What did Abu Hanifa mean by permitting a woman to marry without a guardian (wali), provided there are witnesses or public declaration: Did he mean without the guardian's knowledge, or with his knowledge, but the woman herself handles the marriage contract?

The Hanafi school of thought holds that it is valid for a mature and sane woman to marry herself off, even without the permission or knowledge of her guardian. The majority of scholars, however, maintain that a woman's marriage without a guardian is invalid.