Haafiz

Nowadays, the word Haafiz is used to denote a person who has memorised the Qur'aan-e-Karim by heart.  However, in the past, many memorised the Qur'aan-e-Karim by heart.  It was not something unusual.  On the other hand, the memorisation of the Ahaadith was less common.  How many Ahaadith should a person know in order to be acknowledged as a Haafiz of Hadith?  According to the scholars of Hadith, one should have memorised 100,000 Ahaadith along with its chains of narration in order to be called a Haafiz of Hadith.

For example, when mentioning Haafiz Ibn Hajar Asqalaanî, he is not called Haafiz because he was a Haafiz of the Qur'aan but rather, he was a Haafiz of Hadith.  This denotes that he had memorised 100,000 Ahaadith along with its chains of narration, which conforms to the definition of the scholars of Hadith.  Another famous Haafiz of Hadith was Haafiz Badruddeen Al-Aini who lived in the same period as Haafiz Ibn Hajar Asqalaanî.

Allaamah Haafiz Ibn Hajar Asqalaanî was recognised as a great expert of Hadith and lived from 773 Hijrî to 852 Hijrî.  He is the author of many books.  His most famous book is his commentary on Sahih Bukharî.  This commentary comprises of several volumes and took 25 years to complete.  The book is called Fath-ul-Baarî.

As for Allaamah Badruddeen Al-Ainî, he was a celebrated Haafiz-oul-Hadith who lived from 762 Hijrî to 855 Hijrî.  He is also the author of many books.  He also wrote a commentary on Sahih Bukharî called Umdat-ul-Qaarî.  It is comprised of 12 extensive volumes which he wrote over a period of 26 years.  There are no commentaries on Sahih Bukharî as detailed as these two books.  Definitely no one can claim to understand Sahih Bukharî without the help of these two books.  It is as if the Ummah was indebted to Imam Bukharî and this debt was acquitted by the two commentaries of these two famous Aalim and Haafiz-ul-Hadith.

Those who had the opportunity of studying these two books will have an idea of the vast knowledge that these two scholars of Ahaadith possessed.  Nonetheless, the most interesting, striking, and wonderful aspect is that these two scholars have always perceived that they must follow an Imam.  Allaamah Ibn Hajar Asqalaanî followed Imam Shaafi'î (Rahimahullah) while Allaamah Badruddeen Al-Aïni followed Imam Abu Hanifah (Rahimahullah).  So Allaamah Badruddeen was a Hanafi and Allaamah Bin Hajar Asqalaanî was a Shaafi'î.

Knowledge of the Deen is a light that illuminates the heart and brings humility and Taqwaa within a person.  A true Alim is always humble and a Muttaqui.  True humility enables a person to recognise the truth even in the most unfavourable of conditions.  And this was exactly what ‘Ulamaa like Allaamah Ibn Hajar and Allaamah Badruddeen did.  

They recognised the rank of the Aimmah who possessed a very distinctive and advanced knowledge of Deen.  They discovered an exceptional dimension of knowledge through these Aimmah.  Despite the vast and immense knowledge they themselves possessed, they found it too risky to sail alone in this vast ocean of Deen without being guided by someone with more advanced and profound knowledge.  Hence, they regarded it wise and necessary to adhere to an Imam.  

Furthermore, their Taqwaa and knowledge enabled them to understand that there is still a long way to go before they can reach the status and level of these Aimmah.  They had the opportunity to observe the extent of the ocean of knowledge.  They were able to understand that the knowledge they possessed was only that of a drop of water in the sea.  They understood that there is another horizon before them.  The world does not cease to exist on the horizon.  So it is due to their knowledge that they found it necessary to follow someone who knows more, in this case, a Mujtahid such as Imam Abu Hanîfah (Rahimahullah), Imam Malik (Rahimahullah), Imam Shaafi'î (Rahimahullah)  and Imam Ahmad Bin Hambal (Rahimahullah).

On the other hand, many a times, the one who does not know, always pretends to know what in reality he does not know.  It seems that he does not know that he does not know.  This is just like someone who is trapped in a well and is only familiar with his surroundings, and yet he has the impression that he has already explored everything.

In short, there are people whose extensive knowledge enables them to recognise and admit that they in fact know very little but, at the same time, there are those who are so drenched in ignorance that they pretend to know what they do not.  A person has to dedicate himself for a long period of time to acquire knowledge of Deen under the supervision of professionals in the field.  Only then can he admit without hesitation that in fact, he possesses very little knowledge.  Otherwise, as the saying goes, ''an empty barrel makes the most noise.''

[English version of “Hafiz” - Al Jamiat Vol.6 No.12]