Advice of Abu Haneefah

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم الحمد لله رب العالمين الصلاة والسلام على نبيه الكريم وعلى آله وأصحابه أجمعين

In the name of Allaah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful. All praise is due to Allaah, Lord of the worlds. Peace and blessings upon His noble Prophet, upon his family and all of his companions.

Background

Recently, a brother wished that I translate the work titled, "من وصايا الإمام الأعظم أبي حنيفة النعمان" [PDF], and upon looking into it, I decided to do so. This is despite the fact our opinion that Imam Abu Haneefah (may Allaah have mercy on him) has no works. This alleged advice shares the same fate as the other attributed works in the sense none of them can be definitively linked to it being written by Imam Abu Haneefah. However, this does not mean that it is not possible that Imam Abu Haneefah never gave advice. There are many narrations both authentic and weak that indicate that Imam Abu Haneefah used to advise his students and guide them towards the praiseworthy path of the Sharee'ah.

Existence to an alleged advice given to Yoosuf ibn Khaalid has mentioned by Imam Burhaan ad-Deen Az-Zarnuji (may Allaah have mercy on him) in his book [تعليم المتعلم في طريق التعلم], he said in the section on the intention when seeking knowledge:

"A student of knowledge should obtain the book of the advice that Abu Haneefah wrote for Yoosuf ibn Khalid as-Samti, may Allaah have mercy on him, when he was returning to his family. Whoever seeks it will find it. Our teacher, Shaykh al-Islam, Burhan al-Aimmah 'Ali ibn Abi Bakr [al-Marghinaani], may Allaah sanctify his noble spirit, had instructed me to write it down when I was returning to my homeland, and I wrote it down. The teacher and the mufti have no alternative but to have it in dealing with people."

The researchers said in the footnote:

"It was printed together with his al-Fiqh al-Akbar in Lucknow (India) in 1360 AH, and it was also printed in Egypt without a date. It has several commentaries, including a commentary by Shaykh Muhammad ibn Mahmood, known as Akmal ad-Deen, and another commentary entitled Talkhees Khulasat al-Usool. A third commentary is by ʿAli al-Qari."

The researchers made a mistake here as the commentaries mentioned here were made upon the advice as narrated by Imam Abu Yoosuf, the subject of that was creed whereas the advice here is not about creed.

The overall subject of this alleged advice is to forbid arrogance. Dr. Ahmad Shalabi included part of it in his book History of Islamic Education, p. 316, and said:

"The complete advice is recorded in a manuscript preserved at the University of Istanbul. We also found another copy of it in the library of Shaykh Zuhayr al-Shawish, under number 385."

Due to the overall unfamiliarity surrounding the the attribution of this advice and lack of any mention in more earlier works, it cannot be attributed to the Imam, however due to the overall benefit this alleged book contains, and since it has been mentioned by Az-Zarnuji, there is no issue in translating it and taking benefit from it. May Allaah accept allow us to ponder it, understand it, and implement it.

Who is Yoosuf ibn Khaalid as-Samti?

'Abd al-Qaadir al-Qurash in [الجواهر المضية في طبقات الحنفية] wrote about him:

"Yoosuf ibn Khaalid ibn 'Umar Abu Khaalid as-Samti, one of the companions of Imam Abu Haneefah. As-Saymari said: He had been a companion of Abu Haneefah for a long time and took a great deal of knowledge from him."

"Hilaal ibn Yahya narrated from him. He said: Yoosuf ibn Khaalid claimed to us that the books of Abu Haneefah used to be presented to Sufyaan ath-Thawri, and he would say, 'This is my position.' Then the book of pledge was presented to him, containing legal questions, and he said, 'This is my position.' Yet if he were asked to explain one of its questions, he would not have been able to do so."

"At-Tahaawi said: I heard al-Muzani say: I heard ash-Shaafii, may Allaah be pleased with him, say: 'Yoosuf ibn Khaalid was a man among the best. [1]"

"Muhammad ibn al-Muthanna said: Yoosuf ibn Khaalid died in the year 189 AH, in Rajab. Ibn Maajah narrated from him..."

[1] Yoosuf ibn Khaalid as-Samti was one of the teachers of Imam ash-Shaafi'i

Abu al-Hasanaat al-Lucknawi in [الفوائد البهية في تراجم الحنفية] wrote about him:

"Yoosuf ibn Khaalid as-Samti: As-Saymari said that He had been a companion of Abu Haneefah for a long time and took a great deal of knowledge from him. He died in the year 189 AH, in Rajab."

