الإمام أبو يوسف أبرز تلاميذ الإمام أبي حنيفة النعمان مؤسس المذهب الحنفي، الذين قاموا بجهد هائل في نشر مذهب الحنفية ووضع أصوله.
نبذة عن الكتاب : يعد الكتاب من أعظم كتب الفقه الإسلامي، كان استجابة لرسالة من الرشيد إلى قاضيه أبي يوسف في أن يضع له كتابا في مالية الدولة وفق أحكام الشرع الحنيف، وقد تضمن الكتاب بيانا بموارد الدولة على اختلافها، حسبما جاءت به الشريعة، ومصارف تلك الأموال، وتطرّق إلى بيان الطريقة المثلى لجمع تلك الأموال، وتعرض لبعض الواجبات التي يلزم بيت المال القيام بها.. وهو ما أغفله بعض الولاة. والكتاب وثيقة تاريخية مهمة في تصوير بعض الأحوال المالية والاجتماعية في هذا العصر، فهو يندد ببعض ممارسات بعض الولاة مع أهل الخراج، حيث يطالبونهم بما ليس واجبا عليهم من أموال، ويشتطون في تحصليها. ويقترح أبو يوسف في "الخراج" على الخليفة أن يجلس للنظر في مظالم الرعية مجلسا واحدا في الشهر أو الشهرين، يسمع فيه من المظلوم، وينكر على الظالم؛ حتى ينتهي الولاة عن ظلم رعيتهم، كما حثّه على أن يجيب مطالب المزارعين وأهل الخراج في كل ما فيه مصلحة لهم، كحفر الأنهار. ويلتزم بيت المال بالإنفاق على تلك المشروعات.. وخلاصة القول إن أبا يوسف وضع نظاما شاملا للخراج يتفق مع أحكام الشريعة الإسلامية.
Yaqub ibn Ibrahim al-Ansari, better known as Abu Yusuf (Arabic: أبو يوسف يعقوب بن إبراهيم الأنصاري) was a student of jurist Abu Hanifah who helped spread the influence of the Hanafi school of Islamic law through his writings and the government positions he held.
He served as the chief judge (qadi al-qudah) during reign of Harun al-Rashid. His most famous work was Kitab al-Kharaj, a treatise on taxation and fiscal problems of the state.
Abu Yusuf lived in Kufa and Baghdad, in what is now Iraq, during the 8th century. His genealogy has been traced back to Sa'd ibn Habta, a youth in Medina in the time of the Prophet, and his birth date is estimated based on his the date of his death to be around 729. Based on anecdotal stories, Abu Yusuf was raised poor but with a ferocious appetite for knowledge. His mother disapproved of his academic desires, insisting that he master some trade (the art of tailoring, according to some source) so as to help make ends meet. While it cannot be fully verified, stories suggest that he complied with his mother's wishes, but also kept up his academic studies. His talent and commitment was eventually recognized by Abu Hanifa who became his mentor with Abu Yusuf as his star pupil. He is portrayed as an incredibly studious individual who was unceasing in his pursuit for knowledge and legal understanding. While much of what is known of his early childhood relies on sometimes contradictory anecdotal evidence, it has been verified that he studied religious law and traditions in Kufa and Medina under a number of scholars including Abu Hanifa, Malik ibn Anas, al-Layth ibn Sa'd and others. Under the guidance of Abu Hanifa, Abu Yusuf achieved incredible success and helped develop and spread the influence of the Hanafi school of Islamic law.
Abu Yusuf lived in Kufa until he was appointed Qadi in Baghdad. It is unclear whether he was appointed by Mahdi, al-Hadi, or Harun al-Rashid. According to one story, Abu Yusuf was able to provide sound advice pertaining to religious law to a government official who rewarded him generously and recommended him to the caliph, Harun al-Rashid. He continued to provide satisfactory legal opinions to the caliph who drew him into his inner circle and eventually appointed him Qadi. While this version of events is probable, it is not necessarily authentic and cannot be independently verified. What is known is that Abu Yusuf became a close acquaintance of Abbasid caliph, Harun al-Rashid, who eventually granted him the title of Grand Qadi, or Qadi Al-qudah; the first time such a title had been conferred upon someone in Islamic history. While at the time it was meant as an honorific title, the Caliph frequently consulted Abu Yusuf on legal matters and financial policy and even bestowed upon him the ability to appoint other Qadis in the empire. This made the position of Grand Qadi analogous to a modern-day chief justice. Abu Yusuf held the position of Grand Qadi until his death in 798.
احترام العلماء والخلاف ظاهر في هذا الكتاب. وفيه من الاشارات و الوقائع الشيء الكثير، خاصة عن أحوال سير الدولة في عصر هارون الرشيد. وفيه أن هذا الكتاب كتاب فقه وليس مجرد أحاديث مسندة، حيث أن الكتاب موجه لهارون ليعمل به وهو محاط بالأحاديث المنقطعة، ولكن عليها العمل