According to which Islamic scholar are Fard and Wajib considered as separate obligations?

Explanation

In the Hanafi school of thought, founded by Imam Abu Hanifa, Fard and Wajib are treated as two distinct categories of obligations. Fard refers to an obligation established by definitive (qati) evidence from the Quran or Mutawatir Hadith, and its denial amounts to disbelief. Wajib, on the other hand, is an obligation based on probable (zanni) evidence, and its denial does not take one out of the fold of Islam, though neglecting it is sinful. The other three major Sunni schools—Maliki, Shafi'i, and Hanbali—generally treat Fard and Wajib as synonymous.

Good to know

The distinction between Fard and Wajib is one of the defining features of the Hanafi school of jurisprudence. For example, in the Hanafi view, reciting Surah Al-Fatiha in prayer is Wajib (not Fard), whereas the other schools consider it Fard. This nuanced classification demonstrates Imam Abu Hanifa's methodological approach to legal reasoning, which heavily relied on the careful grading of textual evidence.

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