The Life of Emir Padişah and the Analysis and Evaluation of His Work Titled “Risâle ferîde fî iktidâi’l-Hanefiyye bi’ş-Şâfiîyye”

The issue of following an imam from a different school of thought in prayer has been a topic of discussion since the early periods. The differences in the evidence relied upon regarding ablution and prayer have been a significant factor in the approaches of various schools of thought on this matter. Particularly, the differing understandings of what invalidates ablution have played an important role in the emergence of debates concerning the permissibility of following an imam from a different school of thought. At times, the sensitivities of adherents to this issue have increased due to the influence of competition and tensions between schools, leading to the formation of separate congregations in a single mosque. Thus, the matter of following an imam from a different school has become one of the important issues of different periods and has formed the basis for works written on the subject. Narrations attributed to the founding imam, as in the case of Makhul's narration, have led to the emergence of different approaches within the school and the deepening of disagreements between schools. Some jurists, however, have emphasized the unifying and integrative effect of prayer on the Islamic community, stating that one should unconditionally follow the imam regardless of which school of thought they belong to.