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Sirat-un-Noman
1891 book by Shibli Nomani From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Sirat-un-Noman (Urdu: سیرۃ النعمان) is an Urdu biography by Shibli Nomani, published in 1891, and the second book in the Namwaran-e-Islam series on Islamic figures. Considered the first Urdu biography of Abu Hanifa, it provides a detailed account of his life and work. The first part covers his family, education, character, and interactions with other scholars, while the second part describes his work in theology, hadith studies, and Islamic law, including his independent legal judgments and the development of the Hanafi school. The book also addresses contemporary issues, such as responding to orientalist claims and discussing Women's rights. Shibli presents Abu Hanifa from a humanist perspective, without portraying him as infallible.
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After completing Al-Mamun in the late 1880s, Shibli Nomani began work on Al-Farooq. The project was later paused because the reference materials required for it were not readily available in India, and several important sources were only accessible in European libraries.[1] During this period, Shibli began another work, Sirat-un-Noman. He had planned a series of biographical writings titled Namwaran-e-Islam (Eminent Figures of Islam), focusing on individuals associated with the development of Islamic scholarship, thought, and culture.[2] Within this series, Sirat-un-Noman represented his third major publication and the second biographical volume.[3] The series was intended to describe the relationship between scholarly and political activity in the Muslim world.[4]
Shibli selected Abu Hanifa as the subject of this book because of his long-standing academic interest in the jurist's life and work. His teacher, Farooq, conferred upon him the title 'Nomani' in recognition of this interest.[5] Although Shibli did not consistently follow the Hanafi school in all juristic matters, he maintained respect for Abu Hanifa as an early authority in Islamic jurisprudence.[6] Before joining Aligarh, he identified closely with the Hanafi tradition, and while his interpretations later became more moderate, his regard for Abu Hanifa continued.[7]
A major reason for writing Sirat-un-Noman was the absence of a comprehensive Urdu biography of Abu Hanifa.[8] Biographical works on him existed in Arabic, Persian, and English, but not in Urdu. Sabahuddin Abdur Rahman noted that Sirat-un-Noman was the first Urdu biography of Abu Hanifa.[9] Shibli also sought to address what he described as unreliable or exaggerated accounts about Abu Hanifa.[10] Mir Zahid Hussain summarized Shibli's objective as 'to pierce through the improbable and ridiculous narratives surrounding Abu Hanifa with the sharp point of his research-based and realistic pen, and to present a personality that was authentic, pure, and within the bounds of human understanding.'[11] The book also aimed to provide greater understanding of the Hanafi school in the region of Azamgarh and to respond to what Shibli viewed as inaccuracies about early Muslim scholarship in some European writings.[12]
Shibli began writing Sirat-un-Noman in 1889, completing the first part in December of that year and the second in December 1890. The book was first published in 1891, and copies reached Azamgarh in 1892.[13] The first edition reportedly sold out within three months and was reprinted in 1892.[5] According to Shaheen Fatima, at least twenty-three editions of the book had been published in India and Pakistan by 2021.[5] The work has been translated into several languages, including English, Bengali, Tajik, and Persian, with editions released in Delhi, Dhaka, Tajikistan, and Iran.[5] The English translation was prepared by M. Hadi Hussain in 1974,[14] and the Bengali translation by Muhammad Shaidul Haque was published by Maktab Prakashan in 2021.[15]
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Content
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Sirat-un-Noman is divided into two parts.[2] The first part begins with a preface and gives a clear picture of Abu Hanifa's life.[16] It discusses his family background, birthplace, education, teachers, moral character, and daily habits, as well as his relations with other scholars and society.[17][18] The second part focuses on Abu Hanifa's writings, his legal reasoning (ijtihad), and his methods of deriving Islamic laws. It also includes short notes about his students. Shibli considered this section the main part of the book.[17]
In Sirat-un-Noman, Shibli writes with balance, mentioning both the strengths and weaknesses of Abu Hanifa.[12] He points out that sometimes Abu Hanifa's confidence in debates may seem strong, but such traits are natural in any human being.[19] Shibli also makes it clear that Abu Hanifa, being a jurist and not a prophet, could make mistakes, and even his own students disagreed with him on several legal issues.[20]
Shibli responds to claims by some Western writers that Hanafi Fiqh was influenced by Roman law. He rejects this idea, explaining that Muslims had little contact with foreign legal texts before the development of Islamic law.[21] He also discusses why the Hanafi school became widespread across Islamic empires and why it remains influential.[22] According to Shibli, the real strength of Hanafi jurisprudence is that it is based on reasoning and wisdom (asrar wa masalih), in harmony with rational principles (usul aqli).[23]
The book includes critical comments on some traditional stories about Abu Hanifa. Shibli questions exaggerated claims, such as the idea that Abu Hanifa prayed the whole night for forty years,[10] and instead relies on simpler and more realistic accounts from early scholars like Abu Yusuf.[24]
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Methodology
