Research Responses to the Imitative Arguments of the Followers
① First Argument
فَاسْأَلُوا أَهْلَ الذِّكْرِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ
O people! Ask those who have knowledge if you do not know.
Hafizur Rahman Qadri Sahib has presented this blessed verse on page 45 of his book to prove the imitation of Imam Abu Hanifa, may Allah have mercy on him.
The Answer:
The first point is that this verse was revealed regarding the People of the Book, specifically the Jews. Its occasion of revelation is mentioned in Tafsir Ibn Jarir and other tafsirs, and the context of the verse also indicates that it was revealed about the Jews. Even if it is accepted that this verse is general, it still does not prove the prevalent concept of taqlid (imitation) because Allah ان كنتم لا تعلمون has placed a condition. So, is the one who practices taqlid knowledgeable or ignorant? If he is knowledgeable, then why does he feel the need for taqlid? And if he is ignorant, then how did he use this verse to prove the validity of taqlid?
The third point is that the word اهل الذكر appears in it, meaning that the common people will seek the rulings from Allah and the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) regarding the issues required by knowledge, and the scholars will convey the rulings of the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him). As a result, the common people will act upon the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him), and the scholars will become the means and intermediaries for them to access the truth.
In this verse, Allah did not say that you should follow the opinions of the scholars or act upon their baseless statements or imitate them.
I am amazed that Qadri Sahib sees taqlid in everything. If this is taqlid, then what about those nowadays who ask questions from the Hanafi scholars? Are they the followers of those scholars? But this principle is not accepted by you; rather, even after asking questions, they remain followers of Imam Abu Hanifa (may Allah have mercy on him). So, even after asking the scholars of Ahl al-Hadith, they remain followers of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), not followers of those scholars of truth. A Hanafi scholar tells a ignorant Hanafi the issues that belong to the school of Imam Abu Hanifa (may Allah have mercy on him), and that ignorant Hanafi asks the scholar because the scholar is only an intermediary between him and Imam Abu Hanifa (may Allah have mercy on him). The matter is about Imam Abu Hanifa (may Allah have mercy on him), and therefore he remains Hanafi. Similarly, when a common Ahl al-Hadith person asks an Ahl al-Hadith scholar, he believes that the scholar is knowledgeable and will tell him the words of Allah and the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). That scholar of religion certainly tells him the words of Allah and the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), and that scholar is an intermediary between Allah, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), and that common Ahl al-Hadith Muslim. Therefore, that Muslim, upon hearing the scholar, does not become his follower but remains obedient to Allah and His Messenger.
When a Muslim asks a scholar of religion, he does so based on the good assumption that the scholar will not make him a follower of his own opinion but will tell him the words of Allah and the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). On the contrary, a follower expects from his scholar that he will tell him the opinion of Imam Abu Hanifa (may Allah have mercy on him). At this point, you might say that the words of Imam Abu Hanifa (may Allah have mercy on him) are the words of Allah and the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), implying that the ignorant Hanafi and the Hanafi scholar and Imam Abu Hanifa (may Allah have mercy on him) both serve as intermediaries between him and Allah and the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him).
Therefore, that ignorant person becomes a follower of Allah and the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), not of Imam Abu Hanifa (may Allah have mercy on him). So the question arises, why do you call him a follower of Imam Abu Hanifa (may Allah have mercy on him)? Why not say that he is obedient to Allah and the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)? If you say this, then the concept of taqlid will be eliminated, but probably you do not accept this because you do not want to remove the association of taqlid with Imam Abu Hanifa (may Allah have mercy on him). Then it means you do not like the association with Allah and the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). Is this the motto of a believer?
Qadri Sahib’s argument from this verse is that an ignorant person who asks a scholar and acts upon it is practicing taqlid. Then the question arises, from which scholars will the ignorant person seek solutions? From those who have passed away or those who are alive?
