ABSTRACT
In time, the concept underlying the theory of law was rationalized and came to be expressed as the living tradition or SuniJa of the school. This indicated the consensus of opinion v/mil} of those acknowledged to be the school' s leading representatives. The body of doctrine propounded by the school was initially anonymous, importance being attached only to the general consensus of opinion and not to the ideas of any individual scholar. Eventually this living tradition was viewed in terms of the doctrine of the leading schalars, such as Abii I:Ianifa (d. 767 CE), Mälik b. Anas (d. 795 CE) and al-Awza<i (d. 774 CE).
