❝I was recently reading al-Hidayah by Abi-l Khattab and al-Jami’ al-Saghir by al-Qadi Abu Ya’la (two of the early Hanbali scholars), and it’s as though I was reading al-Muntaha or al-Iqna’ or Ar-Rawdh al-Murbi’ (the relied upon texts by the later Hanbali scholars). The Madhhab is one. Some people when they hear about the Madhhab […]
❝Know that it is not possible for the seeker of knowledge to be a student of Fiqh if he is not acquainted with the science of Usul (al-Fiqh). Whoever says otherwise is either speaking out of ignorance or stubbornness.❞ — The Imam of the Hanabilah of his time, Ibn Badran (r) With this we advise […]
❝Praise be to Allah alone: Here are some directions pertaining to the books of the Madhhab and the way to decipher that which may appear unclear/complex within the books: 1) If you find the wording (of a certain issue) in al-Rawd al-Murbi’ difficult to understand, you will find it unraveled in Sharhu-l Muntaha of al-Buhuti […]
❝The prohibited “Taswir” that is found in the divine texts refers to making sculptures of animals and this includes sculptures of human beings. The majority of scholars include “drawing” under this ruling as well based on analogy. The majority allow these things if something without which life doesn’t remain is removed, like a head without […]
Sheikh Abdu-s Salam ash-Shatti al-Hanbali said about the Hanafi Fiqh text manual Nooru-l Idah: Noorul Idah; whoever memorised itIs indeed a true Fiqh scholarAnd whoever neglected itIndeed, there’s no good in him نور الإيضاح كلُّ مَنْيحفظه فهو الفقيهْومـَن بـه لا يعتنيفإنـه لا خـيرَ فـيـهْ — Shaykh Muhammad Wa-il al-Hanbali
Imam Ahmad (r) and others would rebuke those who rushed to answer questions. He said, ❝One should not answer every single time a Fatwa is sought.❞ [al-Iqna’]
❝Ishaq b. Buhlul would present the opinions (of the Fuqaha) to Imam Ahmad b. Hanbal (r) and he would respond to each with his Madhhab (i.e. – his opinion).❞ [Tabaqat al-Hanabilah] Note: Ishaq b. Buhlul (r) was a Hanafi scholar. Similarly it is also reported that the whole Maliki Madhhab was read to Imam Ahmad […]
❝He (Ibn al-Khayyat) was upright, trustworthy and religious. Quran and Hadith would be read to him everyday in his house and his masjid and in Jami’ al-Mansur; a lot of people would frequent his gatherings regularly. Being a passionate Hanbali, whenever he would write an Ijaza he would write after his name, “al-Hanbali.”❞ — Ibn […]
❝One day as al-Mutawakkil (the 10th caliph of the Khilafah ‘Abbasiyyah) was sitting, two of his children were playing in front of him. One of them hit the other and said, “Take this from a ‘Abbasi Hashimi!”. The two continued playing until the other one hit back saying, “Take that from a Hanbali!” This made […]
❝Once al-Shafi’i came to see Ahmad b. Hanbal. He said to him, “Oh Aba ‘Abdillah, earlier on I was with Ahlu-l ‘Iraq (Ahl al-Rai) debating and discussing with them such and such issue; only if I had with me a Hadith from Rasulullah ﷺ …” Straight away Ahmad related to him three Hadiths (on the […]