Abū Isḥāq Ibrāhīm ibn Sayyār ibn Hāni‘ an-Naẓẓām (Arabic: أبو إسحاق بن سيار بن هانئ النظام) (c. 775 – c. 845) was an Arab[1]Mu'tazilite theologian and poet. He was a nephew of the Mu'tazilite theologian Abu al-Hudhayl al-'Allaf, and al-Jahiz was one of his students. Al-Naẓẓām served at the courts of the Abbasid Caliph al-Mamun.[2] His theological doctrines and works are lost except for a few fragments.[3]
Diverging from many of the diverse held views of his time, he was famous for his strong rejection of analogical reasoning, which was accepted by both the Hanafites and Shafi'ites; of juristic preference, a pillar of Hanafite thought; of the doctrine of binding consensus, accepted by all of Sunni Islam; and of the reports supposedly transmitting prophetic traditions as narrated by Abu Hurayra, accepted by Muslims of many sects.Ibrahim an nazzam was a rejecter of all hadith writings and saw the Quran as the only valid source of jurisprudence
Literal Interpretation of the Quranedit
Al-Nazzam was noted to have rejected Qiyas entirely. He also held the belief that the Quran was aught to be interpreted literally, without any other sources or methods backing up its interpretation.[4] Some aspects of his beliefs would soon be taken by Dawud Al-Zahiri and the Zahiri school of thought. Shi'a scholars also were known to have quote him.
Critique of the Shi'aedit
Although being positively referenced by Shia scholars, Al-Nazzam himself rejected the view of Imamate. Ibn Hazm mentions a narration is his book, Heterodoxies of the Shiites, that Al-Nazzam said the following:
(al-Jahiz) narrates the following: Abu Ishak Ibrahim An-Nazzam and Bishr b. Khalid told me that they once said to Muhammed b. Ja‘far the Rafidite, known as Sheitan at-Tak: “Woe unto thee! Art thou not ashamed before Allah of what thou hast asserted in thy book on “the Imamate” that Allah never said in the Quran: 'The second of two: when they were both in the cave, when he said unto his companion: Be not grieved, for Allah is with us?'.” They both continue to narrate: “By Allah, Sheitan at-Tak thereupon broke forth into a long laughter so that (we felt) as had we been the evildoers.” An-Nazzam narrates: “We often spoke with ‘All b. Mitam as-Sabuni (the soapboiler)—he was one of the doctors of the Rawafid and one of their dogmatists—and we would occasionally ask him [for some information, which he would give us. When we asked him]: Is it (i.e., your information) an opinion (of your own) or an oral information (coming) from the Imams?” he would deny that he gave it of his own opinion. We then reminded him of what he had said about the same thing on a previous occasion.” He (an-Nazzam) continues: "By Allah, I never saw him blush for it or feel ashamed of having done it.”[5]
Critique of Abu Hurayra and his reported Hadithsedit
Like other early Mu'tazilites, al-Naẓẓām was a scripturalist who had no use for the traditions and accounts supposedly related by Abu Hurayra, the most prolific ḥadīth narrater, which he held to be full of incongruities.[6][7] For al-Naẓẓām, both of the so-called single-source and multiple-source reports, such as the multitudinous narratives variously attributed to Abu Hurayra, could not be trusted.[6] Al-Naẓẓām bolstered his refutation of the thitherto long-held esteem of the accounts of Abu Hurayra and other contemporaries of Muḥammad (especially among Sunni circles) within the larger claim that such reports circulated and thrived mainly to support and legitimize the polemical causes of various theological sects and jurists and that no single transmitter, be he contemporaneous with Muhammad or not, could by himself be held above suspicion of altering the content of any single report. Al-Naẓẓām’s skepticism involved far more than excluding the possible verification of a report narrated by Abu Hurayra, whether it is traced back to a single source (wāḥid) or many (mutawātir). He also questioned reports of widespread acceptance, which proved pivotal to classical Muʿtazilite criteria devised for verifying the single report, thus earning a special mention for the depth and extent of his skepticism.[8] Ahmad Amin summarized his jurisprudential beliefs by stating:
He used to not believe in Ijma [i.e. judicial consensus], and he used to believe little in Qiyas, and he used to believe little in the authenticity of Hadith reports, and he almost used to believe in nothing other than the Quran and logic.[9]
Critique of judicial consensusedit
Al-Naẓẓām's rejection of consensus was primarily due to his rationalist criticism of some the first generation of Muslims, whom he viewed as possessing defective personalities and intellects.[10] Shi'ite theologians al-Shaykh al-Mufīd and Sharif al-Murtaza held in high esteem al-Naẓẓām's Kitāb al-Nakth (The Book of Dismantling), in which he denied the doctrinal validity of consensus.[11]
Referencesedit
^Smart, J. R.; Smith, G. Rex; Pridham, B. R. (1997). New Arabian Studies. University of Exeter Press. ISBN978-0-85989-552-1.
