Author: Mufti Muhammad Gul Saeed
Imam al-A’zam Abu Hanifah (RA): The Role Model (part 12)
Collection of Articles
The literary Works of Imam Abu Hanifah (RA)
At present, it is difficult to obtain access to all of the books and treatises authored by Imam al-Aʿzam Abu Hanifah (RA). Nevertheless, early Muslim scholars referred to a number of his works in their writings and mentioned several others. In his marginal notes on Bulugh al-Amani, Allamah al-Kawthari listed eleven works attributed to Imam Abu Hanifah. These include books on jurisprudence (fiqh), Hadith, and Islamic theology (ʿilm al-kalam), as follows:
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Al-Fiqh al-Akbar—A treatise on Islamic theology in which the Imam discusses the Divine Attributes, predestination (qadar), and the doctrine that both good and evil occur by the decree of Allah.
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Al-Musnad—A compilation of Prophetic traditions (Sunnah). Imam al-Suyuti (RA) wrote a commentary on it entitled Al-Taʿliqah al-Munifah ala Musnad Abi Hanifah. The hadiths narrated by Imam Abu Hanifah were later collected by various scholars and arranged in the form of a Musnad.
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Kitab al-Athar—A collection selected from among forty thousand Hadiths.
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Jamiʿ al-Masanid
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Kitab al-Radd ʿala al-Qadariyyah
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Al-Fiqh al-Absat
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Al-ʿAlim wa al-Mutaʿallim
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Risalat al-Imam ila Uthman al-Batti fi al-Irjaʾ
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Makatib al-Wasaya
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Kitab Ikhtilaf al-Sahabah
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Kitab al-Jamiʿ
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Kitab al-Siyar
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Kitab al-Awsat
The Jurisprudential Principles of Imam Abu Hanifah (RA)
It is an undeniable fact that the jurists (fuqaha) and independent legal scholars (mujtahidun) of Islam rendered invaluable services to the Muslim Ummah as teachers and interpreters of the religion. In order to determine the rulings for new and emerging legal issues, they devoted themselves to scholarly research and deliberation, deriving legal judgments through ijtihad and legal reasoning (istinbat). The entire Muslim community remains indebted to their efforts and prays that Allah reward them abundantly. [1]
It should be understood that the scholarly and juristic endeavors of these Imams were never intended to establish independent religions or separate systems of belief. Rather, their schools of jurisprudence gained authority because they explained, interpreted, and clarified the teachings of the Qur’an and the Sunnah. Their juristic differences do not contradict the unity of the Muslim Ummah; instead, they are regarded as one of the distinguishing merits of the Islamic Shari’ah.
In this regard, Qadi Ibn al-‘Arabi (RA) stated: “The differences among the Imams in subsidiary legal matters are among the virtues of the Shari’ah.”
Therefore, the juristic opinions of the mujtahidun should not be regarded as parallel religions, nor should they become a cause of sectarianism or fanaticism. Rather, they should simply be recognized as legitimate scholarly differences. All Muslim jurists and independent legal scholars deserve respect, and studying their lives and contributions is a source of blessing and guidance.
Scholarly Assessments of the Eminent Status of Imam al-Aʿzam (RA)
The knowledge, piety, patience, and sincerity of Imam Abu Hanifah occupied such an exalted position that, after the biography of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), perhaps no other Muslim scholar has had as many works written concerning his life and legacy as Nuʿman ibn Thabit. Today, approximately sixty percent of the Muslim world follows the Hanafi school of jurisprudence, while the adherents of the remaining Sunni schools collectively constitute about forty percent.
Imam Abu Hanifah (RA) is reported to have traveled to Makkah al-Mukarramah and al-Madinah al-Munawwarah between fifty-two and fifty-five times. When he was asked why he performed Hajj so frequently, he replied, “My objective is not merely to perform the rites of Hajj. Rather, I wish to meet the scholars of the Two Sacred Sanctuaries and the learned men who come there from every corner of the Muslim world so that all the Hadiths of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and the juristic rulings may reach me. I fear issuing a legal verdict that differs from an authentic narration or a reliable fatwa known in another region.” [2]
Imam Abu Hanifah’s intellectual brilliance was extraordinary. He was a distinguished scholar who benefited from the instruction of approximately four thousand scholars and shaykhs. Moreover, according to one narration, he met fifty Companions of the Prophet (may Allah be pleased with them); another narration mentions twenty-two, while the strongest and most widely accepted report states that he met eight Companions. His teachers were among the eminent members of the Tabiʿun (the Successors) and the Tabiʿ al-Tabiʿin (the Successors of the Successors), the generations collectively known as Khayr al-Qurūn. It is evident that one who studied under four thousand scholars from these blessed generations occupied the highest ranks of knowledge, piety, sincerity, sound creed, and devotion.
