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Abu Hanifa's Foresight 
Answered by Shaykh GF Haddad  

Abu Hanïfa’s Foresight
 

– GF Haddad  

Imàm Abu Hanïfa was known for his keen foresight (firàsa). He said to Dàwud al-Tà’ï: “You are going to devote yourself entirely to worship.” He said to Abu Yusuf: “You will have much to do with the world.” The story of his prediction of Abu Yusuf’s princely future is famous. The latter narrates:

My father died when I was little and my mother placed me with a bleacher. But I used to pass by Abu Hanïfa’s circle and sit there. My mother would follow me, take me by the hand, away from the gathering, and return me to the bleacher’s shop. Then I would escape again an d, against her wishes, sit with Abu Hanïfa. One day she had had enough and went to him, shout­ing, “This boy is an orphan with nothing to his name except what I feed him from my spinning, and you are spoiling him and causing my ruin!” Abu Hanïfa said, “Woman, be quiet! He is right here, learn­ing the Science, and he shall be feasting on flour and honey pastries (fàlþdhaj) with pistachio butter in dishes of turquoise (fayrþzaj)!” She re­plied, “You are an old man who has lost his senses!” Later, when I became a judge, I was with [Hàrun] al-Rashïd one day when they brought flour and honey pastry in a dish of turquoise and Hàrun said to me, “Eat from this!” Seeing this, I smiled. When he pressed me to say why, I told him what Abu Hanïfa had said. He replied, “Trul y, knowledge raises one’s state both in life and in the hereafter. Allàh have mercy on Abu Hanïfa! He used to see with the eyes of the mind what cannot be seen with the eyes of the head.” [1]

It is narrated that Abu Hanïfa recommended Màlik – whom he first saw when he went on pil­grimage – among the scholars of Madïna: “If there is any excellence in them it lies in the fair-haired, blue-eyed youth.” Another narration states: “I saw great knowledge spread in it [Madïna], and if any single person possesses it all it is the fair-skinned youth.” [2] 

               Ibn Habïb narrates in his ‘Uqalà’ al-Majànïn that Sufyàn al-Thawrï, Mis‘ar [ibn Kidàm al-Hilàlï al-Kþfï (d. 153)], Abu Hanïfa, and Sharïk ibn ‘Abd Allàh al-Nakha‘ï (d. 177) were arrested and taken to al-Mansur [who wanted to force one of them to be chief judge]. Abu Hanïfa said: “I will use ruse to save myself, Sufyàn will escape on the way, Mis‘ar will act the madman, and Sharïk will fall.” On the way, Sufyàn said to his guard: “I need the privy.” The guard waited behind a certain wall but Sufyàn hailed a passing barge, telling them: “The man behind the wall wants to kill me!” They hid him and took him. The guard came back without him and his chief beat him up. The remaining three entered to see al-Mansur. Mis‘ar walked up to him, shook his hand, and said: “How are you, Commander of the Believers after me? How are your female slaves? How are your beasts of burden? You will make me chief judge, yes??” A man standing next to the Caliph said: “This is a madman!” Al-Mansur replied: “You are right. Take him out!” They let him go. Abu Hanïfa was summoned next. He came forward and said: “Commander of the Believers, I am al-Nu‘màn ibn Thàbit the son of the slave silkmaker in al-Kufa. The people of al-Kufa will never accept that the son of a slave silkmaker be judge over them!” He said: “You spoke truly.” Sharïk began to speak but the Caliph said: “Shut up! No-one but you remains, so give your pledge!” Sharïk said: “Commander of the Believers, I have memory lapse s.” He said: “Chew resin gum!” [3] Sharïk said: “I joke too much.” The Caliph said: “We will make honey pastries for you to eat before you sit in your chair to judge!” Sharïk said: “I will judge whoever comes and goes!” The Caliph said: “Judge, be it myself and my own son!” Sharïk said: “Then I will.”

                It is related that Abu Hanïfa said: “Most of the cases in which faith (al-ïmàn) is removed from a person is at the time of death and its cause is the commission of injustice.” [4]

                 Like al-Shàfi‘ï after him, Abu Hanïfa practiced phy­siognomy. He said: “If you see a man with a long head, know he is a fool”; “If you see a person who is both tall and intelligent, hold on to him for they are rare!”

Main source: al- Sàli hï’s ‘Uqþd al-Jumàn (p. 248-250).

 

[1]In Ibn Kathïr, Bidàya (10:180).

 

[2]Both reports narrated by al-Gharnàtï al-Màlikï in Intisàr al-Faqïr al-Sàlik lil-Imàm al-Kabïr Màlik (p. 139) as cited by Abu Ghudda in al-Intiqà’ (p. 43).

 

[3]The mountain shrub lubàn or olibanum (=frankincense, used to strengthen memory) resembles the mastic tree.

 

[4]Narrated in al-Tadhkirat al-Mu‘azzamiyya?

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