The Wisdom of Imam Abu Hanifa

Extracted from ''The Wisdom of Abu Haneefah'' By Shaykh Ahmed Ali

''In jurispondence (Fiqh) All scholars are children of Abu Hanifa'' - Imam Sha'fi

Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak relates:

One day while I was sitting with Imam Malik, an older man came, who was received with
extreme respect by the Imam and made to sit beside him. After he had gone, the Imam
said to Abdullah: "Do you know who this man was? He was Abu Hanifa of Iraq, who, if
he wanted to could prove this pillar to have been made of gold."

Buried Treasure

Hasan bin Ziyaad relates that a man once buried his treasure and then forgot where he
had buried it. He searched everywhere but could not find it. He decided to go and see
Imam Abu Hanifa and related his problem. Imam Abu Hanifa advised him "This is not a
problem of fiqh that I can solve. Go home and offer salãh all night until you remember
where you have buried it." Acting upon the Imam's advice he stood in prayer and less
than a quarter of the night passed and he remembered where he had buried the treasure.
The man then went and retrieved the treasure. The man then related the events to Imam
Abu Hanifa who in turn said to the man, "I knew the devil would not let you pray all
night until he himself would remind you. Only if you had prayed all night thanking Allah
(swt)."

Is this person a kaafir or not?

Muhammad bin Mukatil relates that a man approached Imam Abu Hanifa and asked him,
"What is your opinion regarding a person who does not hope for Jannah, who doesn't fear
Allah (swt) and is not afraid of the fire of Hell. He eats meat of animals not slaughtered
according to religious requirements and observes prayers without Ruku' (bowing) and
Sujud (Prostration), and testifies to what he has not seen (witnessed). He dislikes Haq
(Which is right and certain) and loves Fitna (Trials and tribulations)

The students of Imam Abu Hanifa replied "This persons situation is difficult, problematic
and hard to solve." In another version it is narrated that they replied, "This person is very
bad and these characteristics are of a Kaafir".

Imam Abu Hanifa replied, "This persons situation is not difficult and these are not
properties of a Kaafir, as this is a person who doesn't wish or hope for Jannah but wishes
and looks forward to meeting Allah (swt). He fears Allah (swt) and not the Fire of Hell
(obviously he who fears Allah (swt) will refrain from all that is prohibited and do what is
asked of him and thus will not need to fear Hell as he will be going into Jannah - Insha
Allah). He doesn't fear injustice and unfairness from Allah (swt) in His rule. He eats Fish
and Crust (remember these do not have to be slaughtered). He reads Salatul Janazah in
which there is no ruku' or sujud. He testifies that there is only One Allah (swt) (though he
has not seen him) and Muhammad (saws) is His Messenger. He dislikes Haq (what is
right) which is death, as it is certain. He loves his children, money, wealth and
possessions as they are Fitna"

After hearing this remarkable answer, the questioner stood up and kissed Imam Abu
Hanifa's head and said, "I bear witness that you are a receptacle for knowledge."

Chief Justice

Kharija bib Mus'ab relates that the Khalif, Abu Ja'far invited Imam Abu Hanifa to make
him the Chief Justice (Qadi) but he refused and thus was imprisoned for a few days. The
Khalif called him once again, and questioned him "Oh Abu Hanifa, why is it that you do
not accept our work, dislike it and turn away from it, though those who were better than
you have done the same type of work (became Qadi)?. Imam Abu Hanifa replied "I am
not fit to be Chief Justice." "You are a liar," he replied. Imam Abu Hanifa then said,
"Allahu Akbar! the commander of the faithful has just decided that I am not suitable and
fit to be Chief Justice." The Khalif asked, "How?". Imam Abu Hanifa replied, "Because if
I am a liar, then a liar is not fit to be the Chief Justice, and if I'm honest and right (like I
said I am really not fit to be the Chief Justice) then the excuse is evident."

The Atheists

It has been reported from Imam Abu Hanifa that he said he was like a sword on the
atheists of his time. There were many of them and they had power and strength and were
always looking for an opportunity to kill him. One day whilst he was sitting alone in the
mosque, a group of them pounced on him with knives and swords drawn and were just
about to kill him when he said to them, "Take it easy just answer one question then you
can do what you please.". they agreed. He asked, "What do you say regarding a man who
says I saw a ship, a vessel loaded with cargo, full with goods, in the depths of some
ocean, being battered by gales and rough waves without a navigator, or anybody to care
of it. Despite this it proceeds taking its course. Is something like this possible even in the
mind?" They replied "No, this is a thing that one's mind doesn't accept and one's
imagination doesn't permit." Imam Abu Hanifa said, "Subhanallah, if it is not possible in
the mind for a ship to keep its course in these conditions without a navigator or a crew,
then how is it possible for this world to carry on despite its ever fluctuating conditions
and constantly changing affairs and activities without a creator or a care taker." They all
began to cry and said, "You are right." They put away their swords and repented from
their sins and error.

A'mash and his wife

Sa'eed bin Yahya relates from his father that he said, "There was once an argument
between A'mash and his wife, his wife became angry and said on oath that she would not
talk to him. Now A'mash used to talk to her but she wouldn't reply, he became irritated
and angry and said, "If you do not talk to me by tonight then you are divorced". When he
cooled down and came to his senses, he was sorry and regretted what he had said, but he
couldn't find a way out of this problem. He became very upset and thus went to Imam
Abu Hanifa that night. The Imam welcomed him and was very hospitable to him. A'mash
began to apologise (as at the beginning A'mash didn't used to associate with or sow
respect for the Imam). Imam Abu Hanifa said "Stop apologising and tell me the purpose
of your visit." When A'mash explained his situation, Imam Abu Hanifa replied, "Don't
worry you will be relieved of your problem very soon, if Allah(swt) makes it easy."

He called the Muazzin and told him that when A'mash reached his house to give the
Adhan for the morning prayer before dawn breaks (that is before its time). It was the
practise in Kufa not to give the Adhan for any Salaah before its time, as Adhan is a
means of informing the beginning of that Salaah, and to give Adhan for a Salaah before
its time has begun is not permissible (against Shari'ah). So when this Muazzin gave
Adhan for the Fajr prayer, before the night had ended, she assumed that, since she hadn't
spoken to him all night and the night had come an end as the Muazzin had called the
Adhan for the next day, she would be divorced and freed from this man and thus said to
him, "All Praise to Allah, Who has relieved me from you, oh you ill-tempered". A'mash
replied "The night has not ended as it is not morning yet, it was a ploy, which came to
affect and what a ploy it was, Allah have mercy on Abu Hanifa who told me about it."

A Wise Young Muslim Boy

Many years ago, during the time of the Tâbi'în (the generation of Muslims after the
Sahâbah), Baghdâd was a great city of Islam. In fact, it was the capital of the Islamic
Empire and, because of the great number of scholars who lived there, it was the center of
Islamic knowledge.

One day, the ruler of Rome at the time sent an envoy to Baghdad with three challenges
for the Muslims. When the messenger reached the city, he informed the khalîfah that he
had three questions which he challenged the Muslims to answer.

The khalîfah gathered together all the scholars of the city and the Roman messenger
climbed upon a high platform and said, "I have come with three questions. If you answer
them, then I will leave with you a great amount of wealth which I have brought from the
king of Rome." As for the questions, they were: "What was there before Allâh?" "In
which direction does Allâh face?" "What is Allâh engaged in at this moment?"

The great assembly of people were silent. (Can you think of answers to these questions?)
In the midst of these brilliant scholars and students of Islam was a man looking on with
his young son. "O my dear father! I will answer him and silence him!" said the youth. So
the boy sought the permission of the khalîfah to give the answers and he was given the
permission to do so.
The Roman addressed the young Muslim and repeated his first question, "What was there
before Allâh?"

The boy asked, "Do you know how to count?"

"Yes," said the man.

"Then count down from ten!" So the Roman counted down, "ten, nine, eight, ..." until he
reached "one" and he stopped counting

"But what comes before 'one'?" asked the boy.

"There is nothing before one- that is it!" said the man.

"Well then, if there obviously is nothing before the arithmetic 'one', then how do you
expect that there should be anything before the 'One' who is Absolute Truth, All-Eternal,
Everlasting the First, the Last, the Manifest, the Hidden?"

Now the man was surprised by this direct answer which he could not dispute. So he
asked, "Then tell me, in which direction is Allâh facing?"

"Bring a candle and light it," said the boy, "and tell me in which direction the flame is
facing."

"But the flame is just light- it spreads in each of the four directions,

North, South, East and West. It does not face any one direction only," said the man in
wonderment.

The boy cried, "Then if this physical light spreads in all four directions such that you
cannot tell me which way it faces, then what do you expect of the Nûr-us-Samâwâti-
wal-'Ard: Allâh - the Light of the Heavens and the Earth!? Light upon Light, Allâh faces
all directions at all times."

