🧵 (1/10) Early Islamic law was not based primarily on hadith. Ahl ray accepted some hadith but believed that many hadith were forged. Doubtful hadith could be set aside if better legal reasoning supported a different ruling. Abu Hanifa, Yusuf, Shaybani belonged to Ahl al-ray. 🧵(2/10) Hadith of Muadh ibn Jabal treated ray as an independent legal source later ijtihad became analogy rather than broad personal judgment.Hadith was probably created in the 8th century by supporters of the ahl al-ray. Hanafi theoretical writings have been lost or suppressed.

I think John Cole's work is too harshly criticized by some scholars because there are other scholars that have praised his work. Cole's work really has some significant strengths, and it’s worth recognizing those alongside the valid critiques.

People didn't convert to islam at Swordpoint according to following academic historians.