Imam al-Aʿzam Abu Hanifah (RA) directly studied Hadith under sixty teachers in Makkah al-Mukarramah. He regarded Kufah as the intellectual capital and principal center of Islamic jurisprudence. He excelled in the sciences of Hadith and Qur’anic exegesis (tafsīr), and his scholarly distinction has remained unparalleled.
The leading jurists, Qur’anic exegetes, and Hadith scholars of his time honored him with various distinguished titles. Some referred to him as the chief of the jurists, others as the jurist of the Ummah, while still others described him as the founder of Islamic jurisprudence. Imam al-Shafiʿi (RA) famously said: «النَّاسُ فِي الْفِقْهِ عِيَالٌ عَلَى أَبِي حَنِيفَةَ» Translation: “The people are dependent upon Abu Hanifah in matters of jurisprudence.”
Imam al-Dhahabi, in his celebrated work Tadhkirat al-Huffaz, compiled biographies of the eminent Hadith memorizers (ḥuffāẓ) from the era of the noble Companions until his own time. His methodology was to include only those scholars who combined extensive mastery of Hadith with profound expertise in Islamic jurisprudence. In this work, he cited the authentication (tawthīq) of Imam Jaʿfar al-Sadiq by numerous Hadith scholars, placing foremost the testimony of Imam Abu Hanifah. Imam al-Dhahabi also regarded Imam Abu Hanifah himself as one of the distinguished ḥuffāẓ, Hadith scholars, and jurists.
It is worth noting that the inclusion of Imam Abu Hanifah’s biography in some editions of Tadhkirat al-Huffaz is considered an addition by later editors. Nevertheless, this reflects the view of Hadith specialists that Imam Abu Hanifah was not only a recognized Hadith scholar but also possessed extensive knowledge of Hadith and exceptional juristic insight.
Imam Hammad ibn Abi Sulayman (d. 120 AH) said concerning Imam Abu Hanifah: «هَذَا مَعَ فِقْهِهِ يُحْيِي اللَّيْلَ وَيَقُومُهُ» “Despite his profound mastery of jurisprudence, he spent his nights in worship and vigil.”
Ibn ʿAbd al-Barr writes in Al-Intiqāʾ that Imam Abu Hanifah (RA), in addition to his mastery of jurisprudence, devoted the entire night to worship. [3]
Imam Misʿar ibn Kidam (d. 153 AH) remarked: «رَحِمَ اللَّهُ أَبَا حَنِيفَةَ، إِنْ كَانَ لَفَقِيهًا عَالِمًا» “May Allah have mercy on Abu Hanifah; indeed, he was a truly learned jurist.”
Imam Abdullah ibn Numayr (d. 199 AH) narrated: «سَمِعْتُ الأَعْمَشَ يُسْأَلُ عَنْ مَسْأَلَةٍ، فَقَالَ: إِنَّمَا يُحْسِنُ الْجَوَابَ فِي هَذَا وَمِثْلِهِ النُّعْمَانُ بْنُ ثَابِتٍ الْخَزَّازُ، أَرَاهُ بُورِكَ لَهُ فِي عِلْمِهِ.» “I heard al-Aʿmash being asked about a legal issue. He replied: ‘The one who excels in answering questions such as this is al-Nuʿman ibn Thabit al-Khazzaz. I believe that Allah has placed blessing in his knowledge.’
I heard al-Aʿmash being asked about a legal issue, to which he replied: «إِنَّمَا يُحْسِنُ الْجَوَابَ فِي هَذَا وَمِثْلِهِ النُّعْمَانُ بْنُ ثَابِتٍ الْخَزَّازُ، أَرَاهُ بُورِكَ لَهُ فِي عِلْمِهِ» Translation: “Only Abu Hanifah is capable of giving an excellent answer to questions such as this. I believe that Allah has placed blessing in his knowledge.”
Imam Shababah ibn Sawwar (d. 204 AH) also narrated: «كَانَ شُعْبَةُ حَسَنَ الرَّأْيِ فِي أَبِي حَنِيفَةَ، وَقِيلَ لَهُ: مَاتَ أَبُو حَنِيفَةَ، فَقَالَ شُعْبَةُ: لَقَدْ ذَهَبَ مَعَهُ فِقْهُ الْكُوفَةِ، تَفَضَّلَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْنَا وَعَلَيْهِ بِرَحْمَتِهِ» Translation: Shuʿbah ibn al-Hajjaj held Imam Abu Hanifah in the highest esteem. When he was informed of Abu Hanifah’s passing, he remarked: “With his death, the jurisprudence of Kufah has departed as well. May Allah encompass both him and us with His mercy.”
