Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal (RH)

Abu ‘Abdullah Ahmad Ibn Hanbal ash-Shaybani (Rahmatullahi-alai) was born in Baghdad in the moth Rabee’ul-Awwal in the year 164 (AH). His father was amongst the soldiers of Marw, he died while still a youth and Imam Ahmad was raised as an orphan as it is said that his mother fled from Marw and took Ahmad with her. Abul-Fadl Saalih Ibn Ahmad Ibn Hanbal said, ‘I heard my father saying, ‘I was born in the year 164 (AH), in the beginning of Rabee’ul-Awwal.’’

Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal travelled extensively in quest of knowledge and studied various subjects in his hometown. Imam Ad-Dhabi describes Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal as, ‘The true Shaykh of Islam and leader of the Muslims in his time, the master of Hadith and proof of the religion.’ Imam Ahmad was interested in acquiring knowledge of Hadith and travelled through Iraq, Syria, Arabia and other places in the Middle East studying religion and collecting Hadith of the Prophet (SAW). Abul-Fadl Saalih Ibn Ahmad Ibn Hanbal said: ‘My father said, ‘I studied Hadith when I was sixteen years old.’’ His travels occupied several years of his life. After returning home, he became a student of Imam Shafi’e who taught his Islamic Fiqh and its fundamentals. Imam Shafi’e (RH, d. 204 AH) further states, “I left Baghdad, and I did not leave behind me a man better, having more knowledge, or greater fiqh (understanding), nor having greater taqwaa (piety) than Ahmad Ibn Hanbal.” This proves to us the dedication and commitment Imam Ahmad had to learn the religion of Allah (SWT).

Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal was very firm in faith and due to this he was imprisoned, like the other great imaams, but he potentially submitted to corporal punishment and yet refused to deviate from his beliefs. He had two knowledge imparting-circles: a special one at his home for student with great zeal for knowledge and another general dars (lesson) following the ‘Asr prayer for ordinary knowledge-seekers. He taught a number of keen students. Most eminent among them was Abu Bakr Al-Maruzy, who was close to him and most liked by him on account of his knowledge, truthfulness, morality and integrity. Imam Ahmad had a heart unattached to worldly affairs, Abu Dawud (d. 257 AH) said: ‘The lectures of Imam Ahmad were sittings of the Hereafter. He would not mention in them anything of the worldly affairs; and I never saw him mention this world.’ Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal is the founder of the Hanbali school of thought.

Imam Ahmad compiled a great encyclopaedia of Ahadith called ‘Al-Musnad’, a collection of Hadith that served as the basis of his school of legal thought, the Hanbali Madhab. It was compiled during his lifetime and by his son ‘Abdullah. Al-Musnad contains over 30,000 Ahadith which include discipline of Salah, matters of ‘Aqidah and much more. After a lifetime of great achievements the imam dies in the year 241 (AH), on Friday on the twelfth of Rabee’ul-Awwal, he was buried in Baghdad.

And Allah knows best.