Imam Abu Hanifa

Abu He was brought up in the city of Kufa

Kufa is 6 miles away from Nagf along the banks of Euphrates River

Euphrates river is one of the rivers of Jannah 

Kufa, Basra, and Baghdad are major cities there

Kufa is a city that developed in Islam

It was conquered during time of Umar bin Khattab in 636 AH

Kufa was named after Umar

Umar sent Saad bin Abi Waqas to Kufa 

Saad Bin Abi Waqas would develop civilizations 

The People of Kufa gave Saad a very hard time

No governor could handle Kufa

Umar then replaced saad with Amr Al Yassir and Ibn Masood

Umar said I am sending Ibn Masood to Kufa despite he needed Ibn Masood

It was the last straw with people of Kufa

Ibn Masood develops Kufa into the city of Quran

People of Kufa loved Ibn Masood

5 Quran recitations originate from Kufa

Umar sent Mughirah bin Shuba as governor to Kufa

After Umar Uthman replaced Mughirah with Waleed bin Uqbah

Then Kufa became a place of Fitnah

The Khawarrite came out from there

Kufa revolted against Uthman 

Ali goes to Kufa and moves the Khalifah there 

But it did not go well 

Ali was assissnated in the masjid of Kufa by the Khawriite 

Khalifa goes to Hasan and Muawwaih

Muawwiah establishes Khalifa in Sham

Muawwiah is beginning of Ummayad dynasty

Kufa never like Banu Ummayah 

When Yazeed took over, Kufa betrayed Hussein 

Kufa houses graves of early supporters of Hussein like Muslim bin Akeel

Banu Ummayah would subject the people of Kufa

Ummayah Dynasty is a very disturbing Khalifa

Three groups arose in that time

The Alawees - the supporters of Ali and the Prophet's Family (Asad Regimme today originated from this)

The Abbasids - the descendants of Abdullah Ibn Abbas (supported by Alwawees

Khawaritte - they killed everyone, called Muslims disbelievers

Kufa and Basra contained all these groups 

Qadariya those that believed Quran was created 

Greek Philosophy makes it way to Kufa 

Kufa was a very puristic society 

Abu Hanifa is born into this environment 

Ulema were not allowed to be involved in Politics 

The three major schools

Ahle Hadees - the people of Hadith (it dominated Madinah, Egypt, Sham, parts of Iraq, and Yemen) they took a strict Hadith approach to fiqh 

Ahle Rawi - the people of opinion, use of reasoning and logic, the used excessive reasoning and logic 

Zaharis - based on literal interpretation of the text, founded by Dawood ibn Ali from Kufa the opposite of people of Rawi 

The scholars of Madinah were more honor and respected 

Ahle Hadees continues all the way to Bukhari 

Kufa was exposed to a lot 

There was a lot of fabrication of Hadith in Kufa 

People in Hejaz and Gulf were away from city life

Kufa was more of a city and had developed 

Ahle Hadees and Ahle Rawi had a lot of disagreements and arguments 

Racists Hadith came from Kufa 

These Imams took the best practices of each of these schools 

The People of Madinah included the Sahaba and their children 

People of Kufa was deluded with so many different ideologies 

Non Arabs took control over scholarship 

Isa bin Musa was a proud Arab and he said who is the leader of the scholars in Iraq

