Indexed OCR Text

Imam Abu Hanifa
he would ask me where I had come from. I would inform him from Abu
Hanifa and he would remark, "You have just come from the greatest
jurist in the world."
Abn Wahb Muhammad ibn Muzahin said,
I heard Ibn al-Mubarak say, "The greatest jurist is Abu Hanifa. I have
not seen anyone like him in the field of jurisprudence."
Imam Shafi'i reports that Imam Malik was asked if he had met Abu
I lanifa? His reply was:
Yes, I have seen a person who, if he says he could turn this pillar into gold,
would be able to provide evidence for it (Tabyid al-sahifa 16).
Imam Shafi'i himself once said;
People are dependent on Abu Hanifa in the field of jurisprudence
(Tabdhib al-Tahdbib 10:450).
Allama Sha rani writes:
Imam Shafi i happened to visit Abu Hanifa's grave during the time of
Fajr. He performed the prayer without reciting qunut [a special du'a']
and remarked, "How could I recite qunut in the presence of this Imam
when it was his opinion not to recite it" (al-Mizan).
Imam Abu Hanifa's opinion was to recite the qunut for forty days in
Fajr at the time of calamities only.
When the news of Imam Abu Hanifa's death reached Shu'ba, he
exclaimed: "Truly to Allah we belong and truly to Him we shall return"
UInna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji un]. He then said,
The light of sacred knowledge has been extinguished from Kufa. They
will never find anyone like him again (al-Khayrat al-hisan 71).
Imam Dhahabi writes:
Logic, debate, and wisdom acquired from the forbearers were not, by
Allah, the areas of learning pursued by the Companions and the Followers
[tabi'in]; Imam Awza'i, Thawri, Malik, and Abu Hanifa. Their fields of
study were the Qur'an and hadiths (Tadhkirat al-huffaz 192).
25

FIQH AL-IMAM
Hence, this establishes that it was the science of Qur'an and hadith
that Imam Abu Hanifa excelled in, and not just other subjects.
IMAM ABU HANIFA: A HADITH MASTER [HAFIZ]
The great hadith scholar 'Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak said:
If Allah had not benefited me through Abu Hanifa and Sufyan al-Thawri,
I would have been just like any ordinary person (Tabyid al-sahifa 1617).
Ibn Ma'in has been reported saying:
I would never place anyone above Waki'. He would issue his legal rulings
Vfarawa] according to the opinion of Abu Hanifa and would memorize
all the hadiths from him. He has heard a great deal of hadiths from Abu
Hanifa (I'la' al-sunan 19: 315).
The above two statements indicate that Imam Abu Hanifa was a nar-
rator of many hadiths; not just a few, as some claim. Muhammad
ibn Sama'a states:
The Imam has mentioned more than seventy thousand hadiths in his
books, and has selected the Athar from forty thousand hadiths.
The great hadith scholar Zafar 'Uthmani, after quoting this statement,
writes that the trueness of it is indicated by what the Imam's students
have narrated from him. For instance, Imam Muhammad narrated
from him in his six books known as the Zahir al-riwaya and in the
other books known as al-Nawadir; Abu Yusuf in his Amali and Kitab
al-kbaraj; 'Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak in his books; and Waki' and other
students in their books.
These rulings [masa'il] are in stich abundance that their numbers
are lincountable and their limits unreachable, If those rulings which
are either explicitly or implicitly in conformance with linked [marfu']
or unlinked [mawquf] narrations are summarized, they would cer-
tainly reach this great number [i.e. forty thousand]. This is without
taking into consideration the rulings the Imam derived through his
own inference [ijtihad].
26

