IMAM ABU HANIFA:
The Imam’s full name is No’ man Ibn Thabit bin Zuta. He was born in the year of 80 hijri in the city of Kufa, Iraq during the reign of Abdul Malik bin Marwan. He had the privilege of seeing Anas Bin Malik which in his early years had earned him the rank of being a Tabi’ee. He had begun his career as a merchant but was later inspired by Imam Sha’bi to devote his time to acquiring religious knowledge. He therefore became engaged in learning the science of Islamic Creed and mastered this field within a short period of time. He then wrote a book on this topic titled ‘Al-Fiqhul-Akbar’ and moved to Basra where he became involved in a series of debates with the deviated sects of Islam. After a while he decided to give up this mode of life and moved back to Kufa. There he adopted the company of the renowned Islamic Jurist, Hammad bin Abi Sulaiman and learnt ‘fiqh’ from him for 10 years. After Hammad had passed away in 120 hijri the public appointed Imam
Abu Hanifah as a teacher of this field in Jame Kufah due to which he began his
own classes.
In 130 hijri the Imam traveled to Makkah where he stayed for
approximately seven years. There he had the opportunity to meet countless eminent
and renowned scholars and benefited from their knowledge. In 138 hijri, Imam Abu
Hanifah returned to Kufah and began to compile fiqh. The method he had adopted
was in reaching a verdict pertaining to a specific issue was that he would first refer
to the Quran for an answer. If it was not found there, he would study the ahadeeth
of Allah’s messenger. If he didn’t find any answers there he would then refer to the
statement of the Sahabah (R.A.). if he came across any differences in their opinions
regarding the matter, he would adopt that opinion which was more in compliance to
the Quran and Hadith. If no answer was found within their statements he would
then resort to independent reasoning (i.e. Ijtihad) and finally reach a verdict.
According to Imam Malik, Imam Abu Hanifah had drawn out 60 thousand Islamic
injuntions. Later he compiled a book of narrations related to Islamic regulations
which was named Kitabul Athar. This book was unique in the sense that it was the
first book of narrations in which the chapters of fiqh were devised for the first time.
In 150 hijri, the Imam was imprisoned for refusing to take up the post of
Chief Justice which was offered to by Mansoor. While in prison the Imam was
whipped 10 times a day. After 10-11 days had elapsed the Imam was fed poison
due to which he breathed his last and left this world in the state of ‘Sajdah’.
Throughout his life, Imam Abu Hanifah had acquired Islamic Knowledge
from 4000 teachers. Many of his teachers were distinguished Tabieen such as Amir
As-Sha’bi (who met 500 sahabah), Simak Bin Harb (who met 80 Sahabah), Abu
Ishaq As-Subai’ee (who met 38 Sahabah), Taus (who met 50 sahabah), Ibn Shihab
Az-Zuhri (who related from a large group of Sahabah), Rabeehah bin Abi Abder-
Rahman, Nafe, Muhammad bin Ali bin Hussain al-baqir, Qatadah, Hisham bin
Urwah and Yahya bin Sa’eed al-Ansari.
Along with being the great theologian, the Imam was a great worshipper.
He had performed 55 pilgrimages, he would complete the recital of the entire
Quran twice a day (once in the morning and once in the evening), and performed
his Fajr prayer with the wudhu he had made for the previous Isha prayer for 40
years.
Imam Abu Hanifah had many students to the extent that their true number is not
known. Some of his prominent students were as follows:
1) Imam Abu Yusuf
Imam Abu Yusuf’s full name is Ya’qub bin Ibrahim bin Habib. He is from
the progeny of the Sahabi Sa’d al-Ansari and was born in the year 93 hijri within
the city of Kufa, Iraq. His family was poor and therefore Imam Abu Hanifah used
to provide them with financial assistance. He became inclined towards seeking
Islamic Knowledge and thus adopted the company of Imam Abu Hanifah for 17
years. Within 17 years he never parted from the Imam regardless of whether it was
Eid-ul-Fitr or Eid-ul-Adha except if he became ill. Once one of his sons had passed
away and he did not even take part in his funeral out of the fear that he might miss
something from the Imam due to which he’d have to regret it for the remainder of his life.
Along with being a great faqeeh, Imam Abu Yusuf was a great scholar of hadith. He had narrated hadith from people like Hisham bin Urwa, Abu Ishaq as-Shaybani and Ata bin Saib. His students include great figures such as Imam Muhammad, Imam Ahmad bin Humble, Yahya bin Ma’een, Bishr bin Waleed and others. Imam Ahmad bin Humble has stated, “when I first began to study hadith, I went to Justice Abu Yusuf. Thereafter I began seeking it and writing it from other people.”
