15th

Time of the Tabi’un

Tabi'un are the students of the Companions of the Prophet. Tabi'un took their stand on the opinions expressed by the Companions. Attempts were made to reconcile opposite opinions held by the Companions on many problems.

Tabi'un exercised Ijtihad in two ways:

1. They were not afraid of giving preference to the opinions of one Companion over another’s and, sometimes, even the opinions of a Tabi'un over those of a Companion. 
2. They exercised original thinking themselves and, in fact, the real formation of Islamic law starts in a more or less professional manner at the hands of the Tabi'un. 

Geographical division

Iraq, Hejaz and Syria were emerged where independent legal activity was going on. 

• Iraq: Had two schools; Basra and Kufa. We know comparatively more about the development of legal thought in Kufa than in Basra.
• Hejaz: Had two well-known centres of legal activity; Mecca and Medina. Medina was more prominent and took a lead in the development of law in Hejaz. 
• Syria: Not frequently mentioned in the early texts but the legal trend of this school is authoritatively known to us through the writings of Abu Yusuf.

Early jurist

Every important town had its own leader of opinion who contributed to the development of legal thought in that province.

These jurists of different regions based their decisions and legal verdicts on the opinions and decisions of the Companions who lived in the respective places.