Imam Abu Hanifa
Allama Zafar 'Uthmani further states that all of these rulings
[masa'i/] are in actual fact "hadiths," which the Imam narrated in the
lon of legal rulings and not as "formal narrations." It is virtually
impossible that his inference (effort to derive religious rulings-ijti-
ball ) would conform so closely with such a large number of hadiths
Il lie was said not to have any knowledge of them.
The 'Allama also states that there are many hadiths which Imam
Ahu Hanifa formally narrated through his personal chains. They are
those which the hadith masters have compiled as his Masanid, and
also those which his students have transmitted from him, like Imam
Muhammad in his Kitab al-athar, Muwatta, Hujaj and other works;
Abu Yusuf, Ibn al-Mubarak, Hasan ibn Ziyad in their works; Waki ibn
ol-Jarrah in his Musnad; Ibn Abi Shayba and 'Abd al-Razzaq in their
Musanafs; Hakim in his Mustadrak and other works; Ibn Hibban in
his Sahih, Thigat, and other works; Bayhaqi in his Sunan and other
works; Tabarani in his three Mu'jams; Daraqutni in his works; and
other hadith scholars in their collections. If we were to compile all
these narrations together in one place, they would constitute a very
large volume of hadiths [see l'la' al-sunan 18:316].
IMAM ABU HANIFA: AN AUTHORITY AND CRITIC OF HADITH
Allama Dhahabi writes in the introduction to his Tadhkirat al-
lw ffaz:
This is a review of those personalities whom I have judged to be reli-
able and the possessors of prophetic knowledge [al-ilm al-nabawi], and
those who could be consulted for their expertise in determining the
authenticity or weakness [of narrations] and the reliability or weakness
[of narrators] (1:2).
Allama Dhahabi includes Imam Abu Hanifa among them, which
makes it clear that he was a bearer of prophetic knowledge, pos-
sessed many narrations, and was considered an authority in the field
of hadith.
Suwayd ibn Sa'd reports that Sufyan ibn 'Uyayna said:
27

FIQH AL-IMAM
The first person to encourage me to relate hadiths was Abu Hanifa. When
I arrived in Kufa, he declared that this person possesses che largest number
of narrations from 'Amr ibn Dinar. [On hearing this] people began to
gather around me, and I began to relate to them (I'ld' al-sunan 19: 315).
In another report Sufyan ibn 'Uyayna said:
The first person to make me a hadith scholar was Abu Hanifa (al-Jawahir
al-mudi'a 1:30).
Imam Abu Yusuf said,
I have never found anyone with more insight into the interpretation of
hadiths than Abu Hanifa (Jami' al-'ilm 1:29).
This statement of Abu Yusuf can be further understood by the fol-
lowing report of Mulla 'Ali al-Qari:
Imam Abu Hanifa was [once] with A'mash, who asked him about some-
thing. Imam Abu Hanifa replied, "My opinion in this matter is such-and-
such." Upon hearing this, A'mash asked as to how he had formed this
[opinion]. Imam Abu Hanifa said, "You reported to us from Abu Salih
who reported from Abu Hurayra; you reported to us from Abu Wa'il who
reported from 'Abdullah; and you reported to us from Abu Ilyas who
reported from Abu Mas'ud al-Ansari that the Messenger of Allah # said
such and such. You also reported the same to us from Abu Mijlaz, who
reported it from Hudhayfa, who from Abu 'I-Zubayr, who from Jabir
and Yazid al-Raqqashi, and they from Anas %."
A'mash exclaimed, "Enough! Enough! What took me a hundred days
to narrate you repeated to me in just an instance. I was not aware that
your practice was based on these hadiths." Then he exclaimed, "O group
of jurists, you are the physicians, and we are merely the pharmacists; and
you [addressing Abu Hanifa] are both" (Mandagib al-Imam 484).
Imam Abu Yusuf also said,
I have never opposed Abu Hanifa on any issue, then went back and
pondered over it, except to find his opinion more superior [to mine] and
more benefiting in terms of the hereafter. At times, I would hold on to a
particular hadith, but he would prove to possess more insight concern-
ing its authenticity. There were times when he would strongly defend a
28