He said Hasan Al Basri 

All the scholars he find out about was non Arab in Iraq, Makkah, and Madinah

First scholar of Makkah was a person from Sudan 

Isa bin Musa got upset and started to pace and said what happened to Arabs

He was told there of some scholars in Kufa that were Arab and he was relieved 

Prophet sat with the Sahaba and he taught them Surah Jumuah 

Those who will join them that have not yet joined

Prophet pointed to Salman Al Farsi and said he is from those other people 

Meaning one of the Persians a man who could reach the stars 

Persians played an important in the development of Islam

Salman Al Farsi is like family to the Prophet

Abu Hanifa was born in Kufa 73 AH 

He died in Baghdad 

Abu Hanifa was most likely a Tabiah who may have met with Anas bin Malik

His Father name is Thabit bin Zuta bin Marsuban

His father was from Kabul, Afghanistan 

His father came to Islam as a freed slave

The grandson of Abu Hanifa said we are from the freed children of Persia

Ali bin Abu Talib made dua for the Grandfather of Abu Hanifa

Ibn Masood influenced the Hanafi Fiqh the most 

Thabit was walking and saw a tree of fruit and grabbed it and ate it

Then he felt bad and went to the owner

The owner said marry my daughter 

The owner said my daughter is deaf, mute, blind, and Dumb

Thabit said he will think about then agreed to it

Thabit entered upon this women and was shocked 

She said I am deaf to all haram

I am blind to haram, I am mute from speaking haram,

I am ignorant of non beneficial knowledge

Then Abu Hanifa is born from them 

Abu Hanifa's name was Nouman bin Thabit

He was very tall and handsome and brown color

He had mark of sujood on his forehead and had mark of tears

He wore the best of clothes

He was always laughing and smiling a very easy going person

Imam Abu Hanifa was very wealthy 

Thabit was a silk trader and Abu Hanifa helped his father in business

Abu Hanifa looked at a piece of cloth and could tell everything about it

Abu Hanifa was very skilled at making patterns for clothing

Abu Hanifa went with his father in business from age 5

Thabit will only earn halal rizq 

He will not change his prices a very honest businessman he had a lot of taqwa 

He did not take advantage of his customers 

He never made a profit off of a poor person and sold to him at cost price

He never sold defective products 

Abu Hanifa only sold at fixed prices 

Abu Hanifa had a lot of dignity and respect

He never praised his own products 

Hamad praised a garment and Abu Hanifa said I cannot sell it

A women came to sell Abu Hanifa a garment 

The women mentioned a price and Abu Hanifa said no it is worth more

Abu Hanifa brought the other shop owner and said how much is this worth 

He said 500 and bought it from the women 

Abu Hanifa had a business partner that watched over a shop

Abu Hanifa told him about defect about the product

When Abu Hanifa came back he did not see the garment 

He sold that garment and forgot to show it

Abu Hanifa did not know who it was and he gave all his profit for that day

and he fired his business partner 

He was so afraid of haram money coming in

Abu Hanifa would give his son 10 dirhams and would give to to the poor 

Every Friday Abu Hanifa would give 20 dinar of charity on behalf of his parents

Someone owed Abu Hanifa 10,000 dirhams and the man feared seeing Abu Hanifa

Abu Hanifa asked forgiveness for the man and forgave his loan or gave him extra time

Abu Hanifa did not benefit from a shade of a person who owed him money because he feared it would be interest

Ali bin Talib said each person would need $4,000 dirhams a day 

Abu Hanifa would keep 4,000 dirhams and give the rest to charity 

People in the marketplace would talk about religion and politics 

Abu Hanifa gained a reputation of being a bright young man 

It was the time of Hajaj

Abu Hanifa loved and met Zaeed ibn Jubair

Saeed was killed by Hajaj

Amr bin Shabi was called the popular imam and he was hilarious 

He was very sharp and intelligent and very easy going

He would always joke around

Someone asked what was Iblis wife name and he said I don't know he did not invite me to the wedding 

He was asked while he was walking with his wife and people asked are you shabi

He said no my wife is

He drew a circle outside the door

When people came he wife pointed at door and said he is not here right now

 

Abu Hanifa was asked where do you go to study with

Shabi told him do not spend your life as a heedless man 

I see in you ambition and energy 

Abu Hanifa loved the advice he said and acted upon it

A good word is better than charity 

Abu Hanifa said he wanted to study fiqh 

the one who studies Fiqh interacts with the people understands there issues and finds solution for them in Quran and Sunnah

Abu Hanifa was directed to Hamad bin Abi Suleiman to study fiqh 

Abu Hanifa did not like to debate with the people

Because you try to make the other person a kafr 

Abu Hanifa said to deemed a 1000 disbelievers are believers is better than to say one believer is a disbeliever 

