ABU AZAM HANIFA (ENGLISH)

Hadith About Imam E Azam
Abu Hanifa Radiallahu Anh
Apr 18, 2012 | Islamic Personalities | 0
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Narrated Abu Huraira: While we were
sitting with the Prophet Surat Al-Jumu’a
was revealed to him, and when the Verse,
“And He (Allah) has sent him (Muhammad)
also to other (Muslims)…..’ (62.3) was
recited by the Prophet, I said, “Who are
they, O Allah’s Apostle?” The Prophet did
not reply till I repeated my question thrice.
At that time, Salman Al-farisi was with us.
So Allah’s Apostle put his hand on Salman,
saying, “If Faith were at (the place of) Ath-
Thuraiya (pleiades, the highest star), even
then (some men or man from these people
(i.e. Salman’s folk) would attain it.”
(Book 60, Hadith 420,Sahih Bukhari)
Allamah Jalaluddin Suyuti [r.h] writes:
???? ?? ??? ??? ????? ???? ???? ???? ??????? ??? ????? ?? ??????
“I say that Prophet Muhammed [s.a.w]
has given the glad tidings of Imam Abu
Hanifa [r.h] in this hadith [of Abu
Hurayra] [r.a].”
[Tabyeed al-Sahifa, page 403]
Allamah ibn Hajar Makki [r.h] has also
quoted this view of Allamah Suyuti [r.h] in
al-Khayrat al-Hisaan.
Imam Shah Waliullah Muhaddith Dehlwi
[r.h] has mentioned in his Maktubaat that
Imam Abu Hanifa [r.h] falls under the
above mentioned hadith. [Kalmat al-
Tayyibaat, page 168]
Famous Wahabi scholar Nawab Saddiq
Hassan Khan [r.h]( Who later accepted
Islam) also wrote that this hadith refers to
Imam Abu Hanifa [r.h]. [Ithaf al-Nubla,
page 424]
IMPORTANT POINTS
Courtsey: Shaykh Salman
Imam Abu Hanifa Numan ibn Thabit ibn
Numan ibn Marzuban [2], 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
Imam Al Azam (The greatest Imam) and his
school has the largest number of followers
among the four schools of Ahly Sunna. He
was a successor and met such Sahaba as
Anas bin Malik, Sahl bin Sa’d, Ibn Abi Awfa
etc. He was the first to organize Fiqh in
written form under subheadings due to
which Imam Shafi said:
Al Nasu Iyalun Ala Abi Hanifa Fi Al Fiqh
People are the dependents of Abu Hanifa
in Fiqh . [3]
Imam Abu Hanifa was born in Kufa, and
this is the opinion of the majority of the
Ulema, in the year 80 Ah during the reign
of Caliph Abdul Malik ibn Marwan ibn Al
Hakim. His coming was predicted by the
Prophet (Allah Bless him and grant him
peace). Abu Nuaym narrates in his Hiyat al
Awliya, Bukhari and Muslim narrate from
another Sanad from Abu Hurayrah (Allah
be pleased with him), Abu Bakr Shirazi
narrates in his Kitab Alqab, Tabarani from
Sa’d bin Ubaidah (Allah be pleased with
him) and Ibn Masud (Allah be pleased with
him) that the Prophet (Allah Bless him and
grant him peace) said:
—If Ilm was suspended from Pleiades and
the Arabs are unable to reach it, then a
man from the sons of Persia will be able to
reach it.
Imam Suyuti mentions that the Ulema have
stated that that these hadith are in favor of
Imam Abu Hanifa and are authentic.
However, it was not only the Ilm of Imam
Abu Hanifa that made him such a great
man, but It was also his constant Ibadat and
fear of Allah, his endeavor to purify himself
from all worldy things, his asceticism and
his forbearance in the face of difficulties.
That is what made Imam Abu Hanifa Imam
Al Azam. 1. Imam Abu Hanifas constant
Ibadat, recitation of the Quran and Night
Vigils:
Imam Dhahabi says that Imam Abu Hanifas
Ibadat, in particular his Tahajjud prayers
and recitation of the Quran, are established
by Khabare Mutawattir, which means that
it is a fact so commonly narrated by the
tongues of people that it would be
impossible to deny. Sufyan ibn Uyannah is
said to have remarked:
In our time from amongst those who came
to visit Mecca not a single soul could
surpass Abu Hanifa in Salah.
Hammad, the son of Imam Abu Hanifa,
narrates that Hasan ibn Ammarah said:
May Alah have mercy on Abu Hanifa. For
thirty years he fasted and for fourty years
he did not sleep at night.
Like Imam Bukhari, Imam Abu Hanifa used
to finish the Quran 60 times in Ramadhan.
He was so pious and scrupulous that he
used to recite the whole Quran in one Raka,
May Allah grant him the highest abode.
Zafir ibn Sulayman says:
Abu Hanifa used to spend much of the night
in one Raka and in that one Raka he used to
recite the entire Quran.
