Imam Sadiq (as) & Abu Hanifah
Hadith 1:
وروينا عن بعض الائمة الطاهرين : والصلاة أنه قال : أتى أبوحنيفة إلى أبي عبدالله جعفر بن محمد عليه أفضل الصلاة والسلام ، فخرج إليه يتو كؤ على عصا فقال له أبوحنيفة : ماهذه العصا يا أبا عبدالله؟ ما بلغ بك من السن ماكنت تحتاج إليها ، قال : أجل ولكنهاعصا رسول الله 9 فأردت أن أتبرك بها ، قال : أما إني لوعلمت ذلك وأنها عصا رسول الله لقمت وقبلتها. فقال أبوعبدالله عليه الصلاة والسلام : سبحان الله وحسر عن ذراعه[١] وقال : والله يانعمان لقد علمت أن هذا من شعر رسول الله ومن بشره فما قبلته! فتطاول أبوحنيفة ليقبل يده فاستل كمه وجذب يده ودخل منزله
Its narrated from one of the Imams (عليه السلام) that Abu Hanifah came to Imam Sadiq (عليه السلام), Imam Sadiq (عليه السلام) came out while leaning upon a stick.
So Abu Hanifah said to the Imam (عليه السلام), "What is this stick? You are not old so as to need a stick."
Imam Sadiq (عليه السلام) said, "So true, but this is the stick of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله), so I wanted to seek blessings (barakah) from it."
Abu Hanifah said, "If I knew that this is the stick of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله), I would have stood up and kissed it"
Then Imam Sadiq (عليه السلام) said, "Glory be to Allah!"
And then the Imam (عليه السلام) removed the veil from His arm and said, "By Allah! O'Numan (i.e. Abu Hanifah), you surely know that this is from the hair of the Prophet (saww) and from the skin of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله), but you never kissed it!"
Then Abu Hanifah proceeded to kiss the Imams (عليه السلام) hand, so the Imam (عليه السلام) pulled up his sleeves and pulled back his hand and went back into His house (i.e. did not allow Abu Hanifah to kiss His hand)"
[Source: Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 10, Pg. 222]
Hadith 2:
كنز الفوائد للكراجكي : ذكر أن أبا حنيفة أكل طعاما الامام الصادق جعفر بن محمد عليهما السلام فلما رفع عليه السلام يده من أكله قال : الحمد لله رب العالمين اللهم إن هذا منك ومن رسولك فقال أبوحنيفة : يا أبا عبدالله أجعلت مع الله شريكا ؟ فقال له : ويلك إن الله تعالى يقول في كتابه : ( وما نقموا إلا أن أغناهم الله ورسوله من فضله ) ويقول في موضع آخر : ( ولو أنهم رضواما آتيهم الله ورسوله وقالوا : حسبنا الله سيؤتينا الله من فضله ورسوله ) فقال أبوحنيفة : والله لكأني ما قرأتهما قط من كتاب الله ولا سمعتهما إلا في هذا الوقت ، فقال أبوعبدالله عليه السلام : بلى قد قرأتهما وسمعتهما ، ولكن الله تعالى أنزل فيك وفي أشباهك ( أم على قلوب أقفالها ) وقال كلا بل ران على قلوبهم ما كانوا يكسبون
It is written in Kanzul Fawaid by Karajaki that once Imam Sadiq Jafar bin Muhammd (عليهما السلام) was eating food with Abu Hanifa and after finisning, Imam Jafar bin Muhammad al-Sadiq (عليه السلام) said,
"All Praise/thanks is for Allah (عز وجل) the lord of the worlds, O Allah this was a blessing from You as well as from Your Prophet."
Upon hearing this Abu Hanifa said, "O Abu AbdAllah (عليه السلام)! Have you included someone else as Allahs partner (Shareeq)."
