gives reasonable prices. That person reached his shop and met one of his pupils. The buyer thought that he was Abu Hanifah. He asked for the cloth, the pupil showed him the cloth. When the buyer asked about the rate, the shopkeeper told him one thousand dirhams. Without any hesitation that person paid one thousand dirhams and returned to Madinah with the cloth.

After some time, Imam-e-A’zam رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه asked for the same cloth, the pupil replied that he had sold that cloth for one thousand dirhams. Imam-e-A’zam رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه said to his pupil: You cheat people and get more money from them. He رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه dismissed him from his job and set out for Madinah in search of that person with the one thousand dirhams. In Madinah, he رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه saw a person in a Masjid busy performing Salah, he was covered in a shawl of that same cloth. He رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه also started offering Nawafil. When he completed his Salah, Imam-e-A’zam رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه went to that person and asked: The cloth you are covering yourself with is mine. He replied: How can this cloth be yours? I bought this cloth from the shop of Imam Abu Hanifah (رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه) in Kufa. Imam Abu Hanifah رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه asked him: Do you know Abu Hanifah? He said: Yes indeed. Imam-e-A’zam رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه said: I am Abu Hanifah. Did you buy this cloth from me? He said: No. He رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه then related the whole story to him and said: Give me back this cloth of mine and he placed the one thousand dirhams in front of him. He said: I have been using this cloth for a long time, that’s why it is not permissible for me to return a used cloth in exchange for one thousand dirhams. He رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه said: If you cannot do this then return my cloth and get your one thousand dirhams back and I exempt you from paying for its use. Despite this, neither did the person agree to return his cloth, nor receive the one thousand dirhams. He رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه then returned 600 dirhams to him and left the cloth with him and after apologizing to him, he رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه returned to Kufa. (Al-Manaqib lil-Muwaffaq, vol. 1, pp. 198)

ہمارے آقا ہمارے مَولٰی، امامِ اعظم ابُو حنیفہ

ہمارے ملجاء ہمارے ماوٰی امامِ اعظم ابُو حنیفہ