M. Hadi Hussain : Imam Abu Hanifah-Life and Work.


Institute of Islamic Culture, Lahore, Rs. 17/- Pages 256.


‘Allamah Shibli Numani's ’Sirat al-Numan" is a well-known biography of Imam Azam Abu Hanifa al-Numan in Urdu and is still unparalleld, as it gives not only the biography of the great Imam but also an analysis of the salient characteristics of the Hanafi School of Law. It also reveals to the adherents of other schools of Islamic Law as to how much their leaders are indebted to the great Imam, his pupils, and their works. In view of the importance of the book, it has been rendered into English by Mr. M. Hadi Hussain who is so well-known as a writer for his several books in English and Urdu.

The work under review bears an eloquent testimony to the fact that Mr. Hadi Hussain has an admirable mastery over both the languages — English and Urdu. His simple, easy style has facilitated greatly his task of translating the ornate scholarly diction of one of the greatest Urdu prose-writers —’Allamah Shibli Numani.

Perhaps, it will not be far from truth to say that the present English translation seems, for the modern westernized young readers, to a great extent, to be more easily intelligible than the original. While the translation seems to be marvellously perfect, skilful and accurate, the beautiful language induces the readers to proceed with the work till its end.

The students would have been greatly benefited if the translator would have thrown some light on the method of his own translation in an introduction added by himself, and have enlightened his readers on the system of his own writing and rendering from one language to another. Nevertheless, even the learned scholars excel one another in the art of expressing their own theme and manifesting their own ideas. What is appreciable with the present translator is that he possesses a unique knack and skill with which he displays his own mastery in rendering the learned passages of ‘Allamah Shibli in his own simple and attractive English.

Just like the writer the publishers also deserve our congratulations and appreciation for making such an important study accessible to us in the present beautiful volume at a moderately reasonable price.

The Arabic readers would not, however, mind some minor mistakes that have crept in the transliteration of a number of titles and names so easily detectable by them. The work has distinguished itself for its criticus apparatus and good transliteration.