Author: Allama Muhammad Raees Nadvi رحمه الله
Statement of the Opponent:
Musannif Anwar (Ahmad Raza Bajnori Deobandi) stated:
"A‘mash used to say: I saw that Ibrahim never expressed any opinion based purely on his own reasoning. Thus, it is evident that all juristic opinions transmitted from Ibrahim al-Nakhai, whether found in Imam Abu Yusuf’s Kitab al-Athar, Imam Muhammad’s Kitab al-Athar, or Ibn Abi Shaybah’s Musannaf, are in the ruling of marfu‘ reports."
(Muqaddimah Anwar al-Bari, 1/41)
If the juristic statements of Imam al-Nakhai are in the ruling of marfu‘ hadith, then there is no doubt that Imam Abu Hanifa has, in numerous instances, opposed these opinions. This, according to your own principle, means that Imam Abu Hanifa opposed a large number of Prophetic hadith. Below we present examples where Imam Abu Hanifa or the Hanafi jurists differed from al-Nakhai.
1. Association with Murji’ah
2. Washing Ears in Wudu
3. Rinsing Mouth & Nose in Wudu
4. Touching Women
6. Wiping the Head
7. Infant’s Urine
8. Hair/Nail Trimming in Wudu
9. Women’s Wiping in Wudu
10. Amount of Impurity Excused
11. Istihadah (Non-menstrual Bleeding)
12. Post-Natal Bleeding Duration Unknown
13. Saliva
14. Husband Washing Dead Wife
15. Speaking During Adhan
16. Imam Standing in Prayer
17. Sutrah
18. Missed Witr Before Fajr
19. Catching Imam in Ruku‘
20. Doubt of Discharge in Prayer
21. Greeting During Khutbah
22. Leaving Before Imam’s Salam
23. Prostration in Surah Sad
24. Odd Number of Shrouds for Men
25. Lying
26. Zakat on Loaned Money
27. Husband’s Apostasy
28. Divorce after Ila’
29. Killing One’s Slave
30. Child Born in ‘Iddah
31. Women’s Testimony in Qisas
32. Bequest Order
33. Female Apostate
34. Hunting Without Bismillah
35. Animal for Sacrifice
36. Nadhar (Walking Distance)
37. Selling Silver Ring with Gem
38. Clothing Colors
39. Mukatab in Kaffarah
40. Vowing to Sacrifice Child
41. Inheritance in Li‘an Cases
42. Mother’s Absence in Li‘an Case
43. Pregnant Slave Dispute
44. Grave Robbery
45. Theft Punishment
46. Multiple Intercourse with Slave in One Purity
47. Highway Robber
48. Homosexual Acts
49. Loan Repayment in Better Quality
50. Punishment of Drunkard
51. Accused Woman (Child Disowned by Husband)
52. Sacrificial Animal Becomes Defective
53. Iron Rings
Summary:
From around 200 recorded issues from Nakhai, Abu Hanifa opposed in 52 cases and agreed in 148—around 25% opposition rate. If, as the Deobandi claim, Nakhai’s rulings equal marfu‘ hadith, then Abu Hanifa’s opposition in these instances means opposing numerous hadith.
Statement of the Opponent:
Musannif Anwar (Ahmad Raza Bajnori Deobandi) stated:
"A‘mash used to say: I saw that Ibrahim never expressed any opinion based purely on his own reasoning. Thus, it is evident that all juristic opinions transmitted from Ibrahim al-Nakhai, whether found in Imam Abu Yusuf’s Kitab al-Athar, Imam Muhammad’s Kitab al-Athar, or Ibn Abi Shaybah’s Musannaf, are in the ruling of marfu‘ reports."
(Muqaddimah Anwar al-Bari, 1/41)
Our Response:
If the juristic statements of Imam al-Nakhai are in the ruling of marfu‘ hadith, then there is no doubt that Imam Abu Hanifa has, in numerous instances, opposed these opinions. This, according to your own principle, means that Imam Abu Hanifa opposed a large number of Prophetic hadith. Below we present examples where Imam Abu Hanifa or the Hanafi jurists differed from al-Nakhai.
Examples of Disagreements
1. Association with Murji’ah
- Nakhai’s view: Avoid Murji’ah, do not greet or converse with them, and expel them from study circles.
- Abu Hanifa: Took a Murji’ah (Jamaad) as his teacher for 18 years.
2. Washing Ears in Wudu
- Nakhai: Face-side of ears washed with the face; remainder with the head.
- Abu Hanifa: Entire ear wiped with the head. (al-Athar, Abu Yusuf, p. 4-5, no. 12)
3. Rinsing Mouth & Nose in Wudu
- Nakhai: Without rinsing mouth/nose, wudu invalid.
- Abu Hanifa: Wudu valid without them.
4. Touching Women
- Nakhai: Kissing wife/non-mahram breaks wudu.
- Abu Hanifa: Does not break wudu.
- Nakhai: Backbiting/tale-carrying breaks wudu.
- Abu Hanifa: Does not break wudu.
6. Wiping the Head
- Nakhai: Wiping entire head is obligatory.
- Abu Hanifa: Wiping one-quarter suffices.
7. Infant’s Urine
- Nakhai: Sprinkling water over soiled area suffices.
- Abu Hanifa: Must be washed.
8. Hair/Nail Trimming in Wudu
- Nakhai: Must wash trimmed nails/hair again and wipe head.
- Abu Hanifa: No need.
9. Women’s Wiping in Wudu
- Nakhai: Wiping only the temples invalidates wudu.
- Abu Hanifa: Valid.
10. Amount of Impurity Excused
- Nakhai: Even a dirham-sized impurity invalidates salah.
- Abu Hanifa: Dirham amount excused.
