Al-Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn made an offer to Ḥanīfa to become the nāẓir (supervisor) of the Bayt al-Māl (public treasury, i.e., Minister of Finance). Abū Ḥanīfa refused the vizier’s offer. Because he rejected the offer, the vizier punished him by striking him twenty times with a stick. It is necessary to pay close attention to how Imām al-Aʿẓam (the Great Imām) fled from rank and position even at the cost of enduring torture. Ḥakam b. Hishām al-Thaqafī said, “While I was in Damascus, I was told that Abū Ḥanīfa was the most trustworthy man of our time,” and he narrated the following anecdote: “The ruler of the time offered Abū Ḥanīfa the supervision of the Bayt al-Māl and did not neglect to threaten him, saying, ‘If you do not accept my offer, I will have you whipped.’ Abū Ḥanīfa, however, found the pain of the lashes to be lighter than the torment Allah would inflict upon him, so he preferred the worldly punishment and rejected the position offered by the ruler.”
When a word was spoken about Imām al-Aʿẓam in the presence of Ibn al-Mubārak, Ibn al-Mubārak said: “You ascribe evil to such a person that the whole world wished to belong to him, but he, fearing Allah, fled from this world that sought him.” According to narrations from Muḥammad b. Shujāʿ and some of his companions, when it was said to Abū Ḥanīfa, “The Commander of the Faithful (Amīr al-Muʾminīn) Abū Jaʿfar al-Manṣūr has ordered that ten thousand dirhams be given to you,” Abū Ḥanīfa expressed his disapproval, saying, “I will not accept this money.” However, on the morning of the day when the sultan was to send this money to him, he performed his prayer, then wrapped himself in his garment, quietly lay down in his bed, and spoke to no one.
At that time, an agent of Ḥashān b. Kahtaba entered Abū Ḥanīfa’s presence, bringing the aforementioned money. Some of those present with the Imām told the state’s envoy, “He can only speak occasionally and very little,” and added, “As you can see, he has been afflicted with an illness; ever since this illness befell him, his state has always been like this.” The envoy who brought the money said, “In that case, put the money I brought into this pouch and leave it in a corner of the house, and when he recovers, deliver it to him.” (He was originally from Kutlah. Later, he settled in Damascus. He was one of the officials of the Abbasid state.)
Kitāb al-ʿIlm / Section II
In this situation, Imām al-Aʿẓam made the following bequest to his son Ḥammād regarding his estate: “When I die, as soon as you bury me, take this money, bring it to Ḥashān b. Kahtaba, and say to him: ‘Take back the money you left as a trust with Abū Ḥanīfa.’” His son Ḥammād narrates: “I carried out my father’s will exactly. Thereupon, Ḥashān said to me: ‘May Allah’s mercy be upon your father. He was very strict about his religion…’ When Abū Ḥanīfa was invited to become Qāḍī al-Quḍāt (Chief Judge, Shaykh al-Islām), he said: ‘I am not worthy of this position.’ When asked why he was not worthy, he replied: ‘If I am truthful, I am not suitable for this position; if I am a liar, it would be wrong for a liar to be a judge.’”
As for his knowledge of the path of the Hereafter, religious matters, and the divine attributes of Allah, his asceticism (zuhd) and taqwa (God-consciousness), and his intense fear of Allah are clear evidence of this. Ibn Jurayj said: “Those who speak of this Kūfan, Nuʿmān b. Thābit, always say that he feared Allah intensely.” Sharīk al-Nahāʾī said: “Abū Ḥanīfa was very silent, always thoughtful, and spoke little with people.” This state is the clearest evidence that he possessed inner knowledge (ʿilm al-bāṭin). He would reflect on the most important and vital issues of religion and try to draw conclusions. For whoever knows how to be silent and remains silent has been given the entirety of knowledge.
The anecdotes mentioned above are only small parts of the states of these three great imāms. As for Aḥmad b. Ḥanbal and Sufyān al-Thawrī, the followers of these two imāms are fewer than those of the other three imāms. In fact, there are almost none who follow Sufyān. However, the taqwa of these two figures is clear in al-Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn and their asceticism is evident. In many sections of this book, the actions and words of these two figures are frequently mentioned. Therefore, it would be unnecessary to hastily squeeze their anecdotes here. For now, reflect deeply on the states of the three imāms we have mentioned! Then you will see that these states, words, and actions are not things that can be attained merely by mastering the subsidiary issues of the science of fiqh, such as liʿān, ilāʾ, ẓihār, ijārah, and salam. For these sciences, or even more honorable sciences, do not yield such fruits to a person. These are only the states, words, and actions of those who have turned away from the world and devoted their hearts solely to Allah.
Also, look at the states of those who claim to follow these figures—do their words contain any truth? Consider whether what they say is true or not!
