Sagacity of Imam Abu Hanifah

 

A man by the name of Ad-Dahhak ibn Qays al-Kharji, who rebelled during the time of the Ummayyads, entered the mosque in Kufa and told Imam Abu Hanifa, “Repent!”

“From what?” asked Abu Hanifa.

He answered, “From your having permitted arbitration.”

“Will you kill me or debate with me?” asked the Imam.

“I will debate with you.”

“And if we disagree on anything in the debate, who will decide between us?”

“I will accept whomever you wish.”

“Sit and judge between us if we disagree,” Abu Hanifa said to one of ad-Dahhak’s companions.

“Are you content for this one to decide between us?” asked Abu Hanifa to ad-Dahhak.

“Yes”

“You have allowed arbitration, so desist.”

[source: The Four Imams: Their Lives, Works, and their Schools of Thought, Muhammad Abu Zahra’s book.]