Question:
Scholars of the Hanafi school present a Hadith stating that among the people of Persia, there will be a man who, at the peak of his religious and scholarly endeavors, will gain profound knowledge and understanding of the faith. They unanimously agree that this Hadith refers to Imam Abu Hanifa (رحمہ الله). Could you clarify this narration? (Muhammad Usman, Pand Dadan Khan Qamar)
Answer:
The narration about the "people of Persia" (رجال فارس) or "a man from Persia" (رجل فارس) is indeed authentic. Refer to Sahih Bukhari [4897] and Sahih Muslim [2546]. However, it is absolutely not proven that Imam Abu Hanifa (رحمہ الله) was Persian.
The narration suggesting that Imam Abu Hanifa (رحمہ الله) was Persian has a fabricated (موضوع) chain of transmission. Ahmad bin Ubayd Allah (Abdullah) bin Shadhan and his father are unknown. Shadhan (Nadr bin Salamah) was not truthful [Al-Jarh wa al-Ta'dil 8/480]. He was known to steal and narrate Hadith. Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Abdul Karim declared him a liar [Al-Majrooheen by Ibn Hibban 3/80]. The last narrator in this chain, Ismail bin Hamad, is weak [See Al-Kamil by Ibn Adi 1/308]. There is no reliable authentication for him.
Contrary to this fabricated narration, it is authentically proven from Umar bin Hamad bin Abi Hanifa that Imam Abu Hanifa (رحمہ الله)'s grandfather "Zawti" was from Kabul [See Tarikh Baghdad 13/324 with a reliable chain to Umar bin Hamad, and Akhbar Abi Hanifa wa Ashabihi by As-Saymari, p. 1].
Imam Abu Nu'aym Al-Fadl bin Dukayn Al-Kufi (رحمہ الله) (d. 218 AH) said:
"Abu Hanifa Nu'man bin Thabit bin Zawti, originally from Kabul."
[Tarikh Baghdad 13/324, 325 with a reliable chain]
Persia is in the fourth climate zone [Mu'jam al-Buldan 4/226] and Kabul is in the third climate zone [Mu'jam al-Buldan 3/426]. Making someone from Kabul into a Persian is the work of those who constantly try to turn black into white. The Hadith in Bukhari and Muslim refers to Persian (Iranian) scholars of Hadith. May Allah have mercy on all of them. (27th Rabi' al-Thani 1427 AH)
Scholars of the Hanafi school present a Hadith stating that among the people of Persia, there will be a man who, at the peak of his religious and scholarly endeavors, will gain profound knowledge and understanding of the faith. They unanimously agree that this Hadith refers to Imam Abu Hanifa (رحمہ الله). Could you clarify this narration? (Muhammad Usman, Pand Dadan Khan Qamar)
Answer:
The narration about the "people of Persia" (رجال فارس) or "a man from Persia" (رجل فارس) is indeed authentic. Refer to Sahih Bukhari [4897] and Sahih Muslim [2546]. However, it is absolutely not proven that Imam Abu Hanifa (رحمہ الله) was Persian.
The narration suggesting that Imam Abu Hanifa (رحمہ الله) was Persian has a fabricated (موضوع) chain of transmission. Ahmad bin Ubayd Allah (Abdullah) bin Shadhan and his father are unknown. Shadhan (Nadr bin Salamah) was not truthful [Al-Jarh wa al-Ta'dil 8/480]. He was known to steal and narrate Hadith. Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Abdul Karim declared him a liar [Al-Majrooheen by Ibn Hibban 3/80]. The last narrator in this chain, Ismail bin Hamad, is weak [See Al-Kamil by Ibn Adi 1/308]. There is no reliable authentication for him.
Contrary to this fabricated narration, it is authentically proven from Umar bin Hamad bin Abi Hanifa that Imam Abu Hanifa (رحمہ الله)'s grandfather "Zawti" was from Kabul [See Tarikh Baghdad 13/324 with a reliable chain to Umar bin Hamad, and Akhbar Abi Hanifa wa Ashabihi by As-Saymari, p. 1].
Imam Abu Nu'aym Al-Fadl bin Dukayn Al-Kufi (رحمہ الله) (d. 218 AH) said:
"Abu Hanifa Nu'man bin Thabit bin Zawti, originally from Kabul."
[Tarikh Baghdad 13/324, 325 with a reliable chain]
Persia is in the fourth climate zone [Mu'jam al-Buldan 4/226] and Kabul is in the third climate zone [Mu'jam al-Buldan 3/426]. Making someone from Kabul into a Persian is the work of those who constantly try to turn black into white. The Hadith in Bukhari and Muslim refers to Persian (Iranian) scholars of Hadith. May Allah have mercy on all of them. (27th Rabi' al-Thani 1427 AH)