Abu Hanifa

About Abu Hanifa

Abu Hanifa (698–767 CE) was an immensely consequential Sunni Muslim theologian and jurist, recognized by the Pantheon project with an HPI Rank of #625 among history's most influential figures. He is primarily credited as the founder of the Hanafi school of fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence), which became the most widely followed in the Sunni world. His systematic approach to legal reasoning and interpretation formed the bedrock for religious and legal practice for millions across centuries and vast geographical regions, cementing his historical importance.

Despite this profound, enduring influence, his modern digital footprint is comparatively small. In 2025, Abu Hanifa garnered approximately 290K annual Wikipedia views. This level of attention places him in a distinct category when compared to figures in similar religious domains. For instance, he receives significantly fewer views than Francis Xavier (462K views, HPI #995) and Bartholomew the Apostle (502K views, HPI #767), indicating a noticeable under-representation relative to his HPI-derived importance, although his own score of ~1x suggests attention is roughly in line with his ranking.

Further examination of his digital presence reveals a cooling trend. His annual view count showed a year-over-year decline of -19.7%, and his recent 2025 Momentum, comparing Q1 to Q3, dropped by -41%. This suggests that while his historical impact remains strong, current internet engagement is either stable or decreasing for this foundational religious scholar.