It is impossible to choose the deceased for resolving issues, so inevitably one has to contact the living scholars, who will give answers in accordance with the Quran and Hadith. In such a case, the ignorant person will neither remain Hanafi, nor Shafi’i, nor Maliki, nor Hanbali, but will be called a follower of the Book and Sunnah.
If an illiterate person asks a scholar and acts upon it, then he will be a follower of that scholar, not of Imam Abu Hanifa (may Allah have mercy on him), because he did not ask Imam Abu Hanifa (may Allah have mercy on him) himself. Every person will become a follower of the imam of his mosque. If asking someone a question makes a person his follower, then when Imam Abu Hanifa (may Allah have mercy on him) was studying in the madrasa and asking his teachers questions, why did he not become their follower? Similarly, how does asking any other imam about a religious issue become taqlid? Therefore, it is clear that this blessed verse has no connection whatsoever with taqlid.
This is the chest-beating of the followers of taqlid; otherwise, the Book of Allah has no relation to the teaching of taqlid.
② Second Argument
Hafizur Rahman Qadri’s second argument:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَأُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْكُمْ
O you who have believed, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you.
Answer:
The reason for the revelation of this blessed verse is that Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) says:
نزلت فى عبد الله بن حذافة بن قيس إذ بعثه النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم فى سرية
This verse was revealed regarding Hazrat Abdullah bin Hudhafah (may Allah be pleased with him) when the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) appointed him as the commander of an army and sent him forth.
Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) says:
بعث النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم سرية واستعمل عليها رجلا من الأنصار وأمرهم أن يطيعوه
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) sent an army, appointing an Ansari as its commander and ordered the soldiers to obey him.
Then the commander became angry for some reason and asked his soldiers, “Did the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) not command you to obey me?” They all said, “Yes, he did.” He said, “Then gather wood.” They gathered wood, and the commander ordered to set it on fire, which they did. Then he commanded everyone to jump into it. The soldiers were about to jump when some stopped others, saying, “We came to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) out of fear of this fire.” Time passed in these discussions and the fire went out. After that, the commander’s anger also cooled down. When the news reached the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), he said that if these people had jumped into it, they would never have come out of it until the Day of Judgment. The command to obey is only for good deeds.
From this, it is understood that obedience to an Imam, Caliph, Pir, or Murshid is only within the limits of the commands of the Quran and Hadith. If they say something contrary, then it is not permissible to obey them.
Qadri Sahib! Please tell us what these Marfoo’ Ahadith are indicating?
Doesn’t it become clear from these ahadith that اولي الامر refers to the leaders? Whereas the translation of Ahmad Raza Khan that you quoted has resolved the issue by stating that obey those who are in authority, meaning the caliph of the time, the ruler, not any cleric or imam. The question is that the word اولي الامر has appeared, indicating whether it is derived from ‘leaders’ or ‘scholars’? The root of scholars is ‘ilm’ (knowledge), not ‘amr’ (command), so how do you interpret it as scholars and imams?
Even nowadays, many polytheists say, “Let’s jump into the fire on this issue to see who is truthful.” This statement is also refuted in this blessed hadith. Such statements are made only by those whose hands are empty of the proofs of the Quran and Sunnah.
Secondly, Qadri Sahib will say that اولي الامر refers to the four Imams. From which word in this mentioned verse do you derive that following the four Imams, may Allah have mercy on them, or any one of them, is obligatory? How has personal imitation been proven from this verse? There is no connection whatsoever between personal imitation and this verse. I wish you would present some verse as proof of personal imitation. Here, another word is also noteworthy: منكم which means “who are among you.”
My request is that you take Allah as witness and tell whether this verse refers to living scholars and leaders or deceased ones? If it refers to the living, then why do you follow the deceased? If obedience to a deceased leader is obligatory, then great chaos will arise. Will the current leader tolerate that he is not obeyed but a deceased leader is obeyed? This would be an extremely difficult situation where the deceased leader is obeyed and the living one disobeyed. Then, if obedience to one of the deceased leaders is obligatory, tell how will that choice be made? If one reflects, the answer to this is present in the next sentence of this verse, which states:
فَإِنْ تَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَالرَّسُولِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ
If you differ in any matter, refer it to Allah and His Messenger, if you believe in Allah and the Last Day.
A question posed to followers of imitation, upon reflection, eradicates the concept of imitation.
O followers!
Do you consider it permissible to follow all the scholars of the Salaf and Khalaf? Or is it that following some is permissible and others are not?
If following all is permissible, then what is the reason for following only one?
Just as the personality of one Imam is worthy of being followed, so is the personality of another Imam. What is the reason that throughout life only one Imam is accepted? His declared halal and haram are understood, and the other’s truth is only accepted from this one? What is the reason that not a single statement of his is left out, and not a single statement of the other Imam is accepted, even though one is a scholar, the other is also a scholar, and following both is permissible? If indeed following them is religion, then their statements are also religion. Then the statements of those whom you have abandoned were also religion from which you have withdrawn. And if their statements are not religion, then how can they be accepted? In any case, whether I say this or that, your following cannot remain intact. Come, listen to its clarification. The one whom you follow, when two statements have been narrated from him on an issue, then for you both are actionable, both are within the religion. When this is so, then why do you not consider the statements of these mujtahids, which are contrary to the statements of the other mujtahid, as part of the religion and permissible, by giving the status of their statements to these? It is very possible, indeed it happens, that the statement of one Imam is closer to the Book and Sunnah and more worthy of acceptance than the statement of the other Imam.
A Few Unanswerable Questions to Make Followers Think
None of the Hanafi followers, including Maulana Hafizur Rahman Qadri (may Allah have mercy on him), have ever answered these questions.
➊ Was personal imitation (taqlid) practiced during the time of the Holy Prophet ﷺ or his companions (may Allah be pleased with them) or the Tabi‘in (may Allah have mercy on them)?
➋ What did the four Imams themselves say about imitation (taqlid)?
➌ Define consensus (ijma‘) and whose consensus is considered valid? Has there ever been a consensus on personal imitation? If yes, when, where, and whose consensus was it?
➍ Who is called a Mujtahid? Is it obligatory to follow every Mujtahid? Have only four Mujtahids appeared in the last fourteen hundred years? Were there no Mujtahids among the companions (may Allah be pleased with them) and the Tabi‘in (may Allah have mercy on them)?
➎ How did these four Imams (may Allah have mercy on them) acquire their knowledge—through revelation or from other Imams (may Allah have mercy on them)? If they learned from other Imams, were their teachers superior or inferior to them? If they were superior, then why is their imitation not practiced?
➏ Are the four Imams superior or are the four Rightly Guided Caliphs (may Allah be pleased with them)? If the Rightly Guided Caliphs are superior, then why is their imitation not practiced?
➐ If one has to follow one of the four Imams (may Allah have mercy on them), how do we know which of their rulings are correct and which are incorrect? If all four schools are correct as their followers claim, then by following one school, do we abandon three parts of the truth?
➑ Was this imitation practiced before the four Imams or not? And if it was, whose imitation was it?
➒ At that time, was following that Imam obligatory, mandatory, or permissible? If it was, then why? And if not, then why? And why was it abrogated after the arrival of these Imams?
➓ What was the name of the Imam whose imitation was practiced before the four Imams? And is his imitation still obligatory, mandatory, or permissible or not? If not, then why? When was it prohibited? Who appointed the Imams to this position?
➊ The four Imams came as leaders after more than a hundred years had passed since the advent of Islam. Until then, they were neither Imams nor followers. Were the Muslims of that time Muslims or not? And if they were Muslims, were they complete or incomplete? Because imitation was not practiced then, nor were there Imams (may Allah have mercy on them) whose imitation began much later. If despite not following imitation, those people were Muslims and perfect Muslims, then what form of Islam is being presented today that necessitates the invention of imitation? Is the Islam of the companions (may Allah be pleased with them) and the Tabi‘in (may Allah have mercy on them) not sufficient for us that a new, fresh Islam is needed?