^van Ess, Josef (1993). "al-Naẓẓam, Abū Isḥāq Ibrāhīm Ibn Sayyār Ibn Hāniʾ". In C. E. Bosworth; et al. (eds.). The Encyclopaedia of Islam, Vol. 7: Mif–Naz (New ed.). Leiden: E. J. Brill. pp. 1057a–58b. ISBN90-04-09419-9.
^Vishanoff, David R. (2005). Jones, Lindsay (ed.). "Encyclopedia of Religion".
^"Heterodoxies of the Shiites according to Ibn Hazm".
^ abGhani, Usman (2011). 'Abu Hurayra' a Narrator of Hadith Revisited: An Examination into the Dichotomous Representations of an Important Figure in Hadith with special reference to Classical Islamic modes of Criticism (PhD thesis). University of Exeter. hdl:10036/4362.
^Josef Van Ess, The flowering of Muslim theology, Harvard University Press, 2006, pg. 161
^Racha El-Omari, "Accommodation and Resistance: Classical Muʿtazilites on Ḥadīth" in Journal of Near Eastern Studies, Vol. 71, No. 2 (October 2012), pp. 234-235
^Devin J. Stewart, "Muhammad b. Dawud al-Zahiri's Manual of Jurisprudence." Taken from Studies in Islamic Law and Society Volume 15: Studies in Islamic Legal Theory. Edited by Bernard G. Weiss. Pg. 107. Leiden: 2002. Brill Publishers.
^Josef van Ess, Das Kitab al-nakt des Nazzam und seine Rezeption im Kitab al-Futya des Gahiz. Gottingen: Vandenhoeck & Reprecht, 1971.
January 01, 1970
ibrahim, nazzam, abū, isḥāq, ibrāhīm, sayyār, hāni, naẓẓām, arabic, أبو, إسحاق, بن, سيار, بن, هانئ, النظام, arab, tazilite, theologian, poet, nephew, tazilite, theologian, hudhayl, allaf, jahiz, students, naẓẓām, served, courts, abbasid, caliph, mamun, theolog. Abu Isḥaq Ibrahim ibn Sayyar ibn Hani an Naẓẓam Arabic أبو إسحاق بن سيار بن هانئ النظام c 775 c 845 was an Arab 1 Mu tazilite theologian and poet He was a nephew of the Mu tazilite theologian Abu al Hudhayl al Allaf and al Jahiz was one of his students Al Naẓẓam served at the courts of the Abbasid Caliph al Mamun 2 His theological doctrines and works are lost except for a few fragments 3 Abu Isḥaq Ibrahim ibn Sayyar al NaẓẓamPersonalBornAH 154 168 CE 775 782 Basra Iraq Abbasid CaliphateDiedAH 221 230 CE 836 845 ReligionIslamEraIslamic Golden Age early Abbasid DenominationMu tazilism Contents 1 Views 1 1 Beliefs 1 2 Literal Interpretation of the Quran 1 3 Critique of the Shi a 1 4 Critique of Abu Hurayra and his reported Hadiths 1 5 Critique of judicial consensus 2 ReferencesViews editBeliefs edit Diverging from many of the diverse held views of his time he was famous for his strong rejection of analogical reasoning which was accepted by both the Hanafites and Shafi ites of juristic preference a pillar of Hanafite thought of the doctrine of binding consensus accepted by all of Sunni Islam and of the reports supposedly transmitting prophetic traditions as narrated by Abu Hurayra accepted by Muslims of many sects Ibrahim an nazzam was a rejecter of all hadith writings and saw the Quran as the only valid source of jurisprudence Literal Interpretation of the Quran edit Al Nazzam was noted to have rejected Qiyas entirely He also held the belief that the Quran was aught to be interpreted literally without any other sources or methods backing up its interpretation 4 Some aspects of his beliefs would soon be taken by Dawud Al Zahiri and the Zahiri school of thought Shi a scholars also were known to have quote him Critique of the Shi a editAlthough being positively referenced by Shia scholars Al Nazzam himself rejected the view of Imamate Ibn Hazm mentions a narration is his book Heterodoxies of the Shiites that Al Nazzam said the following al Jahiz narrates the following Abu Ishak Ibrahim An Nazzam and Bishr b Khalid told me that they once said to Muhammed b Ja far the Rafidite known as Sheitan at Tak Woe unto thee Art thou not ashamed before Allah of what thou hast asserted in thy book on the Imamate that Allah never said in the Quran The second of two when they were both in the cave when he said unto his companion Be not grieved for Allah is with us They both continue to narrate By Allah Sheitan at Tak thereupon broke forth into a long laughter so that we felt as had we been the evildoers An Nazzam