Why Did Imam Ghazali and Other Scholars Criticize Imam Abu Hanifa?

Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel

Question

Is it true that Imam Ghazali, in his book “al-Mankhul min Ta‘liqat al-Usul” or any of his works, discredited or insulted Imam Abu Hanifa concerning his status as a mujtahid?

Additionally, is there criticism by Al-Baqillani in this text? Furthermore, I have seen some claims that Imam Juwayni criticized him, stating he didn’t know Arabic and was a weak narrator in al-Burhan fi Usul Al-Fiqh.

Are these statements correct and authentic?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate

I pray you are well. Thank you for your question.

Imam Ghazali’s Criticism of Imam Abu Hanifa

Imam Ghazali (Allah have mercy on him) has mentioned Imam Abu Hanifa (All have mercy on him) in his Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm Ad-Dīn showing his lofty status. The criticism and the book that it is in is by Mahmud al-Ghazali. This Maḥmud is not the well-known Imam Ghazali, and thus it is written in the footnotes of that copy: “This is a Mu‘tazili individual, his name is Mahmud al-Ghazali, and he is not Hujjat al-Islam.

On the assumption that it was Imam Ghazali’s opinion, some of the great research scholars who studied with Sa‘d al-Din al-Taftazani said it was expressed by Imam Ghazali during the early days when he was engrossed in teaching the outward sciences.
When he left such type of teaching, and he was showered with the gnosis of Allah (Most High) and becoming closer to Him, he understood the truth and mentioned it in his book, Ihya’ ‘Ulum al-Din.

Criticism

Criticism was based on ignorance, contemporariness, jealousy, pure bias, different beliefs, and ultimately their own judgment – like that of Imam Juwayni and Imam al-Baqillani, (Allah have mercy on them) as you mention – one cannot take into account all of their opinions. It is established in the principles of the science of hadith that obscure criticism is not acceptable, especially when it is about someone the acceptance of whose testimony is very firmly established throughout history. The same can be said about the Four other Imams of fiqh. [Ghawji, Abu-Hanifa al-Nu‘man]

Linked Answers

• False Accusations Against Imam Abū Ḥanīfah Ascribed to Imam al-Ghazāli – Darul Tahqiq
• What Is the Status of Imam Abu Hanifa in the Hadith Sciences? (seekersguidance.org)

Related Lectures

• The Hanafi Way: Imam Kawthari’s Fiqh Ahl al-Iraq Explained – 01
• The Hanafi Way: Imam Kawthari’s Fiqh Ahl al-Iraq Explained – 02
• The Hanafi Way: Imam Kawthari’s Fiqh Ahl al-Iraq Explained – 03

Related Books

• Imam Abu Hanifah: Life and Works – Shibli Nomani
• The Four Imams by Muhammad Abu Zahra

I pray this helps with your question.

Wassalam,

[Mawlana] Ilyas Patel
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Mawlana Ilyas Patel is a traditionally-trained scholar who has studied within UK, India, Pakistan, Syria, Jordan and Turkey.

He started his early education in UK. He went onto complete hifz of Qur’an in India, then enrolled into an Islamic seminary in UK where he studied the secular and Alimiyyah sciences. He then travelled to Karachi, Pakistan.

He has been an Imam in Rep of Ireland for a number of years. He has taught hifz of the Qur’an, Tajwid, Fiqh and many other Islamic sciences to both children and adults onsite and online extensively in UK and Ireland. He was teaching at a local Islamic seminary for 12 years in the UK where he was a librarian and a teacher of Islamic sciences.

He currently resides in UK with his wife. His personal interest is love of books and gardening.