Imam Abu Hanifa
certain opinion, and I would visit the scholars of Kufa to see if I could
find some [other] hadiths to support his opinion. Sometimes I would
return with two or three hadiths, and he would remark concerning one
of them, "This is not strong," or concerning another, "This one is not
linked [ma ruf ]." I would exclaim in amazement, "How do you say this
when they support your opinion?" He would reply, "I possess insight
into the knowledge of Kufa" (al-Khayrat al-bisan 69).
Yahya al-Himmani states:
I heard Abu Hanifa saying, "I have never seen a greater liar than Jabir al-
Ja'fi or anybody more superior to 'Ata!" (Tahdhib al-Tahdhib 2:48, Kitab
al-'Ilal li 'l-Tirmidhi 13:309).
Abu Sa'id al-San'ani asked Abu Hanifa his opinion on narrating from
Sufyan al-Thawri? He said,
Record his hadiths, for he is reliable [thiqa], except his narrations from
Abu Ishaq from Harith; and [avoid] the narrations of Jabir al-Ju'fi (al-
Jawahir al-mudi'a 1:30).
It is also reported that Imam Abu Hanifa said regarding Zayd ibn
'Ayash that "he is unknown" [majhul) (Tahdhib al-Tahdhib 3:424).
Furthermore, the great Imam was not only aware of 'Amr ibn Dinar's
name but was also aware of his agnomen [kunya]. Ibn al-Mahdi
said,
I have never seen anyone possessing greater knowledge of the Sunna
than Abu Hanifa. We only became aware of 'Amr ibn Dinar's agnomen
through him.
These statements related from Imam Abu Hanifa concerning the
status of various narrators make it clear that they could have only
been stated by an expert in the scrutiny and criticism of narrators
and hadiths.
The great historian and sociologist of the Muslim world Ibn
Khaldun writes a conclusive report on the status of jurists in the field
of Hadith. He says,
Some people who are of a resentful disposition hatefully claim that there
29

FIQH AL-IMAM
are jurists who know only a few hadiths, and they argue that this is the
reason why so few hadiths have been [narrated] from them. This cannot
be possible, especially in the case of the great Imams, because Islamic
law [Shari'a] can only be derived from the Qur'an and Sunna. If one
were to possess only superficial knowledge in this field, it would become
necessary for him to occupy himself in learning it, for only then would
he be able to acquire the religion [its rulings] from the correct source, i.e.
from the one [Muhammad #] who had been appointed to propagate it
(Magaddima Ibn Khaldun 371).
Hence, this proves that it is impossible that someone whom a vast
majority of this Umma has accepted as a competent jurist possess only
a superficial knowledge of hadiths. The reliance and trust placed on
Imam Abu Hanifa's school by the People of the Sunna throughout
the majority of Muslim history, and the high regard with which his
opinions are held concerning the acceptance or rejection of hadiths
and their narrators, all establish his greatness in the field of Hadith.
CONCLUSION
A number of points have come to light from the above discussion.
We have learned that it is not possible to be a jurist and not possess
sound knowledge of the Sunna. Imam Abu Hanifa possessed deep
insight into the knowledge of hadith, and was ranked as an authority
in the field. 'Allama Dhahabi listed him among the hadith masters
[huffaz] in his book Tadhkirat al-huffaz, and many referred to him
as the greatest scholar of his time.
Many jurists would narrate their hadiths in the form of "reli-
gious rulings," which meant that they had fewer "formal narrations."
However, this cannot be used as a reason for criticism, since the task
of the jurist is to process the hadiths and derive rulings from them,
as was learned from the Imam's conversation with the great hadith
scholar, A'mash. It is therefore incorrect to criticize any great jurist
on the basis of his not being aware of hadiths, especially someone of
Imam Abu Hanifa's caliber.
30

Imam Abu Hanifa
We now end this chapter by mentioning some of the noteworthy
aspects of Imam Abu Hanifa's gatherings and how his school of
jurisprudence was formulated:
Khatib al-Baghdadi relates through his chain that Ibn Karama said, "We
were once in the company of Waki' ibn al-Jarrah when someone made
a remark that Abu Hanifa has erred. Waki' said, 'How can Abu Hanifa
orr when he has in his company the likes of Abu Yusuf, Zufar, and
Muhammad with their power of analogy [qiyas] and inference [ijtihad];
the likes of Yahya ibn Zakariyya ibn Abi Za'ida, Hafs ibn Ghiyath, and
Hibban and Mandal, sons of 'Ali with their memorization and understand-
Ing of hadiths; Qasim ibn Ma'n with his understanding of the Arabic
language; and Dawud ibn Nudayr al-Ta'i and Fudayl ibn 'lyad with their
abstinence [zubd] and piety \ wara' ]. How is anyone who has such people
as his companions and sitting partners able to make a mistake? Even if
he was to make one, they would surely guide him to the truth" (Tarikh
ul-Baghdad 14:247).
Furthermore, Imam Tahawi related that Asad ibn al-Furat said,
The companions of Abu Hanifa who compiled and recorded the works
[of his school] were forty. Those in the forefront were Abu Yusuf, Zufar,
Dawud al-Ta'i, Asad ibn 'Amr, Yusuf ibn Khalid al-Samti, Yahya ibn Abi
Zakariyya ibn Abi Za'ida, who was their scribe for thirty years ....
After quoting the above two statements, the great hadith scholar Zafar
Ahmad 'Uthmani comments:
Whoever has hadith masters [buffaz] of this caliber as his main students,
to whom the hadith scholars have bowed their heads in recognition of
their memorization [of hadiths] and extensive knowledge, then how is
it possible for that person to have narrated only a few hadiths? (I'la al-
sunan 19:331)
May Allah remove the veils of ignorance and deceit which
distort and obscure the truth, and may He reveal it in its true form
and grant us the ability to follow it, amin.
31

