Biography of Abu Yoosuf

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم الحمد لله رب العالمين والصلاة والسلام على نبيه الكريم وعلى آله وصحبه أجمعين

In the name of Allaah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful. All praise is due to Allaah, Lord of the worlds. Peace and blessings upon His noble Prophet, upon his family and all of his companions.

His name and Lineage

He is Ya'qoob ibn Ibraheem ibn Habeeb ibn Khunays ibn Sa'd ibn Bujayr ibn Mu'awiyah al-Ansaari al-Kufi, Abu Yoosuf al-Qaadhi.

In his lineage Sa'd ibn Bujayr, he is Sa'd ibn Habtah and he was a companion who was from the clients of the Ansaar, he was too young to go to Uhud but he witnessed the battle of Khandaq and other battles after it.

His teachers and students

Teachers

He narrated from Hisham ibn Urwah, Yahya ibn Sa'eed al-Ansaari, 'Ata' ibn Saa'ib, Yazeed ibn Abi Ziyaad, Abu Ishaaq ash-Shaybaani, 'Ubaydullah ibn 'Umar, Al-A'mash, Hajjaaj ibn Artah and Abu Haneefah. The teacher he learned under and was closely attributed to is Abu Haneefah, and Abu Yoosuf is the most noble and most knowledgeable out of all the students of Abu Haneefah.

Students

Those who narrated from him, Yahya ibn Ma'een, Ahmad ibn Hanbal, 'Ali ibn al-Ja'd, Asad ibn Furaat, Ahmad ibn Munee', 'Ali ibn Muslim at-Tusi, 'Amr ibn Abi 'Amr al-Harrani, 'Amr an-Naaqid, Muhammad ibn al Hasan himself, 'Isaam ibn Yoosuf and others.

Early Life

It is said he was born in 93 AH or in 113 AH in Kufa. He was born into a poor family, and his father owned a small modest shop.

At first, he used to sit with the jurist Muhammad ibn 'Abd ar-Rahmaan ibn Abi Laylah, but after he started sitting with Abu Haneefah, he came to the madhab of Abu Haneefah and adopted his path.

Ali ibn Harmalah at-Taymi narrated from Abu Yoosuf:

"I was seeking knowledge while I was poor. My father came to me and said: 'O my son, do not extend your leg alongside Abu Haneefah, for you are in need.' I preferred to obey my father. Then, Abu Haneefah gave me a hundred dirhams and said: 'Stick to the study circle, and when this runs out, inform me.' After a few days, he gave me another hundred."

And this is famous from Abu Haneefah that he would help his more poorer students as Allaah, may He be exalted, had blessed him with wealth.

On the other hand, it is also narrated that the father of Abu Yoosuf passed away while he was still a young child and his mother entrusted him to learn the trade of the dyer. When he would go to the dyer, he would pass by the gathering of Abu Haneefah and be interested in the circles. This caused his mother to object to his sitting with Abu Haneefah, hoping that he earns instead.

Ali ibn al-Ja'd said Abu Yoosuf said,

"I would leave the dyer’s shop and pass by the gathering of Abu Haneefah, where I would sit and listen. My mother would come behind me to the circle, take me, and take me back to the dyer's shop."

Abu Yoosuf accompanied Abu Haneefah for 17 years. He said,

"I accompanied Abu Haneefah for 17 years, never leaving his side during Eid al-Fitr or Eid al-Adha except when I was ill."

These two teachers (Ibn Abi Laylah and Abu Haneefah) were those whom he benefited the most from. He said about them:

"There is no gathering more beloved to me that the gatherings I had with Abu Haneefah and Ibn Abi Laylah, for I have not seen a more knowledgeable jurist than Abu Haneefah nor a better judge than Ibn Abi Laylah."

Later Life

His Appointment as Judge

Abu Yusoof remained in Kufa for a period after the death of Abu Haneefah, teaching and issuing legal verdicts, then he moved to Baghdad where he continued to teach and issue verdicts. This is where his fame quickly spread.

