Pioneers of Islamic Scholarship

Adil Salahi

• Publisher: The Islamic Foundation
• Year: 2013
• eBook ISBN: 9780860375821
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Islamic Theology

When making a list of the most influential scholars of Islam, the ever-present difficulty is in who to leave out? over the fourteen centuries of its existence, Islamic scholarship has produced numerous individuals who have distinguished themselves by acquiring broad knowledge and deep insight. however, true distinction is only achieved through a lasting influence, particularly when the area of scholarship is a religion that presents itself as being suited to all communities at all times. therefore, the selection has to start with the founders of the eight schools of jurisprudence who have had a continuous following over the centuries up to the present day. This book introduces nine scholars from these schools and adds two more from a much later era whose influence extended far beyond the area of pure scholarship. In simple language, this book gives a clear picture of how the Islamic schools of jurisprudence differ in their methodologies, showing at the same time how much interaction they project. while it serves as a primary source for those who wish to follow a course in Islamic studies, this book indispensible for others who wish to have a fair, but concise idea about the most important personalities who have shaped Islamic scholarship for centuries.

1

Abū Ḥanīfah

ONCE UPON A TIME, a pious young man of Persian origin was sitting by the bank of the Tigris river in Iraq when he saw an apple floating on the water. Feeling rather hungry, he picked up the apple and ate it. Soon afterwards he began to question himself on having eaten something that did not belong to him, without its owner’s permission. Therefore he decided to look for the owner. Had the young man been a scholar, he would have known that he could eat the apple without having to obtain permission from anyone. However, he went upstream, looking at houses close to the river, until he saw a house with a garden and an apple tree, full of fruit and with some branches stretching over the water. It was a splendid house, with a large garden. He knocked on the door and asked to see the owner. He was ushered into the presence of an old man with a pleasant face, who seemed to be very decisive in his attitude.

On hearing the story, the houseowner reflected a little before saying to the young man that he had committed a gross error. He should have known better than seeking forgiveness after the misdeed is done. However, he was prepared to forgive the young man if he would meet his condition. The young man was full of hope, but when he heard the condition, his heart sank. The houseowner said to him: “I have a daughter of marriageable age, but she is physically and mentally handicapped, and I am worried about what would happen to her after my death. Looking at you, I feel that you could provide her with the care she needs. If you are prepared to marry her, I will forgive you what you have done.”

The young man thought hard, then decided that going through life with such a wife was much easier than having to go to hell for his misdeed. Therefore he accepted. Then on the wedding night he was surprised to find his wife a beautiful and well educated young woman, with neither physical nor mental handicap of any sort.¹

It was into that marriage that Imām Abū Ḥanīfah, Nu

mān ibn Thābit, was born in Kūfah,² southern Iraq in 80 AH, corresponding to 700 CE. He belonged to a business family trading in clothes. It is agreed by historians that his father was born a Muslim, which means that his family adopted Islam in its early days.³ Abū Ḥanīfah grew up as a very religious young man, and he memorized the Qur’ān when he was very young. It is reported that he also learnt the Qur’ān under Imām

Āṣim, one of the seven most famous scholars of Qur’ānic recitation.⁴ There are many reports about how fond he was of reciting the Qur’ān, but many of these seem to be exaggerated, such as those who mention that he used to read the whole of the Qur’ān in one rak

ah of voluntary night worship.⁵

He also began to learn Ḥadīth so that he would know how to conduct his life and business in accordance with Islam. He was clear in his mind that he would carry on with his family business, which brought affluence to his family.

His intelligence was evident at an early age. In his youth, he was involved in debates with the adherents of various beliefs and philosophies, relying mainly on his natural instinct. This gave him a good training that was to stand him in good stead in his later pursuit of Islamic studies which he started at the advice of

Āmir al-Sha

bī, one of the most distinguished scholars of the generation following the Prophet’s Companions who said to him: “You should better pursue knowledge and attend the circles of scholars. I can see in you a man with an alert mind and penetrative understanding.” Abū Ḥanīfah says: “I liked what he said to me, reduced my going to the market place and began to pursue my studies. God has enabled me to benefit by his advice.”

Since debate was his main hobby, now he began to concentrate on beliefs, learning them in depth. He then travelled frequently to the other centre of learning, Baṣrah, where he was involved in numerous debates with different groups. But then he felt that such debates were largely a waste of time, and could not bring benefit to anyone. So he turned to the study of Fiqh or Islamic jurisprudence.