3
'Abdullah Ibn Mas ud
SAYYIDINA ABDULLAH IBN MAS'UD % is one of the many Companions
(sahaba] from whom the great Imams of jurisprudence have related
hadiths and after whom modelled their juridical opinions. He is one
of the most revered Companions and is known for his deep under-
standing of the Holy Qur'an and jurisprudence [figh]. Many of his
narrations form the basis of numerous opinions in the Hanafi school.
Therefore, in an attempt to discredit the Hanafi school, some have
attacked this great Companion of Allah's Messenger # and hurled a
great amount of criticism at him.
This chapter has been included to highlight the merits and virtues
of this great Companion in the words of the Messenger . It is hoped
that the words of the Messenger % will provide an effective means
of correcting misconceptions and establishing the true status of this
great Companion.
THE COMPANIONS OF ALLAH'S MESSENGER
The Companions of Allah's Messenger @ are considered to be the
most superior and exalted people after the Messenger # and the
other Envoys of Allah (upon them be peace). The consensus among
the People of the Sunna [Ahl al-sunna] is that no one after them
can attain their status. Their closeness to Allah's Messenger -in
33

FIQH AL-IMAM
fact their having merely seen him while they were in a state of iman
[faith]-elevated them to stages that would be impossible for anyone
else to reach.
Many narrations have been reported on the elevated rank of the
Companions. The Messenger of Allah & issued grave warnings against
criticizing them in any way. He said,
Fear Allah in every matter concerning my Companions. Do not make
them the targets [of your criticism] after me. Whoever loves them loves
them out of love for me, and whoever hates them hates them out of hate
for me. Whoever troubles them has troubled me and whoever troubles
me has troubled Allah; and whoever troubles Allah, it is imminent that
Allah seize him (Mishkat al-Masabih from Sunan al-Tirmidhi, 554).
In another hadith the Messenger of Allah % said:
The best of my Umma are the people of my era [the Companions], then
those who are after them [the Followers], then those who are after them
[Followers of the Followers]. Thereafter, will be such people who will bear
testimony where their testimony will not be needed; they will be deceptive
and untrustworthy; and they will make vows but will never fulfill them
(Mishkat al-Masabih from Sabih al-Bukhari and Muslim, 553).
He also said:
I asked Allah about the conflicts [that are to occur] between my
Companions after my departure. Allah revealed to me, "O Muhammad!
In My sight, your Companions are like the stars in the skies. Some are
stronger than others but each possesses a light. Whoever adopts any
opinion from among the various opinions they differ in will be considered
guided in My sight" (Mishkat al-Masabih from Razin al-'Abdari, 554).
Furthermore, Allah 2% has clearly expressed his satisfaction and plea-
sure with all the Companions in the Qur'an:
"Allah is well pleased with them and they pleased with Him. He has pre-
pared for them Gardens under which rivers flow, to dwell therein forever.
That is the supreme success" (9:100).
From the above, the elevated status of the Companions becomes very
34

