What Do We Know About Imam Ahmad?

[Abuz Zubair]

As-Salaamu 'Alaikum,

Since we are studying the Hanbali Madhab, it is appropriate that we start by learning, and sharing what we already know about the 'founder' of this Madhab, Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, his early life, his education, his teachers, his students, his trial, and his death; along with other historical facts about the growth, development, spread of the Madhab.

However, instead of me writing something up, and in order to make our lessons more interactive, I suggest that we ask YOU to write what you know about this man… Ahmad ibn Hanbal. It could be anything you know, or heard, so long as it is in your own words and not a cut-and-paste job!

So what do you know about Ahmad ibn Hanbal?

wasalam

[Abu Ilyas]

As Salaamualaiakum

Imaam Ahmad was based in Iraaq. He was a contemporary of Imaam ash Shafiie, though Junior to him , studied under him ???so he lived in the period of the Abbasid Khilafah.

Imaam Ahmad (RH) compiled a HUGE collection of hadeeth, I think something like 30,000 hadeeth in his compilation which is called 'al Musnad'. Also, Imaam Bukhaari took hadeeth directly from Imaam Ahmad I beleive when Bukhaari travelled to Iraaq.

Imaam Ahmad was imprisoned and severely beaten and tortured during an Inquisition for not polluting his Aqueeda by accepting the Philosophical/Mutazili Position on the creation of the Qur'an. Imaam Ahmad stood firm against all this torture and never changed his belief, May Allah have Mercy upon Him.

Thats all. I would like to hear more historical stuff on him please!!

Was Salaam

[Abiumar]

He was a Haafidh who had memorised more than a 100 thousand hadeeth, and he by the permission of Allah saved this Deen from being deviated and having ingrain the false belief in the Muslims minds that the Qur'aan is created.

By Allah the Qur'aan is not created, indeed it is the speech of Allah.

[Abuz Zubair]

JazaakumAllahu Khairan Abu Ilyas and Abu Umar,

As Abu Ilyas said, he was not only a contemporary to Imam al-Shafi'i, he was in fact one of his beloved students. It is commonly known amongst Shafi'is that when Imam al-Shafi'i said: حدثني ثقة (a reliable sourse narrated to me), intending by that Imam Ahmad. He would say to Imam Ahmad: Tell us of a Hadeeth which is authentic and we would act on it.

Imam Ahmad would likewise have much respect for him. On one occasion, Imam Ahmad was sitting with either Ishaq ibn Rahwaih or 'Ali ibn al-Madini, and he saw Imam al-Shafi'i pass by them riding a donkey. So Imam Ahmad began to follow al-Shafi'i behind his donkey asking him about Fiqh issues. He then came back to his companion (either Ishaq or Ali), and the companion said: Why were you following asl-Shafi'i like that in a degrading manner? Imam Ahmad replied: This is how knowledge is sought!

It is interesting that brother Abu Ilyas brought up the relationship between Shafi'i and Ahmad, because the Madhabs of these two are strikingly similarly to each other.

As mentioned, Imam Ahmad is also the compiler of biggest Musnad, which he collected after travelling the entire Muslim world. This book is a testimony to Imam Ahmad's memory. Imam Ahmad would often play with his son Salih, by the latter throwing a chain of narration, or a text of a Hadeeth at Imam Ahmad, which he would then complete - all from his memory.

Apart from the great Hafidh, he was also an Imam of Jarh and Ta'deel (the science of critism and strengthening of Hadeeth narrators). He is regarded to be from the balanced Imams who would neither be harsh in their critism nor lenient.

Of course, there is not a briographer on Imam Ahmad except that he mentions the trial that this Imam went through in order to safeguard our creed. The story is very long and moving, but in short, when the Mu'tazilites (the rationalists) managed to establish their influence in the office of Khalif Ma'mun, the latter instigated an inquisition by examing the beliefs of all scholars and forcing them to confess that the Quran is not the speech of Allah. Rather Allah created this speech, the way he created the entire creation. Many senior scholars of his time were forced into this belief, some of these scholars were even killed, while others were imprisoned, and from them Imam Ahmad. This Imam lived and survived this great trial with much pain by witnessing many of the senior scholars of his time, as well as his close companions giving into the demands of the ruler and not remaining patient and speaking the truth. Fortunately, this episode left a great impression on the Hanbalis to come, so much so, that Hanbalis became known through out Islamic history, as the strickest of people in adherence to the Sunnah in beliefs and actions and the sternest of all people against Bid'ah; and the two classic examples of such Hanbalis, would undoubtedly be Ibn Taymiyah and Muhammad ibn 'Abdil-Wahhab.

