The four Imam's - Imam Abu Hanifa,  Imam Malik, Imam Ahmed bin Hanbal and Imam Shafi - are the figures who's interpretation of the Hadith and Quran are followed by the majority of Sunni Muslims Worldwide. They are therefore of immense importance to the correct practice of Islam. These brief biographies do not do justice to the long and splendid lives of the Imams, but serve as a starting point in recognizing their importance. I urge you to learn more about them. Let us not forget that they were Tabieens - they had met some Sahaba and could directly relate Ahadith - and also that the great scholar Imam Bukhari was a follower of Imam Shafi's school of thought.

Imam Abu Hanifah - Nu’man ibn Thabit 80-150 A.H.
Maida Malik

Better known as ‘Imam-e-Azam’ (The Greatest Imam), or by his kunyah ‘Abu Hanifah’, Nu’man ibn Thabit was born in the city of Kufa (modern day Iraq) in the year 80 A.H (689 A.D). Born into a family of tradesmen, the Imam’s family were of Persian origin as well as descending from the noble Prophets (saw) companion Salman al Farsi (RA). Imam Abu Hanifahs father Thabit had met in Kufa, Imam Ali Ibn Abi Talib (AS) who made dua for him and his progeny, and some say that Abu Hanifah was a result of this dua.

A hadith given by al Bukhari and Muslim states that Abu Hurairah narrated Allah’s messenger (saw) as saying: "if the Din were at the Pleides , even then a person from Persia would have taken hold of it, or one amongst the Persian descent would surely have found it". Abu Huraira also narrates: "We were sitting in the company of Allah’s Apostle (saw) when Surah al Juma was revealed to him and when he recited amongst them (those who were sitting there) said ‘Allah s Messenger?’ but Allah’s Apostle (saw) made no reply, until he was questioned once, twice or thrice, and there was amongst us Salman the Persian. Allah’s Apostle (saw) placed his hand on Salman and then said: "Even if faith were near the Pleides a man from amongst these would surely find it".

Imam as-Suyuti a Shafi alim (rh) remarked "It has been communicated unanimously that this hadith refers to Imam Abu Hanifah".

Kufa at the time of the Imams birth was a great centre of knowledge and learning , with many of the noble Prophets (saw) companions (ra) having taken residence there. Due to the presence of these venerable people who had engendered so much interest in hadith and riwayat that practically every house in Kufa had become a centre of these disciples and their disciplines. At first , Imam Abu Hanifah was not a student of knowledge. However, by coincidence, whilst one day passing by the house of Sha’bi (acclaimed "Great Scholar among the Successors"), Abu Hanifah was called in by the shaykh who mistook him for a student. "Where are you going young man?" asked Sha’bi. Abu Hanifah named the merchant he was going to see. "I meant to ask" asked Sha’bi. "Who’s classes you attend?". "Nobody’s" replied the Imam regretfully. "I see signs of intelligence in you" began Sha’bi, "you should sit in the company of learned men". It was after this encounter that the young Imam began his quest for knowledge. Imam Abu Hanifah acquired knowledge from over four thousand people. His teachers included many prestigious men of the time whose sanad went back to a number of companions (ra). He himself was blessed with the meeting of the companions: Anas ibn Malik, Abdullah ibn Afwa and Sahl ibn Sa’ad (ra), thus gaining him the rank of being a Tabi’i (successor to the companions).

Amongst Imam Abu Hanifah’s shayukh was Hammad ibn Sulayman, he joined his circle at the age of 22, having already become a well known debater and studied with this shaykh until the latter’s death, where upon he took over his majlis (circle) at the age of forty. Shu’ba, a leading muhaddith who knew by heart two thousand traditions was also a teacher of Imam Abu Hanifah. Shu’ba was greatly attached to Imam Abu Hanifah saying "Just as I know that the sun is bright I know that learning and Abu Hanifah are doubles of each other".