Abu Hanifa continued to be a successful businessman 

He did not want to be dependent on anyone

Then he can speak about any issue freely 

Abu Hanifa said you do not learn true trust and taqwa until you own a business 

If you do not fear Allah then it will show in your money 

Abu Hanifa would buy clothes for his students 

Abu Hanifa dresses nicely because he is being grateful to Allah

Then people do not feel bad for you

He wanted people to know we were dignified 

If the kings knew where true happiness comes from they will take it from us

Hamad bin Abu Suleiman was 9 years older than Abu Hanifa

Abu Hanifa said he became his student for 10 years

Then he became a scholar 

He decided to have his won halaqa

He went out and told Hamad he was gonna do his own thing

His nafs did not want to leave Hamad

One day one of his family members passed away in Basra 

Hamad had to leave for Basra

Hamad told Abu Hanifa to sit in his place

Abu Hanifa heard questions and he would respond to his answers 

He gave 60 answers and agreed with 40 and disagreed with 20

Abu Hanifa stayed with Hamad until his death 

Abu Hanifa would sit in the back at first 

Then Hamad told him to come sit in the front

Then Hamad told him to sit next to him

Hamad would buy things for Abu Hanifa 

Abu Hanifa served Hamad in the house of Hamad 

Abu Hanifa would go to Hamad's house and asked question

Abu Hanifa became secretary of Hamad 

Hamad cried when he missed Abu Hanifa 

They loved each other and had respect

Hamad lived 7 blocks away from Abu Hanifa

Abu Hanifa never stretched his legs towards his house 

Abu Hanifa made dua for Hamad in every salah 

Abu Hanifa made dua for all his teachers and students and parents

Hamad passed away at the age of 49 years old

Abu Hanifa moved into the spot of Hamad 

There was no argument who the best student was

Abu Hanifa continued to be a student 

Abu Hanifa went to Ibrahim Al Naqia and Shaibi to study from them

He met the mufti of Makkah 

He met Nafe the freed slave of Ibn Umar and learned from him

He studied with the Family member of the Prophet

He learned from Imam Jafar 

There are four men that read the whole Quran in one Quran

Uthman bin Affan, Tameem Al Was Daar, Saeed bin Jubair, Abu Hanifa

Abu Hanifa went to Makkah and made Tawaf constantly

Abu Hanifa made Hajj 55 times 

He travelled the Muslim world and great influence on the people

Abu Hanifa was called a pole because of his long Qiyam 

Abu Hanifa was walking in the street and a kid told him are you the one who never sleeps at night

He kept the same wudu for Isha to Fajr

Abu Hanifa kept on foot of a child and the child said aren't you afraid of he day of judgment 

Abu Hanifa was really shaken by that 

He was afraid Allah made him say that to him 

He was once praying Isha in Masjid Kufa and Imam read surah zalzalah 

Abu Hanifa started to cry and make dua 

the guard of the masjid needed to close the door and put out the candles 

The guard just left him there

The Muazzin came to do Azan for fajr and he was still making dua

He was called Abu Hanifa because it meant the father of ink

the guard was shocked and said do you realize what time it is

He said no 

Then he told the man not to tell anyone about this

The man told everyone 

Abu Hanifa would not ask people for favors 

He maintained his own independence 

Heb had great humility 

Thabit passed away at a young age

Abu Hanifa took his mother to the masjid with him 

His mother says she is not sure if she can go to masjid had blood on her clothes

Abu Hanifa said its ok and his mother said how do you know

His mother goes to student of Abu Hanifa 

His student goes to Abu Hanifa and asked him 

Abu Hanifa said tell her the answer and don't tell her I said it

Abu Hanifa sat in the masjid and he said Hasan Al Basri made a mistake

A man got up and got angry and left

Abu Hanifa said he did not let me finish 

Hasan Al Basri made a mistake and Ibn Masood said this 

Abu Hanifa would make dua for people who didn't like him

He said O Allah has his hearts constricted because of us make our hearts open top to them 

Abu Hanifa never backbited anyone not even his enemy 

He was too smart to ruin all the good he did with his backbiting

Abu Hanifa had a drunk neighbor who would make lots of noise at night

Abu Hanifa would hear it and would make dua for him 

Abu Hanifa realized the man is not crying out after two nights

He knocked on his door and he did not answer

He was troubled and went to the khalifa 

He was told that his neighbor was put in prison 

Abu Hanifa freed him from the prison with 85,000 dirhams 

the young man comes out and is shocked 

Abu Hanifa laughs and says did we forgot about you and abandon you

that young man become a person always in the first row and taught fiqh

Abu Hanifa was humble with the people 

Abu Hanifa used to make everyone around him feel comfortable 

Abu Hanifa would listen to the concerns of the people and advise them

Abu Hanifa would spend his mornings in zikr

Abu Hanifa would ask the people how is so and so

Abu Hanifa would visit the sick people

Abu Hanifa never missed a janaza from his students or family

No one disturbed him at night 

Abu Hanifa would make jokes

A man came to him and said if I am swimming in the river do I have to face the qibla 

