The present-day Zaydis of Yemen do not follow Imam Zayd bin ‘Ali but rather they follow the teachings of Imam al-Hâdi Yahya bin al-Hussein.
There are two ways to address this statement; however, it must be understood that any apparent differences that one finds between Imam Zayd and Imam al-Hâdi, upon them be peace, were just in jurisprudential issues and not theological issues.
The first answer is that in the history of Islamic scholastic development, it is not uncommon to find an imam who differed in some opinions of his master but still adhered to the school of their master. For example, although Imam Yusuf Ibn Abdul-Barr was an adherent to the Maliki madhhab, he nevertheless held to jurisprudential issues that differed from his master, Imam Malik bin Anas. No one would deny that Imam Abdul-Barr and those that follow him are Malikis. Similarly those jurisprudential issues in which al-Hâdi and Imam Zayd, upon them be peace, seemingly differed in do not disqualify Imam al-Hâdi, upon him be peace, or those that follow him from being called “Zaydis.”
The second answer is that Imam al-Hâdi, upon him be peace, did not contradict the views of Imam Zayd, upon him be peace; rather he interpreted them. We draw upon the following example. It is narrated in the Musnad of Imam Zayd:
It is narrated on the authority of Zayd bin ‘Ali—his father—his grandfather—Ali, upon them be peace, said: “Gabriel taught the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny, some words to say in the qunut of the Witrprayer: ((O Allah! Guide me in what you have guided…))”
An apparent reading of this report would suggest that these particular wards are to be said during the standing supplication (qunut) of the Witr prayer. However, Imam al-Hâdi held to the view that only the Qur’ân could be recited during the standing supplication of the Witrprayer. However, to reconcile this ruling with the apparent report, he related in his Al-Ahkâm:
If one desires, one could recite this supplication after the final salutations (at-taslîm) of the Witr prayer. It is the supplication that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny, taught his son al-Hassan bin ‘Ali, may Allah have mercy on him, and what is narrated on the authority of ‘Ali bin Abi Tâlib, may Allah be pleased with him. [‘Ali] said: “Gabriel taught the following supplication to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny, who taught it to al-Hassan: ((O Allah! Guide me in what you have guided…)).”
According to the interpretation of Imam al-Hâdi, upon him be peace, the term “qunūt” in the first report is general and can refer to a supplication after the prayer. It doesn’t necessarily imply the standing supplication in the Witr prayer. In this way, the narrations of Imam Zayd and the views of al-Hâdi, upon them be peace, are reconciled.