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Shibli used a clear and balanced method in Sirat-un-Noman. His writing moves between historical narration, jurisprudential analysis, hadith-based discussion, and independent reasoning.[5] While describing events, he used only sources accepted by reliable historians and avoided anything without a proper chain of narration. He also made sure that every reference came from books he had personally read.[25] In the preface of Sirat-un-Noman, Shibli mentioned about twenty-seven earlier works on Abu Hanifa and listed the sources he had used.[26] These included Manaqib al-Noman by Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Shu'ayb, Manaqib al-Noman by Abu Abdullah al-Samiri, and Shaqa'iq al-Noman fi Manaqib al-Noman by al-Zamakhshari.[27]
Shibli discussed Abu Hanifa's ideas by comparing them with the views of other scholars.[28] Unlike his earlier book Al-Mamun, this work is written in a plain and serious tone, without decorative language.[29] In his approach to biography, Shibli believed that personal admiration should not affect fairness or accuracy. Sirat-un-Noman reflects this belief.[30] He presented Abu Hanifa as a human scholar whose value lies in his reasoning and honesty. Shibli did not portray him as infallible but as a thinker whose ideas were based on deep understanding and independent judgment.[7]
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The book has been widely recognized for its scholarly rigor and historical methodology. Shaheen Fatima of Jamia Millia Islamia noted that despite Shibli's personal devotion and love for the subject, he fully adhered to historical and scholarly principles.[12] She stated that 'nowhere does he neglect the rules of historiography or biography' and highlighted Shibli's 'rigorous research, critical analysis, and factual accuracy.' She further emphasized that all references and sources are clearly cited, and no event was recorded without a reliable chain of transmission or authoritative source.[12]
Akhtar Waqar Azim critically remarked that Sirat-un-Noman suffers historiographically because Shibli, contrary to his usual practice, presents only one perspective, which can make the work appear incomplete. However, he observed that reading Sirat-un-Noman shows Shibli's voice resonates throughout every page of the work.[19] Syed Abdullah also observed that fundamental principles found in most of Shibli's works, such as engagement with contemporary Western civilization and law, critical evaluation of earlier texts, tracing effects in events, chronological development, and historical style of argumentation, are evident in this book.[19]
Several scholars highlighted Shibli's craftsmanship. Syed Abdullah stated that Sirat-un-Noman is the finest book on its subject.[31] M.C Aboobacker of Sri Venkateswara University remarked that in the first part of the book, Shibli appears solely as a historian and 'never abandoned the path of truth at any point,' avoiding undue praise of Abu Hanifa.[32] Mohd Jafar Ahrari of Jawaharlal Nehru University similarly noted that Shibli 'prioritized duty over affection' and produced a complete book on the subject, demonstrating both accuracy and craftsmanship.[33] Nadia and Almas Khanum of Government College University, Lahore also acknowledged the scholarly rigor and research involved in producing the work.[34]
Altaf Hussain Hali, in the Aligarh Institute Gazette, observed that Shibli's earlier works displayed brilliance, but in Sirat-un-Noman, 'his ability and brilliance of mind appeared on an even loftier plane,' placing it at the highest level among his publications.[35] S. M. Ma'sumi described the biography as well-known and still unparalleled in Urdu.[14] Md Nasir of Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar Bihar University noted that the book cannot be considered a complete lifelong account, with only one-fourth devoted to personal circumstances while the remainder addresses jurisprudence.[36] Sirajul Haq of Delhi University described the work as a model for followers of Abu Hanifa, highlighting its engagement with Ahl-i Hadith scholars.[37]
Scholars also emphasized Shibli's engagement with contemporary debates. Shahid Aziz of Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University highlighted Shibli's response to Orientalist claims that Islamic jurisprudence was derived from Roman law, describing how he refuted these assertions using scholarly argumentation.[35] Shaista Khatoon of Veer Bahadur Singh Purvanchal University noted Shibli's attention to social issues, particularly Women's rights.[38] Talat Zafar of Veer Bahadur Singh Purvanchal University observed that Shibli avoided blind devotion or exaggeration, presenting Abu Hanifa's status among ordinary people and scholars in a measured and objective manner.[39] Altaf Fatima Raja noted Shibli's bold, free-flowing style that balanced reality with reverence,[40] while Abdul Aziz Muhammadi and Sabahuddin Abdur Rahman praised the literary style, restraint, and precise reasoning.[29] Talat Zafar further noted that the language is simple yet engaging, full of vitality,[29] while Mir Zahid Hussain of University of Kashmir confirmed Shibli's careful selection of authentic incidents.[3] Nayyar Jahan of Jamia Millia Islamia highlighted Shibli's skill in presenting Abu Hanifa's character, habits, intelligence, and temperament without exceeding the bounds of human understanding.[41]
Upon publication, Sirat-un-Noman received appreciation but also faced criticism. Some essays and books, such as Hasan al-Bayan fi Ma Fi Sirat-un-Noman by Muhammad al-Aziz Rahimabadi and Review of Sirat-un-Noman by Qutb al-Bash, objected to the work;[42] however, Shaheen Fatima noted that these criticisms 'lacked substance, and the tone of these writings was neither scholarly nor serious.'[31] Other critical works included Irshad fi Sabil al-Irshad fi Amr al-Taqleed wa al-Ijtihad by Hakim Abu al-Kayyis Shah Jahanpuri and Tadhkirah Imam Abu Hanifa compiled by Sahibzada Jamil Ahmad Sharqpuri.[42] Talat Zafar observed that while some minor shortcomings appear upon careful study, particularly in the division of content between personal life and writings, Shibli arranged the material with diligence, relying on available sources.[43]
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