Imam Jafar al-Sadiq (عليه السلام) replied, "Woe to you. Indeed Allah (تعالى) says in His book, "……And they only stayed in opposition because Allah and His Messenger enriched them out of His grace….." (9:74)
And at another place Allah (تعالى) says, "If only they had been content with what Allah and His Messenger had gave them, and had said, "Sufficient unto us is Allah! Allah and His Messenger will soon give us out of their Kindness" (9:59)
Abu Hanifa then said, "By Allah! It seems I have never read these two verses from the book of Allah or heard someone reciting these verses before today."
Imam Jafar al-Sadiq (عليه السلام) said, "No, But you have read and even heard these Verses before, However, Allah (تعالى) says for you and people like you, "..Or are there locks on the hearts?" (47:24) and Says, "Nay, but that which they have earned is rust upon their hearts." (83:14)
[Source: Bihar Al Anwar Vol. 47 Pg. 240]
Hadith 3:
6- عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ أَبِي وَلادٍ الْحَنَّاطِ قَالَ اكْتَرَيْتُ بَغْلا إِلَى قَصْرِ ابْنِ هُبَيْرَةَ ذَاهِباً وَجَائِياً بِكَذَا وَكَذَا وَخَرَجْتُ فِي طَلَبِ غَرِيمٍ لِي فَلَمَّا صِرْتُ قُرْبَ قَنْطَرَةِ الْكُوفَةِ خُبِّرْتُ أَنَّ صَاحِبِي تَوَجَّهَ إِلَى النِّيلِ فَتَوَجَّهْتُ نَحْوَ النِّيلِ فَلَمَّا أَتَيْتُ النِّيلَ خُبِّرْتُ أَنَّ صَاحِبِي تَوَجَّهَ إِلَى بَغْدَادَ فَاتَّبَعْتُهُ وَظَفِرْتُ بِهِ وَفَرَغْتُ مِمَّا بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَهُ وَرَجَعْنَا إِلَى الْكُوفَةِ وَكَانَ ذَهَابِي وَمَجِيئِي خَمْسَةَ عَشَرَ يَوْماً فَأَخْبَرْتُ صَاحِبَ الْبَغْلِ بِعُذْرِي وَأَرَدْتُ أَنْ أَتَحَلَّلَ مِنْهُ مِمَّا صَنَعْتُ وَأُرْضِيَهُ فَبَذَلْتُ لَهُ خَمْسَةَ عَشَرَ دِرْهَماً فَأَبَى أَنْ يَقْبَلَ فَتَرَاضَيْنَا بِأَبِي حَنِيفَةَ فَأَخْبَرْتُهُ بِالْقِصَّةِ وَأَخْبَرَهُ الرَّجُلُ فَقَالَ لِي وَمَا صَنَعْتَ بِالْبَغْلِ فَقُلْتُ قَدْ دَفَعْتُهُ إِلَيْهِ سَلِيماً قَالَ نَعَمْ بَعْدَ خَمْسَةَ عَشَرَ يَوْماً فَقَالَ مَا تُرِيدُ مِنَ الرَّجُلِ قَالَ أُرِيدُ كِرَى بَغْلِي فَقَدْ حَبَسَهُ عَلَيَّ خَمْسَةَ عَشَرَ يَوْماً فَقَالَ مَا أَرَى لَكَ حَقّاً لأنَّهُ اكْتَرَاهُ إِلَى قَصْرِ ابْنِ هُبَيْرَةَ فَخَالَفَ وَرَكِبَهُ إِلَى النِّيلِ وَإِلَى بَغْدَادَ فَضَمِنَ قِيمَةَ الْبَغْلِ وَسَقَطَ الْكِرَى فَلَمَّا رَدَّ الْبَغْلَ سَلِيماً وَقَبَضْتَهُ لَمْ يَلْزَمْهُ الْكِرَى قَالَ فَخَرَجْنَا مِنْ عِنْدِهِ وَجَعَلَ صَاحِبُ الْبَغْلِ يَسْتَرْجِعُ فَرَحِمْتُهُ مِمَّا أَفْتَى بِهِ أَبُو حَنِيفَةَ فَأَعْطَيْتُهُ شَيْئاً وَتَحَلَّلْتُ مِنْهُ فَحَجَجْتُ تِلْكَ السَّنَةَ فَأَخْبَرْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) بِمَا أَفْتَى بِهِ أَبُو حَنِيفَةَ فَقَالَ فِي مِثْلِ هَذَا الْقَضَاءِ وَشِبْهِهِ تَحْبِسُ السَّمَاءُ مَاءَهَا وَتَمْنَعُ الأرْضُ بَرَكَتَهَا قَالَ فَقُلْتُ لأبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فَمَا تَرَى أَنْتَ قَالَ أَرَى لَهُ عَلَيْكَ مِثْلَ كِرَى بَغْلٍ ذَاهِباً مِنَ الْكُوفَةِ إِلَى النِّيلِ وَمِثْلَ كِرَى بَغْلٍ رَاكِباً مِنَ النِّيلِ إِلَى بَغْدَادَ وَمِثْلَ كِرَى بَغْلٍ مِنْ بَغْدَادَ إِلَى الْكُوفَةِ تُوَفِّيهِ إِيَّاهُ قَالَ فَقُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ إِنِّي قَدْ عَلَفْتُهُ بِدَرَاهِمَ فَلِي عَلَيْهِ عَلَفُهُ فَقَالَ لا لأنَّكَ غَاصِبٌ فَقُلْتُ أَرَأَيْتَ لَوْ عَطِبَ الْبَغْلُ وَنَفَقَ أَلَيْسَ كَانَ يَلْزَمُنِي قَالَ نَعَمْ قِيمَةُ بَغْلٍ يَوْمَ خَالَفْتَهُ قُلْتُ فَإِنْ أَصَابَ الْبَغْلَ كَسْرٌ أَوْ دَبَرٌ أَوْ غَمْزٌ فَقَالَ عَلَيْكَ قِيمَةُ مَا بَيْنَ الصِّحَّةِ وَالْعَيْبِ يَوْمَ تَرُدُّهُ عَلَيْهِ قُلْتُ فَمَنْ يَعْرِفُ ذَلِكَ قَالَ أَنْتَ وَهُوَ إِمَّا أَنْ يَحْلِفَ هُوَ عَلَى الْقِيمَةِ فَتَلْزَمَكَ فَإِنْ رَدَّ الْيَمِينَ عَلَيْكَ فَحَلَفْتَ عَلَى الْقِيمَةِ لَزِمَهُ ذَلِكَ أَوْ يَأْتِيَ صَاحِبُ الْبَغْلِ بِشُهُودٍ يَشْهَدُونَ أَنَّ قِيمَةَ الْبَغْلِ حِينَ أَكْرَى كَذَا وَكَذَا فَيَلْزَمَكَ قُلْتُ إِنِّي كُنْتُ أَعْطَيْتُهُ دَرَاهِمَ وَرَضِيَ بِهَا وَحَلَّلَنِي فَقَالَ إِنَّمَا رَضِيَ بِهَا وَحَلَّلَكَ حِينَ قَضَى عَلَيْهِ أَبُو حَنِيفَةَ بِالْجَوْرِ وَالظُّلْمِ وَلَكِنِ ارْجِعْ إِلَيْهِ فَأَخْبِرْهُ بِمَا أَفْتَيْتُكَ بِهِ فَإِنْ جَعَلَكَ فِي حِلٍّ بَعْدَ مَعْرِفَتِهِ فَلا شَيْءَ عَلَيْكَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ قَالَ أَبُو وَلادٍ فَلَمَّا انْصَرَفْتُ مِنْ وَجْهِي ذَلِكَ لَقِيتُ الْمُكَارِيَ فَأَخْبَرْتُهُ بِمَا أَفْتَانِي بِهِ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) وَقُلْتُ لَهُ قُلْ مَا شِئْتَ حَتَّى أُعْطِيَكَهُ فَقَالَ قَدْ حَبَّبْتَ إِلَيَّ جَعْفَرَ بْنَ مُحَمَّدٍ (عَلَيْهِما السَّلام) وَوَقَعَ فِي قَلْبِي لَهُ التَّفْضِيلُ وَأَنْتَ فِي حِلٍّ وَإِنْ أَحْبَبْتَ أَنْ أَرُدَّ عَلَيْكَ الَّذِي أَخَذْتُ مِنْكَ فَعَلْتُ.
