Knowledge elevates a man in this world and the hereafter

Imam Abū Yusūf says: I was an orphan and my mother wanted me to apprentice with a bleacher so I may learn the trade and start earning a living. But I would sneak away from the bleacher’s shop and sit in the study circles of Imām Abū Ḥanīfah. My mother used to chase after me and drag me back to the bleacher. 

Imām Abū Ḥanīfah used to show me great affection as he saw my zeal and passion for learning. One day, my constant escapades to the study circles of Imām Abū Ḥanīfah became too much for my mother and she confronted Imām Abū Ḥanīfah saying: ‘You are the one corrupting this boy. I feed him with my earnings from the spindle and all I want is for him to earn a penny or two so he can earn a living for himself.’

Imām Abū Ḥanīfah replied: ‘Go away you crazy woman. He is learning so that he one day eats fālūdhaj¹ with pistachio oil.’ And my mother said: ‘You are a crazy old man; you’ve lost your wits!’

So, I stuck with Imām Abū Ḥanīfah. He used to provide for me from his wealth and left me wanting for nothing. Then Allāh blessed me with knowledge and raised me until I became the chief justice of the land. I used to sometimes dine with Harūn al-Rashīd. One day when the table was laid out, he said to me: ‘Eat up Abū Yusūf for it isn’t every day that you get to eat a dessert like this!” I asked him what it was. He said: ‘This is fālūdhaj with pistachio oil.’ And I started to laugh. He asked me why I was laughing and I told him the story. 

He said: ‘I swear! Knowledge elevates a man in this world and the hereafter. May God have mercy on Abū Ḥanīfah. He was able to see with eye of his intelligence that which the physical eyes cannot see.’²

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¹ Fāludhaj is a luxury pastry made with a variety of nuts. It was a very expensive dessert reserved for the rich and elite.

² Ulū al-Himmah, p.378