⓬ Was the imitation of the four Caliphs practiced before the four Imams or not? If it was not practiced, then why should the Imams’ imitation be practiced?
⓭ Were the four Imams followers (muqallid) or not? If they were followers, then of whom? If not, then why?
⓮ Is it possible to practice religion without imitation or not? If it is possible, then why is imitation declared obligatory? This means that religion can be practiced without following any Imam (may Allah have mercy on him). Therefore, imitation is unnecessary. And if religion cannot be practiced without imitation, then the companions (may Allah be pleased with them), the Tabi‘in (may Allah have mercy on them), and a large part of the Ummah would be considered irreligious and non-practicing by the followers because they did not follow any Imam. It is disrespectful and unfortunate to consider the companions and Tabi‘in irreligious and non-practicing. This proves that imitation is unnecessary. If it is necessary, then please answer.
⓯ Does the Book and Sunnah need the Imam’s statements for explanation, or do the Imam’s statements need the Book and Sunnah? If the Book and Sunnah need the Imam’s explanation, then provide a verse or hadith that the Imam has explained, which can never be found. And if the Imam’s statements need the Quran and Sunnah, which is true, then why are Muslims made dependent on someone who himself is dependent? The authenticity or rejection of the Imam’s statements can be proven by the Quran and Hadith, but the Quran and Hadith cannot be proven by the Imam’s statements. If it can be, then present the proof.
⓰ Can the complete religion be practiced by following Imam Abu Hanifa (may Allah have mercy on him), or can only some parts be practiced and others not? If someone says that by following the Imam, it is possible to practice the entire religion because it contains Hanafi jurisprudence which explains the whole religion, the answer is that two-thirds of the Imam’s jurisprudence is invalid due to differences between Imam Muhammad (may Allah have mercy on him) and Imam Abu Yusuf (may Allah have mercy on him). Because in many issues, these two have opposed the Imam (may Allah have mercy on him). Now, who among them is right and who is wrong, the Hanafis themselves will decide. Both cannot be right because their agreement on any issue is invalid. It is also possible, and indeed it happened, that they opposed other scholars of the Ummah (may Allah have mercy on them) on many issues, which is also a mistake. So most of Hanafi jurisprudence appears doubtful due to disagreements between these two and some parts are invalid due to opposition to other scholars. So in such a case, is it possible to practice the entire religion by following Hanafi jurisprudence? Due to following the Imam, some parts of religion cannot be practiced because there is doubt about them. Regarding this discussion, two harms of imitation are noteworthy. One is that a person is deprived of practicing a large part of religion due to imitation. The second is that even in the part he practices, there is doubt.
⓱ Are you followers (muqallid) or Mujtahid? If you are followers, then why do you make complex arguments to prove imitation, while according to followers, reasoning is only the work of a Mujtahid? Why have you stepped outside the scope of imitation in this regard? And if you say that I am a Mujtahid, then imitation ends. And another thing is that according to followers, the door of Ijtihad is closed. So by becoming a Mujtahid, you will open the door of Ijtihad.
⓲ Is imitation obligatory on the ignorant or the learned or both? If it is obligatory on the learned, then it contradicts the Quranic verse “In kuntum la ta‘lamun” (If you do not know). Another question arises about the various ranks of scholars (may Allah have mercy on them): on which rank of scholars is imitation obligatory? And if imitation is obligatory on the ignorant, then whom should he follow? Because he has no religion. And if it is obligatory on both, then the mentioned harms and objections will still apply.
⓳ Is imitation obligatory on every Muslim? If it is obligatory, then the four Imams (may Allah have mercy on them) were also Muslims; why did they not follow this prescription of imitation?
