Hanif

From Answering Islam:

HANIF

A Syriac word (hanpe/hanfe) meaning renegade. The word "Hanif" occurs 12 times in the Qur'an, where Abraham is looked upon as a model of "Hannifaya". According to Âl 'Imran 3:67, he is neither Jew nor Christian. Arab poets of pre-Islamic days used the term "Hanif" for a pagan or idolator. Even Muslim scholars recognized that the word is foreign. Masaudi in "Tanbih" says it is Syriac. The Syriac Christians used it as an equivalent of the pagan, or for non-Trinitarian heretics, eg. Arians. During the early days of Islam, the followers of the prophet prefered not to call themselves "Hunafa", and chose to use Muslim instead.

Four Hanifs were mentioned by ibn Ishaq, a famous biographer of Muhammad: Waraqa b. Naufal, Ubaidullah b. Jash, Uthamn b. al-Huwayrith and Zaid b. Amr.

One day when the Quraysh had assembled on a feast day to venerate and circumambulate the idol to which they offered sacrifices, this being a feast which they held annually, four men drew apart secretly and agreed to keep their counsel in the bonds of friendship. They were Waraqa b.Naufal, Ubaydullah b.Jahsh, whose mother was Umayma d.'Abdu'l Muttalib, Uthman b.al-Huwayrith and Zayd b.'Amr. They were of the opinion that their people had corrupted the religion of their father Abraham, and that the stone they went round was of no account, it could neither hear nor see, nor hurt nor help. ``Find yourselves a religion,'' they said, ``for by God you have none.'' So they went their ways seeking the ``Hanaffiya'' -- the religion of Abraham." (Ibn Ishaq, Life of Muhammad, tr. Guillaume, p. 99)

It is interesting that these four monotheists did not believe in the pagan ritual of circumabulating the Ka'aba. The ritual was later adopted by the Muslims.

Richard Bell makes an interesting suggestion regarding the puzzling question of the identity of the hanifs in his article Who were the Hanifs? Comparative Index to Islam : HANIF

S 2:135 And they said: Be Jews or Nasara, to be guided. Say: No, the cult of Ibrahim, a Hanif. And he was not of the mushrikun.

S 3:67 Ibrahim was not a Jew nor a Nasrani but a Hanif, a Muslim, and was not of the mushrikun.

S 3:95 Say: Allah has told the truth so follow the cult of Ibrahim a Hanif. And he was not of the mushrikun.

S 4:125 And who is better in religion than he who has surrendered his face to Lah and he is a good-doer and has followed the cult of Ibrahim a Hanif? And Allah took Ibrahim as a friend.

S 6:79 I have turned my face to the one who ripped apart the skies and the Earth, a Hanif, and I am not of the mushrikun.

S 6:161 Say: I, my lord has guided me to a straight path, a worthy religion, the cult of Ibrahim, a Hanif. And he was not of the mushrikun.

S 10:105 And: Direct your face to the religion as a Hanif and do not be of the mushrikun.

S 16:120 Ibrahim was a nation, obedient to Lah, a Hanif, and was not of the mushrikun.

S 16:123 Then we inspired you: Follow the cult of Ibrahim, a Hanif. And he was not of the mushrikun.

S 30:30 So set your face to the Hanif religion. Allah’s fitrah which he has split people on. There is no change to Allah’s creation. That is the worthy religion but most people do not know.

See my post: Does 'Allah' Call Jews Mushrikun?

Now in all of these passages the word is spelt with a final alif 'A'. As it stands it would suggest the word in the accusative case. The true form of the word is Hanif, not 'Hanifa'. Did the author find this form in a book translated from Syriac?

The plural is found in:

S 22:31 Hunafa to Lah, not associating with him. And he who associates with Allah, it is as though he has fallen from the sky and the bird has seized him or the wind blows him to a distant place.

S 98:5 And they were not commanded but to worship Allah, sincere towards him in the religion, Hunafa, and to perform salat and to give the zakat. And that is the religion of the valuable thing.