) and sunnah of the sheikhain (Caliphs Abu Bakr and Umar). Imam Ali (عليه السلام) agreed to the first 2 conditions but rejected the third. Caliph Uthman agreed to all three conditions.

During Muawiya's fitna, he referred to himself and those with him as "Ahle-Sunnah-Wal-Jama" and it grew from there....This was also the time when thousands and thousands of false narrations were being inserted in the historical narrative which then became the basis of the sunni minhaj.

[The Alchemist]

3 hours ago, ShiaMan14 said:

I will leave the minhaj to others but focus on the grouping Ahle-Sunnah-Wal-Jama.

During the shura to elect the 3rd caliph, Abdul Rehman ibn Awf asked Imam Ali (عليه السلام) if he would follow the Quran, the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) and sunnah of the sheikhain (Caliphs Abu Bakr and Umar). Imam Ali (عليه السلام) agreed to the first 2 conditions but rejected the third. Caliph Uthman agreed to all three conditions.

During Muawiya's fitna, he referred to himself and those with him as "Ahle-Sunnah-Wal-Jama" and it grew from there....This was also the time when thousands and thousands of false narrations were being inserted in the historical narrative which then became the basis of the sunni minhaj.

Most of the sunni scholarship at this time do not consider the caliphs as hujjah on them.

If you read history of sunni fiqhi schools, Imam Abu Hanifa (the earliest sunni faqeeh) was centered in Kufa, he tried to derive fiqh from what was narrated from Abdullah b. Masud (رضي الله عنه) and from Imam Ali (عليه السلام).

Then came Imam Malik, he tried to derive fiqh from what was being followed in city of Madina.

Then came Imam Shafi, he now focused on hadith collections (as now they were compiled or being compiled).

The lastest of them is Imam Hanbal, his focus too was on ahadith. He tried to derive fiqh from authentic available hadith.

Though, you may find some sunni jurists putting weight to what was being followed in times of The Four Rightly Guided Caliphs, but this is not mainstream to them.

PS if you ignore nasibi classical sunni ulema, you would find many good things in sunni literature. Some classical sunni scholars even considered Imam Ali (عليه السلام) to be superior to other caliphs.

[ShiaMan14]

5 hours ago, The Alchemist said:

Most of the sunni scholarship at this time do not consider the caliphs as hujjah on them.

If you read history of sunni fiqhi schools, Imam Abu Hanifa (the earliest sunni faqeeh) was centered in Kufa, he tried to derive fiqh from what was narrated from Abdullah b. Masud (رضي الله عنه) and from Imam Ali (عليه السلام).

Then came Imam Malik, he tried to derive fiqh from what was being followed in city of Madina.

Then came Imam Shafi, he now focused on hadith collections (as now they were compiled or being compiled).

The lastest of them is Imam Hanbal, his focus too was on ahadith. He tried to derive fiqh from authentic available hadith.

Though, you may find some sunni jurists putting weight to what was being followed in times of The Four Rightly Guided Caliphs, but this is not mainstream to them.

PS if you ignore nasibi classical sunni ulema, you would find many good things in sunni literature. Some classical sunni scholars even considered Imam Ali (عليه السلام) to be superior to other caliphs.

Yes I agree. I mentioned at the beginning of my post that I am leaving the theology alone and just focused on the term ahle-sunnah-wal-jama