A Unique Trait of Imam Abū Ḥanīfah رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه

Dear Islamic brothers! Along with many other virtues, the Imam possessed one exceptionally great distinction: he was a TābiꜤī. A TābiꜤī is that blessed person who had the honour of meeting a Companion of the Prophet in a state of faith and who also passed away upon faith.^[1]

The TābiꜤīn are those blessed personalities who hold the honour of being true guides of the Muslims. If they are sought out, they will be found among the treasures of knowledge and excellence, the compilations of Hadith, the commentaries of the Quran, people of lofty character, those who stood firmly against falsehood, embodiments of Shariah and Ṭarīqah, and the leaders of Islamic knowledge.

Remember! In order to improve and refine our knowledge and actions, the luminous mirror we need is the TābiꜤīn رَحِمَهُمُ الـلّٰـه, because the light of Islam reached them through only one intermediary. Furthermore, the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم described them to be among the best generations, as mentioned in a Hadith: اِنَّ خَیْرَکُمْ قَرْنِیْ ثُمَّ الَّذِیْنَ یَلُوْنَھُمْ ثُمَّ الَّذِیْنَ یَلُوْنَھُمْ “Indeed, the best of you is my generation, then those who come after them, then those who come after them.”^[2]

The Excellence of the Companions and TābiꜤīn

The first part of the Hadith refers to the Companions رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُم, who lived in the era of the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. The second part refers to the TābiꜤīn رَحِمَهُمُ الـلّٰـه, who lived during the era of the Companions رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُم, and the final part refers to the TabꜤ al-TābiꜤīn رَحِمَهُمُ الـلّٰـه, who lived in the time of the TābiꜤīn رَحِمَهُمُ الـلّٰـه. The greatness of the TābiꜤīn can be understood from this.

Remember! After the Companions رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُم, the TābiꜤīn are those blessed individuals who, through their character and conduct, carried Islam far and