The Roman was stupified and astounded that here was a young child answering his
challenges in such a way that he could not argue against the proofs. So, he desperately
wanted to try his final question. But before doing so, the boy said,

"Wait! You are the one who is asking the questions and I am the one who is giving the
answer to these challenges. It is only fair that you should come down to where I am
standing and that I should go up where you are right now, in order that the answers may
be heard as clearly as the questions."

This seemed reasonable to the Roman, so he came down from where he was standing and
the boy ascended the platform. Then the man repeated his final challenge, "Tell me, what
is Allâh doing at this moment?"
The boy proudly answered, "At this moment, when Allâh found upon this high platform a
liar and mocker of Islam, He caused him to descend and brought him low. And as for the
one who believed in the Oneness of Allâh, He raised him up and established the Truth.
Every day He exercises (universal) power (Surah 55 ar-Rahmân, Verse 29)."

The Roman had nothing to say except to leave and return back to his country, defeated.
Meanwhile, this young boy grew up to become one of the most famous scholars of Islam.
Allâh, the Exalted, blessed him with special wisdom and knowledge of the deen. His
name was Abu Hanîfah (rahmatullâh 'alayhi- Allâh have mercy on him) and he is known
today as Imâm-e-A'dham, the Great Imâm and scholar of Islam.

[Adapted into English from "Manâqib Abî Hanîfah" written by Imâm Muwaffaq Ibn
Ahmad al-Makki (d. 568 Hijri). Dar al - Kitâb al-'Arabiy, Beirut, 1981/1401H.]

The Greatest Imam, Abu Hanifa

By Dr. G.F. Haddad

Al-Nu`man ibn Thabit al-Taymi, al-Imam Abu Hanifa (d. 150), called "The Imam" by
Abu Dawud, and "The Imam, one of those who have reached the sky" by Ibn Hajar, he is
known in the Islamic world as "The Greatest Imam" (al-imâm al-a`zam) and his school
has the largest number of followers among the four schools of Ahl al-Sunna. He is the
first of the four mujtahid imams and the only Successor (tâbi`i) among them, having seen
the Companions Anas ibn Malik, `Abd Allah ibn Abi Awfa, Sahl ibn Sa`d al-Sa`idi, Abu
al-Tufayl, and `Amir ibn Wathila.

Abu Hanifa is the first in Islam to organize the writing of fiqh under sub-headings
embracing the whole of the Law, beginning with purity (tahara) followed by prayer
(sala), an order which was retained by all subsequent scholars such as Malik, Shafi`i, Abu
Dawud, Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidhi, and others. All these and their followers are indebted
to him and give him a share of their reward because he was the first to open that road for
them, according to the hadith of the Prophet: "He who starts something good in Islam has
its reward and the reward of those who practice it until the Day of Judgement, without
lessening in the least the reward of those who practice it. The one who starts something
bad in Islam will incur its punishment and the punishment of all those who practice it
until the Day of Judgement without lessening their punishment in the least." Al-Shafi`i
referred to this when he said: "People are all the children of Abu Hanifa in fiqh, of Ibn
Ishaq in history, of Malik in hadith, and of Muqatil in tafsîr."

Al-Khatib narrated from Abu Hanifa’s student Abu Nu`aym that the latter said: "Muslims
should make du`a to Allah on behalf of Abu Hanifa in their prayers, because the Sunan
and the fiqh were preserved for them through him. Al-Dhahabi wrote one volume on the
life of each of the other three great Imams and said: "The account of Abu Hanifa’s life
requires two volumes." His son Hammad said as he washed his father’s body for burial:
"May Allah have mercy on you! You have exhausted whoever tries to catch up with
you."

Abu Hanifa was scrupulously pious and refused Ibn Hubayra’s offer of a judgeship even
when the latter had him whipped. Like al-Bukhari and al-Shafi`i, he used to make 60
complete recitations (khatma) of Qur’an every Ramadan: one in the day, one in the night,
besides his teaching and other duties. Ibrahim ibn Rustum al-Marwazi said: "Four are the
Imams that recited the entire Qur’an in a single rak`a: `Uthman ibn `Affan, Tamim al-
Dari, Sa`id ibn Jubayr, and Abu Hanifa." Ibn al-Mubarak said: "Abu Hanifa for a long
time would pray all five prayers with a single ablution."

