The purpose of this article is to introduce Hazret Imam Azam Abu Hanifa رضي الله عنه to the present generation. 

FAMILY HISTORY: 

His full name is Abu Hanifa al Numan bin Thabit bin Zuta bin Mazuban.( laqab - abu hanifa)

His father name was Thabit, grand father name was Zoti or Zouti.

HIS family was originally populated in Kabul ( present day Afghanistan). His family members along his grand father arrived in kufa ( IRAQ) as prisionars of war and accepted islam and lived in the supervision of "bani tayam allah" tribe who were traders. His grand father w

The purpose of this article is to introduce Hazret Imam Azam Abu Hanifa رضي الله عنه to the present generation. 

FAMILY HISTORY: 

His full name is Abu Hanifa al Numan bin Thabit bin Zuta bin Mazuban.( laqab - abu hanifa)

His father name was Thabit, grand father name was Zoti or Zouti.

HIS family was originally populated in Kabul ( present day Afghanistan). His family members along his grand father arrived in kufa ( IRAQ) as prisionars of war and accepted islam and lived in the supervision of "bani tayam allah" tribe who were traders. His grand father was used to be very close to Caliph Rashid 4th Ameer ul Momeenin Hazret Syedna Ali كرم الله وجهه الكريم Ùˆ رضي الله عنه 

The relationship was so strong that there was frequent exchange of gifts ( hadya) between them.

Ref:(book: manaqab al imam azam alkardi,part 1,page no 65,66)

Hazrat Imam Azam's father was also a trader in kufa Hazrat Imam e Azam himself has told that his father used to run a bakery in kufa.

Ref:( book: Manaqab al Imam Azam al moufiq bin ahmed, part 1,page 162)

BIRTH & DEMISE: 

There are differences among historians about the exact date of birth of Hazrat Imam azam Ø±Ø¶ÙŠ الله عنه

There are three dates: (1) 80 H (2) 70 H (3) 77 H. 

Khateeb Baghdadi mentioned 80 H.Reference: (book: tareeq khateeb,part 13, page 330) 

Ibn khalqan mentioned 80 H in his book 

Reference:( book: wafiyat alayan,part 5, page 313,314).

Where as Khazi abu abdullah hussain bin ali sumairi,Ahmed bin alsalat,Imam ibn abdul albar, M ohammed bin sama and many historians agreed on 77 H. Reference: ( book: aqbar abi hanifa wo ashaba page 4)

Regarding the date of departure from this world of Imam there were differences in the lunar month some say "rajab" some say "shaban" many agreed and prefer 11th of jamada al awal.

But there is more or less common agreement on year as ( 153 H). 

Reference: ( book: wafiyat alayan, part 5, page 313,314). By this it is estimated that he was of 83 years at the time of his death.

Knowledge base and his esteemed shaiks (teachers) : The list of his teachers include some very well known names:- 

(1) H azrat imam aiman aamash tabai Ø±Ø­Ù…Ø© الله عليه

( kufa)

(2) Hazrat shoeba bin hajaj رحمة الله عليه 

( kufa)

(3) Hazrat imam atta bin rabah tabai رحمة الله عليه

(mecca)

(4) Hazrat imam akrama رحمة الله عليه ( mecca)

(5) Hazrat sulaiman رحمة الله عليه ( who was a servent of umulmominin hazrat Maimoona رحمة الله عليها)

( madina)

(6) Hazrat Imam Shaik Salam رحمة الله عليه 

( who was the grandson of amerulmomin syedna Farooq azam hazrat Umar farooq رضي الله عنه)

(madina).

Reference: (book: nazhat alqari, part 1 page 120,122, published in 1984).

Hazrat Imam al Azam and Quran ul Kareem:- 

Hazrat Imam was very fond of quran ul kareem. He was a hafiz,and many times completed quran in one rakat of namaz. 

Reference: ( book: aqbar abi hanifa wo ashaba, page number 45).

Hazrat kharja bin mousab Ø±Ø­Ù…Ø© الله عليه quoted that hazrat imam had completed full quran in kaba in tareeweh many times.He used to recite quran 60 times in the month of ramadan.

Hazrat Imam and haj pilgrimages:- 

Hazrat Imam performed 55 haj in his life time.He continuously performed haj from "96 H" till his death every year.

His famous deciples:- 

(1) Hazrat Yahya ibn sayeed alqatan رحمة الله عليه ( born130H - departure from this world 198 H)

(2) Hazrat Abdullah bin mubarak رحمة الله عليه  (born 130H - departure from this world181H).

(3) Hazrat Khazi abu yousuf رحمة الله عليه ( born -113H - departure from this world 182H)

(4) Hazrat Imam Mohammed رحمة الله عليه ( born 135 H - departure from this world 189 H).

(5) Hazrat Imam zofer رحمة الله عليه( born 110 H - departure from this world158 H).

(6) Hazrat Dawood altai رحمة الله عليه ( departure from this world160 H).

(7) Hazrat Waki bin aljarah رحمة الله عليه ( departure from this world197H). and many more..

The most important work of Hazrat imam abu hanifa رحمة الله عليه was to frame the guide lines of islamic laws by interpretation of quran & Ahadees.

His work in theology was remarkable. 

As his carrier as a theologian and jurist progressed Abu hanifa became famous for favoring the use of reason in his legal rulings and even in his theology.

Abu hanifa's theological school is what later develop into the "Matruridi" school of orthodox sunni theology which is followed by more than 80% of muslim umma.

He is often alluded to by the reverential epithets Al- Imam- Alazam ( The great imam) and Siraj al aimma ( The lamp of the imams) in sunni islam.

    Hazrat imam was a trader of  clothes as mentioned above once he sent his servant with cloth to sell and told him to clearly mention the fault in some of the stock but the servant forget and sold it,on enquiry when hazrat imam found that he immediatly distributed the entire amount ( 35 thousand derhams) in charity.

Once hazrat imam went to offer funeral prayers there was very hot and sunny and people requested him to stand in the shade of wall of the house near by but hazrat imam refused by saying that the owner of the hosuse was in debt of me if i stand in the shade i fear that i may be included in the people who take intrest.

May Allah subhanu talla bless him in his grave Ameen bejahi rasool ul kareem sallalahualaihwasalm. jazakallah for reading.