Imam Abu Hanifa’s Approach (RA) towards the Right to Participating in Political Affairs and Governance

Abstract

Imam Abu Hanifah, as a jurist and the leader of the compilation of legal rules, does not need to be praised. He, who lived between the 80s and 150s, politically was not on good terms with the rulers of his time, and therefore he did not personally enter government positions, and from time to time he severely criticized the behavior and approach of the rulers. He believed that the selection of government officials by the rulers was based on ethnic-racial bias, language and other factors, and he always thought that the appointment of government positions was based on the commitment and expertise of every Muslim. This issue becomes more important when the right to participate in governance and political affairs for every Muslim is proven based on Ayeh and Hadith. This research, which has been studied on this issue, seeks to answer the question: What was Imam Abu Hanifah's opinion and perspective on the right to participating in political and governmental affairs, and what were the selection criteria for government positions in his opinion? From the descriptive-analytical method and with the help of library sources, it is concluded that Imam Abu Hanifah considered participation in political affairs and governance as the right of all Muslims, and the only criteria for choosing government officials are commitment and expertise. He knew people and did not accept any kind of prejudice in this field.