"The compiler said: He is considered criticized by the hadeeth scholars, as as-Sama'ni said: 'As-Samti, ... This attribution is to as-samt and al-hay'ah, meaning demeanor and appearance. 'Abdur-Rahman ibn Abi Haatim ar-Razi said: 'Yoosuf ibn Khaalid was called as-Samti because of the excellence of his demeanor. He was a companion of opinion [i.e. a jurist]. The person famously known by this attribution was Abu Khaalid Yoosuf ibn Khaalid ibn 'Umar as-Samti, from the people of Basrah. He narrated from Ziyaad ibn Sa'd and al-'Amash. He died in 189 AH. He used to fabricate hadeeth against the shaykhs. It is not permissible to narrate from him or to use him as a proof. Ibn Ma'een used to say: Yoosuf ibn Khalid lies. On one occasion he said: He is a wicked liar. On another occasion he said: A liar and a heretic, his hadeeth should not be written. Ibn Abi Haatim said: I asked my father about Yoosuf ibn Khalid, and he said: I rejected Ibn Ma'een's statement that he was a heretic until the book he had authored concerning the Jahmiyyah was brought to me. I saw that he denied the Scale on the Day of Resurrection. Then I knew that Yahya ibn Ma'een does not speak except on the basis of insight... End of the abridged account.'"

Introduction to the Text

This is the advice of Imam Abu Haneefah, may Allaah have mercy on him, to his student Yoosuf ibn Khaalid as-Samti al-Basri. He gave him this advice when he sought his permission to depart for his homeland, Basrah. He said:

"No, not until I first give you advice concerning what you will need in dealing with people, the ranks of the people of knowledge, disciplining the soul, governing the subjects, training both the elite and the common people, and attending to the affairs of the general populace, so that when you depart with your knowledge, you will have with you the means by which it can benefit you, adorn you, and not disgrace you."

"Know that whenever you deal badly with people, they will become your enemies, even if they are mothers and fathers. And whenever you deal well with people from among those who are not your relatives, they will become your relatives."

Then he said to me [i.e. Yoosuf ibn Khaalid]:

"Wait one day until I devote myself to you, gather my attention for you, and teach you matters for which you will praise me and upon which you will make yourself act. There is no success except through Allaah."

When the appointed time had passed, he said:

The Text

In the name of Allaah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate.

I shall disclose to you what I have resolved upon, as though I see you having entered Basrah and turned to opposing those who differ with you, raising yourself above them and displaying superiority through your knowledge before them. You will withdraw from associating and mixing with them, you will abandon them, and they will abandon you, you will insult them, and they will insult you, you will declare them misguided, and they will declare you misguided, you will declare them innovators, and they will declare you an innovator. This disgrace will become attached to both us and you, and you will find yourself in need of fleeing from them and departing from them. This is not sound judgment, for one who does not deal tactfully with someone from whom he has no choice but to seek accommodation is not intelligent, until Allaah Most High makes a way out for him.

As-Samti said: Indeed, I had been intending to do exactly as he said.

Conduct of a scholar with himself

1- Get new clothes for yourself, and frequently use perfume.

2- Bring your gathering close, and let that be at known times.

3- Set aside some time for yourself to attend to your needs.

4- Guard your prayers.

5- Give away your food, for no miser has ever been a leader.

6- Be forgiving and enjoin what is right.

7- Turn a blind eye to what does not concern you

8- Leave alone anyone who harms you.

The scholar's relationship with others

9- And when you enter Basrah, and the people receive you, visit you, and recognize your due, place every man among them in his proper position.

10- Honor the people of nobility.

11- Magnify the people of knowledge, and honor the elders.

12- Be gentle with the young.

13- Draw close to the common people.

14- Deal tactfully with the wicked.

15- Keep company with the righteous.

16- Do not take the ruler lightly.

17- Do not despise anyone who comes to you.

18- Do not fall short in maintaining your affection for them.

19- Do not reveal your secret to anyone.

20- Do not become secure in the companionship of anyone until you test him. [1]

21- Do not take as a servant a wicked or lowly person.

22- Do not say words whose outward appearance would be disapproved of regarding you.

23- Beware of being overly familiar with fools.

24- Do not accept an invitation, nor accept a gift. [2]

25- You should practice tact, patience and forbearance, good character, and breadth of heart.

26- Investigate the affairs of your household servants, and take the initiative in correcting and disciplining them.

27- And employ gentleness in that.

28- And do not frequently reproach, lest admonition become insignificant.

29- And do not undertake their discipline yourself, for that is more lasting for your dignity and more awe-inspiring for you.

30- And let there be for you an inner circle that informs you of the affairs of the people. Whenever you learn of corruption, hasten to rectify it, and whenever you learn of righteousness, increase in desire and concern for it.

31- And make it your aim to visit those who visit you and those who do not visit you, and to do good to those who have done good to you or have done you harm.

