Hanif

By Author: Ibrahim Machiwala
Total Articles: 463
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"The word hanif (pl. hunafa) is derived from hanf, meaning an inclination in the forepart of the foot or inversion of the foot. A person having this distortion of the foot is called ahnaf. The singular word hanif occurs 10 times in the Koran (2:135, 3:67, 95; 4:125, 6:79, 161; 10:105, 16:120,123, 30:30), and the plural hunafa two times (22:31, 98:5). It occurs once as a synonym of muslim (3:67) and also in juxtaposition with the verb aslama (4:125). The exegetes of the Koran say that hanif in the age of ignorance signified an Arab adhering to the religion of Abraham and that title was also claimed by idolaters who only observed certain rites of that religion, such as pilgrimage to Mecca and circumcision. The verb tahannuf means pure exercise of religion in the pagan period.

The word hanif is used in the Koran to describe one who adheres to pristine monotheism. It is a descriptive name in the Koran for Abraham, and for those before Islam who by the purity and uprightness of their nature did not succumb to paganism and polytheism. The hunafa between Abraham and the time of the Prophet were thus the faithful representatives ...
... of the Abrahamic tradition during the age of ignorance.

The Koranic prototype of the ideal hanif is Abraham: "Abraham was neither a Jew nor a Christian, rather he was a hanif" (3:67). Thus, the hanifiyah was the faith of Abraham. Hanif is therefore one inclining to a right state or tendency. The word is often mentioned in connection not only with the name of Abraham, but the Prophet and his followers are also enjoined to be hanif. It seems to signify firmness in sticking to the right state, and has reference to the inclining to error on the part of both the Jews and the Christians: "Say: Nay (we follow) the religion of Abraham, the hanif (upright), and he was not one of the polytheists" (2:135), "And who has a better religion than he who submits himself entirely to God? And he is the doer of good and follows the faith of Abraham, the upright (hanif), and God took Abraham as a friend" (4:125), "Surely Abraham was an exemplar, obedient to God, upright (hanif), and he was not of the polytheists" (16:120), and "Say: God has spoken the truth, therefore follow the religion of Abraham, the upright (hanif), and he was not one of the polytheists" (3:95). The Koranic Prophet too, is required to become a hanif by setting his face upright towards the true religion (10:105), and the same demand is also imposed on the rest of the people (22:31, 98:5).

Among the famous seekers of the Abrahamic hanifi religion, who are said to have lived in pre-Islamic Mecca were Waraqa bin Naufal, Ubaidulla bin Jahsh, Uthman bin al-Huwayrith and Zaid bin Amr bin Nufayl, Umayya bin Abi Salt, Quss bin Sa'idah, etc.