Abu Hanifa (80 A.H.-150 A.H.):

Introduction:

Abu Hanifa was from Persian descent and was raised in Kufa. He became engaged in trade early on in his life. He always had an interest in acquiring knowledge. He had great awareness in Islamic knowledge. Like ibn Anas, he memorised the Quran and many ahadith. In addition, he literature and poetry but he focused on obtaining wisdom in fiqh after looking into many areas of acquired information from his sole teacher Hammad ibn Abi Sulayman. He remained a student of Abi Sulayman until the latter's death.

Life of Abu Hanifa:

After the death of his teacher, Abu Hanifa started to teach students on his own. Unfortunately, he started to face some hardships.

It needs to be said that Abu Hanifa had a strong and forceful personality, which made his figh spread throughout the Islamic world. This led him to have supporters in addition to opponents.

Abu Hanifa lived 42 years under Umayyad rule and 18 years under the Abbasid rule. His loyalty under the Abbasid ruler Abu Jafar al-Mansur was tested under several events. Firstly, al- Mansur used to send gifts to Abu Hanifa but unlike ibn Anas, he gently declined any gifts from him or any other ruler. He was also an arbitrator between Abu Jaffar and his wife. Abu Hanifa reminded the caliph that he can only marry four women if he will be fair to them but if not than marry just one woman.

During a rebellion at the time of al-Mansur, the Alawites named Nafs as Zakiyah and his brother Ibrahim were killed. Abu Hanifa deplored such acts but he never took any physical action. However, al-Mansur was cautious of the Imam and gave him a final test. When the caliph offered Abu Hanifa the role of qadi (judge) of Baghdad, the Imam declined his offer.

Abu Hanifa's refusal left al-Mansur in question of the Imam's loyalty to the Abbasids. Hanifa was jailed and whipped by Abbasid associates. When they finally released him, Abu Hanifa was barred from teaching and giving fatawa till his death. Abu Hanifa himself did not write a book of figh. It wasn't common to do such a thing during his time.

However, there were references of a musnad of ahadith and traditions ascribed by him. His knowledge of figh was transmitted by his students like Abu Yusuf and ash-Shaybani. Abu Yusuf wrote Kitab al-Athar in which there was fatawa of Abu Hanifa. Ash-Shaybani wrote al- Masbut. This is a collection of questions in which the Imam himself gave fatawa.