Abu Hanifa laughed and said I would watch my clothes 

Allah praises the intellect in almost every surah 

Abu Hanifa is brilliant in debating with people

Abu Hanifa debated with an atheist

Abu Hanifa came late to the debate 

He said he went out and waited for wind to blow 

And for boat to be assembled 

the man said do you expect me to believe that

Abu Hanifa said you expect me to believe that all this came from nothing 

but you can't believe a ship came from nothing

In the marketplace a man came from the romans 

He said who was there before Allah

What direction does Allah face

What is Allah doing right now

Abu Hanifa went and told him to count from 10 to 1 backwards

There is nothing before 1 and no one is before Allah

When you light a candle it lights the entire room and does not face any direction

Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth 

Abu Hanifa asks to set up above him because no one could hear him 

Abu Hanifa said Allah is honoring a noble man and disgracing a humiliated man

Abu Hanifa came across the Khawartiie 

He knocked on door and asked to propose to his daughter 

He said he is the most handsome and richest and from best lineage 

There is one issue he is a Jew 

Abu Hanifa said Prophet married two daughters to a Jew and you do not want to marry your daughter to a Jew

Abu Hanifa walked with his students and came to a checkpoint of Khawaruute

Abu Hanifa recites if anyone of the disbelievers seeks your protection 

then grant him your protection 

They protected Abu Hanifa became they believed he was a disbeliever 

A man came and said I can't find my money

Abu Hanifa said go home and keep praying 

Then he found it because Devil reminds you everything of the duniya 

Abu Hanifa was a very loving teacher 

He would say to seek forgiveness for your teachers 

And keep visiting the people of knowledge and frequently visit the graves 

Frequently visit the two harams

Abu Hanifa would raise his students to debate with him

Abu Hanifa has 36 students that are his companions 

Abu Yusuf and Zufur surpassed Abu Hanifa

Zufur is the student of Abu Hanifa 

Zufur is the highest of Abu Hanifa students and the oldest 

When Abu Hanifa passed away Zufur passed away shortly after

Abu Yusuf or Yaqoob bin Ibrahim was second greatest student of Abu Hanifa

He came from a good household 

He had complete sentences at age of 2 years old 

Abu Hanifa said he will raise Abu Yusuf to a status that kings will take care if him

