al-Fiqh al-Absat

al-Fiqh al-Absat is an early Islamic theological treatise attributed to Abu Hanifa (80–150 AH / 699–767 CE) and preserved through the narration of his disciple Abu Muti' al-Balkhi (d. 183 AH / 799 CE) al-Fiqh al-Akbar+1. Composed in a question-and-answer format, the work articulates early doctrinal positions on faith, divine decree, and the status of believers, and it is frequently identified in classical sources as a recension of al-Fiqh al-Akbar Majallat al-Bayan+1.

Transmission and Authorship

The text is structured as a dialogue in which Abu Muti' al-Hakam ibn Abd Allah al-Balkhi questions his teacher, Abu Hanifa, regarding foundational beliefs al-Fiqh al-Akbar+1. The transmission chain recorded in its manuscripts runs from Abu Muti' through Nusayr ibn Yahya al-Faqih, Abu al-Hasan Ali ibn Ahmad al-Farsi, Ali ibn al-Hasan ibn Muhammad al-Ghazzal, Abu Malik Nasran ibn Nasr al-Khuttali, Abu Abd Allah al-Husayn ibn Ali al-Kashghari, Abu al-Mu'in al-Nasafi, and Ala' al-Din al-Samarqandi to Abu Bakr al-Kasani al-Fiqh al-Akbar+1.

While historical scholars and later Hanafi authorities widely cited its contents as representing Abu Hanifa's doctrinal views, some researchers have noted differences across recensions and questioned whether all phrasing originated directly from Abu Hanifa or developed within the early circle of his students Sharh al-Hamawiyya - Yusu…+1.

Structure and Content

The treatise is organized around key creedal topics, systematically addressing disputed theological issues of the early Islamic period Majallat al-Bayan+1:

• Definition of Understanding: It opens with Abu Hanifa's definition of "the greater understanding" (al-fiqh al-akbar) in religion as theological insight into how one worships God, affirming that learning faith, legal ordinances, sunnas, and penal laws constitutes the foremost knowledge Ijtima al-Juyush al-Islam…+1.
• Status of Sins and the People of the Qibla: It establishes that a Muslim who commits a major sin is not declared an unbeliever (takfir) or stripped of faith, directly opposing Kharijite doctrine al-Fiqh al-Akbar+1.
• Divine Decree and Will: It discusses predestination (qadar) and the divine will (mashi'ah), maintaining that whatever befalls a person could never have missed them, and arguing against Qadarite stances al-Fiqh al-Akbar+1.
• The Companions and Governance: It stresses loyalty to all the Companions of the Prophet ﷺ, explicitly rejecting the disavowal of any among them, and defers judgment concerning Uthman and Ali to God al-Fiqh al-Akbar+1. It also prohibits rebelling against the established community under the pretext of enjoining good and forbidding evil, warning that political revolt leads to greater harm and bloodshed Sharh al-Hamawiyya - Yusu…+1.
• Nature of Faith and Divine Attributes: It addresses the nature of belief (iman), stating that one must affirm certainty in their faith Ziyadat al-Iman wa Nuqsan…, and affirms divine transcendence and God's loftiness above the creation based on scriptural proofs Dar Ta'arud al-Aql wa al-…+1.

Reception and Editions

The text played a significant role in transmitting early Hanafi theology and was drawn upon by later theologians, including Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn al-Qayyim, who quoted its narrations to document Abu Hanifa's creedal stances Ijtima al-Juyush al-Islam…+1.

al-Fiqh al-Absat was printed in Cairo in 1368 AH / 1949 CE alongside other early epistles attributed to Abu Hanifa, notably al-Alim wa-l-Muta'allim and his epistle to Uthman al-Batti Mujaz Dairat al-Maarif al…. It has also appeared in later annotated editions and studies, including an edition published in 1419 AH / 1999 CE with an explanatory commentary by Muhammad ibn Abd al-Rahman al-Khumayyis al-Istinbat inda al-Khati…+1.