The caliph Al-Mahdi appointed him to the position of chief judge in the year 166 AH. Abu Yoosuf accompanied al-Mahdi in Jurjaan where he died. It is where al-Mahdi's son Moosa al-Hadi was given the pledge. Al-Hadi confirmed Abu Yoosuf as the judge in the year 169 AH. And then when Haroon ar-Rasheed took the caliphate in the year 170 AH. He kept Abu Yoosug as the judge, and Abu Yoosuf remaiend the judge for 17 years until his death.

It is reported that in his judgements, he was an example of fairness and impartiality, and good handling of matters. The biographers also agree on the respect and appreciation that Abu Yusoof enjoyed with Ar-Rasheed. He used to sit with him and eat at his table. Abu Yusoof would sometimes accompany him to Hajj and on some of his trips outside the capital, such as to Basrah.

Adh-Dhahabi said in سير اعلام النبلاء (8/538):

"Abu Yusoof reached a level of leadership in knowledge that could not be surpassed, and Ar-Rasheed used to go to great lengths in honoring him."

In الجواهر المضية فى طبقات الحنفية (3/612), Abu 'Umar said,

"I do not know of any judge who was appointed to oversee the judiciary in the lands from the East to the West, except for Abu Yoosuf in his time, and Ahmad bin Abi Du'ad in his time."

Undoubtedly the best out of the two was that of Abu Yoosuf.

His Death

He died during the Khilafah of Haroon al-Rasheed. The date of his death is differed upon. Bishr ibn al-Waleed said: "Abu Yoosuf died on Thursday, the fifth of Rabee' al-Awwal, in the year 182 AH." Others said he died at the beginning of Rabee' al-Aakhir, and he lived for sixty-nine years.

At his death, 'Abbad ibn al-Awwam said, "The people of Islam should console one another with the passing of Abu Yoosuf."

In [الجواهر المضية فى طبقات الحنفية (3/613)], 'Abd al-Qaahir al-Qurashi said,

"I saw in the book Al-Lu'lu'iyyaat that Al-Qaadhi Abu Yoosuf bequeathed one hundred thousand to the people of Makkah, one hundred thousand to the people of Madeenah, one hundred thousand to the people of Kufa, and one hundred thousand to the people of Baghdad."

Praise from the Scholars

The following is a translation of the praises as recorded by Imam Shams ad-Deen ath-Thahabi, the great scholar and Imam, from his book [مناقب الإمام أبي حنيفة وصاحبيه]

From Muhammad ibn al-Hasan, who said: Abu Yoosuf fell ill, and Abu Haneefah visited him. When he left, he said: "If this young man dies, he is the most knowledgeable of those on earth," and he gestured towards the ground.

Abbas ad-Doori said: I heard Ahmad ibnHanbal say: 'The first time I wrote hadeeth, I went to al-Qaadhi Abu Yoosuf and wrote from him. Then I later went to others. Abu Yoosuf was more inclined towards us than Abu Haneefah and Muhammad.'

[Note: What he means is Abu Yoosuf was more inclined to Hadeeth. It is a famous saying among the Hanafis that out of the three; Abu Haneefah was the most knowledgeable in regards to Fiqh, Abu Yoosuf was most knowledgeable in regards to Hadeeth, and Muhammad ibn al-Hasan was the most knowledgeable in regards to the language. And it may be said Zufar ibn Huthayl was the most knowledgeable (after Abu Haneefah) in Qiyaas.]

Ibraheem ibn Abi Dawood al-Burulloosi said: I heard Yahya ibn Ma'een say: "I have not seen among the people of opinion anyone more steadfast in hadeeth, more reliable, or with a more authentic narration than Abu Yoosuf. As for Abu Haneefah, he is truthful, but in his narrations, there are some errors, similar to what is found in the narrations of the senior scholars."

Abbas ad-Doori said: I heard Ibn Ma'een say: "Abu Yoosuf is a man of Hadeeth, a man of the Sunnah."

Muhammad ibn Sama'ah, from Yahya ibn Khalid who said: "Abu Yoosuf came to us, and the least of his qualities was his knowledge of jurisprudence. He had filled the lands between the East and the West with his knowledge of Fiqh."

