AS A TEACHER When his teacher, Sayyiduna Hammad Basri (Alaihir raHma) passed away, Imam A’zam Abu Hanifa (Alaihir raHma) was 40 years old and he began teaching. He became very famous and travelled many places. Students from all over the Muslim world came to him to listen to his lectures, interviews and debates. Imam Maalik (Alaihir raHma) also learnt under him. When he was 56 years old, Caliph Mansur came to power after the Ummayad dynasty was overthrown by the Abbasids in 132 A.H. Since Imam Abu Hanifa (Alaihir raHma) opposed the Caliph’s ruthless killingof the Ahle Bait, he was arrested. The Caliph offered the Imam the post of a Qaadi (Judge), but he refused. The Caliph Mansur had him beaten with a stick 30 strokes. His feet bled. Caliph Mansurrepented and offered Imam A’zam Abu Hanifa (Alaihir raHma) 30000 pieces of silver. The great Imam refused once more. He was imprisoned againand thrashed 10 more strokes every day. PASSES AWAY Imam A’zam Abu Hanifa (Alaihir raHma) passed away while in Salaah. He had been poisoned by theorders of Caliph Mansur. His Janaza Salaah was performed six times and each time 50 000 people took part. People continued to come and pray for him for 20 days after he was buried. He was 70 years old. In 459 A.H. a Mazaar (Tomb) was built for him by the Seljuki ruler Alp Arsalan. He lies buried in a Tomb situated near Baghdad in Iraq. STUDENTS Imam A’zam Abu Hanifa (Alaihir raHma) left behindabout 980 students. The most famous among them being: a. Sayyiduna Qadi Abu Yusuf (Alaihir raHma) b. Sayyiduna Imam Muhammed (Alaihir raHma) c. Sayyiduna Imam Zufur (Alaihir raHma) PERSONALITY Imam A’zam Abu Hanifa (Alaihir raHma) earned his living by trading. Every Friday, he distributed 20 gold coins to the poor for his parents soul. For 40 years Imam A’zam Abu Hanifa (Alaihir raHma) performed the Fajr Salaah with the Wudu that he made for the Esha Salaah (ie. he did not sleep afterthe night prayer). He performed Hajj 55 times. He used to recite the entire Holy Quran once every day and once every night. Imam A’zam Abu Hanifa(Alaihir raHma) had so much of Taqwa (Piety) that for 30 years he fasted every day (except for the 5 forbidden days). He often read the Holy Quran in one rakaah or two. He did not accept any presents from anyone. He wore clothes like those of the poor. Imam A’zam Abu Hanifa (Alaihir raHma) oncesaid: “I laughed once in my life and I regret it.” He talked little and thought much. It is said that at the place where his soul was taken, he read the Holy Quran 7000 times. GREATNESS OF IMAM ABU HANIFA Yahya ibn Sa`id al-Qattan said: “We have not heardbetter than Abu Hanifa’s opinion and we have followed most of his positions.” Yahya ibn Ma`in, he said of Abu Hanifa that he is not only thiqa (trustworthy) but thiqa thiqa. Al- Dhahabi even calls Ibn Ma`in a fanatic Hanafi. Al-Fadl ibn Dukayn, one of the major authorities of Ahl al-Hadith. He said: “Muslims should make du`a to Allah on behalf of Abu Hanifa in their prayers, because the Sunan and the fiqh were preserved forthem through him.” Waki` ibn al-Jarrah, he replied to some of them: “You barred us from Abu Hanifa, are you going to bar us from Zufar??” (Zufar took over the teaching of Hanafi Fiqh in Kufa and Basra after the Imam.) Abu Mu`awiya al-Darir, he said: “Love of Abu Hanifais part of the Sunna”. Ibn Dawud al-Khuraybi: “Among the people [of learning] there are plenty of enviers and ignorant ones concerning Abu Hanifa.” Bishr al-Hafi, he said: “None criticizes Abu Hanifa except an envier or an ignoramus”. Ibn al-Mubarak. When al-Awza`i criticized Abu Hanifa, Ibn al-Mubarak copied a compilation of Abu Hanifa’s fiqh under the name al-Nu`man. Al- Awza`iread it without interruption except for Salat al-Fard. Then he said: “This Nu`man is a grand master (hadha nabilun min al-ashyakh). Go to him and take as much as you can from him!” Ibn al-Mubarak said: “This is the Abu Hanifa you had forbidden me to see.” Tarikh Baghdad. Ibn al-Mubarak considered one’s hatred of Abu Hanifa amark of Divine wrath. He also said: “If Allah had notrescued me with Abu Hanifa and Sufyan [al-Thawri]I would have been like the rest of the common people.” Al-Dhahabi relates it as: “I would have been an innovator.” Ibn `A’isha mentioned a fatwa of Abu Hanifa then said: “Truly, if you had seen him you would have wanted him [for your teacher]! Truly, his similitudeand yours is as in the saying: Curse them much or not, I care little to blame you; But fill – if you can! – the space they left vacant.
Posted on: Fri, 23 Aug 2013 05:21:03 +0000
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