The Deoband and Bareilly groups have also abandoned Imam Abu Hanifa
If any Ahl-e-Hadith performs an action based on a hadith that is contrary to the sayings and actions of Imam Abu Hanifa according to the Deobandis, the Deobandis often ask: Tell me, do you understand the Quran and Hadith better, or does Imam Abu Hanifa? This question arises because if the Ahl-e-Hadith says, “I understand better,” then propaganda can be started against him that he has claimed to be a greater Imam than Imam Abu Hanifa. And if the Ahl-e-Hadith says, “Imam Abu Hanifa understood better than me,” then it gives an opportunity to create an uproar asking why he started opposing Imam Abu Hanifa. Since this question itself is wrong, we will present below some examples strictly according to the principles of the Deobandis (InshaAllah), to prove that the Deobandis themselves are helpless in answering their own question and are destined for disgrace in the world.
When a Deobandi ‘Alim’ Muhammad Bilal from Mandi Bahauddin asked me this question, I gave some examples in which the Deobandis have abandoned Imam Abu Hanifa, and he could not answer and was left speechless.
(1) It is mentioned in Sahih Hadith that the Prophet (peace be upon him) would recite رب اغفر لي twice between the two prostrations. See Sunan Abi Dawood (
). Contrary to this, according to the Hanafi school, in the famous book “Al-Jami’ al-Saghir” which is based on apparent narrations, it is narrated from Imam Abu Hanifa that وكذلك بين السجدتين يسكت and similarly, one should remain silent between the two prostrations (i.e., not recite any supplication)
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Regarding this statement, Abdul Hai Lakhnawi wrote in “Al-Nafi’ al-Kabir”:
«هذا مخالف لما جاء فى الأخبار الصحاح من زيادة الأدعية فى القومة و بين السجدتين»
This statement is contrary to authentic hadiths which prove the recitation of Qunoot and supplications between the two prostrations.
The Deobandi Quran commentator, Sufi Abdul Hamid Swati, also opposing Imam Abu Hanifa, considered it better to recite supplications between the two prostrations and quoted two types of supplications.
The Deobandi Mufti Muhammad Ibrahim also narrated a supplication to be recited between the two prostrations.
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The Deobandi Sheikh Muhammad Ilyas Faisal Deobandi also narrated a supplication to be recited between the two prostrations.
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All these (Abdul Hai Lakhnawi, Abdul Hamid Swati, Muhammad Ibrahim Sadiq Abadi, and Muhammad Ilyas Faisal) are completely against their alleged Imam Abu Hanifa on this issue.
(2) Abdul Shakoor Lakhnawi Deobandi wrote: “The Prophet (peace be upon him) once poured water on his head during fasting due to thirst or extreme heat.”
Hazrat Ibn Abbas (RA) used to wet his clothes and wrap them around his body. According to Imam Abu Hanifa, these actions are disliked (makruh), but the fatwa is not based on his opinion.
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(3) Amin Okaraowi Deobandi wrote: “The explicit statement of Imam Sahib is that taking a salary for teaching the Quran is not permissible.” (Tajalliyat Safdar Vol. 5 p. 215, Answers to Objections of Non-Muqallideen).
Deobandi Mufti Taqi Usmani wrote: “Thus, the Hanafi scholars have abandoned Imam Abu Hanifa’s opinion in many issues for these reasons; for example, seeking wages for teaching the Quran was impermissible according to Imam Abu Hanifa, but due to changing times, later Hanafi jurists declared it permissible.”
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Also, in “Bazl al-Mujhood fi Hall Abi Dawood”
, it is explicitly stated that later Hanafi scholars abandoned this opinion of Imam Abu Hanifa due to necessity.
(4) According to Imam Abu Hanifa, a woman whose husband is missing should wait until her husband’s age reaches 120 years before she can marry another man.
