Author: Obaidullah Nimruzi
Imam e Azam Abu Hanifa, “R.A” (Part 4)
The Superiority of Imam Abu Hanifa, R.H, in Ijtihad
Important Point: Continuing the discussion, it can be said that the main focus is not the essence of ijtihad; because ijtihad was inevitable at that time, and the Companions and followers also performed ijtihad when necessary. However, the distinction of Abu Hanifa, may Allah have mercy on him, lies in his recognition of ijtihad and his inclusion of it as one of the principles of inference alongside the Quran, Sunnah, and the sayings of the Companions and followers. This act of giving ijtihad a title was more significant than the matter itself. Nevertheless, the epistemological foundations and the theory of knowledge are of great importance. Imam Abu Hanifa, may Allah have mercy on him, meticulously understood that jurisprudence is fundamentally a science that, while religious in nature, is also extensively connected to the human world. Considering that the human world evolves within the context of each era’s realities, it becomes essential to establish a dynamic capacity to address the demands of every age.
In the totality of his fatwas, we can realize the fact that considering the amount of religious and worldly aspects of Sharia rulings, he was able to mention worship and its cases separately from transactions, marriages and inheritances, and it was the accurate understanding of the content of this knowledge that the method It shaped the compilation of jurisprudence and this is why Imam Shafi’i has been quoted as saying: «الناس فی الفقه عیال علی ابی حنیفة: People are indebted to Abu Hanifah in jurisprudence.
Because Imam Abu Hanifa introduced an idea in jurisprudence that had no history before; That is, no one had dealt with it in such a wide and methodical way; Besides, the basis of all the discussions that Imam Abu Hanifa has put as the basis of his ijtihad is somehow found in the Qur’an and traditions transmitted from the Holy Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him.
In the history of legislation, almost all researchers agree that Imam Abu Hanifa’s approach to jurisprudence, both in terms of form and content, was very different from what was popular before him, and his method in both fields was from him. As mentioned above, they accepted it and received many influences from him. From a formal point of view, that venerable person has been regarded as the compiler of jurisprudential discussions under specific titles. With a little delay in the jurisprudence of the followers, it is easy to understand how Abu Hanifa was able to organize the jurisprudential discussions in purifications, prayers and worships, prayers, transactions and inheritances.
Imam Abu Hanifa’s innovation was not only limited to the compilation of knowledge; It also really changed the nature of jurisprudential debates; Because, on the one hand, he took jurisprudence out of the realm of pure narration, and by recognizing ijtihad, he gave more depth to these issues and opened a wide field for it; As in the history of Baghdad from the words of the imam himself, the foundations of his jurisprudence have been stated as follows: First of all, I give a fatwa to the Book of Allah, and if I do not find a ruling in the Book of Allah, I trust in the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him. I consider the words of the companions and I accept the word of any companion I want and I leave the word of anyone I want. And I do not prefer the words of others over their (Sahaba) words, and if the words of the followers such as: Ibrahim, Shaabi, Ibn Sirin and Hasan have been quoted, it should be known that they followed their own ijtihad and I also do ijtihad like them. I act on my ijtihad.
3. Respecting the dignity and freedom of man: Abu Hanifa’s meaning of the opinion is to trust and value the dignity of man and his freedom in the possessions of his life, which was emphasized before him and more than him in the Holy Quran and the hadiths of the Holy Prophet, peace be upon him. was placed; But in the wave of tendency towards the text and the flow of textualization, this attitude had lost its color, and Imam Abu Hanifa, among other foundations, brought human opinion and ijtihad, especially in the collective board, which is realized in consensus and collective wisdom, into jurisprudential conclusions, and those who Abu Hanifah opposes, it seems that they did not understand the place of thought, wisdom and human knowledge and its value in the Qur’an and Sunnah.
Examining the place of wisdom and human thought as a divine gift requires a wider scope; But in short, speaking in the Holy Qur’an is considered as an inseparable tool in addition to gaining recognition with one’s honest news; As the deniers say in the Day of Judgment, if we had trusted the truthful news or acted according to wisdom, we would not have fallen into this age. «و قالوا لو كنا نسمع أو نعقل ما كنا في أصحاب السعیر3.
(If we had listened to the call of the prophets in this world or had wisdom, we would not be among the people of hell now); Therefore, human vote, if it is in the highest topic of belief, which is knowing the truth, is considered as a wayfinding tool; How can human beings be deprived of such a blessing in distinguishing their individual and social interests, especially since, according to Abu Hanifah, may Allah have mercy on him, judgment is much more comprehensive than analogy, approval, and other examples.
continues…