So far so good, but a bit disappointing to see only 2 out of about 20 something people posting! We want mass participation people!! So tell us, when was he born? Where? When did he start his education? Under who? When did he start giving Fatwas? When did he die? How was his funeral? Who were his companions? How was his Madhab narrated and compiled?

All these questions need answers :)

wasalam

[Safeenah]

- Ahmad ibn Hanbal was born in the city of Baghdad in the year 780 CE (164 AH).

-He died in Baghdad in the year 855 CE (241 AH).

[Unspecified]

I know that Imam Ahmads mum used to wake him up very early, before Fajr and take him to the mosque.

And when he was being taken (?) to be questioned about his stance on the Qur'an - there were loads of people outside waiting to write down what he would say... so he said how could be mislead all those people...

There is nothing more I know that what has already been said...

Oh, and there is this really nice statement of his - something along the lines of as long as he had his faith, then everythings ok (sorry, vague - but i can go and find it...)

[Sabr Wa Shukr]

Asalaamu'alaykum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatauh

His full name is Shaykh Islaam Abu Abdullaah Ahmad Ibn Muhammad Ibn Hanbal.
~ Born in the year 164 after the Prophetic hijrah.
~ Begun seeking knowledge at the age of 15.
~He traveled extensively acquiring and learning ahadîth from over two-hundred and eighty teachers
~ Those who narrated from him include - Muslim Abu Dawood, his sons - Salih and abdullaah ibn ahmad, and Al Bukhari (only a single hadith)
~Student of Imaam Shafee
~ He was imprisoned in ramadan of the year of 219H
~he attended the circles of Qadi Abu Yusuf (the student of Abu Hanifah) - rahimahullah
~He began to study Hadith at the age of thirteen - having already memorised the Qur'aan at a young age.
~He underwent severe torture and trial due to defending the correct aqeedah - the aqeedah of Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaah (the Prophet sallallahu ’alayhi wa sallam, his Companions and those who followed them in aqeedah and manhaj)
~ Imaam Hanbal passed away on the day of jummah, the 12th night of rabeul awaal in the year 241H.

:::: Imaam ash-Shafee - rahimahullah - said:
“I left Baghdad and I did not leave behind me a man better, having more knowledge, or greater Fiqh (understanding), nor having greater taqwa (piety) than Ahmad ibn Hanbal.”

Wa'alaykumassalaam Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatauh

~ Sabr Wa Shukr

[Umm Julaybib]

Assalaamu'alaikoum Warahmatullah Wabarakaatuh

-Imam Ahmad Never gave a fatwa while Imam Sha'fi was in Iraq.
-When he died in 241H his funeral procession consisted of eight hundred thousand men and sixty thousand women.

Abu Dawud said of him: ‘Ahmad’s gatherings were gatherings of the afterlife: nothing of this world was mentioned. Never once did I hear him mention this-worldly things.’

Wa'alaikoumsalaam

[Abuz Zubair]

as-Salaamu 'Alaikum and Eid Mubarak to everyone,

TaqabbalAllahu Minna wa minkum!

MashaaAllah! JazaakumAllahu Khairan for everyone's useful and beneficial response.

As promised, our lessons are back after 'Eid. Let's pray that these lessons continue and that Allah blesses our efforts.

For the benefit of those interested in studying Hanbali Fiqh, I thought it would be nice to introduce them to the Imam and Madhab, so I wrote something up very quickly regarding various aspects of the life of Imam Ahmad along with his Madhab - particularly for you brothers and sisters.

Please have a read of the following link:
http://www.islamicawakening.com/viewarticle.php?articleID=1193

And now, on to the next Imam - Muwaffaq al-Din ibn Qudama, the author of al-Umdah...

wasalam

[nobody]

As mentioned, Imam Ahmad is also the compiler of biggest Musnad, which he collected after travelling the entire Muslim world. This book is a testimony to Imam Ahmad's memory. Imam Ahmad would often play with his son Salih, by the latter throwing a chain of narration, or a text of a Hadeeth at Imam Ahmad, which he would then complete - all from his memory.

i heared or read somewhere that it was musannaf of abdur razzaq that imam ahl sunnah used to play with his son ?

[hearandobey]

i read today that one of the ulamaa (forgot which one!) said that if it wasn't for imam ahmed, the people would've become mu'tazilis.

[Ibn Abi Ukhti]

بسم الله الرحمان الرحيم
السلام عليكم

Have these classes come to end?