Imam Hamza Sahmi رحمہ اللہ (d. 427 AH) said:
سيل الدارقطني وانا اسمع عن سماع ابي حنيفة يصح قال: لا ولا روية ولم يلحق حنيفة احد من الصحابة.
I heard that Imam Daraqutni being asked: If the Sama'a of Sahaba is proven from the Abu Hanifa رحمہ اللہ? Imam Daraqutni replied with No and said it is not proven that Imam Abu Hanifa met with any Sahabi nor he saw any Sahabi of Rasool صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم.
[Sawalat As Sahami lil Daraqutni pg. 263 #383 Tarikh Baghdad 340/5, Al Ilal la ibn Jawzi 65/1]
There's an ijma of Aimma Hadees and Mutaqaddimeen on this statement of Imam Sahmi رحمہ اللہ as no one disputed on this.
Hafiz Khateeb Al Baghdadi رحمہ اللہ said:
لا يثبت لابي حنيفة سماع من انس بن مالك.
Sama'a of Abu Hanifa رحمہ اللہ from Saydna Anas bin Malik رضیﷲ عنه is not proven.
[Tareekh Baghdad 161/10, 338/5]
Hafiz Dhahabi رحمہ اللہ said:
A liar said that Imam Abu Hanifa رحمہ اللہ met with seven mutakkhir Sahaba face to face with his father, when they were on a journey but the truth is Imam Abu Hanifa رحمہ اللہ saw Saydna Anas bin Malik رضیﷲ عنه when he went to koofa.
[Seyr Alam an Nubala 387/3]
According to Imam Dhahabi Imam Abu Hanifa رحمہ اللہ saw Anas bin Malik رضیﷲ عنه means Imam Abu Hanifa رحمہ اللہ is a tabai by seeing a Sahabi due to it Imam Dhahabi said this but this is irrelevant.
It is attributed to Imam Abu Hanifa رحمہ اللہ that he said:
رايت انسا رضیﷲ عنه
I saw Anas رضیﷲ عنه.
[Al Asama wa Al kuna Li Abi Ahmad al Hakim al kabir 64/3, Manaqib Imam Abu Hanifa pg.14 Tareekh Islam 3/990, Tazkiratul Huffaz 168/1]
This statement is erroneous, there's nothing found on the life of Saif bin Jabir.
It has been attributed to Imam Abu Nu'aim bin Dukayn (d. 218 AH) that he said:
راى انس بن مالك.
Imam Abu Hanifa saw Anas bin Malik رضیﷲ عنه.
[Akhbar Abi Hanifa wa Ashabihi pg. 18]
This statement is a lie.
Ahmad bin Sallat Abul Abbas Hammani is s liar (Waza'a).
[Meezan Al Aitadlal liz Dhahabi 140/1]
Imam Daraqutni رحمہ اللہ said
يضع الحديث
He used to fabricate Hadith.
[Az Zu'afa wal Matrookeen pg. 59]
Hafiz ibn Hajar said "Matrook" in Al Isaba fi Tameez As Sahaba 4/572.
Hafiz Khateeb Baghdadi رحمہ اللہ said:
راى انس بن مالك
Imam Abu Hanifa رحمہ اللہ saw Anas bin Malik رضیﷲ عنه.
[Tareekh Baghdad 15/444]
Hafiz Ibn Al Jawzi رحمہ اللہ said
انما راى انس بن مالك بعينه.
Indeed, Imam Abu Hanifa رحمہ اللہ saw Anas bin Malik رضیﷲ عنه.
[Al ilal Mutanahiyah 128/1]
These are erroneous statements because there are no proofs for it and Imam Daraqutni رحمہ اللہ refuted it.
Allama Mulla Ali Qari hanfi رحمہ اللہ said:
جماعة من المحدثين انكروا وا ملاقاته مع الصحابة.
There's a large group of Mohaddiseen wo denied that Imam Abu Hanifa رحمہ اللہ met with a Sahabi.
[Sharah Musnad Abi Hanifa 1/581]
Mohammad bin Ishaq ibn An Nadeem writes:
كان من التابعين لقي عدة من الصحابة.
Imam Abu Hanifa رحمہ اللہ was from the Tabai'in, He met with many Sahaba.
[Al Fihrist 1/298]
ibn Nadeem is not trustworthy, He was a Rafidhi and Mutazili hence his statement is not reliable.
Hafiz Ibn Hajar رحمہ اللہ said regarding him:
He is a non reliable person, His following book says about him itself that it has been written by a deviant and Mutazili May Allah safeguard us! When I studied his book then I came across that he was a Mutazili and a Rafidhi, he calls "Hashwiyah" to Ahle Sunnah and Mujabbarah to "Asha'arah" and calls "Aami" to every single person who's not a Shia. He mentioned things in the biography of Imam Shafi'i رحمہ اللہ which is straight lie.