The Imam’s quest for knowledge inevitably took him to the Holy Sanctuaries, at a time when Makkah was a busy centre for learning. A number of acknowledged masters of Hadith, who had had access to the Prophets (saw) companions (ra) had established their own schools there. Of these was ‘Ata bin Rabah’s school. ‘Ata was a famous Tabi’i who had associated with most of the companions and acquired from this association a status of authority. He himself claimed to have met two hundred men who had associated with the the Noble Prophet (saw). The leading companions all acknowledged his learning. Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (ra), son of the caliph ‘Umar often used to say: "Why do people come to me when ‘Ata ibn Abi Rabah is there for them to go to?". Of the other Muhaddithin of Makkah whose classes the Imam attended was ‘Ikrimah. He was the slave and pupil of Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas, who educated him with great care and attention, making him so proficient that he, during his own lifetime gave Imam Abu Hanifah the authority to exercise personal judgement and rulings. ‘Imam Abu Hanifah was the first to analyse Islamic jurisprudence, divide it into subjects, distinguish its issues and determine the range and criteria for analytical reasoning (Qiyas)’.

Al Hafiz al-Kabir Abu Bakr Ahmad al- Harizmi wrote in his book (Musnad), ‘Saif al Aimma’ reports that when Imam Abu Hanifah derived a matter from the Qur’an and Hadith, he would not give the answer to the inquirer unless all of them (his students) confirmed it. One thousand of Abu Hanifah’s disciples attended all his classes when he taught in the mosque of Kufa city. Forty of them were mujtahids. When he would find an answer for a matter he would suggest to his students who would study it together, and when they reached an agreement of it being consistent with The Qur’an and Hadith, and with the words of the Sahabah, he would be delighted and say, "Al-hamdu li’llah wallahu Akbar", and all those who were present would repeat his words. Then he would tell them to write it down.

Ibn ‘Abd al- Barr relates in al-Intiqa’, ‘Abd Allah ibn Ahmad al-Dawraqi said: "Ibn Ma’inn was asked about Abu Hanifah as I was listening, so he said "He is trustworthy (thiqatun), I never heard that anyone had weakened him" No less than Shu’ba wrote to him (for narrations), and ordered him to narrate hadith’. Ibn Hajar said in Kharija ibn al Salt’s notice in Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, Ibn Abi Khaythama said: "If al Shu’bi narrates from someone and names him, that man is trustworthy (thiqa) and his narration is used as proof (yuhtajju bi hadithihi)".

Many well known shuyukh narrated from Imam Abu Hanifah, to name but a few: al Thawri, ibn al-Mubarak, Hammad ibn Zayd and ‘Abd al-Razzaq (one of Iman al-Bukhari’s shaykh) Al Mizzi in Tahdhib al-Kamal names about one hundred names of those who narrated from Imam Abu Hanifah.

Imam as-Shafi (rh) is recorded to have stated: "All men of fiqh are Abu Hanifah’s children". "...I would not have acquired anything of knowledge had it not been for my teacher. All men of knowledge are children of the ulema of Iraq, who were the disciples of the ulema of Kufa, and they were the disciples of Abu Hanifah".

The Hanafi madhab, entitled after the Imam, spread far and wide during the time of the Ottaman Empire. Today, more than half the muslims on the earth perform their ibabdah according to the Hanafi madhab. The Hanafi school has decided court cases in the majority of Islamic lands for the greater part of Islamic history, including the Abbasis and Ottaman periods.

Not only was Imam Abu Hanifah’s extraordinary mind and knowledge something to be admired but so too was his exemplary character and piety. Dhahabi writes "Accounts of his piety and devotion have reached a degree of tawatur" (i.e. an unbroken chain of uncontradicted narrations).

He was given the title of the ‘Peg’ by some, for his continuous standing in prayer, often reciting the entire Qur’an in his nightly rakahs. He performed the Fajr prayer with the ablution made for the Isha prayers for forty years, (due to him praying the whole night through). It is reported that he had recited the whole Qur’an seven thousand times in the place where he died.

He earnt his living through trade, sending goods to other places and with the earnings he met the needs of his students. He gave much to charity and every Friday he would distribute twenty gold coins to the poor for his parents’ souls.