Bishr bin al-Walid said: "I heard Abu Yusuf say: 'Al-A'mash asked me about a matter, and I answered him. He then asked, 'From where did you say this?' I replied, 'From a hadeeth that you narrated to us.' He said: 'O Ya'qoob, I remember this hadeeth from before your parents even met, but I did not know its interpretation until now.'"

Ibn ath-Thaljee said: I heard Abdullah ibn Dawood al-Khuraybi say: "Abu Yoosuf had gained knowledge of Fiqh, or knowledge in general, in such a way that he could access it as he wished."

'Amr ibn Muhammad an-Naaqid said: "I would not like to narrate from any of the people of opinion except Abu Yoosuf, for he was a man of the Sunnah."

Yahya ibn Yahya an-Naysaboori said: I heard Abu Yoosuf say at the time of his death: "All the rulings I have given fatwa on, I have revoked, except for those that agree with the Book and the Sunnah.

Hanbal said, I heard Ahmad ibn Hanbal say: "Abu Yoosuf was just in his handling of hadeeth."

Al-Fallas said, "Abu Yoosuf is truthful but makes many mistakes."

Ibraheem ibn Ishaaq az-Zuhri narrated from Bishr al-Mirisi, who said, I heard Abu Yoosuf say: "I accompanied Abu Haneefah for seventeen years, then I indulged in the world for another seventeen years. I believe my end is near", and he passed away not long after.

Ibn Ka's narrated from Ahmad ibn 'Ammar ibn Abi Malik, who heard his father say, "There was no one among the companions of Abu Haneefah who had as much knowledge, Fiqh, and understanding as Abu Yoosuf. Were it not for him, neither Abu Haneefah nor Ibn Abi Laylah would have been remembered, for he spread their knowledge."

Abu Khazim al-Qaadhi narrated from Bakr al-'Ami about Hilaal ar-Ra'yy, who said, "Abu Yoosuf had memorized the Tafseer, Maghazi, and the days of the Arabs, and one of his fields of knowledge was Fiqh."

[Note: Days of the Arabs were the oldest Arab tales and stories]

Al-Muzani said, "Abu Yoosuf was the most diligent among them in studying hadeeth."

Ahmad ibn Atiyyah said, I heard Muhammad ibn Sama'ah say: "Abu Yoosuf used to pray two hundred rak'aat every day after he took the position of a judge."

Abbas said, I heard Yahya ibn Ma'een say: "Abu Yoosuf loved the companions of Hadeeth and was inclined towards them."

Abdullah ibn Ali al-Madini said, I heard my father say: "We used to visit Abu Yoosuf when he came to Basrah in the year 180 AH. He would narrate ten hadeeths, ten opinions, and I observed him. I could not find anything against Abu Yoosuf except for his narration from Hisham ibn Urwah regarding the حجر (Hajar) and he was truthful in that."

In سير أعلام النبلاء (8/535), Imam ath-Thahabi said:

He is the Imam, the Mujtahid, the Scholar, the Muhadith.

And in [تذكرة الحفاظ (1/214)], he said:

The Imam, the Scholar, Jurist of the people of Iraq

Imam Ibn Katheer says about him in [البداية والنهاية (13/616)]:

Abu Yoosuf al-Qaadhi, he was the greatest of the companions of Abu Haneefah, may Allaah have mercy on him.

In [الأعلام (8/193)], Az-Zarkali said:

He was the first to spread his (i.e. Abu Haneefah's) madhab. He was a distinguished jurist, a scholar, and one of the memorizers of Hadeeth. He was born in Kufa. He studied hadeeth and tradition, then became closely associated with Abu Haneefah, and his views became heavily influenced by opinion. He served as a judge in Baghdad during the caliphates of al-Mahdi, al-Haadi, and ar-Rasheed. He died during the caliphate of Ar-Rasheed while still holding the position of a judge. He was the first to be called "Chief Judge", and he is also referred to as "The Judge of the Judges of the World". He was the first to write books on the principles of jurisprudence in accordance with the Hanafi madhab. He was vast in knowledge of Tafseer, Maghazi and the days of the Arabs...

And Allaah knows best.

والله أعلم