What is the ruling on personal imitation in the Quran and Hadith? If there is a ruling, then clearly write the verse and hadith and also tell whether the four Imams (may Allah have mercy on them) were followers or non-followers? And if a person acts purely on the Quran and Sunnah while being Muslim and does not follow any of the four Imams (may Allah have mercy on them), is his salvation possible or not? If it is possible, then what is the need to impose the yoke of imitation?
③ Third Argument
Hafizur Rahman Qadri Sahib further writes that the difference between a Mujtahid and a Muhaddith is a self-created distinction, stating that the work of a Muhaddith is only to collect the blessed Hadiths, and in this regard, the focus is on the authenticity or weakness of the Hadith, not on deducing legal rulings.
Answer:
It is completely wrong to say that a muhaddith (hadith scholar) is not a mujtahid (jurist), whereas Imam Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on him, was not only a renowned muhaddith of the world but also one of the greatest mujtahids. Looking at the chapters of Sahih Bukhari shows that he was also a renowned jurist of the world. I was surprised to read Qadri Sahib’s statement that a mujtahid knows more about the authenticity of hadith than a muhaddith. However, no one knows more about the authenticity of the blessed ahadith than the muhaddithin, may Allah have mercy on them, who collected the ahadith. Thousands of muhaddithin, may Allah have mercy on them, were both mujtahids and muhaddithin, who also deduced legal rulings. A jurist does not have more knowledge of hadith than a muhaddith. One must have knowledge of hadith to find solutions to issues from the Quran and hadith; otherwise, one resorts to mere guesswork or, like many self-invented Hanafi fiqh issues, neither has knowledge of the Quran nor deals with hadith.
When these people have no evidence, they give examples here and there. Sometimes they run to medical doctors, sometimes they fabricate examples of grocers. These arguments have no connection with religion and Shariah. Often these people keep giving examples, but these statements are baseless. Later, a point from a hadith was quoted that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: My Ummah will never unite upon misguidance.
What the Prophet, peace be upon him, said is correct: when has the Ummah ever united upon this misguidance? Except for a group of the Kufis, when has the entire Ummah ever united upon imitation? It has never happened and will never happen. This was not the path of guidance; the Ummah will neither unite upon it nor will it until the Day of Judgment.
④ Fourth Argument
Qadri calls it strange logic that all four Imams are right, and their followers are also right. He himself raises the question and answers that one Imam says to recite Fatiha behind the Imam, another says not to recite Fatiha behind the Imam. One Imam says that without Fatiha, the prayer is not valid. How can both be right?
He answers that one of them will be correct and the other wrong, but since a Mujtahid also receives reward even if he errs, therefore those who follow him will also receive reward, and the correct one will receive both rewards.
The Answer:
Qadri Sahib does not even know that Ijtihad is done in those matters for which there is no clear evidence in the Quran and Hadith. If there are hundreds of evidences in the blessed Hadith for a matter, then anyone who presents his own Ijtihad and speculation in front of the words of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ should pray for the well-being of his faith. Just as there is Al-Fatiha, instead of becoming spectators of the quarrels of the Imams, we should pay attention to the Sunnah and commands of our Messenger of Allah ﷺ, as you ﷺ said:
عن أبى هريرة قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ما من صلاة لم يقرأ فيها بأم القرآن فهي خداج ثلاثا غير تمام فقيل لأبي هريرة إنا نكون وراء الإمام فقال اقرأ بها فى نفسك
It is narrated from Hazrat Abu Huraira (RA) that the Prophet ﷺ said that whoever prays and does not recite Surah Al-Fatiha in it, his prayer is incomplete; three times the Prophet ﷺ said: it is not complete. When asked from Hazrat Abu Huraira (RA) what if we are behind the Imam? He (RA) said: recite it in your heart, that is, quietly.