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Against this opinion of Imam Abu Hanifa, Ashraf Ali Thanvi Deobandi wrote: “If a woman’s husband is completely missing, and it is unknown whether he is dead or alive, she cannot marry another man but must continue waiting in hope that he may return. When the waiting period passes and the husband’s age reaches ninety years, then it is ruled that he is dead. So if the woman is still young and wants to marry, after the husband’s age reaches ninety and she completes the ‘iddah, she may marry, provided that a Shariah judge has declared the missing man dead.”
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However, the Deobandis later abandoned Thanvi’s fatwa and wrote in the margin of that page of Behishti Zewar: “But nowadays, due to extreme necessity, scholars have issued fatwas according to the school of Imam Malik (RA).”
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Dear readers! Reflect on what kind of religion this is that gradually changes even though the chain of revelation ended long ago. Further details can be seen in the next example as well:
(5) From a hadith in Sahih Bukhari, it is understood that it is not permissible to pray Sunnah at the time of the Fajr congregation. While writing a marginal note on this hadith, Zahoor al-Bari Azmi Deobandi wrote: “Apparently, this hadith indicates that Sunnah cannot be prayed after the Iqamah of the obligatory prayer. Accordingly, some apparent scholars have said based on this hadith that if a person was praying Sunnahs and the Iqamah was called, his prayer would be invalid. But none of the four Imams agree with this. The majority’s view is that Sunnah should not be started after the Iqamah of the obligatory prayer. However, there is a difference regarding the Sunnahs of Fajr. Imam Abu Hanifa’s view is that if the prayer has started and there is at least an expectation of one Rak’ah with the congregation, then the two Sunnah Rak’ahs of Fajr should be prayed outside the mosque. The main point is that according to the apparent meaning of this hadith, none of the four Imams have this view. Therefore, it has become an Ijtihadi issue. Since there are hadiths that whoever prays one Rak’ah in congregation will get the reward of congregation, probably keeping this hadith in mind, Imam Abu Hanifa imposed the condition of praying at least one Rak’ah. Later, Imam Muhammad extended this and said that if there is hope of catching the Imam in the last sitting, then the Sunnah of Fajr should still be prayed. Initially, this Sunnah was prayed outside the mosque, but later Hanafi scholars extended this and said that these Rak’ahs can also be prayed inside the mosque standing away from the congregation on one side.”
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According to the above statement, the Deobandis oppose Imam Abu Hanifa in two ways:
1. Imam Abu Hanifa’s opinion is that after the Iqamah, the Sunnahs of Fajr should be prayed outside the mosque, but the Deobandis pray them inside the mosque.
2. Imam Abu Hanifa’s opinion is that if there is hope of at least one Rak’ah with the congregation, then the Sunnahs of Fajr should be started, but the Deobandis pray these Rak’ahs even with the hope of catching the Imam in the last sitting.
Note: Some Deobandis have further extended the “Mashayikh Hanafi” opinion and pray these Sunnahs even right behind the congregation row.
(6) Deobandi Sheikh-ul-Islam Muhammad Taqi Usmani wrote: “According to Imam Abu Hanifa, Muzara’at (sharecropping) is not permissible, but the Hanafi jurists, abandoning Imam Sahib’s view, have permitted sharecropping with a proportional share of the produce. These examples are of issues where all later Hanafi jurists agreed to abandon Imam Sahib’s opinion, and there are many examples where some jurists individually opposed Imam Abu Hanifa’s opinion due to a hadith.”
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(7) Taqi Usmani wrote: “Except for grape wine, consuming other intoxicants in such small quantities that do not cause intoxication is permissible according to Imam Abu Hanifa for gaining strength, but the Hanafi jurists abandoned Imam Abu Hanifa’s opinion in this matter and adopted the majority’s view. These examples are of issues where all later Hanafi jurists agreed to abandon Imam Sahib’s opinion.”
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(8) Regarding permanent residence in Makkah Mukarramah, Deobandi “Sheikh al-Hadith” Muhammad Zakariya Deobandi wrote, quoting Mulla Ali Qari: “Imam Azam Abu Hanifa (RA) and Imam Malik (RA) considered permanent residence there as disliked (makruh).”
