The Atheists and Abu Hanifa Another Time

Once Imam Abu Hanifa was called to a debate with some freethinkersand atheists and there was a time set for this debate.When the time of the debate was about to start, the freethinkers werein a particular place before an assembly of people. Imam Abu Hanifa was verylate from the agreed upon time. The attendees awaited him until they ereunable to stand or bear more and the freethinkers started to boast amongstthemselves of their claims of rejecting the existence of Allah (Exalted andDignified be He). They took from the absence of Imam Abu Hanifa fromthe agreed time, as a proof of his inability to prove what he claimed.While the boasting of the atheists was about to reach its climax andthe annoyance of the attendees from the late of the Imam was about to reachits peak, Imam Abu Hanifa arrived. He immediately begged the attendeesto excuse him, claiming that he was supposed to attend in time, saying ‘Iwas on the opposite bank of the Tigris river and I did not find a boat tobring me across the river. So I was obliged to await more time but I didnot find any boat. When I was despondent about finding a boat to transferme to the opposite bank of the river I was about to return to my house.But from a far distance, I saw some wooden boards coming towards me on theirown (without any sailor). When these boards came near me, they began toorganize themselves until they form a beautiful boat so I mounted it, crossedthe river and came to you.Therefore, all freethinkers said, do you mock us O Abu Hanifa?! Is itnot logical that the wooden boards can come to you on their own as you havedescried and form themselves a boat?! He said, this is what you have gatheredto argue with me. If you do not accept that the boards can make themselvesinto a boat, so, how do you claim that this well-knitted and marvelous world,with heaven, earth, Man and animal, created itself and its creation happedhaphazardly without a creator?!. Therefore, the freethinkers were unableto pronounce any word or give any proclaim their (return) to Islam at thehands of Abu Hanifa (may Allah be pleased with him).8