Abdullah Ibn Mas'ud
Jaar and the Umma is warned not to criticize them in any way. In
Tal the Messenger of Allah s instructed:
If you come across those who curse my Companions, say, "May Allah's
corse be upon you for your evil" (Mishkat al-Masabih from Sunan al-
Tirotidhi, 554).
These were the Companions, the group Allah & had selected for the
companionship [subba] of His beloved Envoy . They fulfilled their
promises to Allah % and conveyed the teachings and practices of His
Vuvoy as to the Umma, and Allah expressed His pleasure with them.
Among these great Companions was 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud de.
HADITHS ON THE VIRTUES OF 'ABDULLAH IBN MAS UD
Most of the narrations quoted here have been taken from 'Allama
Shawkani's Durr al-Sahaba.
It is related that 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud was very close to the
Messenger . He was permitted to enter his house frequently and
was also his companion on many journeys. He benefited immensely
from the Messenger . Abd al-Rahman ibn Zayd relates:
I asked Hudhayfa % to inform me about someone who closely resembled
the Messenger 55 in manner, conduct, and behavior, so that I could learn
from him. He replied, "We are not aware of anyone who possesses a closer
resemblance to the Messenger as in manner, conduct, and habit than Ibn
Ummi Abd. This is until he enters into his house [after which we are not
aware]" (Sahib al-Bukhari, Sunan al-Tirmidhi),
Ibn Ummi 'Abd was the agnomen of 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud , since
Ummi 'Abd was his mother's name, Hudhayfa 4 meant that although
he was not aware of the life of 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud « at home, his
social conduct surely resembled that of the Messenger of Allah .
Abu Musa % narrates:
My brother and I arrived from Yemen and remained [in Madina] for some
time. We were led to believe that 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud # and his mother
35

FIQH AL-IMAM
Were part of the Messenger's " household due to their [frequent] visits to
his home and his attachment to them (Sahib al-Bukhari, Muslim).
This shows the closeness of 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud to the Messenger
48. Therefore, the claim that 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud % was ignorant
of the way and manner of the Messenger # is totally unfounded.
'Alqama reports:
When Iarrived in Syria [Sham], I performed two nik ats and then prayed,
"O Allah, facilitate for me a pious companion." I met a group of people
and sat down with them. One of them came along and sat down by my
side. I enquired as to who he was, and he replied that he was Abu'l-Darda'.
I informed him that I had asked Allah to provide for me a pious sitting-
companion, and [it seemed as if ] He had fulfilled this request. He asked
where I had arrived from so I told him I was from Kufa. Upon this he
remarked, "Do you not have Ibn Ummi 'Abd among you, the keeper of
the slippers and pillow of the Messenger & and the one in charge of his
ablution water? Among you is also the one who Allah has protected from
Satan, as revealed upon the tongue of His Envoy Es; and there is also
among you the keeper of the Messenger's # secrets, those which nobody
besides him has any knowledge of" (al-Mustadrak).
Later on 'Alqama came to be recognized as one of the greatest students
and successors of 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud de.
Knowledge of the Qur'an
'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud possessed deep insight into the meaning of the
Qur'an, its method of recitation, and the causes of revelation of its
verses. He himself stated:
By the One besides Whom there is no Lord, there is no chapter revealed
in the Book of Allah, except that I am the most knowledgeable one
regarding where it was revealed. There is no verse from the Book of
Allah that has been revealed, except that I am the most knowledgeable
one regarding the circumstances of its revelation. If I were to learn of
anyone possessing more knowledge than me of the Book of Allah who
was within reach of a camel's journey, I would mount it [to visit him]
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Muslim).
36

Abdullah Ibn Mas'ud
Umar ibn al-Khattab & relates that once the Messenger said,
Whoever gains satisfaction from reciting the Qur'an as though it were
freshly revealed should recite it according to the recitation of Ibn
Mas'ud.
Umar k& then says,
I went to convey the glad tidings of this to him and found that Abu Bakr
had reached him before me and had conveyed the glad tidings to him.
I have never been able to outdo Abu Bakr 4% in any good deed; he has
always surpassed me (Musnad Abi Ya'la, Ahmad, Bazzar).
At another point 'Umar ibn al-Khattab > said regarding Ibn
Mas'ud,
A small person brimming with [the knowledge of ] jurisprudence (Mu jam
al- Tabarani).
'Umar ibn al-Khattab 4% is known for his scrupulousness in matters
of religion. Therefore, his statements regarding 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud
are ample evidence that Ibn Mas'ud 4% held a very high position
in the science of jurisprudence. 'Ali 4 narrates that the Messenger
of Allah & said:
If I were to appoint someone as a leader without consulting [anyone], I
would appoint Ibn Ummi 'Abd (al-Mustadrak).
For the Messenger ## to be able to place so much trust in a person
and appoint him to manage the affairs of the Muslims surely indicates
that the person had to be of high character, knowledge, and insight
into the religion. Concerning him the Messenger # also said:
I am pleased for my Umma with whatever Ibn Ummi 'Abd di is pleased
with (al-Mustadrak).
It is further related that
once the Messenger % ordered Abdullah ibn Mas'ud 4 to deliver a
sermon. He stood up and said, "O People! Allah Most Glorified and
Exalted is our Lord, Islam is our religion [Din], the Qur'an is our guide
37

