Our Prophet ‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sal-lam’ stated that Muslims would part into seventy-three groups in credal matters, and that only one of those groups, i.e. the group called Ahl as-sunnat, or Firqa-i-nâjiyya, would be following the right path. All the remaining seventy-two groups appeared, and most of them disappeared again, in the course of time. There are two different sub-branches, termed Madhhabs in credal matters, i.e. the Madhhab of Esh’ariyya and the Madhhab of Mâturîdiyya; and four other practical sub-branches, termed Madhhabs in practical matters, i.e. the Madhhabs of Hanafî, Shâfi’î, Mâlikî, and Hanbalî, all of them within the group of salvation (Firqa-i-nâjiyya), commended in the aforesaid utterance (hadîth-i-sherîf) of the Best of Mankind ‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sal-lam’. 

Bâyazîd al-Bistâmî said, “Even if a person displays karâmât, such as walking on water, going to distant places in a moment and flying in the air, do not consider him to be a Walî unless he obeys Islam!” For obeying Islam, it is necessary to follow one of the four madhhabs. It has been declared by consensus that it is not permissible for non-mujtahids to follow as-Sahâbat al-kirâm. [Because, their madhhabs are not known.] Ijtihâd will be employable till the end of the world.

[However, few scholars fulfill the conditions for being able to employ ijtihâd. Further, there is no need for them to employ new ijtihâds. A solution for every matter that will arise till the end of the world exists in one of the four madhhabs.] The ’ibâda Allâhu ta’âlâ likes best is to do the fard. The valuable ones of the suppererogatory ’ibâdât are those that are done alongside the fards, which exist in them and which supplement them.

A poem:

Oh! The happy person who is learning knowledge!

Do not waste even one minute of your life!

Appreciate the value of this advice!

The sorry will be, the one who does not appreciate!