عن أنس أن النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم صلى بأصحابه فلما قضى صلاته أقبل عليهم بوجهه فقال أتقرءون فى صلاتكم والإمام يقرأ فسكتوا فقال لهم ثلاث مرات فقال قائل أو قائلون إنا نفعل قال لا تفعلوا وليقرأ أحدكم بفاتحة الكتاب بنفسه
It is narrated from Hazrat Anas (RA) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ led his companions (RA) in prayer, and after finishing, he turned to them and asked: Do you recite during your prayer while the Imam is reciting? They remained silent. On the third time, they answered: Yes, we do so. He said: Do not do that; each one of you should only recite Surah Al-Fatiha quietly.
Imam Bayhaqi (may Allah have mercy on him) narrated this Hadith in Kitab al-Qira’at and said its chain is authentic.
Elsewhere, the Prophet ﷺ said:
عن عبادة بن الصامت قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم لا صلاة لمن لم يقرأ بفاتحة الكتاب خلف الإمام
Hazrat Ubada bin Samit (RA) says that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Whoever does not recite Surah Al-Fatiha behind the Imam, his prayer will not be accepted.
Imam Bayhaqi (may Allah have mercy on him) narrated this Hadith in Kitab al-Qira’at and said its chain is authentic.
عن عبادة بن الصامت قال كنا خلف رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فى صلاة الفجر فقرأ رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فثقلت عليه القراءة فلما فرغ قال لعلكم تقرءون خلف إمامكم قلنا نعم يا رسول الله قال لا تفعلوا إلا بفاتحة الكتاب إنه لا صلاة لمن لم يقرأ بها
It is narrated from Hazrat Ubada bin Samit (RA) that we were behind the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in the Fajr prayer, and the Prophet ﷺ recited in a way that became difficult for him. When he finished the prayer, he said: Perhaps you recite behind your Imam? We said: Yes, O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! He said: Do not do that except for Surah Al-Fatiha, because whoever does not recite Surah Al-Fatiha in prayer, his prayer is not accepted. Hazrat Abu Huraira (RA) says that whoever does not recite Surah Al-Fatiha in prayer, his prayer is incomplete, incomplete, incomplete.
In one place, the Prophet ﷺ said that whoever does not recite Surah Al-Fatiha in prayer, he has no prayer.
We say:
The Imamate of the Imams is indeed correct,
But only Mustafa ﷺ is worthy of obedience.
عن عبد الله بن عمر قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم لا صلاة لمن لم يقرأ بفاتحة الكتاب
Hazrat Abdullah bin Umar (RA) says that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Whoever does not recite Surah Al-Fatiha, his prayer is not accepted.
عن عبادة بن الصامت قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم لا صلاة لمن لم يقرأ بفاتحة الكتاب
It is narrated from Hazrat Ubada bin Samit (RA) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Whoever does not recite Surah Al-Fatiha, he has no prayer.
In this blessed Hadith, the word من is for generality, so Jiven Sahib Hanafi in Noor al-Anwar says that the words “min” and “ma” are written in relation to it, من and ما have the original meaning of generality. So when the word من is established for generality, the meaning of this Hadith becomes that no one’s prayer is accepted without Surah Al-Fatiha.
فلا تقرءوا بشيء من القرآن إذا جهرت إلا بأم القرآن
When (i.e., the Imam) recites loudly, do not recite anything from the Quran except Surah Al-Fatiha.
Allama Albani (may Allah have mercy on him) in Tahqiq Mishkat said that Imam Darqutni (may Allah have mercy on him) called it Hasan, while Imam Bayhaqi (may Allah have mercy on him) said it is Sahih.
عن على إنه كان يأمر أن يقرأ خلف الإمام بفاتحة الكتاب
It is narrated from Hazrat Ali (RA) that he ordered to recite Surah Al-Fatiha behind the Imam.
