DID IMAAM ABU HANIFA (ra)
STUDY FROM IMAAM JA'FAR AS-SAADIQ ??
Imaam Abu Hanifa (RA) studied under Imaam Muhammad al-Baqir
and Imam Jafar as-Sadiq (RA). I would like to know if he
received Ijaza from them. If you would please state the texts
in which this can be found in it would be must appreciated.
Salaams
Respected Brother-in-Islam
Assalaamu Alaykum
Regarding Imam Abu Hanifah's allegedly having studied under
Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq, please be informed as follows:
Imam Abu Hanifah was the pupil and intellectual successor
of his mentor, Hammad ibn Abi Sulayman, who was the successor
to Ibrahim an-Nakha'i, who was the successor to his uncle 'Alqamah
ibn Qays an-Nakha'i, who was the successor to Sayyiduna
'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud (radhiallaahu anhu), who was sent as a
teacher to the city Kufah by Amir al-Mu'minin Sayyiduna 'Umar
ibn al-Khattab. This chain of intellectual descent is known to
anyone knowledgeable of the legislative history of Islam.
In fact, Imam Abu Hanifah held his discourses at the very
same place in the Masjid of Kufah where Ibn Mas'ud (radhiallaahu
anhu) used to teach. This teaching circle was passed down
generation after generation, by the men whose names you have
just read: From Ibn Mas'ud to 'Alqamah; from 'Alqamah to
Ibrahim; from Ibrahim to Hammad; and ultimately from Hammad to
Abu Hanifah, after whom it was occupied by three of his
students successively: firstly Zufar ibn Hudhayl; then Abu
Yusuf; and then Muhammad ibn al-Hasan.
Now, regarding the link between Abu Hanifah and Ja'far as-Sadiq,
you need to keep in mind the following:
FIRSTLY
Imam Abu Hanifah was born in the year 80 AH
Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq was born in the year 83 AH
In other words, not only were they contemporaries; but Abu
Hanifah was 3 years older than Ja'far as-Sadiq.
SECONDLY
Imam Abu Hanifah's education took place in Kufah, in the
school originally established by Ibn Mas'ud. Like other 'ulama
of his time, he used to go to Hijaz for Hajj, and passing
through Madinah, he used to benefit from the knowledge of
eminent men of learning, such as the father of Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq,
namely Imam Muhammad al-Baqir. Many of the ahaadith he
narrates from Imam Muhammad al-Baqir are documented in the
books of his pupils Abu Yusuf and Muhammad ibn al-Hasan.
THIRDLY
It is true that Imam Abu Hanifah does narrate some ahadith
from Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq. But that was according to the habit
of the 'ulama to narrate from even their contemporaries. If
that alone is to be taken as evidence that Imam Abu Hanifah
"studied" under Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq, then we will be bound to
conclude that Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq similarly learnt from
people other than his father, such as Ibn Shihab az-Zuhri,
'Ata ibn Abi Rabah, 'Urwah ibn Zubayr and Muhammad ibn al-Munkadir.
Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq has narrated hadith from all of these
men, and even others besides them. (Tahdhib al-Kamal vol. 5 p.
75)
FOURTHLY
In the year 132 the Abbasids came to power, having ousted
the Umayyads. Abu Hanifah was then 52 years of age. The
Abbasid khalifah Abu Ja'far al-Mansur wanted Abu Hanifah as
his Chief Justice, which post he refused. In order to escape
the vengeance of the khalifah, Abu Hanifah betook himself to
the Hijaz where he spent the next 2 years. It is in terms of
this sojourn in the Hijaz that he is reported to have said,
"Were it not for the 2 years, Nu'man (i.e. Abu Hanifah) would
have been destroyed". Creative Shi'i imaginations would have
us believe that what he actually meant thereby was that it was
during this period that he gained his knowledge at the feet of
Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq. The absurdity of this can be seen from
the fact that by that time he was already so famous as a man
of learning, that he was sought by the khalifah as the Chief
Justice. Apart from that, he was, as already shown, over 50
years of age.
FIFTHLY
There is a famous story in circulation about Imam Ja'far
as-Sadiq posing certain questions to Imam Abu Hanifah
regarding the use of Qiyas (analogy). You should be informed
that the story appears in this form in Shi'i books such as al-Kafi.
In the Sunni literature it appears with significant changes.
First of all, the discussion is not between Abu Hanifah and
Ja'far as-Sadiq, but between Abu Hanifah and Muhammad al-Baqir.
Secondly, the story goes as follows:
Al-Baqir asks Abu Hanifah if he is the one who is changing
the Deen of his (al-Baqir's) grandfather (Rasulullah
sallallahu `alayhi wasallam) through the use of Qiyas. Abu
Hanifah denies that he is changing the Deen. In order to
demonstrate the falsehood of the rumours, he then goes on his
knees in front of Imam al-Baqir and uses the comparison
between, (1) the share of a man and a woman in the spoils of
war; (2) fasting and prayer with regard to a woman in
menstruation having to pay in the former and not the latter;
(3) urine and semen in respect of the method of purification
for either one.
After this lucid demonstration of his usage of Qiyas only
where there is no textual evidence, and strictly adhering to
the authority of text where it exists, Imam Muhammad al-Baqir
stands up and kisses Imam Abu Hanifah on his forehead. (Manaqib
Abi Hanifah by al-Kardari, p. 99)
It was only later that the Shi'ah would adapt the story to
suit their own particular needs.
Shaykh Taha Karaan
Darul Uloom al-Arabiyya al-Islaamiyyah, Western Cape (SA)
Last modified:
May 05, 2009
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