Kūfah was a city where different trends of knowledge had converged. Abū Ḥanīfah aimed to achieve full understanding of four trends of Fiqh scholarship: 1)

Umar’s fiqh based on what benefits people, which he learnt from Nāfi

, Ibn

Umar’s servant and transmitter of his learning; 2)

Alī’s fiqh based on deduction and a thorough understanding of the fundamentals of Islamic law; 3)

Abdullāh ibn Mas

ūd’s fiqh based on analogy; and 4) Ibn

Abbās’s thorough knowledge of the Qur’ān. He acquired this from

Aṭā’ ibn Abī Rabāḥ in Makkah. He also learnt from the great scholars among the Prophet’s descendants, particularly Zayd ibn

Alī, (d. 122 H), Muḥammad al-Bāqir (d. 114 H) and

Abdullāh ibn al-Ḥasan (d. 145 H). He praised Zayd’s wide knowledge in clear terms: “I have met Zayd ibn

Alī, and I also met other members of his family. I have never seen any of his contemporaries who was a better scholar, or more ready with his answers, or more lucid of expression. He was without peers.”⁶ He also met al-Bāqir, Zayd’s elder brother and mentor. There was some debate between the two on the principle of analogy, which al-Bāqir rejected, and Abū Ḥanīfah defended his principle admirably, and earned al-Bāqir’s approval. He also studied under

Abdullāh ibn al-Ḥasan who was a renowned scholar of Ḥadīth and included among his students Mālik and Sufyān al-Thawrī.

We see then, that Abū Ḥanīfah studied under different scholars, but he had a teacher to whose company he committed himself. That was Ḥammād ibn Abī Sulaymān, a highly distinguished scholar who had studied under al-Sha

bī and Ibrāhīm al-Nakha

ī, two of the most distinguished scholars of the second Islamic generation. Abū Ḥanīfah remained very close to Ḥammād for 18 years, learning from him all the Fiqh of Iraqi scholars, but he most particularly learnt the rulings issued by Ibrāhīm al-Nakha

ī. Shāh Walīullāh Al-Dihlawī says that the inexhaustible source of Ḥanafī Fiqh was Ibrāhīm al-Nakha

ī’s views: “Abū Ḥanīfah was the one who adhered most to the school of Ibrāhīm and his associates. He would rarely go beyond it. He was very adept in applying its rules to arrive at new rulings. He had a penetrative insight in its methodology, keenly aware of its detail.”⁷

Abū Ḥanīfah also learnt Fiqh from other scholars, particularly during his pilgrimage trips. He did the pilgrimage almost every year, absenting himself only when there was an unavoidable reason. On these trips he met numerous scholars and he learnt much through them. In Makkah, he learnt under

Aṭā’ ibn AbīRabāḥ, and he also studied under Nāfi

. These two were highly renowned scholars of theTābi

īn generation.

When his teacher, Ḥammād ibn Abī Sulaymān died in 120 H, Abū Ḥanīfah, his most distinguished student, took his place and continued his circle. He was soon to acquire great fame for he had added broad scholarship to superb intelligence and an exceptional ability in both analysis and debate. Moreover, he did not stop his business activity. In fact he continued his business, but went into partnership with a friend, Ḥafṣ ibn

Abd al-Raḥmān, who was responsible for carrying on with all activities. Abū Ḥanīfah, however, continued to exercise close supervision to ensure full compliance with Islamic law. There are numerous reports of his exemplary honesty in his business. To quote just one, it is mentioned that he sent his partner with a consignment of clothes to sell, making clear that one garment had a defect and asking him to make this clear to the buyer. However, his partner forgot to do so when he sold the goods. He could not identify the person who bought the defective garment. In order to remove any doubt about having cheated his customers, Abū Ḥanīfah decided to give the whole amount received from the sale to charity.⁸

Abū Ḥanīfah followed a meticulous method of learning. On the importance of combining the study of Fiqh with the study of Ḥadīth he says: “Anyone who learns Ḥadīth without studying Fiqh is like a pharmacist who has all the medicines but does not know for which conditions they are used. He must wait until the doctor comes. A Ḥadīth student must also wait for the scholar of Fiqh.”⁹

As a teacher, Abū Ḥanīfah followed a method similar to that of Socrates. He did not lecture. R...

Table of contents

• Cover Page
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Contents
• Transliteration Table
• Foreword
• Introduction
• 1 Abū Ḥanīfah
• 2 Mālik ibn Anas
• 3 Muḥammad ibn Idrīs al-Shāfiʿī
• 4 Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal
• 5 ʿAlī ibn Ḥazm
• 6 Zayd ibn ʿAlī
• 7 Jaʿfar al-Ṣādiq
• 8 ʿAbdullāh ibn Ibāḍ and Jābir ibn Zayd
• 9 ʿIzz al-Dīn ibn ʿAbd al-Salām
• 10 Ibn Taymiyyah
• Epilogue
• Index