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Imam Abu Hanifa (R.A), whose full name was Nuʿmān ibn Thābit, was born in the year 80 Hijri (699 CE) in the city of Kufa, Iraq. This period was part of the Umayyad Caliphate, a time of intellectual growth and expanding Islamic scholarship.

Imam Abu Hanifa is best known as the founder of the Hanafi school of thought, one of the four major Sunni Islamic jurisprudential schools (madhhabs). His birth in 80 Hijri positioned him in the generation of the Tabi‘un — those who met the companions of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (Sahaba) and learned from them directly. Notably, he is reported to have met companions such as Anas ibn Malik (R.A), which gives further credibility and depth to his scholarship.

He grew up in a scholarly environment and was deeply involved in trade during his early life, but later devoted himself to Islamic studies under the guidance of famous scholars such as Hammad ibn Abi Sulayman. Imam Abu Hanifa became renowned for his rational approach to jurisprudence, combining the use of Quran, Sunnah, consensus (ijma), and analogical reasoning (qiyas). His systematic and methodical thinking influenced Islamic law for centuries, and his school of thought remains the most followed among Sunni Muslims today, particularly in South Asia, Turkey, Central Asia, and parts of the Middle East.

The Hanafi school emphasizes reason and opinion (ra'y) in the absence of explicit textual evidence, and it provides flexibility to deal with new issues. Imam Abu Hanifa’s contributions were not limited to fiqh (jurisprudence) but also extended to theology and ethics.

His legacy continues to shape Islamic legal thought, and understanding his timeline—beginning with his birth in 80 Hijri—helps learners appreciate the development of Islamic jurisprudence through history.