narrates We often spoke with All b Mitam as Sabuni the soapboiler he was one of the doctors of the Rawafid and one of their dogmatists and we would occasionally ask him for some information which he would give us When we asked him Is it i e your information an opinion of your own or an oral information coming from the Imams he would deny that he gave it of his own opinion We then reminded him of what he had said about the same thing on a previous occasion He an Nazzam continues By Allah I never saw him blush for it or feel ashamed of having done it 5 Critique of Abu Hurayra and his reported Hadiths editLike other early Mu tazilites al Naẓẓam was a scripturalist who had no use for the traditions and accounts supposedly related by Abu Hurayra the most prolific ḥadith narrater which he held to be full of incongruities 6 7 For al Naẓẓam both of the so called single source and multiple source reports such as the multitudinous narratives variously attributed to Abu Hurayra could not be trusted 6 Al Naẓẓam bolstered his refutation of the thitherto long held esteem of the accounts of Abu Hurayra and other contemporaries of Muḥammad especially among Sunni circles within the larger claim that such reports circulated and thrived mainly to support and legitimize the polemical causes of various theological sects and jurists and that no single transmitter be he contemporaneous with Muhammad or not could by himself be held above suspicion of altering the content of any single report Al Naẓẓam s skepticism involved far more than excluding the possible verification of a report narrated by Abu Hurayra whether it is traced back to a single source waḥid or many mutawatir He also questioned reports of widespread acceptance which proved pivotal to classical Muʿtazilite criteria devised for verifying the single report thus earning a special mention for the depth and extent of his skepticism 8 Ahmad Amin summarized his jurisprudential beliefs by stating He used to not believe in Ijma i e judicial consensus and he used to believe little in Qiyas and he used to believe little in the authenticity of Hadith reports and he almost used to believe in nothing other than the Quran and logic 9 Critique of judicial consensus edit Al Naẓẓam s rejection of consensus was primarily due to his rationalist criticism of some the first generation of Muslims whom he viewed as possessing defective personalities and intellects 10 Shi ite theologians al Shaykh al Mufid and Sharif al Murtaza held in high esteem al Naẓẓam s Kitab al Nakth The Book of Dismantling in which he denied the doctrinal validity of consensus 11 References edit Smart J R Smith G Rex Pridham B R 1997 New Arabian Studies University of Exeter Press ISBN 978 0 85989 552 1 Index van Ess Josef 1993 al Naẓẓam Abu Isḥaq Ibrahim Ibn Sayyar Ibn Haniʾ In C E Bosworth et al eds The Encyclopaedia of Islam Vol 7 Mif Naz New ed Leiden E J Brill pp 1057a 58b ISBN 90 04 09419 9 Vishanoff David R 2005 Jones Lindsay ed Encyclopedia of Religion Heterodoxies of the Shiites according to Ibn Hazm a b Ghani Usman 2011 Abu Hurayra a Narrator of Hadith Revisited An Examination into the Dichotomous Representations of an Important Figure in Hadith with special reference to Classical Islamic modes of Criticism PhD thesis University of Exeter hdl 10036 4362 Josef Van Ess The flowering of Muslim theology Harvard University Press 2006 pg 161 Racha El Omari Accommodation and Resistance Classical Muʿtazilites on Ḥadith in Journal of Near Eastern Studies Vol 71 No 2 October 2012 pp 234 235 Duha Al Islam Devin J Stewart Muhammad b Dawud al Zahiri s Manual of Jurisprudence Taken from Studies in Islamic Law and Society Volume 15 Studies in Islamic Legal Theory Edited by Bernard G Weiss Pg 107 Leiden 2002 Brill Publishers Josef van Ess Das Kitab al nakt des Nazzam und seine Rezeption im Kitab al Futya des Gahiz Gottingen Vandenhoeck amp Reprecht 1971 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ibrahim al Nazzam amp oldid 1215439846, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