11. Istihadah (Non-menstrual Bleeding)
- Nakhai: One ghusl between Zuhr-Asr and Maghrib-Isha (jam‘ suri).
- Abu Hanifa: Fresh wudu for each prayer.
12. Post-Natal Bleeding Duration Unknown
- Nakhai: Follow female relatives’ norm.
- Abu Hanifa: "We do not take this."
13. Saliva
- Nakhai: Impure.
- Abu Hanifa: Pure.
14. Husband Washing Dead Wife
- Nakhai: Permissible.
- Abu Hanifa: Not permissible.
15. Speaking During Adhan
- Nakhai: Permissible.
- Abu Hanifa: Makruh.
16. Imam Standing in Prayer
- Nakhai: Slightly away from mihrab.
- Abu Hanifa: Directly in front (not inside).
17. Sutrah
- Nakhai: Must be fixed into the ground.
- Abu Hanifa: Fixing recommended, not required.
18. Missed Witr Before Fajr
- Nakhai: Cannot pray witr after Fajr begins.
- Abu Hanifa: Disagrees.
19. Catching Imam in Ruku‘
- Nakhai: Should enter calmly into ruku‘.
- Abu Hanifa: Disagrees.
20. Doubt of Discharge in Prayer
- Nakhai: Must break and repeat prayer.
- Abu Hanifa: Continue until sure.
21. Greeting During Khutbah
- Nakhai: Allowed.
- Abu Hanifa: Follows Sa‘id b. al-Musayyib—avoid.
22. Leaving Before Imam’s Salam
- Nakhai: Invalid.
- Abu Hanifa: Valid.
23. Prostration in Surah Sad
- Nakhai: No prostration.
- Abu Hanifa: Prostration required.
24. Odd Number of Shrouds for Men
- Nakhai: Must be odd.
- Abu Hanifa: Either odd or even.
25. Lying
- Nakhai: Lying breaks fast.
- Abu Hanifa: Disagrees.
26. Zakat on Loaned Money
- Nakhai: On borrower, not lender.
- Abu Hanifa: Disagrees.
27. Husband’s Apostasy
- Nakhai: Wife becomes divorced.
- Abu Hanifa: Disagrees.
28. Divorce after Ila’
- Nakhai: Ila’ voided.
- Abu Hanifa: Disagrees.
29. Killing One’s Slave
- Nakhai: Qisas (retaliation) allowed if heirs demand.
- Abu Hanifa: Disagrees.
30. Child Born in ‘Iddah
- Nakhai: Child belongs to former husband if claimed.
- Abu Hanifa: Disagrees.
31. Women’s Testimony in Qisas
- Nakhai: Not accepted.
- Abu Hanifa: Accepted.
32. Bequest Order
- Nakhai: Slave to one, 1/3 wealth to another—both fulfilled.
- Abu Hanifa: Disagrees.
33. Female Apostate
- Nakhai: Executed.
- Abu Hanifa: Not executed.
34. Hunting Without Bismillah
- Nakhai: Makruh to eat.
- Abu Hanifa: Permissible.
35. Animal for Sacrifice
- Nakhai: Castrated better.
- Abu Hanifa: Fatter is better.
36. Nadhar (Walking Distance)
- Nakhai: If vowing 4 miles but riding after 1 mile, must restart.
- Abu Hanifa: Disagrees.
37. Selling Silver Ring with Gem
- Nakhai: Permissible at any price.
- Abu Hanifa: Disagrees.
38. Clothing Colors
- Nakhai: Wore pure red/yellow.
- Abu Hanifa: Forbids men to wear pure red/yellow.
39. Mukatab in Kaffarah
- Nakhai: Not acceptable.
- Abu Hanifa: Acceptable.
40. Vowing to Sacrifice Child
- Nakhai: Must sacrifice 100 camels.
- Abu Hanifa: Disagrees.
41. Inheritance in Li‘an Cases
- Nakhai: Specific shares to mother/siblings.
- Abu Hanifa: Disagrees.
42. Mother’s Absence in Li‘an Case
- Nakhai: Goes to closest maternal relative.
- Abu Hanifa: To closest paternal relative.
43. Pregnant Slave Dispute
- Nakhai: Child belongs to buyer.
- Abu Hanifa: Disagrees.
44. Grave Robbery
- Nakhai: Hand cut.
- Abu Hanifa: No.
45. Theft Punishment
- Nakhai: Cut hand and demand restitution.
- Abu Hanifa: Only cut hand.
46. Multiple Intercourse with Slave in One Purity
- Nakhai: Child belongs to last man.
- Abu Hanifa: Disagrees.
47. Highway Robber
- Nakhai: Hands/feet cut, then executed.
- Abu Hanifa: Execution only.
48. Homosexual Acts
- Nakhai: Same ruling as zina.
- Abu Hanifa: Many Hanafis disagree.
49. Loan Repayment in Better Quality
- Nakhai: Not allowed (riba).
- Abu Hanifa: Allowed.
50. Punishment of Drunkard
- Nakhai: Do not remove clothes.
- Abu Hanifa: Remove.
51. Accused Woman (Child Disowned by Husband)
- Nakhai: Cursing her is punishable (qadhf).
- Abu Hanifa: No qadhf.
52. Sacrificial Animal Becomes Defective
- Nakhai: Still valid.
- Abu Hanifa: Disagrees.
53. Iron Rings
- Nakhai: Wore iron rings.
- Abu Hanifa: Forbids for men.
Summary:
From around 200 recorded issues from Nakhai, Abu Hanifa opposed in 52 cases and agreed in 148—around 25% opposition rate. If, as the Deobandi claim, Nakhai’s rulings equal marfu‘ hadith, then Abu Hanifa’s opposition in these instances means opposing numerous hadith.
