The Four Great Imams - Abu Hanifah, Malik, Shafi'i and Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, have been traditionally presented as the founders of Islamic Jurisprudence or Fiqh. This series seeks to introduce a new dimension to the way their lives are viewed today, by focusing on their characters, and their personal interaction with their families, teachers, students, and society at large. It aims to re-emphasise their strong relevance to a wider Muslim audience who might possess interests beyond the sphere of Fiqh. This series reflects on the various stages of the lives of the Four Great Imams, as teenagers, students, teachers, fathers, and active members in their communities, and as contemporary 'role models', particularly to the young generation Muslims living in the West. The series also offers a fascinating insight into the golden era of Islamic history, with prime attention given to the factors and institutions that led to the emergence and development of the Four Great Imams.

Produced by Awakening Media, October 2004

Format: Audio CD

1. Table of Contents

CD1: An Introduction and Historical Context
The Umayyad and the Abbasid Periods
Islamic Groups and Trends
The Muslim City: Kufa, Baghdad and Madina

CD2: Imam Abu Hanifah: the Person
His Household
His Mother
Kufa
His Turning Point
Characteristics: Self Control, Brave, Organised, Devout.

CD3: Imam Abu Hanifah: Teachers and Students
His Teacher:
Hammad and Etiquettes of Respect
His Students:
Abu Yusuf and Al-Shaibani
The Etiquettes of Love and Care for Sacred knowledge

CD4: Imam Abu Hanifah: Society
A Loving Heart
An Honest Merchant

CD5: Imam Malik: The Person
His Household
His Turning Point
Veneration of the Sunnah

CD6: Imam Malik: Teachers and Students
His Teachers:
Al-Ra'i: Elegance
Hormoz: I Don't Know!
Nafi': Patience
Zuhari: Dedication
Al-Sadiq and al-Minkadir: Piety
His Students
Al-Qasim: Independence
Ibn Wahab: Focus

CD7: Imam Malik: Society
Attitude toward the Rulers
Respect for Scholars and Scholarship
Imprisonment and Torture

CD8: Imam Shafi'i: The Person
A Noble Orphan
A Patient Mother
His Turning Point
His Meeting with Imam Malik
A Man of Insight

CD9: Imam Shafi'i: Teachers and Students
Teachers from Mecca, Baghdad and Egypt
His Love and Care for Students
His Illness and Death

CD10: Imam Shafi'i: The Society
A Man of the People
Generous
A Man of Possessing a Sense of Humour

CD11: Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal: The Person
An Orphan Who Loves His Mother
As a Teenager
His Sons
A Man of Independence and Self Control

CD12: Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal: The Ordeal
The Creation of the Qur'an
Arrest and Torture
Death

CD13: Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal: The Society
His love for the People
His Love for the Poor
Social Manners
Political Attitudes

Dr. Hesham Al-Awadi

Dr. Hesham Al-Awadi was born in Kuwait and educated in the United Kingdom. He completed his BA, MA, MPhil and PhD. in the field of Middle Eastern Politics and History, in various British universities including the University of Cambridge. He also has a Diploma in Islamic Studies from the Institute of Islamic Studies, Cairo. He is an author of numerous books and is a lecturer of Middle Eastern History at the Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies, University of Exeter, UK.