32- And hasten to fulfill people's rights.

33- Whoever among your brothers becomes ill, visit him yourself and keep inquiring about him through your messengers. 34- Whoever among them is absent, inquire into his circumstances; and whoever among them distances himself from you, do not distance yourself from him.

35- Maintain ties with the one who cuts you off.

36- Honor the one who comes to you.

37- Forgive the one who has wronged you.

38- Whoever among them speaks badly of you, speak of him with goodness and beauty.

39- Whoever dies, fulfill his due right for him; and whoever has a joy, congratulate him upon it.

40- Whoever has a calamity, offer him condolences for it.

41- Whoever is struck by distress, feel his pain because of it.

42- Whoever calls upon you to undertake one of his affairs, rise to assist him.

43- Whoever seeks your help, help him; and whoever seeks your support, support him.

44- Show affection toward people as much as you are able.

45- Spread the greeting of peace, even among a base people.

46- Whenever you and another person are brought together in a gathering, or a mosque brings you and them together, and matters are discussed and they engage in them contrary to your position, do not reveal your disagreement to them. If you are asked about them, answer with what the people know, then say: 'There is another opinion, such-and-such, and its proof is such-and-such.' When they hear this from you, they will recognize your worth and your standing. If they say: 'Whose opinion is this?' say: 'The opinion of some of the jurists.' When they settle upon it, become accustomed to it, recognize your worth, and esteem your position, give each person who comes to you a type of knowledge to consider, so that each of them may take his share of something from it.

47- Take them through the clear aspects of knowledge, not its subtle aspects. [3]

48- Make them comfortable and joke with them sometimes.

49- Converse with them, for this brings about affection and ensures their continued dedication to knowledge.

50- Feed them sometimes.

51- Fulfill their needs.

52- Know their worth.

53- Overlook their mistakes.

54- Be gentle with them, and pardon them.

55- Do not show any of them constriction of heart or annoyance, and be as one of them.

56- Be content with them with what you are content with for yourself.

57- Treat people as you treat yourself.

58- Seek assistance against yourself through preserving yourself and monitoring your condition.

59- Do not become annoyed with one who does not become annoyed with you.

60- Abandon contentiousness.

61- Listen to whoever listens to you.

62- Do not impose upon people what they do not impose upon you.

63- Be content for them with what they are content with for themselves.

64- Put forward good intention.

65- Practice truthfulness.

66- Put pride aside.

67- Beware of treachery, even if they betray you.

68- Fulfill the trust, even if they betray you.

69- Hold firmly to loyalty.

70- Take refuge in piety.

71- Associate with the people of religions [4] according to the manner in which they associate with you.

For if you hold firmly to this advice of mine, I hope that you will remain safe and live in safety, if Allaah Most High wills. Then, indeed, your separation grieves me, and knowing you brings me comfort. So keep in contact with me through your letters, inform me of your needs, and be to me as a son, for I am to you as a father.

[1] The hadeeth of the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "A man is upon the religion of his close friend, so let each of you look at whom he takes as a close friend." His statement, "so let him look" is what is indicated by the words, "until you test him."

[2] This is understood in relation to a judge.

[3] It is reported from Ibn 'Abbas, in Saheeh al-Bukhaari, chapter 'Knowledge before speech and action':, he said "Be Rabbaniyyun, forbearing and learned jurists." It is said: 'A Rabbani is one who teaches people the small matters of knowledge before its major matters.'

[4] It can be interpreted in a way that brings benefit, and not harm.

Departure of Yoosuf ibn Khaalid as-Samti

Yoosuf ibn Khalid as-Samti said:

Then he brought out for me dinars, clothing, and provisions, and he went out with me. He had a porter carry these things, and he gathered his companions so that they could accompany me in farewell. He rode with them until we reached the bank of the Euphrates. Then they bid me farewell, and I bid them farewell.

Ending words of Yoosuf ibn Khaalid as-Samti

He said:

"The kindness of Abu Haneefah, may Allaah Most High have mercy on him, toward me through his advice and his generosity was greater than every favor that had preceded it from others. I arrived in Basrah and put what he had said into practice. Only a few days passed before they all became my friends. I attended the gatherings, and the school of Abu Hanifa, may Allaah Most High have mercy on him, became established in Basrah just as it had become established in Kufa. The school of al-Hasan and Ibn Seereen, may Allaah be pleased with them both, declined. The books of Abu Haneefah continued to be with me until he died, may Allaah Most High have mercy on him."

Blessed indeed is the righteous teacher and the righteous master. Who do we have like him, may Allaah be pleased with him. And may Allaah send blessings upon our master Muhammad and his good and pure family.

Advice of Abu Haneefah to Yoosuf ibn Khaalid as-Samti