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Zakariya Deobandi further wrote: “Mulla Ali Qari (RA) says that Imam Azam expressed dislike and disapproval considering the conditions of the people of his time. If he saw the conditions we see in our time, he would have issued a fatwa declaring permanent residence there as forbidden. Mulla Ali Qari (RA) is among the renowned scholars and died in 1104 AH. When he stated the condition of his time, the condition at the end of the 14th century AH is ‘clearer than the sun’.”
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Nevertheless, the Hanafi fatwa is against Imam Abu Hanifa, as Zakariya Deobandi wrote: “Mulla Ali Qari (RA) wrote that permanent residence in Makkah is recommended according to the Sahibs and that is the fatwa.”
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(9) On the issue of Nafl I’tikaf, the Deobandis have also abandoned Imam Abu Hanifa’s school. The Tablighi Jamaat member Muhammad Zakariya Deobandi wrote: “The third I’tikaf is Nafl, for which there is no fixed time or number of days; one can do it for as many days as one wishes, even if a person intends to do I’tikaf for the whole life, it is permissible. However, there is a difference that according to Imam Sahib, less than one day is not permissible, but according to Imam Muhammad (RA), even a short time is permissible and that is the fatwa. Therefore, it is appropriate for everyone to intend I’tikaf when entering the mosque.”
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(10) In Fatawa Darul Uloom Deoband, it is written: “Question (982): A ten-year-old girl’s marriage was contracted by her guardian to a youth of sixteen or seventeen years. Two years after the marriage, the youth became ill and insane. The youth’s heirs treated him with Greek and medical treatment for four full years according to their capacity, but he did not improve. The insane person was forced to be sent to a mental hospital. It has been two and a half years since he was sent to the mental hospital. His condition remains the same. Now the girl has no guardian or well-wisher. Can the girl marry someone else herself or not? Answer: According to the Hanafi school, there is no permissibility for the girl’s second marriage because the wife of an insane person cannot be separated from her marriage by a ruler, nor is the insane person’s divorce valid. However, after the death of the insane person and completion of the waiting period, his wife can marry again.”
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But later, the Deobandis abandoned their alleged Hanafi school.
For details, see the margin of the same page of Fatawa Darul Uloom Deoband.
(11) According to Imam Abu Hanifa, if the Sunnahs of Fajr are missed for some reason, they should neither be prayed before sunrise nor after sunrise.
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But Anwar Khurshid Deobandi, using a weak hadith as evidence without mentioning its weakness, wrote: “If these Sunnahs are missed before the Fajr obligatory prayers, then they should be prayed after sunrise.”
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(12) Deobandi Mufti Muhammad Zaroli Khan wrote: “The dislike of fasting six days of Shawwal is narrated from Imam Abu Hanifa in reliable fiqh books and fatawa.” (Ahsan al-Maqal fi Karahiat Sitta Shawwal, i.e., Investigation of the Dislike of Six Days of Shawwal Fasting
).
After this, Zaroli wrote several كتب فقه كے حوالے ديے هيں اور اختصار كے پيش نظر ميں يهاں صرف ايك حواله نقل كرتا هوں: هنديه ميں هے ويكره صوم ستة من شوال عند ابي حنيفة متفرقا كان أو متتابعا
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The translation of the above statement is as follows:
“According to Abu Hanifa, fasting six days of Shawwal is disliked, whether they are fasted separately or consecutively.” Nevertheless, countless Deobandis have abandoned this opinion of Imam Abu Hanifa. For this, you can see the following books:
Behishti Zewar Part 3
, Deobandi Mufti Muhammad Ibrahim Sadiq Abadi’s book Char Sau Ahem Masail
, and Anwarat Safdar
.
(13) The Barelvis have also abandoned Imam Abu Hanifa’s opinion.