Ibrahim ibn Rustum Al Marwazi said:
Four are the Imams that recited the entire
Quran in a single Raka: Uthman ibn Affan
(Allah be pleased with him), Tamim Al
Dari, Said ibn Jubayr, and Abu Hanifa.
Ibn K’as narrates:
Due to his excessive Ibadat Abu Hanifa used
to lo ok like a worn out rag.
2. Imam Abu Hanifas Allah-consciousness
and withdrawal from futile things:
Khatib Baghdadi narrates that Asad ibn
Amir said:
Overcome by fear of Allah Imam Abu
Hanifas weeping could be heard right
outside. On hearing his excessive weeping,
even his neighbors were overwhelmed with
pity for him.
Yahya ibn Mai’n says that he heard Yahya
ibn Said sayd:
By Allah! We sat in the company of Abu
Hanifa and heard many religious issues
from him. I swear by Allah! When I looked
at his face I used to be overcome with firm
conviction that this man is very fearful of
Allah.
Saymari narrates that Bakr Al Abid said:
I saw Imam Abu Hanifa performing Salah
at night. He was weeping and praying, “Oh
Allah have mercy on me on the day you
resurrect me.”
Qadi Abul Qasim narrates that Abu Nuaym
ibn Dukain said:
Imam Abu Hanifa was very wary of people.
He used to speak to them only when
questioned. He did not ponder over or listen
to futile things.
3. Imam Abu Hanifas piety, asceticism,
forbearance and trustworthiness:
Ibn Dukain narrates:
Imam Abu Hanifa was very pious and
trustworthy.
Muhammad ibn Ayman narrates that when
Abdullah ibn Mubarak was asked about
Imam Abu Hanifa he replied:
Can anyone ever be like him? He was tried
with lashes [4] but he exercised
forbearance.
Abdullah ibn Mubarak said regarding Imam
Abu Hanifa:
What can be said about a man who was
presented with all the material wealth and
chattels of the dunya but rejected it all? A
man who was severely lashed but bore it
with patience?
Nadr ibn Muhammad said:
I haven’t witnessed anyone as abstinent and
pious as Imam Abu Hanifa.
Hasan ibn Ziyad said
Abu Hanifa never accepted any gift or favor
from the rulers and kings (although he was
offered much)
Zaid ibn Zarqa narrates that a man once
remarked to Abu Hanifa:
This dunya is being presented to you then
why don’t you accept it since you are a
family man?
Imam Abu Hanifa replied:
Allah is sufficient to attend to the needs of
my family. As for me, my monthly expenses
amount to just two dirhams. Why should I
accumulate wealth for them when I will be
questioned about accumulating it? Whether
they are obedient to him or disobedient does
not make a difference to me being
questioned since Allah’s sustenance reaches
both the obedient and disobedient, “And in
the sky is your sustenance and that which
you are being promised (Zariyat: 22)
4. Opinions of other great Ulema
regarding Imam Abu Hanifa:
a. Abu Jafar Muhammad ibn Ali ibn
Hussain ibn Fatima Bint Prophet
Muhammad:
Abu Jafar Muhammad ibn Ali the great
grandson of the Prophet Muhammad (Allah
Bless him and grant him peace) said:
How commendable are Abu Hanifas
manners and how sublime is his skill in
Fiqh!
b. Imam Malik ibn Anas ibn Malik
The founder of the Maliki school of thought,
Imam Malik is reported to have said when
asked about Imam Abu Hanifa:
Yes, I saw him and I saw him to be a man
of such caliber that if he claims that this
pillar of wood is made of gold he will prove
it to you!
c. Imam Shafi Al Hashmi
The founder of the Shafi school of thought,
Imam Shafi is reported to have said:
The person who wishes to excel in Fiqh is
bound to be in need of Imam Abu Hanifa.
He was a person who was divinely guided
with Fiqh by Allah. I have not seen a
greater Faqih then him.
d. Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal
The founder of the Hanabli school of
thought, Imam Ahmad is reported to have
said:
In terms of Ilm, piety, abstinence from this
dunya and preference of the hereafter, Abu
Hanifa occupied such a lofty position that
no one else could reach. May Allah shower
his mercy on him!
5. Imam Abu Hanifas Death:
Imam Abu Hanifa died a martyr in prison
in the year 150 Ah. He was poisoned on the
orders of the Caliph Mansur after being
lashed and thrown in jail for refusing the
post of Chief Justice. According to Yaqub ibn
Shaybah he died while in a state of sujud.
May Allah have mercy on him and grant
him the best of Rewards!
FOOT NOTES
[1] The main source of this biography is
Uqudul Jamman Fi Manaqibil Imami Al
Azam Abi Hanifata An Numan by
Muhaddith Allamah Shamsudin Muhammad
ibn Yusuf Dimashqi. It was translated in
Urdu by Maulana Abdullah ibn Bastawi
Madani. I advise everyone to get this
valuable book as it has also been translated
into English.
[2] Narrated by Ismail ibn Hammad ibn Abu
Hanifa
[3] Narrated by Imam Dhahabi in Tadkhirat
al Huffaz.
[4] Imam Abu Hanifa was lashed by the
Caliph for refusing the post of chief justice.