Some Merits of Imam Ahmad…

http://www.islamicboard.com/islamic-history-biographies/34070-imaam-ahmad-ibn-hanbal.html

http://www.hanbalis.com/

Shaikhul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah quotes in al-Istiqaamah (pp.85-86):

That when Abdul-Qaadir al-Jeelaanee was asked:

`Has there ever been one who was a Walee of Allaah who was upon other than the Aqeedah of Ahmad bin Hanbal?`

He replied: `That has not occurred and will not occur.`

Let Nobody Have Any Favor Over You:

“al-Imam Ahmad – may Allah have Mercy upon him – would not accept any gifts from the people, so that they would not have any favor over him. He would reject the gifts of the rulers. One time – and the people loved to present him with gifts – he sent one of his sons to buy a loaf of bread. So, when the baker asked the boy who he was, he replied: “I am the son of Ahmad bin Hambal.” So, instead of filling the bag with bread, the baker filled it with gold and silver, and gave it to him. When Ahmad bin Hambal opened the bag and found gold and silver, he told his son: “Go back to him.” When he gave the bag back, the baker called out to him: “Come, at least take the bread that you paid a dirham for!” Imam Ahmad’s son said: “My father commanded me to return everything.”

They would wish that they could give him some gift, but, he was honorable in the face of such a reality, as the Prophet said: “Abstain from the dunya, and Allah will Love you. Abstain from what is with the people, and the people will love you.”

Then came the tribulation of the creation of the Qur’an. al-Ma’mun adopted this belief, and came to torture Ahmad bin Hambal, so that he would do the same. al-Ma’mun died, al-Mu’tasim continued in torturing him, and he took a stand for Allah – the Mighty and Exalted – in which he honored this religion. Eighteen years, and three rulers who tortured him so that he would accept and endorse the belief of the Qur’an being created, but, he refused. Then came al-Wathiq, who reversed all that had happened in terms of the affair of the creation of the Qur’an. He wanted to honor Ahmad bin Hambal publicly, but, Imam Ahmad refused. So, he sent for his sons and showered them with gifts, which they accepted. When Ahmad bin Hambal learned that his sons had accepted the gifts of al-Wathiq, he built a wall between his home and theirs, boycotting them.

One day, Ahmad bin Hambal became sick. So, his doctor instructed him to roast a ear of corn in the oven and eat it. So, he bought the corn, and asked that it be roasted. So, it was taken to the oven of his uncle, Salih. When it was brought back to Ahmad, he asked: “Where did you roast it?” They said: “In the oven of your uncle, Salih.” He said: “I will not even taste it, as his wealth has been mixed with the gifts of the ruler.”

As a result, it got to the point that even the jinn would fear him!

A crazed girl was brought to al-Wathiq, so, he said: “Send her to Ahmad bin Hambal.” When she was brought to Ahmad, they asked him: “Please cure this crazed girl for us!” So, he began to speak to the jinni that had possessed this girl, saying: “Get out of this girl! Get out of this girl!” But, it didn’t come out. He continued, saying: “Get out, or I’ll – and Ahmad began to threaten the jinni – ” and the jinni came out, saying: “O Ahmad! You feared Allah, so, everything is afraid of you! You feared Allah, so, everything is afraid of you!”

The jinni waited until Ahmad bin Hambal eventually died, and it returned to possess the girl once again. So, they brought the girl to a shaykh – who, as it was said, is more like us than Ahmad bin Hambal – and he began to speak to the jinni, saying: “Get out, or I’ll…” Suddenly, the jinni began to laugh, saying: “Ahmad bin Hambal has died; Ahmad bin Hambal has died…””

“Abstain from the dunya, and Allah will Love you. Abstain from what is with the people, and the people will love you.”

[‘Fi Dhilal Surat at-Tawbah’; p. 195-196]

In his book on the merits of Ahmad bin Hambal, Ibn al-Jawzi mentioned:

“al-Harith bin Miskin entered upon Ahmad bin Hambal while he was being tortured, and narrated:

“Yusuf bin ‘Umar bin Yazid narrated to me that Malik bin Anas said: “az-Zuhri was dragged away until he was beaten with a whip.” So, it was said to him: “But az-Zuhri was brought out in front of the people had has books hung from his neck!” So, Malik said: “Sa’id bin al-Musayyib was beaten with a whip, and his hair and beard were shaven off, and Abu az-Zinad was beaten with a whip, as was Muhammad bin al-Munkadir.””

