What is the religious ruling on adherence to a madhhab (school of thought)? And are the madhhabs considered an innovation (bid‘ah) since they did not exist during the time of the Messenger and the Rightly Guided Caliphs, especially with some exhibiting fanaticism and rejecting evidence when it contradicts their madhhab? And is it Islamically more correct to abolish the madhhabs so that Muslims may unite under the name "Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama‘ah"?

The four renowned schools of thought (Madhahib) are the product of the diligent independent reasoning (ijtihad) of the imams Abu Hanifa, Malik, Shafi'i, and Ahmad, who were an extension of the ijtihad of the Companions. These imams did not compel anyone to follow them; rather, they called for the adherence to truth and explicitly stated that the authentic hadith was their school of thought. Their schools of thought spread and endured due to their students documenting their opinions. A student of knowledge cannot dispense with referring to their books to understand jurisprudence without fanaticism, for there is no one whose every word must be followed except the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him. Therefore, advocating for the abolition of these schools of thought is an error, as is undue fanaticism towards them.