Aslam

portions contradict Shariat and true religion and are therefore not right.

I shall describe the character and conduct of the early Faqihs.
They had no other object except to gain the pleasure of Lord and the signs of the learned men of the hereafter were known to them from their conditions. They lived not only for the silence of Fiqh, but also for the science of heart, The companions did not publish books on Fiqh or read them. So also the Imams did not compile books, yet they were experts in the science of Fiqh. Soon we shall narrate the lives of some noted Faqihs not, to attack them but to attack those who claim to be their followers act and contrary to their character and conduct. The noted" Faqihs are five:- Imam Abu Hanifa, Imam Malek, Imam Shafeyi, Iman Ahmad-b- Hambal and Imam Sufiyan Saori. Everyone of them was an ascetic, devout, learned in the science of the hereafter, law given for the people, seeker of God's pleasure through the help of Fiqh.
Everyone of them possessed five qualities, but the modern Faqihs accepted only one of these qualities. That is research in to the minutest details of Fiqh. The four other qualities relate to the good of the hereafter and only one relates to the good of this world. They are followed only in respect of one quality and not the other four.

IMAM ABU HANIFA

He was a great Imam and a great ascetic and God fearing man. He sought God's pleasure by his knowledge Ibn Mobarak said that Imam Abu Hanifa had good character and conduct and observed prayer and fast too much. Hammad-b-Solaiman said that he was in the habit of praying the whole night and in another narration half the night. Once Abu Hanifa was walking in a street when the people hinted at him saying: This man spends the' whole night in prayer. He said: I am ashamed before God that I am described by something which I don't possess. Regarding his asceticism, Rabiy-b-Asem said: Caliph Yezid sent me once to Abu Hanifa and he wanted to appoint him as cashier of the state treasury. On his refusal to accept the post, he was given twenty stripes. Now see how he fled away from a prize post and as a result he received punishment. Hakim-b-Hashim said: I heard about Abu Hanifa at Syria that he was the most trusted man for which the Caliph wanted him to be appointed as a Treasurer of the state treasury and threatened him with punishment if he

Vol-I KNOWLEDGE 39

would not accept it. He preferred king's punishment to that of God.