Hazrat Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal

Tomb of Imam Ahmad Bin Hanbal is at Martyrs cemetery in Iraq - Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Hanbal Abu 'Abdullah al-Shaybani

Imam Abu Abdullah Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Hambal (alaihir rahmah) was born in Marw on the 20th of Rabi-ul-Awwal 164 A.H.

EARLY LIFE:

His father, Sayyiduna Mohammed (alaihir rahmah) was a warrior (Mujaahid) & lived in Basrah, Iraq. Imam Ahmed bin Hambal (alaihir rahmah) was a very intelligent child, keenly interested in furthering his Islamic education. At the age of 16, he began studying Hadith literature. It is said that he learnt almost a million Ahadith by heart. He became a famous Jurist.

HIS TEACHERS:

Some of his teachers were Imam Shaafa'ee, Sayyiduna Bishar bin Al Mufaddal, Sayyiduna Ismail bin Ulayyah, Sayyiduna Jarir bin Abdul Hamid & Sayyiduna Yahya bin Said (radi Allahu anhum-ul-ajma'in).

The great compilers of Ahadith, Imam Bukhaari & Imam Muslim (radi Allahu anhuma), including his teacher, Imam Shaafa'ee (alaihir rahmah), have also reported Hadith from him. Imam Shaafa'ee (alaihir rahmah), in spite of being the most learned in his time, used to refer to Imam Ahmed bin Hambal (alaihir rahmah) about certain Ahadith.

HIS PUPILS:

Amongst his pupils, the most famous were Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Al-Alhram, Sayyiduna Hambal bin Ishaaq & Sayyiduna Abul Qasim Al-Baghvi (radi Allahu anhum-ul-ajma'in).

HIS PIETY:

Imam Ahmed bin Hambal (alaihir rahmah) was a very pious scholar who devoted all his life in the Science of Ahadith & Fiqh. He refused to eat in anyone's house who held a Governmental post. Being extremely poor with no food to eat at times, he used to still refuse to accept charity saying that he had full faith in Almighty Allah.

HIS WORKS:

The most famous among his books are: Kitaab-ul-A'maal, Kitaab-ut-Tafseer, Kitaab-ul-Naasikh wal Mansookh, Kitaab-ul-Zahid, Kitaab-ul-Masaa'il, Kitaab-ul-Fadaa'il & Kitaab-ul-Mansiq.

IMPRISONMENT:

Imam Ahmed bin Hambal (alaihir rahmah), in the later years of his life, was imprisoned & tortured by the ruthless rulers who went against him due to their un-Islamic beliefs & practises. Caliph Mutasim billah forced the Imam to accept the beliefs of the "Mu'tazalis" (a corrupt sect), but he refused & was beaten to such a degree that his joints were dislocated. He was kept in heavy chains for 30 months in a prison in Baghdad. He still refused to accept the beliefs of the corrupt Mu'tazali Sect & was again beaten till he fell unconscious.

PASSES AWAY:

On the 25th of Ramadaan in the year 221 A.H., Caliph Mutasim, in fear of the sin he committed, repented & set the Imam free. Imam Ahmed bin Hambal (alaihir rahmah) forgave all the people except the Mutazalis. He passed away in the year 241 A.H.