In the year 146 A.H, Abu Hanifah was sent to prison by Mansur, the leader at the time, after the Imam’s refusal to state that Mansur was the rightful khalifa, as well as refusing the position of presidency of the supreme court in recompense. Whilst in prison Imam Abu Hanifah was thrashed with a stick. Mansur repented and sent the Imam money, only to be refused again. By now Imam Abu Hanifah had become well known and thousands flocked to meet and seek his opinion wherever he went. His imprisonment far from reduced his popularity, and Mansur realised that he would have to treat the Imam carefully, thus he allowed him to teach whilst still in prison. Mansur finally decided to do away with the great Imam and had him poisoned. Abu Hanifah feeling the effects of the poison, bent down in prayer and died in the month on Rajab. News of the Imam’s death reached far and wide, and thousands gathered at the prison. The city Qadi washed his body, and kept repeating "by God you were the greatest faqih and the most pious man of our time....".

By the time the bathing was finished so many people had assembled that the funeral prayer was performed attended by fifty thousand people.

The Great Imam died in Baghdad in 150 A.H at the age of seventy. May Allah SWT be pleased with him. Ameen.

IMAM MALIK FAQIH

ABU ABDULLAH, Malik bin Anas, was born in Medina in the year 715 AD. His ancestral home was in Yemen, but his grandfather settled in Medina after embracing Islam. He received his education in Medina, which was the most important seat of Islamic learning, and where the immediate descendants of the Companions of the Holy Prophet lived. Imam Malik was highly attracted to the study of law, and devoted his entire interest to the study of Fiqh. It is said that he sought out over three hundred Sahaba (those who saw the Companions of the Holy Prophet). From them he acquired the knowledge of the Holy Prophet's sayings, Hadith, (plural Ahadith) - and the Holy Prophet's Deeds, - Sunnah. Imam Malik studied Fiqh under the guidance of nearly one hundred learned Shaikhs who were residing in the city of the Prophet at the time. Among Imam Malik's writings is the great work entitled Kitab-al-Muwatta, which is the earliest surviving book of Islamic law and Hadith. It quotes Sayings as well as the practices according to the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet as observed by Muslims in Medina.

Although Imam Malik wrote many treatises dealing with religion and ethics, Kitab-al-Muwatta is acknowledged as the most important among his writings. It is said that Imam Malik had originally recorded ten thousand Ahadith in this book, but in a revised edition the Imam reduced the number to only one hundred and seventy-two. Imam Malik was famous for his piety and integrity and courageously stood up, and was prepared to suffer, for his convictions. For example, when the governor of Medina demanded and forced people to take the oath of allegiance to Khalifa al-Mansour, Imam Malik issued a Fatwa that such an

oath was not binding, because it was given under duress. This resulted in many people finding courage to express their opposition, but the Imam was arrested, found guilty of defiance and publicly flogged.

When al-Mansour, learnt of this outrage, he apologized to the Imam and dismissed the governor. Sometime later the Khalifa sent him three thousand Dinars for his travelling expenses and invited him to come and reside in Baghdad. Imam Malik refused the offer and indicated that he preferred to continue his residence in Medina where the Holy Prophet was buried.

When the Khalifa Haroun-al-Rasheed visited Medina when he came to perform Hajj, he summoned Imam Malik to visit him and deliver a lecture. The Imam politely refused to go to the ruler but invited him to attend the class of students to whom he delivered regular lectures. The Khalifa, accompanied by his two sons, accepted the invitation and sat among the students to hear the Imam's lecture.

Imam Malik died in the year 795 AD at Medina and is buried in the famous al-Baqie cemetery in the city of the Prophet.

Imam Malik's followers and disciples developed a Fiqh school based on his books which came to be known as the Maliki Madhhab. Malikis are mostly found in North and West Africa, - Tunis, Algeria, Morocco and Egypt.

Ahmed bin Muhammad Hanbal known as ibn Hanbal was born in the city of Baghdad in the year 780 AD. He studied various subjects in his hometown and traveled extensively in quest of

knowledge. He was chiefly interested in acquiring knowledge of Ahadith- traditions of the Holy Prophet - and traveled extensively through Iraq, Syria, Arabia and other countries of the Middle East studying religion and collecting traditions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad.

Returning home from his travels which occupied several years of his early life, he took lessons from Imam Shafiee in the subject of Islamic law (Fiqh). He was deeply devoted to the traditional views on religious subjects and opposed innovation of any kind.

