Imamu Sufyaan ath-Thawree alizaliwa Kufah mwaka 719 CE, na baada ya kusoma kwa kina Hadith na Fiqh, alikuja kuwa mwanachuoni mkuu wa Fiqh wa madhehebu ya Hadith huko Kufah. Alikuwa na maoni yanayofanana na yale ya mwenzake wa wakati wake, Abu Haneefah, lakini alipinga matumizi ya Qiyaas na Istihsaan aliyokuwa akiyatumia Abu Haneefah.

Imaam Sufyaan ath-Thawree was born in Kufah in the year 719 CE, and after an extensive study of Hadeeth and Fiqh became the main Fiqh scholar of the Hadeeth school in Kufah. He held similar views to those of his contemporary, Abu Haneefah, however he opposed the latter’s use of Qiyaas and Istihsaan.

Kulitokea mivutano kadhaa kati ya Imamu Sufyaan na maafisa wa dola ya ‘Abbaasiyyah, kutokana na tabia yake ya kusema waziwazi na kukataa kuunga mkono sera za dola zilizokinzana na Shari‘ah. Khalifa al-Mansoor (utawala 759-744 CE) alimtumia Imamu ath-Thawree barua akimtaka akubali wadhifa wa Qaadhi wa Kufah kwa sharti kwamba asitoe hukumu wala uamuzi wowote kinyume na sera ya dola. Baada ya kupokea barua hiyo, Sufyaan aliirarua na kuitupa mtoni Tigris kwa chuki, lakini kutokana na hilo alilazimika kuacha kufundisha na kukimbia kuokoa maisha yake. Alibaki amejificha hadi alipofariki mwaka 777 CE.

There occurred between Imaam Sufyaan and officials of the ‘Abbaasid state a series of confrontations due to his outspoken nature and his refusal to support state policies which contradicted the Sharee’ah. Caliph al-Mansoor (rule 759-744 CE) Sent a letter to Imaam ath-Thawree requesting him to accept the post of Qaadee of Kufah on condition that he not make any judgement or ruling in opposition to the state policy. On receipt of the letter, Sufyaan tore it up and threw it into the Tigris river in disgust, but, as a result, he was forced to give up his teaching and flee for his life. He remained in hiding until he died in the year 777 CE.

Mambo mawili makuu ni haya yafuatayo:

The two main factors are as follows:

(a) Imamu alitumia sehemu kubwa ya maisha yake akiwa amejificha, hivyo hakuweza kuvutia idadi kubwa ya wanafunzi ambao wangeeneza baadaye maoni yake katika duru za elimu.

(a) The Imaam spent the greater part of his life in hiding and thus was unable to attract a large number of students who might subsequently spread his opinions in the circles of learning.

(b) Ingawa alifanya ukusanyaji mkubwa kiasi wa Hadithi na tafsiri zake, aliomba katika wasia wake kwamba mwanafunzi wake mkuu, ‘Ammaar ibn Sayf, afute maandishi yake yote na kuchoma yale yasiyoweza kufutika. ‘Ammaar aliharibu maandishi ya mwalimu wake kwa uaminifu, lakini mawazo mengi ya Imaam yalirekodiwa na wanafunzi wa Maimaam wengine, hivyo yamesalia hadi leo lakini si katika mpangilio maalum.142

(b) Although he did carry out some fairly extensive compilation of Hadeeths and their interpretations, he requested in his will that his main student, ‘Ammaar ibn Sayf, erase all his writings and burn whatever could not be erased. ‘Ammaar dutifully destroyed his teacher’s writings, but many of the Imaam’s ideas were recorded by students of other Imaas, so they have survived till today but not in an organized form.142