Abu Hanifa an-Nu'man

From Free net encyclopedia

Part of the series on

Islam
Image:Mosque02.svg
History of Islam

Beliefs and practices

Oneness of God
Profession of Faith
Prayer • Fasting
Pilgrimage • Charity

Major figures

Muhammad
Ali • Abu Bakr
Companions of Muhammad
Household of Muhammad
Prophets of Islam

Texts & Laws

Qur'an • Hadith • Sharia
Jurisprudence • Theology
Biographies of Muhammad

Branches of Islam

Sunni • Shi'a • Sufi

Sociopolitical aspects

Academics • Philosophy
Art • Science
Architecture • Cities
Calendar • Holidays
Women in Islam • Leaders
Politics • Jihad • Liberalism

Template:Wikiquote

An-Núman ibn Thabit (Template:Lang-ar) also know as Imam Abu Hanifa (Template:Lang-ar) (699 - 765) was one of the most important Islamic scholars and jurist and is considered the founder of the Hanafi school of fiqh.

Abu Hanifa was also one of the Tabi'een, the generation after the Sahaba, because he saw the Sahabi Anas ibn Malik, and transmitted hadiths from him and other Sahaba.[1]

1 Biography
2 Teaching
3 See also
4 External links

[edit]

Biography

Born in Kufa, Iraq in 699 during the reign of the powerful Umayyad caliph Abd al-Malik bin Marwan. His father was a trader from Persia. Abu Hanifa's early education was achieved through madrassahs and it is here that he learned the Qur'an and Hadith, and he did exceptionally well.

Abu Hanifa joined his father's business, where he showed scrupulous honesty and fairness. His agent in another country once sold some silk cloth on his behalf but forgot to point out a slight defect to the customers. When Abu Hanifa learned this, he was greatly distressed because he had no means of returning the money to the customers. So he immediately ordered the entire proceeds of the sale of the consignment of silk to be distributed to the poor.

Abu Hanifa's interest in Islamic jurisprudence was sparked perhaps by chance. While running an errand for his mother, he happened to pass the home of Amer al-Sha'bi (d. 722), one of Kufa's most well-known scholars. Sha'bi, mistaking him for a student, asked him whose classes he attended. When Abu Hanifa responded that he did not attend any classes, Sha'bi said, "I see signs of intelligence in you. You should sit in the company of learned men." Taking Sha'bi's advice, Abu Hanifa embarked on a prolific quest for knowledge that would in due course have a profound impact on the history of Islam.

According to mostly Shiite sources, in 763 al-Mansur, the Abbasid Caliph, offered Abu Hanifa the post of Chief Judge of the State, but he declined to accept the offer, choosing to remain independent.

In his reply to al-Mansur, Abu Hanifa excused himself by saying that he did not regard himself fit for the post. Al-Mansur, who had his own ideas and reasons for offering the post, lost his temper and accused Abu Hanifa of lying.

"If I am lying," Abu Hanifa said, "then my statement is doubly correct. How can you appoint a liar to the exalted post of a Chief Qadi (Judge)?"

Incensed by this reply, the ruler had Abu Hanifa arrested and locked in prison and tortured. ^{Ya'qubi, vol.lll, p.86; Muruj al-dhahab, vol.lll, p.268-270.}

Even there, the indomitable jurist continued to teach those who were permitted to come to him.

In 765 Abu Hanifa died in prison. It was said that so many people attended his funeral that the funeral service was repeated six times before he was actually buried.

[edit]

Teaching

Islamic law (fiqh) was systematically studied by his students under his guidance. A number of his devoted and highly intelligent students worked under him for thirty years, and it is their labor which produced the Hanafi school of Islamic jurisprudence.

[edit]