The strength of his views was tested when under Khalifa al-Mamun and Khalifa al-Mu’tasim, a kind of 'inquisition court' was created to deal with people - among whom were many acknowledged theologians - who would not for instance profess the doctrine of "the creation of the Qur’an".

Imam ibn Hanbal, too, suffered as a result when he was arrested and brought in chains before the court. But he patiently submitted to corporal punishment and imprisonment and resolutely refused to deviate from his beliefs.

Under the rule of Khalifa Mutawakkil however, the policy of the government changed and Imam ibn Hanbal's trials came to an end. From then onwards the Imam was accorded honor befitting his greatness and on several occasions he was invited to the Court and granted a generous pension.

Imam ibn Hanbal's fame spread far and wide. His learning, piety and unswerving faithfulness to traditions gathered a host of disciples and admirers around him.

He died in Baghdad in the year 855 (241 A.H.) at the age of 75 years.

Among the works of Imam ibn Hanbal is the great encyclopaedia of Traditions called Musnad, compiled by his son from his lectures and amplified by supplements - containing over twenty eight thousand traditions. His other works include Kitab-us-Salaat, on the Discipline of Prayer and Kitab-us-Sunnah, on the Traditions of the Prophet. The above books form in the main, the Hanbali school of law, although Imam ibn Hanbal too, did not establish a Fiqh system of his own. His decisions were so highly regarded by his disciples that they began to systematize his legal teachings during his lifetime and his ideas gained recognition by the Sunni sect as one of the four authoritative Madhahb the Hanbali.

In the world of Islam, the Hanbalites to-day represent the smallest group of the four Sunni Madhahb, mostly confined to the Middle East countries.

In the 18th century Christian-era, the Hanbali system received a vigorous support from the Wahhabi movement founded by Muhammad bin Abdul Wahab (1703-1787 AD) who followed the Hanbali school of thought. The leadership of the Wahhabi movement today is in the hands of the Saudi dynasty who are the autocratic rulers of Hijaz, in the Arabian Peninsula.

Abu Abdullah Muhammad Bin Idris descends from the Hashimi family of the Quaraish tribe to which Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) belongs. He was born in Gaza, Syria in 767 and became famous as Imam Shafi-ee. He lost his father early in life and was brought up by his mother in abject poverty in the city of Mecca. He spent much time among the Bedouins and acquired very great knowledge of Arabic poetry.

At the age of twenty, he went to Medina and remained there as a student of Imam Malik till the later’s death in 796. He also came into contact with other learned men from whom he acquired knowledge of the Holy Qur’an and the Traditions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad.

Imam Shafi-ee possessed a very sharp memory and knew the whole of Imam Malik's Muwatta by heart.

In 804 he visited Syria and from there proceeded to Egypt where he settled down. As a pupil of Imam Malik he was received with great honor and respect by the Egyptians. In 810 he went to Baghdad and there he was surrounded by a large number of students who were eager to acquire knowledge of the faith and practice of Islam from him.

The Shafi-ee school of law emerged from these students who practiced and propagated the views and rulings of Imam Shafi-ee through their writings and preaching.

Imam Shafi-ee wrote several books, the most well-known of which is called Kitab-al-Umm, which is a collection of writings and lectures of the Imam. A number of his students have also collected his writings, lectures and rulings in the form of books, or quoted him in their books.

Baghdad in Iraq and Cairo in Egypt were the chief centers of Imam Shafiee's activities. It is from these two cities that teachings of the Shafi-ee school spread in the 9th century of the Christian era.

During the time of Sultan Salahuddeen (Saladin), the Shafi-ee doctrine was the most prominent in Egypt, and to this day the Imam of the Al-Azhar Musjid is always a Shafi-ee and the Shafi-ee Madhhab is industriously studied along with that of the other three schools of the Sunnis.

During his life Imam Shafi-ee also suffered from political intrigues. For instance, after studying under Imam Malik in Medina he was sent to fill an office in Yemen, where he was accused of political involvement which resulted in his arrest. He was taken as prisoner to Haroun al-Rasheed. The Khalifa however found him innocent and the Imam was honorably released.

Imam Shafiee died in the year 820 in Egypt.