THIRD SECTION
Sciences Accepted as Praiseworthy by the People but
Which Are Not Actually Praiseworthy; Factors That Cause
Some Sciences to Be Considered Blameworthy; The Meaning
of Terms Such as Fiqh, Knowledge, Tawḥīd, Reminding (Tadhkīr),
and Wisdom, and the Explanation That Today They Are Not Used
According to Their Original Meanings; The Praiseworthy and
Blameworthy of the Sharīʿa Sciences; How Much Is Praiseworthy
and How Much Is Blameworthy
Reasons for the Condemnation of Blameworthy Sciences
You may say: “Knowledge means to know the reality of a thing. In this sense, knowledge is among the attributes of Allah. How can something that is knowledge be ugly?”
This question can be answered as follows: Knowledge, in no way, is blameworthy/ugly in itself as pure knowledge. However, for three reasons, it is considered blameworthy with respect to some servants.
1. Knowledge that leads its possessor or others to evil. Magic and sorcery can be given as examples. For although these are considered sciences, they are condemned. The Qur’an confirms the existence of these sciences. The Qur’an even mentions that this science causes separation between spouses. (See al-Baqara 2:102)
It is also among the well-known facts that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was bewitched and, due to this magic, fell ill and took to his bed. Gabriel himself told him this and extracted the magic from beneath a stone at the bottom of a well.
The science of magic is a knowledge acquired from knowing the properties of substances and the subtleties of calculating the rising points of stars.
114) Bukhārī and Muslim (from ʿĀʾisha)
Al-Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn: From these substances, whose properties are known, a skeleton is made in the form of the person to be bewitched, and a specific time of a star is observed. As soon as the awaited time arrives, some words of kufr (disbelief) and acts contrary to the sharia (the sacred law) are uttered over the skeleton; through these uttered words, the help of devils is obtained. After all this, based on the principle that Allah executes His customary acts, strange states begin to appear in the person upon whom the magic is performed. Learning all these causes is not blameworthy. However, these things only serve to harm the public and other people. That which is a means to evil is itself evil and thus considered blameworthy.
For example, if someone pursues a walī (friend of God) with the intention of killing him, and the walī hides in a place where he cannot be seen, it would be a very ugly act to tell the oppressor the walī’s location when asked. Because such an act could cause the oppressor to kill the walī. Therefore, in this case, it is obligatory to direct the oppressor in the opposite direction from the walī. But helping this oppressor—i.e., telling what one knows, even though it is knowledge—is blameworthy because it leads to evil. It is knowledge that brings more harm than benefit to its possessor. Astronomy is like this… This science, as knowledge, is not harmful. Because it is divided into two: a) The Science of Calculation. Allah, Exalted is He, says in the Qur’an that the sun and the moon move according to a calculation.
The sun and the moon (move) by precise calculation. (al-Raḥmān 55:5) And for the moon We have determined phases, until it returns like the old, dried date stalk. (Yā Sīn 36:39) b) The Science of Judgments. The summary of this science is to relate events to causes. It is similar to a doctor discovering a possible illness by checking the pulse. This science is to know the way the sunnah and custom of Allah operate regarding His created beings.
Kitāb al-ʿIlm / Section III
However, the sharia (for a wisdom) has condemned this science. “When qadar (divine decree) is mentioned, refrain from delving into it. When the stars are mentioned, beware. When my Companions (ṣaḥāba) are mentioned (do not probe into their disputes), beware!” “After me, I fear three things for my ummah: 1. The oppression of rulers, 2. Belief in the stars, 3. Denying qadar.” ʿUmar said: “Learn of the stars only as much as will benefit you on land and sea, and beware of the rest.”
ʿUmar’s forbidding us from acquiring more than what is useful of the science of the stars for land and sea is based on three reasons: a) It harms most people. Because when it is said to the public, ‘These events occur due to the movement of such and such a star,’ the belief settles in their hearts that the stars are effective and have power as deities. Especially the idea that the stars are celestial substances further supports this belief. Thus, people’s minds are diverted by the influence of the stars, and they become attached to them. So much so that they begin to expect good and evil, hope or despair, from them. Thus, the dhikr (remembrance) of Allah is erased from hearts. For the weak always look to intermediaries; they are never able to look to the true agent behind the intermediary.
Only scholars deeply versed in knowledge can know that the sun, moon, and stars are creatures subjugated by Allah, Exalted is He. (Ṭabarānī, from Ibn Masʿūd; Khaṭīb, Kitāb al-Qawm fī ʿIlm al-Nujūm, from Ibn Masʿūd) 116) Ibn ʿAbd al-Barr and Ibn ʿAsākir, from Abū Maḥjan
Al-Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn: The situation of a weak person, seeing that light only illuminates the surroundings after the sun rises, is much like the following: If an ant on a piece of paper were given intelligence and the ability to read the writing on the paper, it would think that the arrangement of the letters on the paper is the work of the pen. Because it only sees the pen as the writer on the paper. It cannot look beyond the pen to see the fingers holding it. Let alone seeing the hand above the fingers, or the will directing that hand. It can never perceive the existence of the writer who possesses that will, nor the true power and strength that gave the writer this ability and sensitivity.