FIQH AL-IMAM
[imam], the House of Allah [Ka'bal is the direction we face in prayer
[gibla], and this is the Envoy [of Allah] sent to us (gesturing towards the
Messenger )." He then concluded, "We are satisfied with what Allah
and His Envoy are satisfied with for us." The Messenger # remarked,
"Ibn Ummi 'Abd has spoken the truth. Ibn Ummi Abd has spoken the
truth, and I am satisfied with what Allah is satisfied with for me, for my
Umma, and for Ibn Ummi 'Abd" (Mu'jam al-Tabarani).
Abdullah ibn Mas'ud 4 was well known for delivering brief but very
comprehensive sermons. He was also known for his piety among the
Companions. He relates:
When the verse was revealed: "On those who believe and do righteous
good deeds, there is no sin for what they are [in the past], if they fear
Allah [by keeping away from His forbidden things] and believe and do
righteous good deeds, and again fear Allah and believe, and once again
fear Allah and do good deeds with perfection [ihsan]. And Allah loves
the good-doers" (al-Qur'an 5:93), the Messenger @ informed me, "You
are from among them" (Sahih Muslim, Sunan al-Tirmidbi).
'Ali ibn Abi Talib % narrates:
Once the Messenger & ordered 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud # to climb a tree to
bring something [a toothstick] down for him. Some of the Companions
of the Messenger & caught sight of his calves while he was climbing and
began to laugh at their thinness. The Messenger & remarked, "What are
you laughing at? One leg of Abdullah will be heavier in the scale [on
the Day of Judgement] than mount Uhud" (Musnad Ahmad, Abi Ya la,
Mil jam al-Tabarani).
Amr ibn al-'As + relates:
The Messenger of Allah $ passed away in the state that he loved 'Abdullah
ibn Mas'ud and 'Ammar ibn Yasir > (Mu'jam al- Tabarani).
OTHER HADITHS REGARDING 'ABDULLAH IBN MAS UD 4P.
Hudhayfa « narrates that the Messenger of Allah % said,
Whatever 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud & narrates to you, accept it (Sunan
al-Tirmidhi).
38

Abdullah Ibn Mas'ud
This proves that 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud # was considered (as all
Companions are) a competent and reliable narrator of hadiths. It
La reported that when Mu'adh ibn Jabal & was on his deathbed he
olvised:
lake knowledge from four people: 'Uwaymir Abu 'I-Darda'; Salman the
Persian: Abdullah ibn Mas'ud; and 'Abdullah ibn Salam, who was once
a Jew but later embraced Islam (Sunan al-Tirmidhi).
Similarly Hudhayfa % relates:
We asked the Messenger of Allah #3, "O Messenger of Allah! If only you
could appoint a caliph." He replied, "If I appoint a caliph over you and
you disobey him then you would be punished, but whatever Hudhayfa
relates to you, accept it, and however 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud reaches you
to recite, recite in that way" (Sunan al-Tirmidhi).
It is reported that the Messenger of Allah # also said,
Learn the from four people: Abdullah ibn Mas ud, Salim the slave of Abu
I ludhayfa, Ubay ibn Ka'b, and Mu'adh ibn Jabal & (Sahih al-Bukhari,
Sunan al-Tirmidhi).
I lafiz ibn Hajar al-Asgalani states that the mention of someone's
name before others (as in the case of the above narration where Ibn
Mas'ud's name is mentioned first) indicates the superiority of that
person. Hence, the status of Ibn Mas'ud & in the knowledge of the
Qur'an can also be gauged from the above hadith. In this regard, the
narration of 'Umar 4> has already been mentioned previously, in which
the Messenger of Allah # said that whoever intended to recite the
Qur'an as though it were freshly revealed should recite it according
to the recitation of 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud 4a.
OTHER STATEMENTS
Imam Sha bi states:
No Companion of the Messenger $ entered Kufa whose knowledge
was more beneficial [for the people] or who was a greater jurist than
'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud 5.
39

