Some glimpses from the life of Imam Azam Abu Hanifa (May Allah be well pleased with him)

 

The noble character of Imam Azam

 

Imam Azam was not only a great scholar and a veritable ocean of knowledge, but also the very epitome of nobility and graciousness.  Hadhrat Shaykh Ul Islam, Imam Muhammad Anwaarullah Farooqui, the founder of Jamia Nizamia relates an incident from “Manaqib-e-Imam Azam” of Imam Muwaffaq and Imam Kardari:

 

Translation: Hadhrat Shaqeeq Balkhi (May Allah shower His mercy on him) says:  Once, I was going with Imam Azam Abu Hanifa (May Allah be well pleased with him) to call upon a sick person.  On the way, a person saw Imam Azam, hid himself and tried to go down another path.  Imam Azam (May Allah be well pleased with him) called out to him and said:  Why are going down another path?  Understanding that Imam Azam (May Allah be well pleased with him) had recognized him, he stood before him embarrassed.  When Imam Azam repeatedly asked him the reason for this, he answered that he owed the Imam 10,000 Dirham and in spite of the period being over, he couldn’t return it due to poverty.  That was the reason he was embarrassed to come face-to-face with the Imam.  The Imam said:  May Allah be exalted!  You were hiding because of the money.  I waive all the amount and I request you to forgive me for the consternation that you felt because of me.  (Haqeeqatul Fiqh, Vol. 1, Pg. No. 299)

 

Imam Azam and respect for the Holy Quran

 

Imam Muwwaffaq (May Allah shower His mercy on him) has related an incident in this regard:

 

The Imam of the Imams, Imam Zaranjari relates this incident:  When Hadhrat Hammaad, the son of Imam Azam (May Allah be well pleased with him) memorized Surah Fatiha, Imam Azam (May Allah be well pleased with him) sent the teacher a gift of 1000 Dirhams……………the teacher came to Imam Azam (May Allah be well pleased with him) and tried to excuse himself by saying:  What have I done that I should be given such a large amount.  Imam Azam (May Allah be well pleased with him) said:  Are you thinking that what you taught my child is of minor importance?  By Allah!  If I had anything more than that, I would have offered it to you out of respect for the Holy Quran.  (Haqeeqatul Fiqh, Vol. 1, Pg. No. 299)

 

Imam Azam – The epitome of piety

 

Imam Fakhruddin Razi (May Allah shower His mercy on him) has related an incident in Tafseer Kabeer about the piety and meticulousness of Imam Azam Abu Hanifa (May Allah be well pleased with him):

 

Translation: A fire-worshipper owed Imam Azam a certain amount.  The Imam went to his house to get it.  When he reached the house of that person, some filth fell on his shoes.  When the Imam removed it, a steak of it ended up on the wall of that fire-worshipper.  The Imam thought that if he let it remain there, it would remain like a blot on the wall and if he scraped it off, the wall is of mud and might even fall.  The Imam knocked on the door of the house.  A slave-girl opened the door.  The Imam asked her to tell her master that Abu Hanifa is waiting for you at the door.  That person came out.  Assuming that the Imam would ask for his loan, he started begging his forgiveness, but the Imam said:  Let that be!  And told him about the filth on the wall.  Then the Imam asked him if there was a way to clean the wall.  That fire-worshipper said:  First let me purify myself first and he embraced Islam, then and there.  (Tafseer Kabeer, Surah Fatiha-07

 

Salaat Ul Fajr with the ablution of Salaat Ul ‘Isha for 40 years

 

Imam Azam would busy himself in worship a lot.  He would spend the whole night in prayer.  He would recite the Holy Quran profusely.  He would cry and supplicate before Almighty Allah.  Khateeb Baghdadi has written in his Tarikh:

 

Translation: Hadhrat Hammad bin Quraish said:  I heard Asad bin ‘Umar say that I remember it clearly that Imam Azam Abu Hanifa offered Salaat Ul Fajr with the ablution (Wudhu) of Salaat Ul ‘Isha for 40 years.  He would recite the whole Holy Quran in 1 Raka’at in the whole night and his crying would be heard in the night so much so that the neighbors would pity him.  I also remember that at the place where Imam Azam passed away, he had completed 7000 recitations of the Holy Quran.  (Tarikh Baghdad Lil Khateeb Baghadi, Babun Noon)

 

A doubt and its answer

 

From some quarters, objections are raised that when the Imam spent every night in worship for 40 years, then he shouldn’t have had any children.  This doubt has to be cleared.

 

There are 3 kinds of slaves of Almighty Allah as given in the Holy Quran:

 

So of them are those who wrong their own souls, and of them are also those who are moderate, following the middle course, and of them are still those who excel in doing pious deeds by Allah’s command.  Surah Fatir (35:32)

 

Hadhrat Imam Azam (May Allah be well pleased with him) is from the 3^rd category.

 

Again, Almighty Allah says about His pious slaves:

 

And (these) are the ones who spend their nights prostrating themselves and standing before their Lord (cloaked in submissiveness).  Surah Furqan (25:64)

 

Almighty Allah is informing us through the Holy Quran whose nights are spent in worship and prayer.  These are the words of the Holy Quran.  They can’t be wrong.

 

This shows that spending the night in prayer is an attribute of the pious servants and Imam Azam (May Allah be well pleased with him) is among those who hasten towards good deeds.

 

Now as far as fulfilling conjugal responsibilities is concerned, Almighty Allah says in the Holy Quran:

 

O believers! Your (male and female) slaves and your children who have not yet attained puberty must seek your permission (to come to you) on three occasions: (first) before the Fajr (Dawn) Prayer, (second) when you put off your clothes at noon (for rest), and (third) after the ‘Isha’ (Night) Prayer (when you go to bed for sleep. These are) the three (times) of privacy for you. Other than these (times), there is no sin on you or them (because during remaining hours they) keep coming and going frequently where you are from one to the other. That is how Allah makes the Revelations clear for you, and Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.  Surah Noor (24:58)

 

This verse shows that there are 3 times for privacy.  In these times, even if minor children want to come, they should also ask for permission.  Barging in without permission is not permissible.  Among these 3, 2 are in the night.  The Imam had kept these 2 times for worship.  The time of the siesta is also included in these times.  Thus, this verse of the Holy Quran amply answers the objection raised on the Imam. 

 

Anyhow, this attitude about the elders that if they are doing one thing right, then they must be doing some other thing wrong needs to be changed.  One should refrain from making such observations and fear Almighty Allah in this regard.

 

Fasting for 30 years

 

Imam Azam Abu Hanifa (May Allah be well pleased with him) would fast in the day and wouldn’t rest in the night.  As related by Khatib Baghdadi:

 

Translation: The grandson of Imam Abu Hanifa (May Allah be well pleased with him) relates on the authority of his father Hadhrat Hammaad:  When my father passed away, we requested Hadhrat Hasan bin ‘Amara (May Allah shower His mercy on him) to give him the funeral bath.  He accepted this request.  When he gave him the funeral bath, he said:  May Allah have mercy on him and raise your status.  He has never missed fasting since 30 years and for 40 years, his sides have never touched any bed.  He has opened the path of difficulty for those who come after him and has left the Huffadh far behind.  (Tarikh Baghdad Lil Khateeb Baghadi, Babun Noon)