Which jurisprudential school of thought should be studied: the Shafi'i school—the prevalent one in Egypt—or the Hanbali school—due to the availability of contemporary sheikhs—bearing in mind the creed of the sheikhs of the Shafi'i school in Egypt?

The matter is easy, and both the Shafi'i and Hanbali schools of thought contain good, and there is great proximity between them. Studying the Hanbali school of thought in Egypt does not go against the people of the country. Studying the Shafi'i school of thought under scholars who believe in the Ash'ari creed is not to be feared, if you are well-grounded in the creed of the Salaf and wary of the transgressions of these shaykhs. We advise searching for a shaykh who is proficient in either of the two schools of thought, or utilizing the tapes and explanations of Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen if a shaykh is not available.