Dear Islamic brothers! The 2^nd of Sha’ban 1442 AH is the passing away anniversary (Urs) of Imam-e-A’zam Abu Hanifah Nu’man Bin Saabit رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه. With this relevance in mind, in today’s Bayan, we will hear about his excellence, his worship, his beautiful attributes and religious services. If only we are granted the ability to listen to the entire Bayan attentively, from start to end.

Dear Islamic brothers! Imam-e-A’zam Abu Hanifah رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه is that great Islamic personality who is a tremendous favour of Allah Almighty upon the Muslims. Allah Almighty granted Imam-e-A’zam Abu Hanifah رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه a very lofty rank and such mastery in the field of knowledge that not only are tens of millions of Muslims following him and benefitting from the blessings of his knowledge, rather, hundreds of thousands of scholars, Muftis and Saints رَحِمَهُمُ الـلّٰـه consider it an honour to follow him.

Let us first listen to an account regarding the excellence of Imam-e-A’zam Abu Hanifah رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه and his rank in the court of the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم:

The rank of Imam-e-A’zam in the Prophetic Court

Sayyiduna Data Ganj Bakhsh Ali Hajweri رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه had a special devotion towards Imam-e-A’zam Abu Hanifah Nu’man Bin Saabit رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه. Sayyiduna Data Ali Hajweri رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه says: I was once travelling and arrived in Syria where I presented myself at the grave of the Muazzin of the Beloved Prophet, Sayyiduna Bilal رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ. Whilst there, I was overcome with sleep and found myself in Makkah. I saw that the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم is at the door of the Tribe of Bani Shaybah and holding an elderly person like a child. Overcome with restlessness, I advanced towards him and kissed his blessed feet whilst thinking to myself, ‘Who is this elderly person?’ The possessor of the knowledge of the unseen, the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم became