Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Walaikum assalam,
There is tremendous good in the Umma of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), from East to West. The way of Sunni Islam is alive and well, in its vastness and depth and richness. There is no harm in adhering to a particular school of scholarship within the Sunni tradition. The danger is when we consider the truth--to use Imam Ghazali's expression--to be a private waqf of one's own way.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said,
"I have left you on the clear wide way, whose night is like its day. None veers from it except those of perdition."
The difference between Indo-Pak Sunni scholarship and Arab Sunni scholarship was discussed in:
SunniPath Audio Answer: Indian Hanafism vs. Arab Hanafism
One of the 'root issues' where they differ is the issue of following another madhhab: Answering an Objection to Following Another Madhhab
However, there is a point of agreement on this matter, from another angle:
The Path of Piety (Taqwa) -- Avoiding Differences of Opinion, and Caution in Matters of Religion
And Allah alone gives success
Faraz Rabbani.
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