# Did Abu Hanifa really write al-Fiqh al-Akbar?

*Is al-Fiqh al-Akbar by Abu Hanifa? Balkh and Zufar's lost books*

- URL: https://muftiabulayth.org/r/rtwywca2-pq/s/18/
- Date: 2021-01-29 · Kind: discussion · Transcript tier: machine · Recording: Shaykh Atabek Shukurov | Mortgages, Madhabs & Molvi-ism | MindTrap 48 | Mufti Abu Layth (1:20:26–1:23:10)
- Status: a view quoted in order to be discussed, not a position held
- Watch from the start of the segment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtwyWCa2-pQ&t=4826s
- Recording page: https://muftiabulayth.org/r/rtwywca2-pq/

**Topics:** Scholars and imams of the past; Creed and the schools of theology

**Summary (not a quotation; machine-made, unchecked):** The guest says Abu Hanifa did write al-Fiqh al-Akbar but the text has later additions, and that Zufar's books survive only in fragments.

## Longer summary

Mufti Abu Layth asks about the book attributed to Abu Hanifa, al-Fiqh al-Akbar [?]. The guest says Abu Hanifa definitely wrote it and parts survive in the five or six books transmitted from him, but that later people added to it, while some genuine scholars tried to restore the lost book, so it cannot be trusted one hundred percent, though many chapters are consistent with his principles. Mufti asks why the scholars of the Balkh region, where Abu Hanifa had great influence and key students, are rarely mentioned; the guest says the knowledge was spread mainly by Hanbali-oriented scholars, so little is heard of Zufar and his circle. He adds that Zufar wrote several books, none of which survive in full, only as chapters quoted by other scholars.

## Sources and names cited

- Shaykh Atabek Shukurov (guest)
- al-Fiqh al-Akbar [?]
- Abu Hanifa
- Zufar

## Transcript (machine tier, 1:20:26–1:23:10)

[1:20:25] So, there's a lot of politics right there people. Speaking of immif people attribute to him this book. Yeah. Yeah. Um what are your thoughts on that? No, no. Definely has written. Okay. And some parts of it we can still find in these five six books which are transmitted from him. Okay. But there are quite a lot of additions from other people also into these books cuz my understanding was that it was some other scholar that wrote I think uh one of the or yeah and and it's later on

[1:21:04] later and it's put back like you know it's attributed to Im so it is but but beside that um some genuine scholars they try to restore the the the lost book you know. Okay. However, beside that there were some other people also adding into it, you know, in the later generations. In the later Yes. So, so that's why um we cannot trust Akbar like 100%.

[1:21:33] But yet there are quite a lot of chapters which are genuinely from you know which is very consistent with his principles. Okay, fair enough. you know with the Hanfi thing I know I know we can discuss the whole thing some other day inshallah but out of curiosity there's you know you had with in Imam Abu Hanifh's time you had the bal this this region which is modernday probably Iran Afghanistan yeah Turkmanistan that kind of this bulk region now today that's not heard of from the Islamic sense like prestige but in the past in the past like in Abu

[1:22:11] Hanifa's time they he had huge you know he had such a huge influence there some of his key students but these people are never mentioned or never they've been kind of sidelined or no no it's like mainly mainly these mahm I bu you know like humbly orientated scholars so they were spreading the the knowledge mainly okay so that's why we uh um uh hardly hear from others, you know, especially Zufar and his crowd.

[1:22:43] Okay. And the others. I see. Yeah. But but um anyway, um speaking of Zur, speaking of Zufur, did he have a book? Um yes, he has written quite few books, but uh we do not have any of them in full form, but only as like a parts, you know, we are still lucky to find these parts, you know, transmitted by other uh scholars in their books as like chapter here, chapter there.

## Cite

Mufti Abu Layth Archive, segment rtwyWCa2-pQ/s/18. https://muftiabulayth.org/r/rtwywca2-pq/s/18/

Not a fatwa: these answers were given to specific people at specific times. Ask a qualified scholar about your own situation.