Abstract
From the latter half of the ninth century onwards the Hanafis compiled many manaqibs(biographical works of a laudatory nature) to praise the virtues and deeds of Abu Hanifa, the eponym of their school. Analysis of isnad included in the narratives contained in manaqib of al-Makki may help us to determine the relative dates on which they were put into circulation. On the one hand, only 10% of the first transmitters who testify to Abu Hanifa's acts of devotion('ibada) that consist of praying and reciting the Qur'an all night are considered reliable by the traditionists, whereas about 75% of the transmitters who testify to Abu Hanifa's acts of devotion are considered unreliable or ignored by the traditionists. On the other hand, the ratio of reliable transmitters represents more than 35% of those who testify to Abu Hanifa's pious acts, whereas less than half of those transmitters who witnessed his piety(wara) are considered unreliable or ignored. This contrast can be explained by assuming that the adherents of Abu Hanifa put in circulation more and more narratives witnessing his piety, which became important as a laudatory notion only after his death, whereby they put these narratives into the mouth of those transmitters who were regarded as reliable by the traditionists.
