it became clear to them that the Book or the Sunnah supported a position contrary to that of the imam they followed, to follow that evidence. One example concerns the distance at which prayers may be shortened. Since fixing this at three days’ travel or sixteen parasangs was a weak position, some scholars among Ahmad’s followers and others held that prayers could be shortened on journeys shorter than that, such as the journey from Mecca to ‘Arafah. It is established that the people of Mecca shortened their prayers with the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—at Minā and ‘Arafah.

Likewise, some followers of Mālik, Abū Hanīfah and Ahmad held that pronouncing three divorces together is forbidden and an innovation, because, in their understanding, the Book and the Sunnah supported only that conclusion. They thus disagreed with their imams. Some followers of Mālik, al-Shāfi‘ī and Abū Hanīfah held that ritually impure oil could be washed, contrary to the position of the four imams. Some followers of Abū Hanīfah held that people could be made to swear oaths invoking divorce, contrary to the position of the four imams. Indeed, Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr stated that a consensus had been reached against this.

Some followers of Mālik and others held that whoever swears an oath invoking divorce is to offer expiation for his oath, and likewise whoever swears an oath invoking emancipation. The same view was also held by some followers of