Ghulam Rasool Saeedi Barelvi wrote: “The virtues and recommendation of Aqiqah are mentioned in authentic hadiths, but probably these hadiths did not reach Imam Abu Hanifa and the Sahibs because they forbade Aqiqah.”
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(14) On the issue of conditions of Friday prayer, the Deobandis have abandoned Imam Abu Hanifa’s opinion. Deobandi Mufti Azam Hind Kifayatullah Deobandi wrote: “According to Imam Abu Hanifa and the praise attributed to him from Egypt, Friday prayer is not permissible even in Delhi and Lahore.”
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(15) Deobandi Quran commentator Shabbir Ahmad Usmani wrote in the exegesis of Surah Luqman Ayah 14: “Note: The duration of breastfeeding mentioned here as two years is based on the prevailing and majority custom. Imam Abu Hanifa, who mentions the duration as two and a half years, must have some other evidence. According to the majority, it is two years only. And Allah knows best.”
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Contrary to Usmani’s good assumption that “Imam Abu Hanifa must have some other evidence,” the Deobandi “Hakim al-Ummah” Ashraf Ali Thanvi, without caring for Imam Abu Hanifa’s mentioned opinion, wrote: “Drinking milk after two years is absolutely forbidden.”
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(16) Sarfaraz Khan Safdar Deobandi wrote: “Allama Shami says that the Hanafis have abandoned the sayings of Imam Sahib and the Sahibs in seventeen places and adopted the sayings of Imam Zafar.” (
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Taqi Usmani wrote: “In many issues, Hanafi scholars have issued fatwas contrary to Imam Abu Hanifa’s opinion.”
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Taqi Usmani wrote elsewhere: “Thus, the Hanafi scholars have abandoned Imam Abu Hanifa’s opinion in many issues for these reasons.”
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So far, the discussion was about Imam Abu Hanifa, but Deobandi Imam Sarfaraz Khan Safdar wrote about Imam Abu Hanifa’s teacher Hammad bin Abi Sulayman:
“Imam Bukhari (RA) did not mention the chain of narration of Hammad’s (RA) statement, so what credibility can such an unsupported statement have? Moreover, even if the chain of narration of Hammad’s statement is found, what weight does Hammad’s statement have compared to the Quran, authentic hadiths, and the practices of the Companions (RA)?”
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Amin Okaraowi wrote: “Even if the action of a Tabi’i is not against the principle, it cannot be used as evidence.”
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Mufti Jameel Ahmad Nazeeri Deobandi wrote: “Yes, there are narrations from some Companions (RA) about praying one Rak’ah, but that was their own ijtihad, which is not proof against numerous Marfoo’ hadiths.” (The method of prayer of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH)
).
For more details, see my article: “Deobandis and the Mawaqufaat of the Companions (RA)”
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That is, according to the Deobandis, even the statement of Imam Abu Hanifa’s teacher (as is well known) Hammad bin Abi Sulayman has no weight.
(17) Imam Abu Hanifa’s famous issue is that besides Arabic, it is permissible to say Takbir Tahrima and other Takbirs in other languages such as Persian, as written in Hidayah, etc. But contrary to this, Deobandi Imam Abdul Shakoor Farqi Lakhnawi wrote:
“Fourth issue: Is it permissible to say Takbir Tahrima and other Takbirs in non-Arabic languages or not?
Answer: According to Imam Abu Hanifa (RA), it is permissible because Allah Almighty said: ﴿ذَكَرَ اسْمَ رَبِّهٖ فَصَلّٰى﴾ in which no language is specified. However, there is no doubt that due to opposition to the Sunnah, it will certainly be an innovation and disliked. Some jurists have written that Imam Sahib also abandoned this issue, but this is not correct.”
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Deobandi scholar Abdul Shakoor Lakhnawi declared the act permitted by Imam Abu Hanifa as an innovation and disliked and denied Imam Abu Hanifa’s abandonment on this issue.