Narrated that Abu Wallad al-Hannat said,
"I once rented a mule to Qasr ibn Hubayrah for both ways for so and so much amount. I left in search of the person who woes me some money (debtor) and when I reached near the bridge of al-Kufah, I was informed that my debtor had gone to al-Nil. I then moved to al-Nil. When I went to al-Nil I was informed that my debtor had gone to Baghdad. I then followed him, found him and finalized whatever was between him and me and we returned to al-Kufah.
Going and coming took me fifteen days. I informed the owner of the mule of my reasons for the delay. I wanted to make it a lawful deal and make him agree so I paid him fifteen dirham but he refused to accept it.
We then agreed to go to Abu Hanifah for judgment. I told my side of the story to him and the man also told his side of the story. Abu Hanifa asked me, "What did you do to the mule?"
I (the narrator) replied, "I have returned it to him safely."
He (the owner) said, "Yes, after fifteen days."
Abu Hanifa asked the owner, "What do you want from the man?"
He replied, "I want the rent for the mule which he kept for fifteen days."
Abu Hanifa said, "I do not see any such right in your favor because he rented it to Qasr ibn Hubayrah, and he then violated the agreement and rode it to al-Nil and to Baghdad, so he became responsible for the price of the mule and the rent became void. He then returned the mule safely to you and you have it in your possession so he is not responsible for rent."
We then came out and the owner of mule kept saying, 'To Allah we belong and to Him we all return.' I felt sympathy for him because of the fatwa of Abu Hanifah against him and I gave him something and absolved (become free of any blame) myself from him.
Then I (the narrator) went for al-Hajj in that year and informed Abu Abd Allah Imam Sadiq (عليه السلام), about the fatwa of Abu Hanifah.
He (the Imam) said, "It is because of such kind of judgments and its likes that the sky stops sending water and the earth denies its blessings."
I then asked Abu Abd Allah Imam Sadiq (عليه السلام), "What do you say about it?"
Imam (عليه السلام) said, "I say that you must pay him a similar rent that is charged for a mule from al-Kufah to al-Nil, and a similar rent for a mule that is charged from al-Nil to Baghdad, abd a similar rent that is charged for a mule from Baghdad to al-Kufah. You must pay him."
I then said, "May I be sacrificed for You, I fed the mule with a cost of many dirhams so he must pay for the feed."
The Imam said, "No, because you were a usurper"
I then said, "What could happen if the mule died and was damaged, would he not hold me responsible?"
The Imam said, "Yes, the cost of the mule on the day left him."
I then asked, "What could happen if the mule became damaged, sustained injuries or so?"
The Imam said, "You would owe the price difference between healthy and damaged mule on the day you returned to him."
I then asked, "Who could determine the price?"
The Imam said, "You and he (owner of mule). Either he had to take an oath to confirm the value of he mule and it becomes binding upon you. Or if he turned the oath to you, you then had to take an oath about the value and it became binding on him or the owner of the mule had to present testimony and witness to prove how much the value of the mule was when it was rented and it became binding upon you."
I then said, "I gave him a certain amount of dirham, he agreed and absolved me."
The Imam said, "He agreed & absolved you when Abu Hanifa issued an unjust & oppressive ruling against him. However, you must go to him and inform him of my fatwa on this matter to see if he still agrees after knowing it, thereafter there will be nothing on you."
Abu Wallad al-Hannat (the narrator) has said, "When I returned I met the person who rented the mule and informed him of the ruling (fatawa) of Abu Abd Allah Imam Sadiq (عليه السلام) and I said to him, “Now say what you want to say so I pay you."
He then said, "You made me love Jafar ibn Muhammad (عليهما السلام) and in my heart there is now a preference (Fadhl) for Him. And now You do not owe me anything and if you like me to return what I have taken from you, I can do so."
[Source: al-Kafi, Vol. 5, Pg. 290-291]