In summary, there are many Hadiths about reciting Surah Al-Fatiha behind the Imam. Hundreds of Hadiths and reports exist, but due to fear of length, only a few have been quoted so that my Muslim brothers may know why, due to the quarrels and imitation of Imams, we have abandoned the blessed Sunnah of our beloved Prophet ﷺ. Allah Almighty does not command us to imitate any Imam, rather He commands us to obey our Prophet ﷺ.
Obedience to the Messenger ﷺ is the path to success in both worlds. Whoever abandons the Sunnah of his Prophet ﷺ becomes lost in the storm of misguidance and is destroyed and ruined.
⑤ Fifth Argument
Qadri Sahib writes: Alhamdulillah Azza wa Jal, the issues of Hazrat Imam Azam Abu Hanifa, may Allah have mercy on him, are exactly in accordance with the Quran and Hadith. This is the reason that currently the majority of Muslims are Hanafis.
Answer:
What is the truth of Qadri Sahib’s claim that the Hanafi jurisprudence of Imam Abu Hanifa, may Allah have mercy on him, is exactly in accordance with the Quran and Hadith? Is this claim true or false? I will not decide myself. I leave it to the respected readers. I present Hanafi jurisprudence and the Prophetic Hadith before you. You decide for yourself whether Hanafi jurisprudence is in accordance with the Quran and Hadith or opposed to them. Consider the references and judge with justice and fairness how much distance there is between the Prophetic Hadith and Hanafi jurisprudence.
Is Hanafi jurisprudence opposed to or in accordance with the Quran and Hadith? Almost all books of Hanafi jurisprudence state that wiping over one-fourth of the head is obligatory.
Holy Quran: وَامْسَحُوا بِرُءُوسِكُمْ
Wipe the entire head.
The blessed Hadith and the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, wiped the entire head. There is no mention of the obligation of wiping one-fourth in any Hadith.
Hanafi jurisprudence: ولا يجوز المسح على العمامة
Wiping over the turban is not permissible.
The blessed Hadith states that the Prophet, peace be upon him, wiped over the turban.
Hanafi jurisprudence: It is disliked to pray two Nafl before Maghrib.
The Hadith states that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: After the Adhan, pray two Nafl before the Maghrib prayer.
Hanafi jurisprudence: There is no prayer during the sermon.
The Hadith states that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said that whoever comes to the mosque on Friday while the Imam is delivering the sermon, he should pray two short Rak’ahs.
This is a verbal Hadith of the Prophet, peace be upon him, and cannot be rejected.
Hanafi jurisprudence: There is no Adhan with preference (Tarjee’). Abu Mahdhurah, may Allah be pleased with him, made a mistake while giving the Adhan with preference.
The author of Hidayah has attributed an uncommitted mistake to a Companion, may Allah be pleased with him, in a reprehensible attempt to prove his sect, whereas the verbal Hadith of the Prophet, peace be upon him, mentions Tarjee’.
Hanafi jurisprudence: Tajweed is recommended.
Whereas the Hadith states that Tajweed is an innovation.
Hanafi jurisprudence: There is no interval between the Maghrib Adhan and prayer.
Whereas the Hadith states that there is a prayer between every Adhan and Iqamah.
The positions of both parties are before you. On one side are the Hadiths of the beloved Prophet, peace be upon him, and on the other side is the opposition of the Hanafis. The decision is yours.
Some more:
Hanafi jurisprudence: It is not permissible to give Adhan before Fajr.
Whereas the Hadith states that during the time of the Prophet, peace be upon him, the Adhan was given before Fajr.
Hanafi jurisprudence: Instead of Allahu Akbar, it is permissible to say “Khuda Bozorg Ast” or “Allah Ajal”.
Whereas from the time of the Prophet, peace be upon him, until today, Muslims have neither practiced this nor considered it permissible. What is the need for these self-invented, fabricated issues?
Hanafi jurisprudence: The Imam will not recite ربنا لك الحمد.
Whereas the Prophet, peace be upon him, used to recite it.