Imam Yahya ibn Maʿin (d. 233 AH) said concerning Imam Abu Hanifah: «هُوَ ثِقَةٌ، مَا سَمِعْتُ أَحَدًا ضَعَّفَهُ، وَهَذَا شُعْبَةُ بْنُ الْحَجَّاجِ يَكْتُبُ إِلَيْهِ أَنْ يُحَدِّثَ، وَيَأْمُرُهُ شُعْبَةُ» Translation: “He is trustworthy (thiqah). I have never heard anyone declare him weak. Indeed, Shuʿbah ibn al-Hajjaj used to write to him, requesting that he narrate Hadith to him. “It is well known among scholars of Hadith that Shuʿbah occupied one of the highest ranks in the criticism and evaluation of narrators.
Imam al-Hasan ibn Salih also stated, «كَانَ النُّعْمَانُ بْنُ ثَابِتٍ فَهِمًا، عَالِمًا، مُتَثَبِّتًا فِي عِلْمِهِ، إِذَا صَحَّ عِنْدَهُ الْخَبَرُ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ لَمْ يَعْدِلْهُ إِلَى غَيْرِهِ» Translation: “Al-Nuʿman ibn Thabit possessed profound understanding, extensive knowledge, and great precision in scholarship. Whenever an authentic narration from the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) was established before him, he never abandoned it in favor of any other opinion.”
Imam ʿAli ibn al-Madini said concerning him: «هُوَ ثِقَةٌ، لَا بَأْسَ بِهِ» Translation: “He is trustworthy; there is no criticism to be made against him.”
Likewise, Imam Husayn ibn Waqid (d. 159 AH) narrated: «وَقَعَتْ مَسْأَلَةٌ بِمَرْوَ فَلَمْ أَجِدْ أَحَدًا يَعْرِفُهَا، فَجِئْتُ إِلَى الْعِرَاقِ فَسَأَلْتُ عَنْهَا سُفْيَانَ الثَّوْرِيَّ، فَقَالَ لِي: يَا حُسَيْنُ، لَا أَعْرِفُهَا. فَلَمَّا أَطْرَقَ سَاعَةً قُلْتُ لَهُ: أَنْتَ إِمَامٌ وَتَقُولُ لَا أَعْرِفُهَا؟ فَقَالَ: أَقُولُ كَمَا قَالَ ابْنُ عُمَرَ، سُئِلَ عَنْ شَيْءٍ لَمْ يَدْرِهِ فَقَالَ: لَا أَدْرِي. ثُمَّ أَتَيْتُ أَبَا حَنِيفَةَ فَسَأَلْتُهُ عَنْهَا، فَأَفْتَانِي فِيهَا، ثُمَّ رَجَعْتُ إِلَى سُفْيَانَ فَذَكَرْتُ لَهُ ذَلِكَ، فَقَالَ: كَيْفَ قَالَ لَكَ؟ فَقُلْتُ: قَالَ كَذَا وَكَذَا. فَسَكَتَ سَاعَةً، ثُمَّ قَالَ: يَا حُسَيْنُ، هُوَ عَلَى مَا قَالَ لَكَ أَبُو حَنِيفَةُ» Translation: “A legal issue arose in Marw for which I could find no one able to provide an answer. Therefore, I traveled to Iraq and asked Sufyan al-Thawri about it. After reflecting for a while, he replied, ‘I do not know its ruling.’ I said to him, ‘You are an Imam—how can you say that you do not know?’ He answered, ‘I say what Ibn Umar used to say. Whenever he was asked about a matter whose ruling he did not know, he would simply reply, “I do not know.” ‘ Thereafter, I went to Abu Hanifah and asked him about the issue, and he issued a legal ruling. I then returned to Sufyan and informed him of Abu Hanifah’s answer. He asked, ‘What did he say?’ After I repeated the ruling, Sufyan remained silent for a moment and then declared, ‘O Husayn, the correct ruling is exactly as Abu Hanifah has told you.'”
Continues…
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References:
[1] Al-Intiqā’, p. 125.
[2] Ibn ʿAbd al-Barr, Al-Intiqā’, p. 172.
[3] Al-Jawāhir, vol. 1, p. 29.
