Al-Numan bin Thabit, commonly known as Abu Hanifah or Abu Hanifa, is considered the founder of one of the four schools or rites of Islamic legal knowledge (fiqh) within the Sunni schools of law. He is also widely known as Al-Imam Al-Aẓam (The Great Imam) and Siraj Al-Aimma (The Lamp of the Imams).
1. His birth and lineage:
According to most sources, Abu Ḥanifa Al-Numan bin Thabit bin Zuṭa bin Marzuban was born in Kufa, Iraq in 80 AH (699 AC). His father was a Persian namely Thabit Ibn Zauta Al-Farisi. Though there is some conflicting evidence about the lineage of Imam’s family, it is certain that he was not Arabic, but one of well-known Persian merchants.
When Imam was born, the regime of Islamic government was in the hands of Abdul Malik bin Marwan (king of the 5th Umayyad Banu).
According to some sources, he got the title “Abu Hanifa” because he was someone who diligently do worship Allah and earnestly do obligations in religion because the words ” Hanif ” in Arabic language means “inclined or inclined” to the true religion.