Al-Suyuti relates in Tabyid al-Sahifa that a certain visitor came to observe Abu Hanifa
and saw him all day long in the mosque, teaching relentlessly, answering every question
from both the scholars and the common people, not stopping except to pray, then
standing at home in prayer when people were asleep, hardly ever eating or sleeping, and
yet the most handsome and gracious of people, always alert and never tired, day after day
for a long time, so that in the end the visitor said: "I became convinced that this was not
an ordinary matter, but wilâya (Friendship with Allah)."

Al-Shafi`i said: "Knowledge revolves around three men: Malik, al-Layth, and Ibn
`Uyayna." Al-Dhahabi commented: "Rather, it revolves also around al-Awza`i, al-
Thawri, Ma`mar, Abu Hanifa, Shu`ba, and the two Hammads [ibn Zayd and ibn
Salama]."

Sufyan al-Thawri praised Abu Hanifa when he said: "We were in front of Abu Hanifa
like small birds in front of the falcon," and Sufyan stood up for him when Abu Hanifa
visited him after his brother’s death, and he said: "This man holds a high rank in
knowledge, and if I did not stand up for his science I would stand up for his age, and if
not for his age then for his Godwariness (wara`), and if not for his Godwariness then for
his jurisprudence (fiqh)." Ibn al-Mubarak praised Abu Hanifa and called him a sign of
Allah. Both Ibn al-Mubarak and Sufyan al-Thawri said: "Abu Hanifa was in his time the
most knowledgeable of all people on earth." Ibn Hajar also related that Ibn al-Mubarak
said: "If Allah had not rescued me with Abu Hanifa and Sufyan [al-Thawri] I would have
been like the rest of the common people." Dhahabi relates it as: "I would have been an
innovator."

An example of Abu Hanifa’s perspicuity in inferring legal rulings from source-texts is his
reading of the following hadith:

The Prophet said: "Your life in comparison to the lifetime of past nations is like the
period between the time of the mid-afternoon prayer (‘asr) and sunset. Your example and
the example of the Jews and Christians is that of a man who employed laborers and said
to them: ‘Who will work for me until mid-day for one qirât (a unit of measure, part of a
dinar) each?’ The Jews worked until mid-day for one qirât each. Then the man said:
‘Who will work for me from mid-day until the ‘asr prayer for one qirât each?’ The
Christians worked from mid-day until the ‘asr prayer for one qirât each. Then the man
said: ‘Who will work for me from the `asr prayer until the maghrib prayer for two qirât
each?’ And that, in truth, is all of you. In truth, you have double the wages. The Jews and
the Christians became angry and said: ‘We did more labor but took less wages.’ But
Allah said: ‘Have I wronged you in any of your rights?’ They replied no. Then He said:
‘This is My Blessing which I give to whom I wish.’"

It was deduced from the phrase "We did more labor" that the time of mid-day to `asr
must always be longer than that between `asr and maghrib. This is confirmed by
authentic reports whereby:

The Prophet hastened to pray zuhr and delayed praying `asr.

The Prophet said: "May Allah have mercy on someone who prays four rak`as before `asr.

`Ali delayed praying `asr until shortly before the sun changed, and he reprimanded the
mu’adhdhin who was hurrying him with the words: "He is trying to teach us the Sunna!"

Ibrahim al-Nakha`i said: "Those that came before you used to hasten more than you to
pray zuhr and delay more than you in praying `asr." Al-Tahanawi said: "Those that came
before you" are the Companions.

Ibn Mas`ud delayed praying `asr.

Sufyan al-Thawri, Abu Hanifa, and his two companions Muhammad ibn a-Hasan and
Abu Yusuf therefore considered it better to lengthen the time between zuhr and `asr by
delaying the latter prayer as long as the sun did not begin to redden, while the majority of
the authorities considered that praying `asr early is better, on the basis of other sound
evidence to that effect.

Like every Friend of Allah, Abu Hanifa had his enemies. `Abdan said that he heard Ibn
al-Mubarak say: "If you hear them mention Abu Hanifa derogatively then they are
mentioning me derogatively. In truth I fear for them Allah’s displeasure." Authentically
related from Bishr al-Hafi is the statement: "No-one criticizes Abu Hanifa except an
envier or an ignoramus." Hamid ibn Adam al-Marwazi said: I heard Ibn al-Mubarak say:
"I never saw anyone more fearful of Allah than Abu Hanifa, even on trial under the whip
and through money and property." Abu Mu`awiya al-Darir said: "Love of Abu Hanifa is
part of the Sunna."