Imam Abu Yusuf was appointed as Chief Justice later in his life. After reaching this position he used to observe 200 raka’at of optional prayer daily and fast excessively. He was the first person to write books on the rules of fiqh according to madhab of Imam Abu Hanifah and wrote many injunctions spreading the knowledge of his great teacher far and wide. He later passed away on the 5th of Rabi-ul- Awal, 152 hijri at the age of 89.
2)Imam Muhammad
Imam Muhammad’s full name is Muhammad bin Hasan bin al-Farqad as-Shaybani. He was born in Wasit in the year 132 hijri and was raised in Kufa. He began his quest for knowledge at a very young age and had adopted the company of Imam Abu Hanifah. When Imam Abu Hanifah passed away, he went to complete his studies by Imam Abu Yusuf. He later traveled to Madinah where he learnt hadith from Imam Malik and memorized the Imam’s ‘Muatta’ from beginning to end. Thereafter he moved to Baghdad and there many people began to turn towards him for Islamic Knowledge.
Once Imam Muhammad became engaged in the seeking of teaching Islamic Knowledge he became absolutely devoted to it. He would rest very little at night and thereafter he would spend the entire night studying different books. Once his mother after seeing his state inquired, “why are you torturing yourself?” he replied, “O Mother, people have relied on me for knowledge. They have gone to sleep thinking that if they have to inquire about a particular injunction they will inquire from me, therefore I cannot go to sleep.”
Imam Shafi’ee has praised the Imam excessively. In one place he has been recorded to have said, “I sat in his company for 10 years and I have lifted a camel load of his words. If he was to speak to us according to his intellect, we would never understand his words, therefore he used to speak to us according to our intellect.” In another place he has said, “Allah helped me in the line of knowledge through two men, in hadith by Ibn Uyainah and in fiqh by Muhammad bin Hasan.” His also recorded to have said, “the most gracious person to me in fiqh is Muhammad bin Hasan.” Ibrahim al-Harbi states, “I asked Ahmad bin Humble, “where do you get all these fine injunctions from?” he answered, “From the books of Muhammad bin Hasan!”.
Throughout his life, Imam Muhammad wrote approximately 1000 books. Within theses books he recorded the injunctions of his teacher, Imam Abu Hanifah, and it is through them that the teachings of Imam Abu Hanifah became popular. Later he was appointed as the Chief Justice by Haroon Rashid but only served this
post for a mere 6 months. In 189 hijri, the Imam accompanied Haroon Rashid in a huge army that was headed for a place named Rai for Jihad. Upon reaching there Imam Muhammad passed away. Coincidentally, Imam Kisai (Imam Muhammads cousin and an Imam in lexicology) also passed away on the same day. Upon this Haroon Rashid exclaimed, “Today I have buried lexicology and jurisprudence.
3)Imam Zufar
Imam Zufar’s full name is Zufar bin Huzhail bin Qais. He was born in 110 hijri in Asfahan. He had a brother who lived in Basra. When he passed away Imam Zufar traveled there to collect his share of his deceased brothers inheritance. Once he reached there the residents of Basra did not allow him to return home due to which he decided to settle there. He is regarded as one of the brightest students of Imam Abu Hanifah and Imam Abu Hanifah had great respect for him. He is also considered to be more pious than Imam Abu Yusuf. He was offered the post of being a judge however he turned it down. He would never sit in a gathering in which worldy issues were being discussed.
Imam Zufar is renowned for his power of analogy. Whenever he would differ from Imam Abu Hanifah it would mainly be based on analogy. He is recorded to have said, “I have never differed with Imam Abu Hanifah in any issue except that Imam Abu Hanifah used to agree (to the controversial point before changing his decision)”. He has also mentioned, “We do not adopt an opinion so long as there is a narration. When a narration is found we abandon all opinions”. One of his prized students is Imam Waki’ (the teacher of Imam Shafi’ee) who has said, “No persons company has benefited me the way the company of Zufar has benefited me!”
Imam Zufar lived for only 48 years and passed away in the year 158 hijri.
4) Other great students of Imam Abu Hanifah are Hasan bin Ziyad, Dawood Naseer at-Taiee, Abdullah bin Mubarak and Waki’ bin Jarrah.
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