بِسْمِ اللَّـهِ الرَّحْمَـٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
3 Questions for Muslims
The Story of Young Imam Abu Hanifah رحمة الله عليه
The Brilliant Young Scholar Who Silenced the Roman Empire
Many years ago, during the time of the Taabieen (the generation of Muslims after the time of the Sahabah - Companions of the Prophet ﷺ), Baghdad was a great city of Islam. In fact, it was the capital of the Islamic Empire and, because of the great number of scholars who lived there, it was the centre of Islamic knowledge.
The Challenge Arrives
One day, the ruler of Rome at that time sent an envoy to Baghdad with THREE CHALLENGES FOR THE MUSLIMS. When the messenger arrived at the city, he informed the Khalifah that he had three questions which he challenged Muslims to answer.
The Khalifah gathered all the scholars of the city and the messenger climbed a high platform and said:
"I have come with three questions. If you answer them, then I will leave with you a great amount of wealth which I brought from Rome."
The Three Questions
1️⃣
WHAT WAS THERE BEFORE ALLAH?
2️⃣
IN WHICH DIRECTION DOES ALLAH FACE?
3️⃣
WHAT IS ALLAH ENGAGED IN AT THIS MOMENT?
The great assembly of people remained SILENT!
The Boy Who Would Become Imam Abu Hanifah
In the midst of these brilliant scholars and students of Islam, there was a man looking on with his son.
"O my dear Father! I will answer him and silence him!" said the young man.
So the boy sought the permission of the Khalifah to answer the questions and was granted.
First Question: What was there before Allah?
The Roman addressed the young Muslim and repeated his first question: "What was there before Allah?"
The boy asked, "Do you know how to count?"
"Yes," said the Roman.
"Then count down from ten," said the boy.
The Roman started, "Ten, Nine, Eight..." until he reached One and he stopped.
"But what comes before One?" said the boy.
"There is nothing before One. That is it!" the Roman replied.
"Well then, if there obviously is nothing before the arithmetic 'One', HOW DO YOU EXPECT THAT THERE SHOULD BE ANYTHING BEFORE THE 'ONE' WHO IS ABSOLUTE TRUTH, ALL-ETERNAL, EVERLASTING, THE FIRST, THE LAST, THE MANIFEST AND THE HIDDEN?"
The Roman was so surprised with this direct answer which he could not dispute.
Second Question: In which direction does Allah face?
The Roman asked: "Tell me in which direction does Allah face?"
"Bring a candle and light it," said the boy. "And tell me in which direction is the flame facing?"
"But the flame is just a light, it spreads in each of the four directions — North, South, East and West. It does not face any one direction only," said the Roman in wonderment!
"Then if this physical light spreads in all of the four directions such that you cannot tell which way it faces, THEN WHAT DO YOU EXPECT OF THE NURUSSAMAWATI WAL ARD — ALLAH, THE LIGHT OF THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH? LIGHT UPON LIGHT! ALLAH FACES ALL DIRECTIONS AT ALL TIMES."
The Roman was stupefied and astounded that here was a young child answering what he called challenges in such a way that he could not argue.
A Clever Turn of Events
Before the Roman could ask his final question, the boy said:
"Wait! You are the one who is asking the questions and I am the one answering them. It is only fair if you come down to where I'm standing and I should go up to where you are right now, so that the answers may be heard as clearly as the questions."
This seemed reasonable to the Roman, so he came down to where the boy was standing, leaving the boy to go up to where he was.
Third Question: What is Allah doing at this moment?
The Roman repeated his final challenge: "Tell me. What is Allah doing at this moment?"
The boy proudly answered:
"At this moment, when Allah found upon this platform a LIAR AND MOCKER OF ISLAM, HE (ALLAH) CAUSED HIM TO DESCEND AND BROUGHT HIM LOW. AND AS FOR THE ONE WHO BELIEVED IN THE ONENESS OF ALLAH, HE RAISED HIM UP AND ESTABLISHED THE TRUTH."
"Every day He exercises (Universal) Power."
(Surah 55 Ar-Rahman, Verse 29)
The Roman's Defeat
The Roman had nothing to say except to leave and return back to his country, DEFEATED.
Who Was This Brilliant Young Boy?
Meanwhile, this young boy grew up to be one of the most famous scholars of Islam. Allah the Exalted blessed him with special wisdom and knowledge of the Deen (Religion).
His name was:
IMAM ABU HANIFAH
(رحمة الله عليه - May Allah Have Mercy On Him)
He is known today as IMAM ABU HANIFAH — THE GREAT SCHOLAR OF ISLAM
اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ، وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ
ALLAHUMMA SALLI ALA MUHAMMAD, WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD
KAMA SALLAITA ALA IBRAHIM, WA ALA ALI IBRAHIM
INNAKA HAMIDUN MAJID
NOW SPARE A THOUGHT AND A PRAYER FOR THE CHILDREN...
WE NEVER KNOW WHAT BRILLIANT MUSLIM SCHOLAR MAY EVOLVE FROM HERE...
INSHA-ALLAH... AMEEN
Islamic Messages • Inspiring Stories from Islamic History