FIQH AL-IMAM
'Allama Dhahabi, describing the status of the great Companion,
writes:
Abdullah ibn Mas'ud (, the learned leader [al-imam al-rabbani), Abu
Abd al-Rahman Abdullah ibn Ummi 'Abd al-Hudhali; Companion and
personal servant of the Messenger es; among the first to embrace Islam;
among the veterans of the battle of Badr; among the expert jurists and
teachers of the Qur'an; among those who strove to convey [the words of
the Messenger #] very accurately; extremely scrupulous in [his] narra-
tions; and one who would admonish his students upon their negligence
in recording the exact words [of the Messenger ] .... [Due to extreme
caution] he would narrate very little [himself] .... His students would
not give preference to any Companion over him .... Surely he was from
among the leading Companions, the bearers of sacred knowledge, and
the exemplars [a'imma] of guidance (Tadhkirat al-huffaz 1:13-16).
CONCLUSION
The above is some of what has been related concerning the excellence
and virtues of 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud . There is no doubt that every
Companion is deserving of high praise, especially those who have been
complimented by the Messenger #. As we have learned, Abdullah ibn
Mas'ud 4 was one of the elect Companions, renowned and praised
for his learning and deep insight into the religion.
Criticizing any person close to Allah & means incurring the wrath
of Allah (may Allah protect us from it). In a divine [qudsi] hadith,
the Messenger % relates that Allah % says, "Whoever harbors enmity
towards a Friend [wali] of Mine, I declare war against him" (Sahih
al-Bukhari). Therefore, it is considered a very serious crime to belittle
the position of a Companion in any way, especially one who possessed
so many virtues. The Companions are among those whom Allah
has expressed His pleasure with:
"Allah is well pleased with them and they pleased with Him. He has
prepared for them Gardens under which rivers flow, to dwell therein for
ever. That is the supreme success" (al-Qur'an 9:100).
40

4
The True Position According to Allah
SCHOLARS OF ISLAMIC LAW have paid close attention to the question of
which opinion on a particular issue in Islamic law would be the true
wul accurare opinion in the sight of Allah . It is believed that the
reliable Imams of ijtihad [qualified scholarly analysis to derive legal
nilings] and jurisprudence (Imam Abu Hanifa, Malik, Shafi'i, Ahmad,
etc.) are all dependable and trustworthy, and that their opinions can
he adopted by those who follow their schools of thought. It is also
asserted that their rulings concerning the various issues of Islamic
law are correct and accurate in themselves.
The question we face is: are conflicting views between the Imams
simultaneously correct and in agreement with what Allah has decreed
as the truth [haq], or is there only one view from among them that is
the truth according to Allah? If there is only one truly correct position
on a given issue in Islamic law, then we must admit that we do not
know which position, according to Allah , is the truth [hag].
The following- an excerpt from Imam Muhammad ibn al-Hasan
al-Shaybani's work Bulugh al-amani-sheds light on this issue and
explains how only one ruling can be the truth [bag] in the sight of
Allah %:
Ibn Abi 'I-Awam narrates from Imam Tahawi and Sulayman ibn Shu'ayb
that Shu'ayb al-Kasani said, "Imam Muhammad dictated to us that when-
ever people are in conflict with one another regarding a particular issue
41

