Relations of Hanafis With the Political Authority in Terms of Their Attitude of Taking Official Duty in the 2nd And 3rd Centuries of Hijri

Abstract

Hanafis established relations with the political authority for various reasons during their formation period. Abu Hanifa, to whom the sect was attributed, stood aloof from from the political authority during the period of the Umayyads and Abbasids, and refused their official job offers. The strict attitude of the Umayyad and Abbasid administrations towards the Ahl al-Bey with whom Abu Hanifa had close relations was influential in this preference. In addition, the ideas that the caliph should be elected with the consultation and allegiance of Muslims, that the Umayyads and Abbasids did not come to power in this way, that the allegiance that were taken by force would be invalid, and the concern that they would legitimize them if they accepted the proposal of the political authority were influential in this attitude. Among Abu Hanifa's students and in the following generations, there were those who adopted this attitude. On the other hand, along with his prominent students such as Zufer b. Huzeyl, Abu Yusuf, Muhammed b. al-Hasan, there were also those who accepted the official positions of the political administration from the next generation Hanafis. While the aim of spreading Abu Hanifa's thoughts was effective in this attitude first, this attitude was a personal choice in the following periods.