[Lisan Al Mizan 5/72]
Hafiz Ibn Hajar رحمہ اللہ mentioned Imam Abu Hanifa رحمہ اللہ under sadasah grade/level.
[Taqreeb At Tahzeeb 7153]
The Sama'a and Liqa of the narrators from the sahaba which comes under this level or grade are not proven. This distinguish that Imam Hajar doesn't consider Imam Abu Hanifa رحمہ اللہ to be a Tabai.
Imam Abu Hanifa رحمہ اللہ is not from the Tabai, the base of this is mentioned and explained by Imam ibn Hajar, He mentioned Imam Abu Hanifa رحمہ اللہ in sixth grade, the narrators of this grade attains the class of "Sighar Tabain" but their meeting with any of the Sahabi is not proven as Imam Hajar رحمہ اللہ mentioned in the introduction of Taqreeb at Tahzeeb
[Bahr Ar Rai'q 7/92]
Allama ibrahim bin Ali Abu Ishaq Sherazi said:
لم ياخذ ابو حنيفة عن احد منهم.
Imam Abu Hanifa didn't take narrations from any Sahabi
[Tabqat al Fuqaha pg. 86]
Allama ibn Atheer رحمہ اللہ said:
لم يلق احد منهم ولا اخذ عنه، واصحابه يقولون: انه لقي جماعة من الصحابة وروى عنهم، ولا يثبت ذلك عند اهل النقل.
Imam Abu Hanifa رحمہ اللہ didn't met with any Sahaba nor he took narrations from any one of them, although Hanafi Muqallideen says that Imam Abu Hanifa رحمہ اللہ met with a jamah of Sahaba and took narrations from them, this is not proven in the eyes of Mohaddiseen.
[Jami al Usool 952/12]
The same statement is also said by following Scholars.
Allama ibn Khalqan in [Wafat al Ayan 5/406]
Allama Abul Fida in [Al Mukhtasar fi Akhbar al Bashar 5/2]
Allama Ibn Al Wardi in [Tareekh Al Wardi 1/188]
Allama Yafi'i in [Mirat al Jinan 1/243]
Allama Abul Yeman Al Aleemi in [Tareekh Al Mo'atbar 301/3]
Hafiz Nawawi رحمہ اللہ said:
لم ياخذ عن احد منهم.
Imam Abu Hanifa didn't take narrations from any of the Sahaba.
[Tahzeeb al Asma Wa Lughat 2/216]
Imam Dhahabi رحمہ اللہ said:
ام يثبت له حرف عن احد منهم.
It is not proven that Abu Hanifa رحمہ اللہ noted down a single word from any of the Sahabi.
[Seyr Alam An Nubala 391/6]
Hafiz Abul Fazal Iraqi رحمہ اللہ said:
الامام ابو حنيفة لم تصح له رواية عن احد من الصحابة.
Not a single narration of Imam Abu Hanifa رحمہ اللہ is proven from any of the Sahabi.
[Sharah Musnad Abi Hanifa li Mulla Ali Qari 1/581]
Hafiz Sakhawi رحمہ اللہ said:
المعتمد انه لا رواية له احد من الصحابة.
The correct view is that, there's not a single narration of Imam Abu Hanifa رحمہ اللہ from the Sahaba.
[Fat'hul Mughith 3/342]
Conclusion:
The conclusion is that the Imam Abu Hanifa رحمہ is اللہ neither a Tabai by seeing a Sahabi nor through narrating from a Sahabi.
Imam Ibn Hibban رحمہ اللہ said
It's is not permissible get hold of an argument from Imam Abu Hanifa رحمہ اللہ according to our Aimma Mohaddiseen and according to me there's no dispute between them in this matter, all of the scholars of muslims and people of the knowledge had a jarah on Imam Abu Hanifa رحمہ اللہ and everyone of them called him weak (Da'if).
[Al Kitab Al Majroheen 64/3]
All of the Mohaddiseen are agree that Imam Abu Hanifa رحمہ اللہ is "Majrooh". There are three types of Mohaddiseen who made jarah on Imam Abu Hanifa رحمہ اللہ.
1. Because of the belief and Usool of Imam Abu Hanifa رحمہ اللہ
2. Due to weakness of Hifz and Zabt and Narrations of Imam Abu Hanifa رحمہ اللہ.
3. A large group of Mohaddiseen made jarah on Imam Abu Hanifa رحمہ اللہ because he had opinions which are against the hadith.
[Al Muntazim Tareekh Al Mulook wa Al Umam 8/131-132]
He further says:
لم يبق معتبر من الامة الا تكلم فيه.
There's not a single reliable Mohaddis who hasn't made jarah on Imam Abu Hanifa رحمہ اللہ
[Al Muntazim Tareekh Al Mulook wa Al Umam 8/143]
~Taken and translated from an Urdu Article By Shaikh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer.
