The difference between different ideological groups and the fiqhi madhhabs .

What is the difference between Ahli Sunnah Wal Jammah & other mazhab[ shafeei, Maliki, hanbali . hanafi .etc? ]

Praise be to Allaah.

Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jamaaah are not to be regarded as opposition to the Maalikis, Shaafais, Hanbalis and the like, rather they are opposed to the followers of innovated and misguided beliefs and ways such as the Asharis, Mutazilis, Murjiis, Sufis and so on. The Hanafis, Maalikis, Shaafais and Hanbalis are schools of fiqh, whose imams are among Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jamaaah, and indeed are among the leaders of Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jamaaah. But unfortunately the followers of most of those madhhabs and schools of fiqh have begun to follow the people of innovation and misguidance in their beliefs, so many of the Shaafais and Maalikis have become Asharis, and many of the Hanafis have become Maatireedis. But with regard to aqeedah, the Hanbalis apart from a very few have been spared the change to something other than the aqeedah of Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jamaaah.

The basic principle concerning the Muslim is that he adheres to the Quraan and Sunnah according to the understanding of the companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and those who followed them in guidance. As for following one of these four madhhabs or any other, that is not obligatory or recommended, and the Muslim does not have to adhere to any one of them in particular. Rather the one who adheres to a particular madhhab in every issue is being a partisan who is guilty of blind following. End quote.

Hal al-Muslim mulzim bi Ittibaa Madhhab muayyin min al-Madhhab al-Arbaah? By al-Masoomi, p. 38.

There is nothing wrong with following the four schools of fiqh if a Muslim does not have sufficient knowledge to enable him to derive rulings from the Quraan and Sunnah himself, but if it becomes clear to him that the correct view is other than that of his madhhab, then he must follow the correct view and not his madhhab.