Name↕ | Type↕ | Branch↕ | Founder↕ | Primary Region↕ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Hanafi | Madhab (Jurisprudence) | Sunni | Abu Hanifa | South Asia, Turkey, Central Asia |
Maliki | Madhab (Jurisprudence) | Sunni | Malik ibn Anas | North Africa, West Africa |
Shafi'i | Madhab (Jurisprudence) | Sunni | Al-Shafi'i | Southeast Asia, East Africa |
Hanbali | Madhab (Jurisprudence) | Sunni | Ahmad ibn Hanbal | Saudi Arabia, Gulf States |
Ja'fari | Madhab (Jurisprudence) | Shia | Ja'far al-Sadiq | Iran, Iraq, Lebanon |
Zaydi | Madhab (Jurisprudence) | Shia | Zayd ibn Ali | Yemen |
Ismaili | Denomination | Shia | Isma'il ibn Jafar | Global (Aga Khan community) |
Ibadi | Madhab (Jurisprudence) | Kharijite | Abdullah ibn Ibad | Oman, parts of North Africa |
Sufism (Tasawwuf) | Spiritual Tradition | Cross-branch | Various early mystics | Global (esp. South Asia, Turkey) |
Chishti Order | Sufi Order | Sunni Sufi | Moinuddin Chishti | South Asia (Pakistan, India) |
Qadiriyya Order | Sufi Order | Sunni Sufi | Abdul Qadir Gilani | Global (originated in Baghdad) |
Naqshbandi Order | Sufi Order | Sunni Sufi | Baha-ud-Din Naqshband | Central Asia, Turkey, South Asia |
Mevlevi Order | Sufi Order | Sunni Sufi | Rumi (Jalaluddin) | Turkey |
Ash'ari | Theological School | Sunni | Abu al-Hasan al-Ash'ari | Global (mainstream Sunni) |
Maturidi | Theological School | Sunni | Abu Mansur al-Maturidi | Central Asia, South Asia |
Athari / Salafi | Theological School | Sunni | Ahmad ibn Hanbal | Saudi Arabia, Gulf |
Deobandi | Movement | Sunni (Hanafi) | Scholars of Deoband | South Asia (Pakistan, India, Afghanistan) |
Barelvi | Movement | Sunni (Hanafi) | Ahmad Raza Khan | South Asia (Pakistan, India) |
Ahmadiyya | Movement | Disputed | Mirza Ghulam Ahmad | Global (HQ in UK) |
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Frequently asked questions
How is the Islamic Schools Of Thought list ranked?
The Islamic Schools of Thought list is ranked by community votes. Every visitor can pick one option over another in head-to-head matchups, and the running totals determine the order you see. No editors or algorithms — just real people voting.
How many entries are in this Islamic Schools Of Thought dataset?
This dataset contains 19 entries, each with multiple sortable, filterable columns. The full table is visible on this page and can be downloaded as a CSV, JSON, or Excel file.
Can I download the Islamic Schools Of Thought data?
Yes. The download buttons at the top of the page give you the full 19-row dataset as CSV, JSON, or Excel. Use of the data is permitted under a Creative Commons Attribution license — credit dtbse.com when you republish.
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