And ‘Umar bin ‘Abd al-‘Aziz said: “Do not envy anyone who has not been harmed for the sake of this affair (i.e., Islam)!””

So, Ahmad became pleased at these narrations of al-Harith’s.”

[‘Manaqib al-Imam Ahmad’; p. 321]

Ibn al-Jawzi continued:

“And the people are still being put to trial for the Sake of Allah, and being patient upon that. For example, the Prophets would be killed, and the righteous people of the previous nations would be killed and burned alive. One of them would even have his flesh combed off of his body with a metal comb, and he would remain upon his religion, despite this.

The Messenger of Allah was poisoned, as was Abu Bakr. ‘Umar, ‘Uthman, and ‘Ali were all killed. al-Hasan was poisoned, and al-Husayn was killed. ‘Abdullah bin az-Zubayr, ad-Dahhak bin Qays, and an-Nu’man bin Bashir were also all killed, and Khubayb bin ‘Udayy was crucified.

al-Hajjaj killed ‘Abd ar-Rahman bin Abi Layla, ‘Abd ar-Rahman bin Ghalib al-Hidani, Sa’id bin Jubayr, Abu al-Bukhtari at-Ta’i, Kumayl bin Ziyad, and crucified Mahan al-Hanafi. He had also crucified ‘Abdullah bin az-Zubayr beforehand.

al-Wathiq killed Ahmad bin Nasr al-Khuza’i and crucified him.

As for those who were persecuted from the major scholars: ‘Abd ar-Rahman bin Abi Layla; he was whipped by al-Hajjaj over four hundred lashes, then al-Hajjaj killed him.

Abu az-Zinad was whipped by Banu Umayyah, and Abu ‘Amr bin al-‘Ala’ was whipped by Banu Umayyah over five hundred lashes, and Rabi’ah ar-Ra’i was also whipped by Banu Umayyah.

‘Atiyyah al-‘Awfi was whipped by al-Hajjaj over four hundred lashes, and Yazid ad-Dabiyy was also whipped over four hundred lashes by al-Hajjaj.

Thabit al-Binani was whipped by al-Jarud (the successor of Ibn Ziyad), and ‘Abdullah bin ‘Awn was whipped over seven hundred lashes by Bilal bin Abi Bardah.

al-Imam Malik bin Anas was whipped by al-Mansur over seventy lashes, and Abu as-Sawwar al-‘Adawi and ‘Uqbah bin ‘Abd al-Ghafir were also lashed several times.”

[‘Manaqib al-Imam Ahmad’; p. 322]

Shabat (one of Ahmad’s torturers who later repented) said:

“I whipped Ahmad bin Hambal with over eighty lashes. If I had struck an elephant with these lashes, they would have caused it to collapse.”

[‘Manaqib al-Imam Ahmad’; p. 157]

When Ahmad bin Hambal was imprisoned, one of the prison guards came to him and asked him:

“O Abu ‘Abdillah! The hadith that is narrated regarding the oppressors and those that aid them – is it authentic?”

He said: “Yes.”

The prison guard then said: “So, I am considered to be an aide of the oppressors?”

Imam Ahmad replied: “No. The aides of the oppressors are those that comb your hair, and wash your clothes, and prepare your meals, and buy and sell from you. As for you, then you are one of the oppressors themselves.”

[‘Manaqib al-Imam Ahmad’ by Ibn al-Jawzi; p.397]

Ahmad Ibn Hanbal participated in Ji had:

Abdullah bin Mahmud bin al-Faraj narrated:

“I heard ‘Abdullah bin Ahmad bin Hambal say: “My father went out to Tarsus [*] and guarded the frontlines and fought there. My father said: “I saw knowledge dying there.“””

[‘Siyar A’lam an-Nubala”; 9/517]

[*] A city in present-day Syria, where the Muslims were fighting the Romans.

Others have stated:

Tarsus i believe if im not mistaken is in Turkey today. Tarsus is part of modern day Turkey…Tartus is in Modern day Syria. And Allaah knows best.

http://www.hanbalis.com/