1. To which Shaikh of Tasawwuf was Imam Abu Hanifa bayt to?

Any ideas anyone?

Nobody.

Are you sure bhai?

If anyone disagrees they can point out the error, Insha'Allah.

Asslamo Allaikum,

Risala al-Mustarshidin is one of the oldest works of Tassawuff authored by the great Imam of Ahlus-Sunnah [781-857] Harith al-Muhasibi (RA) who was a contemporary of Imam Ahmed Ibn Hanbal (RA) and passed away in year 243 AH.

A commentary on this classical text on Tassawuff was added by the outstanding Shaykh of our times Shaykh Abdul Fattah Abu Ghuddah (RA) and this work has now been translated into English and available as Sunnah way of the Sufees

The book clearly states and explains the Tassawuff of Great Imams so I suggest that people read it instead of making wild and exaggerated remarks about Imam Al-Adham ABu Haneefa (RA) and trying to attach him to one of their Silsilas.

As far as Naqshabndi SilSilah is concerned here are two simple facts:

1. Imam Al-Adham Abu Haneefa (RA) [699-767]
2. Shaykh Baha-ud-Din Naqshband Bukhari [1318-1389]

So how did Imam Al-Adham Abu Haneefa (RA) got attached to a Silsilah created 650 years after his passing away?

What will people claim next?

Just like certain people say Jesus (as) was a black man and others claim he was a white man with blonde hair and blue eyes

Asslamo Allaikum,

Let me try to explain by another example.

We know that that a large portion of the Fiqh of the Imam Al-Adham Abu Haneefa (RA) is based on the rulings and understanding of Sayyidina Abdul Ibn Masood (RA) so can we claim that Sayyidina Abdul Ibn Masood (RA) was a Hanafi?

It will be insulting, demeaning, disrespectful to a Sahabi (RA) to associate him with a great Tab'aee like Imam Al-Adham Abu Haneefa (RA)!

Similarly Imam Al-Adham Abu Haneefa (RA) is a Tab'aee and it is OBLIGATORY on the Ummah to respect him (for being a Taba'ee) even if he wasn't a great Imam and to associate him with someone who came 650 years later is actually STRIPPING him of his rank of Tab'ee, dragging his honour down and that's doesn't take away anything from the Naqshabndi-Silsila and its greatness.

But who and what is Shaykh Baha-ud-Din Naqshband Bukhari [1318-1389] comapred to Imam Al-Adham Abu Haneefa (RA) [who is a Tab'aee]?

It is an honour for Shaykh Baha-ud-Din Naqshband Bukhari [1318-1389] to be associated with Imam Al-Adham Abu Haneefa (RA) but the other way around is simply defamation!

Imam Al-Adham Abu Haneefa (RA) had the blessed oppurtunity to sit in the company of Sahaba (RA) and possibly narrates Hadeeth from the Sahaba, do people not know that?

In this way Madhabs and Tassawuff are very similar e.g Hanafi Madhab has its roots with Sayyidina Abdullah Ibn Masood (RA) and that doesn't mean that everything which Sayyidina Abdullah Ibn Masood (RA)said is part of Hanafi Madhab or vice-versa but he is in the chain (above Imam Al-Adham Abu Haneefa (RA)) but we don't say Sayyidina Abdullah Ibn Masood (RA) was a Hanafi

Similarly Tassawuff Silsilas also have chains and that's ok but don't start acsribing Imam Al-Adham Abu Haneefa (RA) to Naqshbandi or anyother Silsila and most people of Tassawuff don't its our friend dear and respected Hazrat Maulana (Shaykh) Taliban1 (HA) who came up with this theory on Sunniforum

Most people of Tassawuff know that Tassawuffof Imam Al-Adham Abu Haneefa (RA) was different to ones of our time as Tassawuff (Tazkiyah) is part of Islam but the modern methods are just an extension and evolution from the times of Salaf.