FIQH AL-IMAM
(i.e. when one jurist among them judges a thing to be unlawful [haram]
and another judges it to be lawful [halal))-and the situation is such that
both jurists possess the competence to undertake ijtihad-even then, the
opinion which is the truth according to Allah is still one, whether it
be the one judging the thing to be unlawful or the one judging it to be
lawful. It is not possible that one thing be lawful as well as unlawful at
the same time according to Allah .
It is the responsibility of the mujtabid to attempt his utmost in exercis
ing his jurisprudential capabilities ro infer the ruling which he deems to
be the truth according to Allah 36. If a jurist attains the truth [i.e. the
true ruling according to Allah #J, he has the right to act according to
his judgement and has also fulfilled his responsibility. On the other hand,
if a jurist does not attain the truth [the true ruling according to Allah
#], he has still fulfilled his responsibility [of endeavoring to uncover the
truth] and is therefore also rewarded.
It is not correct for a person to conclude from two conflicting opinions
that both can be the truth [haq] according to Allah. For instance, one
Imam may judge a certain woman to be unlawful [in marriage] for a
particular person whereas another Imam may judge her to be lawful for
him. In this case, only one of these rulings can be the truth according
to Allah .
However, since both Imams have fulfilled their responsibility, in making
a sincere attempt to arrive at the correct ruling, both will be permitted
to act according to their individual judgements, even though, in reality,
one of them has certainly erred in his judgement. The reason for this [as
mentioned earlier) is that, according to Allah %, there can only be one
true answer for any particular issue in Islamic law."
[Imam Muhammad then concluded:] "This is the opinion of Imam
Abu Hanifa and Abu Yusuf and this is our understanding of the issue"
(Mufti Muhammad Shafi in his Kashkol tor).
42

PART TWO
1. THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE FEET
2. THE POSITION OF THE HANDS
3. RECITING BEHIND THE IMAM
4. THE ISSUE OF AMIN
5. RAISING THE HANDS FOR RUKU'
6. TAWARRUK OR IFTIRASHI
7. THE SUNNA PRAYER OF FAJR
8. How MANY RAKATS IN WITH?
9. PRAYER AFTER ASR
TO. PRAYER DURING THE SERMON
IT. THE RAK'ATS IN TARAWIH
12. COMBINING PRAYERS

1
The Distance to be Kept Between the Feet
ONE QUESTION THAT is probably in the minds of many people is:
How should I stand in prayer [salat]? Should I stand with my legs
wide apart so that my feet touch those of the next person? Should I
Mand at my own comfort and not touch the feet of the next person?
or Should I stand with a gap of four fingers between them as some
people do? Questions of this nature have confused the minds of many
people, and they would like to discover the precise sunna method of
standing in prayer.
This chapter attempts to answer these questions and offers the reader
a clear view of the correct sunna posture. It should be understood at
the outset that discussions on this point by the scholars of Islam are
very few in comparison to the detailed discussions found on other key
issues of prayer. Thus, very limited information is found in the many
hooks of jurisprudence regarding this issue. In fact, the precise views
of even the four Imams are quite difficult to determine.
"There are a number of hadiths on the issue which emphasize the
Importance of maintaining orderly rows during the prayer. These
narrations are usually accompanied by a warning from the Messenger
of Allah & on the consequence of not straightening the rows for salat.
One such narration states:
Straighten your rows, or else Allah will create discord between your hearts
(Sunan Abi Dawud 1:97).
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FIQH AL-IMAM
There are also other narrations which contain similar admonitions.
When a musalli [person praying] observes others spreading their feet
apart and touching them to the feet of the next person, he cannot help
but wonder from where such a method was derived. The upholders
of this view present a hadith in which the Companions touched their
feet together (i.e. each one joined his feet with those of the person
next to him) after receiving admonition from the Messenger of Allah
to straighten the rows. This hadith, though quoted as being a proof
in support of this view, does not in any way make the joining of the
feet a wajib [necessary] act as the supporters of this opinion so claim.
The following sections of this chapter will work to clarify this point
by first discussing the different opinions on the issue of positioning
the feet in prayer. Thereafter, the above hadith will be independently
analyzed in-depth in an attempt to explain its true implications.
To form an orderly row, whether by joining the feet together or
not, is undoubtedly a very important requirement for the congrega-
tional prayer. It is also the imam's responsibility to ensure that this is
done correctly before he initiates the prayer. Although, technically
speaking, having the rows in perfect order cannot be classified as an
integral or fard of the prayer, it is definitely an important sunna due
to the strict instructions that have been related about it from the
Messenger of Allah B.
THE VARIOUS OPINIONS
We will begin by stating some of the opinions of the Hanafi school
on the issue of feet position in prayer. In all, there seems to be two
dominant opinions found in the Hanafi texts. The first of these calls
for a gap of four fingers to be left between the feet of a person when
he is praying. This opinion is found in Imam Ibn 'Abidin's authori-
tative commentary on 'Allama Haskafi's al-Durr al-mukhtar, where
it states:
The gap to be left between a person's feet should be equal to that of four
46