Abu Hanifa

Abu Hanifa

Abu Hanifa, known as Al-Nu’man ibn Thabit ibn al-Marzuban, hailed from a distinguished family with roots tracing back to Kabul. His grandfather, Al-Marzuban, embraced Islam during the era of Caliph Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him). Abu Hanifa was born in Kufa in the year 80 AH (Islamic calendar) and grew up in a household celebrated for its generosity, righteousness, and affluence. Following in his father’s footsteps in the textile trade, he memorized the Quran at a young age and performed his obligatory pilgrimage to Mecca at the age of sixteen.

Teachers and Students of Abu Hanifa

Abu Hanifa studied under various esteemed scholars, including Ata ibn Abi Rabah, Jabala ibn Sahi, ‘Adi ibn Thabit,Abdul Rahman ibn Harmuz al-A’raj, Amr ibn Dinar, Nafi’ Mawla ibn Umar, Qatadah, Qais ibn Muslim, al-Qasim ibn Abdul Rahman ibn Abdullah ibn Mas’ud, Abdullah ibn Dinar, Abdul Aziz ibn Rafi’, Atiyyah al-Awfi, Hamad ibn Abi Sulayman, Abdul Malik ibn Umayr, Abu Jafar al-Baqir, Ibn Shuhab al-Zuhri, Muhammad ibn al-Munkadir, Abu Ishaq al-Sabi’i, and Mansur ibn al-Mu’tamir. In addition to his studies, Abu Hanifa became a prominent teacher to many scholars himself, including Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Shaybani, Waki’ ibn al-Jarrah, Qadi Abu Yusuf, Zafar ibn al-Hudhay al-Tamimi, Hamad ibn Abu Hanifa, and numerous others.

Death of Abu Hanifa

Abu Hanifa, may Allah have mercy on him, passed away in Baghdad on the 11th of Jumada al-Awwal in the year 150 AH, corresponding to June 14, 767 AD. Known for his piety and deep reverence for Allah Almighty, many esteemed scholars recognized his contributions to Islamic jurisprudence. Among the notable praises he received is the statement by Al-Shafi’i, may Allah have mercy on him, who said, “People in jurisprudence are in debt to Abu Hanifa.”