Abu Hanifa cared for all expenses of him and his family 

Abu Hanifa sent him to learn from Imam Malik 

Abu Yusuf became the head of all judges in time of Abbasia 

Harun Rasheed one time made dum talaq oath 

He said if you can leave my kingdom today you are divorced 

Abu Yusuf said tell her to sleep in the masjid so the divorce will not count 

the masjid was not his kingdom

Abu Yusuf wrote taxation laws 

Muhammad ibn Hasan Al Shaibani 

Shaibani was a great scholar

He was only 18 when Abu Hanifa died 

When Abu Hanifa passed away he dedicated to Abu Yusuf

Shaibani spread the Hanafi Madhab throughout the Muslim world 

Abu Hanifa first saw him and told him to memorize the Quran 

Shaibani 6 books in the Hanafi Madhab

All the schools of thought were children of Abu Hanafi 

many problems were solved when Imam Malik met Abu Hanafi 

Both were covered in sweat 

Abu Hanafi said Imam Malik is from the lineage of Prophet

Imam Malik said Abu Hanafi is very knowledgeable

Both of them honored and respected each other

His students went to Imam Malik after Abu Hanafi

Loving Abu Hanafi is like loving the sunnah

Abu Hanafi is most like Imam Ahmad

They were part of politics

Abu Hanafi supported the uprising against Banu Ummayah

It was led by Zain bin Ali bin Hussein Bin Ali bin Abu Talib

Zain started a revolt against Hesham bin Abdul Malik

This revolt was in the year 121 AH 

Abu Hanafi likened this revolt to the Battle of Badr 

Abu Hanafi did not fight with him because of the trust to the people

He entrusted Abu Layla to take over but he did not take it 

If the people were not to betray him he would fight with him 

Abu Hanifa supported him and sent him 10,000 dirhams 

Zain bin Ali was killed in year 132 AH

His son Yahya started revolt and was killed 

And his son started a revolt and was killed as well

Banu Abbas rose up and the Khawarrite rose up as well

Banu Ummayah tortured Abu Hanifa 

Abu Hanifa was appointed as a treasurer to show where his support was

Abu Hanifa said no

Abu Hanafi was imprisoned and tortured to the point of death

Abu Hanafi fled to Makkah 

Abbasids revolt agains the Ummayyah successfully 

132 AH Abbas overthrew the Ummayah in Sham and Andulus 

Abu Hanafi supported the Abbasis and came back to Iraq

the first Khalifa of Abbas was As Saffa who blood thirsty 

He had great hatred for Ummayah 

Abu Hanifa arrives in Kufa and says All praise to Allah who allowed the truth to rise 

And took away the oppression from us

Abu Hanifa we will follow you as long as you follow the Quran and Sunnah

Abdullah ibn Hasan was contemporary of Imam Malik

Great scholar of Hadith and from family of Prophet

Abu Jafar feared his scholarship 

Abdullah's two sons were parts of overthrow of Ummayah 

His sons went to hiding from Abu Jafar

Abu Jafar asked Abdullah where are your sons

H said I don't know and even if I knew I won't tell you

He tortured him

Another revolt happened that even Imam Malik supported 

Abu Jafar dragged the family of Prophet in chains 

Abassi established Khalifah in Baghdad 

Abu Jafar imprisons Abu Hanifa a second time and tortures him

Then he passes away

Abu Hanifa did not want to be bury in any place taken unjustly 

And not any place purchased in interest 

He passes away 150 AH

There were 6 Janazas with over 50,000 people each 

Abu Hanifa did not defend his work writing his students did

Abu Hanifa invited people to contribute and derive their opinions 

First Usool is the Quran 

Abu Hanifa would look at the ayah as it was referred to

He would rather take a general rule than a specific incident 

It is allowed for non muslims to enter masjid al haram in Hanafi Fiqh 

Second Usool is the Sunnah 

Abu Hanifa lived in a context where Hadith was being fabricated  

Abu Hanaifa was not much knowledgeable in Hadith

Muhammad ibn Baqif met with Abu Hanifa and said you rejected Hadith

Abu Hanifa said no I never rejected a Hadith

Muhammad bin Baqif was grandson of Prophet

Third Usool was statement of the companions 

Abu Hanifa could pick between sahaba

Abu Hanifa preferred the opinion of Ibn Masood Ali bin Abu Talib 

They lived in Kufa and understood there context 

Ibn Masood the most 

Fourth Usool using analogy in your reasoning Al Qais 

Finding reason for particular ayah or Hadith and use it to apply at other situation 

Pregnant women and sick women about making up days of fasting

6th Usool Jurudistic Preference 

a scholar can give preference to another because his heart feels comfortable

7th Usool something used for good or bad

If someone is in difficulty you find loop holes for people to get out

delaying the asr salah 

not raising your hands over and over 

Abu Hanifa said take from where we took 

and to contribute to this madhab

Abu Yusuf and Shaibani were two great shaykhs of Hanafi Fiqh 

the two parties 

Abassi adopted the Hanafi Madhab after the passing of Abu Hanifa

Abu Yusuf became a judge for Harun Rasheed 

It started in Iraq and went to mostly minorities 

It spread to Asia and china 

Spain and North Africa was not touched by it

Fatimids in Egypt wanted to eradicate the Hanafi Madhab

Salauhdeen brought the Madhab back despite he was Shafi 

in Haramain all four schools of thought are taught 

Ottoman Empire adopted the Hanafi Madhab 

there was great conflict between Hanafi and Shafi 

Imams did not intend that conflict

Books to read in Hanafi Madhab 

Fiqh Islami by Akram Nadawi 

Muktasar Quduri