Author: Obaidullah Nimruzi
Hazrat Imam e Azam Abu Hanifah, R.A (1st part)
Summary of contents
Hazrat Imam Abu Hanifah may Allah have mercy on him, who is nicknamed “The Great Imam”, is one of the luminaries of the Islamic Ummah, especially the people of “Mawaralnahr” who, without a doubt, can be considered one of the miracles of the Prophet of Islam, peace be upon him, and a proof of the completeness of Islam’s religion and a comprehensive proof; The proof of this claim can be mentioned in the compilation of jurisprudence, works, students, sayings of scholars and great thinkers of the Islamic world in praise of him.
Keywords: Imam Azam, Abu Hanifa, Numan bin Sabit and jurisprudence.
Imam Abu Hanifah, may Allah have mercy on him, at a glance
His name is Numan bin Sabit bin Zuti. He was born in the year 80 AH in the city of Kufa.
Since his childhood, Imam Abu Hanifah used to go to his father’s room and stay with him and learned the principles and foundations of interaction, behavior with sellers, buyers and customers; until he continued his father’s profession and had a comfortable and prosperous life. His job was “bezazi” or cloth and clothing business, and he had a partner in the business who helped him in the business.
Study period of Imam Abu Hanifah, may Allah have mercy on him
He was raised in a pious, wealthy and generous Muslim family, and it seems that he was the only child of his parents; His father worked in a cloth shop in Kufa.
The education of Imam Abu Hanifah, may Allah have mercy on him, was first in theology; Later, he turned to the “science of jurisprudence (Fiqa)” and studied under Hamad bin Abi Suleiman and was in association with him for about 18 years.
Imam Zafar, one of Imam Abu Hanifa’s students, explains the reason for Imam’s turn to jurisprudence, in the Imam’s words: I had reached the level of linguistics where I had become fluent in both general and specific languages, our classroom was near to the classroom of Hamad bin Abi Sulaiman.
One day a woman asked me that a man wants to divorce his wife according to tradition, how many divorces? I asked him to ask Hamad and put me in the answer to the problem; Hamad told her: “A woman must be free from her monthly period and her husband must not sleep with her, so he should divorce her once after she has taken a bath after two more periods [in which she has passed the monthly period 3 times in total], then she can get married”. Imam Abu Hanifah says: “After that, I left the science of theology and went to Hamad’s class, and because I understood his lessons well and gave correct answers, I was respected by Hamad.”
Imam Abu Hanifah turned to Hamad’s jurisprudential thoughts and opinions and became one of his unique students; Therefore, Hamad puts him at the top of his class. His behavior with his teacher Hamad was also a matter of surprise and reflection; For example, he would sit behind the door of his teacher’s house until his teacher left the house and asked him questions or fulfilled his needs. He was in the presence of his teacher for 18 years, until Hamad died, and his students chose Imam Abu Hanifah as his successor. Imam Abu Hanifa says: “Since Hamad passed away, every time I pray, I ask Allah for forgiveness for him and my parents.”
The professors of Imam Abu Hanifah, may Allah have mercy on him
1. Akrama Molavi Abdallah bin Abbas, who died in 104 AHS.
2. Ata bin Abi Rabah, who died in 114 AHS.
3. Nafi Molavi Ibn Omar, who died in 117 AHS.
4. Hamad bin Abi Suleiman who died in 120 AHS.
Continues…