Hanafi jurisprudence: Prostration can be done on only the nose or only the forehead.
Whereas the Prophet, peace be upon him, said that I was commanded to prostrate on seven parts.
The Prophet, peace be upon him, said that in prostration, it is necessary to place both the nose and forehead on the ground.
Hanafi jurisprudence: It is disliked for a scholar or a blind person to lead the prayer.
Whereas the Prophet, peace be upon him, appointed the blind Companion Ibn Umm Maktum, may Allah be pleased with him, as Imam in the Prophet’s Mosque, and Salim, may Allah be pleased with him, who was a slave Companion, used to lead prayers.
Hanafi jurisprudence: It is a prohibitive dislike (Makruh Tahrimi) for women to lead a congregation alone because the Imam has to stand in the middle, which is not correct.
Whereas the Hadith states that the Prophet, peace be upon him, appointed Umm Waraqah, may Allah be pleased with her, as an Imam for women in a neighborhood.
Moreover, many Hadiths mention that Umm Salamah, may Allah be pleased with her, and Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, used to lead prayers.
Hanafi jurisprudence: A discerning child does not lead the prayer.
Whereas the Hadith states that Umar ibn Salamah, may Allah be pleased with him, led prayer at the age of seven during the period of revelation.
Hanafi jurisprudence: The prayer of one who prays the obligatory is not behind the one who prays Nafl.
The Hadith states that Mu’adh, may Allah be pleased with him, prayed the obligatory prayer with the Prophet, peace be upon him, and then went to his people and taught them the same prayer as obligatory.
Hanafi jurisprudence: Witr can only be prayed as three Rak’ahs; praying one Rak’ah is not part of the religion.
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
من أحب أن يوتر بواحدة فليفعل
Whoever wishes to pray one Witr, let him do so.
There are many Hadiths on every issue, but due to fear of lengthiness, only one or two references have been written.
Hanafi jurisprudence: Whoever has not prayed Sunnah and the Fajr congregation is about to begin, he should first pray Sunnah.
Whereas the Prophet, peace be upon him, said that when the Iqamah for the obligatory prayer is called, then there is no prayer other than the obligatory prayer.
Hanafi jurisprudence: The maximum duration for travel to shorten prayer is fifteen days.
Whereas the duration is not transmitted from the Prophet, peace be upon him. It is narrated from Abdullah ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, stayed at one place for nineteen days and prayed Qasr.
Hanafi jurisprudence: There is no loud recitation in the eclipse prayer.
But the Hadith proves loud recitation.
Hanafi jurisprudence: There is no sermon after the eclipse prayer.
Whereas the Hadith states that the Prophet, peace be upon him, delivered a sermon.
Hanafi jurisprudence: Imam Abu Hanifa, may Allah have mercy on him, said there is no prayer during vomiting.
Whereas the Prophet, peace be upon him, prayed during vomiting.
Hanafi jurisprudence: It is not established to recite Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer.
Whereas the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, recited it, and Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said while leading the funeral prayer with Surah Al-Fatiha:
تعلموا أنها سنة
Meaning: I led the prayer with Surah Al-Fatiha so that you know that reciting Surah Al-Fatiha in the funeral prayer is the Sunnah of the Prophet, peace be upon him.
There are many blessed Hadiths on this issue which cannot be denied.
Respected readers: Thousands of issues in Hanafi jurisprudence are contrary to the Quran and Hadith. I have only presented a few issues to bring Hafizur Rahman Sahib’s claims before the public court, merely attempting to show them their reflection in the mirror; otherwise, there were many such filthy issues. However, I deliberately did not touch upon these Hanafi jurisprudence issues because my purpose is not to defeat anyone, but to invite reflection so that we all become Muhammadi and follow the true path shown by the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, to achieve success in this world and the hereafter. Just as the companions of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, attained success by acting purely upon the Quran and Hadith. May Allah grant all Muslims true success, Ameen.