Just like in this example of the ant, people’s attention is often stuck on the apparent and proximate causes. They cannot go beyond these causes to reach the true agent behind them. This is one of the reasons for the prohibition on delving into the science of the stars. b) Drawing conclusions by looking at the stars is nothing but conjecture. Nothing is known by people with certainty or even strong suspicion. Therefore, the judgment made based on the rising of the stars is an ignorant judgment, and such a judgment has no value. It is condemned because it leads to ignorance, not because it is condemned in itself. The knowledge acquired through this science is strongly reported to have been the miracle of Prophet Idrīs.
However, the science of the stars with which Prophet Idrīs was occupied has now completely disappeared and become extinct. The fact that the predictions of astrologers sometimes come true is nothing but coincidence. For the astrologer becomes aware of some causes. He looks at the conditions that arise from the causes he is aware of, and only after many conditions come together does the effect occur. To be aware of the reality of these conditions is beyond human capacity. If, by chance, the astrologer’s judgment coincides with a moment when Allah, Exalted is He, has decreed all the remaining causes, the astrologer is considered correct in his judgment; if not, he is considered mistaken. The astrologer’s situation is like that of a person who, seeing clouds gathering, judges that it will rain.
Kitāb al-ʿIlm / Section III
But most of the time, the clouds disperse, and those who conclude that it will rain are mistaken. Sometimes the opposite happens, and it does rain. Just as the mere gathering of clouds is not sufficient for rain and other unknown causes are also necessary, so too is the case when a captain, seeing a breeze, perceives no danger, or a sailor, relying on his experience, judges that the ship will not sink. For there are many other causes for these breezes, some of which the sailor may sometimes be aware of, and sometimes not. There are some he can never penetrate. Therefore, sometimes he is correct in his judgments, sometimes he is mistaken. For this reason, the strong, like the weak, are forbidden from this science.
c) There is no benefit in the science of the stars. The least of its harms is that it is a futile occupation. Engaging in futile work is to waste the most precious treasure, which is life, and this is the most dreadful of harms. (One day, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) passed by a man around whom people had gathered and asked, ‘What is this gathering?’ The people said, ‘He is a great scholar, so we have gathered around him.’ Upon this answer, the Messenger of Allah asked, ‘A scholar in what matter?’ They said, ‘He knows poetry and the genealogies of the Arabs very well.’ Upon this answer, the Messenger of Allah said: ‘There is neither benefit in knowing this knowledge (of poetry and genealogy), nor harm in not knowing it! Knowledge is only a verse (āya), or a standing (not abrogated) sunnah, or a just obligatory share (farīḍa) regarding the division among heirs.’ 117) Ibn ʿAbd al-Barr (from Abū Hurayra) 118) Abū Dāwūd, Ibn Mājah (from ʿAbdullāh b. ʿUmar)
Al-Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn: To delve into astrology and similar sciences is both dangerous and useless, and engaging in these sciences is nothing but a waste of time. No one has the power to avoid what Allah has decreed. But the science of medicine is not like this, for people need that science. Many of the evidences of the science of medicine can be grasped by people. The science of dream interpretation, although based on conjecture, is different from the science of the stars. There are benefits in dream interpretation. For the science of interpretation is one part of forty-six parts of prophethood, and there is no danger in this science. The third reason is to engage in useless knowledge.
Engaging in useless knowledge is condemned. Trying to learn the subtleties of sciences without knowing their basics, trying to learn their hidden aspects without learning their principles, and striving to know the secrets of divine sciences without knowing their apparent aspects… Although philosophers and theologians have wanted to master these sciences, they are far from comprehending them on their own. Mastery of these sciences and acquiring some of their paths is reserved only for prophets and the awliyāʾ (friends of God) who follow in their footsteps. Therefore, people should avoid such sciences and refer all these matters to the standards of the sharia. For in the sharia, there are convincing proofs for those whom Allah has granted success.
There are many people who have delved into sciences but have suffered great harm from the sciences they have delved into. If they had not delved into these sciences, their religious state would have been much better. It is one of the clear facts that these sciences harm some people. Just as it is known that the meat of birds and some sweets harm infants. For many people, not knowing some things is better than knowing them. It is narrated that a man from the public went to a doctor, complaining that his wife was unable to bear children (was barren). The doctor, after checking the woman’s pulse, said: ‘She does not need treatment; for she will die in forty days. Her pulse indicates this.’
Upon hearing these words from the doctor, the woman was terrified, and her life was ruined. She gave away all her possessions to the poor and wrote her will. She could not eat or drink for forty days. After forty days, the man came to the doctor and informed him that his wife had not died. Upon this—