Which Imam Do the Deobandis Follow?

Question

(1) A certain person is a follower of Imam al-Shafi‘i ﵀; is he a Sunni or not? (2) In order to be a Sunni, may one be a follower of any one of the four imams, or not? Or is it necessary to follow some particular imam among them? (3) Which of these four imams do the ulama of Deoband follow — or do they follow none of them? Or whose way do they tread? [Please give] the name of the book, the name of the author with the address, and where it can be obtained.

Answer

(1) He too is a Sunni. (2) The followers of all four imams are Sunnis. Thus [it is stated] in al-Durr al-Mukhtar. (3) The ulama of Deoband are followers of Hazrat Imam Abu Hanifa ﵀, and in support of his [madhhab] their books exist: Awthaq al-‘Ura, Sabil al-Rashad, al-Ra’y al-Najih, al-Qutuf al-Daniya and Hidayat al-Mu‘tadi, authored by Hazrat Mawlana Rashid Ahmad Gangohi ﵀,…

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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