The Trial and Steadfastness of Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal in the Mihna

“And among people and moving creatures and grazing livestock are various colors similarly. Only those fear Allāh,

from among His servants, who have knowledge. Indeed, Allāh is Exalted in Might and Forgiving.” (Quran 35:28)

Peace be upon you, and Allah's mercy and blessings.

“In the name of Allāh, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.”

“[All] praise is [due] to Allāh, Lord of the worlds -” (Quran 1:1-2)

May Allah ﷻ send blessings and peace upon His Messenger.

May Allah bless you all, and welcome to this new episode.

As I promised you, the biography of Imam Ahmad (RH) is vast,

and I do not think that even dozens of episodes would be enough for it.

However, I tried my best to summarize and cover the most important milestones

in the biography of Imam Ahmad (RH).

In the previous episode, we explored some of the biography of Imam Ahmad,

from his birth, his travels, his scholarly life, and his teachers,

his students, the scholars' praise for him, and the amazing consensus, Glory be to Allah,

on Imam Ahmad—an amazing consensus among the scholars on his greatness

and his status, may Allah have mercy on him and be pleased with him.

Of course, Imam Ahmad (RH)...

...faced a great trial. And as you know, my brothers and sisters, that...

...Allah's cosmic and predestined law is trial and testing.

He, Majestic and Exalted, says:

“And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient,”

“Who, when disaster strikes them, say, "Indeed we belong to Allāh, and indeed to Him we will return."” (Quran 2:155-156)

"strikes them,

“Who, when disaster strikes them, say, "Indeed we belong to Allāh, and indeed to Him we will return."” (Quran 2:156)

we shall return."

And He, Majestic and Sublime, says:

“Every soul will taste death. And We test you with evil and with good as trial; and to Us you will be returned.” (Quran 21:35)

"'And We tested them with good times and bad that perhaps they would return.'"

There are many such texts in the Quran.

The Prophet ﷺ says: "The people most severely tested are the prophets, then the scholars."

And in another narration: "The people most severely tested are the prophets, then the righteous, then the next best..."

When we reflect on the lives of the prophets, we find that every single one of them was tested.

Reflect on the stories of the Quran, you will find, Glory be to Allah, that the prophets (AS),

who are the elite, the messengers of Allah ﷻ to His creation to convey His religion and His message,

every single one of them was tested; they were subjected to great trials and tribulations.

For this reason, Imam Ahmad (RH) joined this unique chain of the prophets,

so that Allah ﷻ would raise his rank and elevate his status.

And Allah ﷻ decreed for Imam Ahmad (RH)...

This remembrance—I believe, indeed I am certain—that the sun does not rise or set except that Imam Ahmad (RH) is mentioned,

and mercy and pleasure are invoked upon him.

The critical event in Imam Ahmad's (RH) life is what is called the great trial,

the immense calamity, famous as the trial of the doctrine of the creation of the Quran,

in which scholars, Quran reciters, preachers, and students of knowledge were tested; some stood firm, while others complied.

But Allah ﷻ protected the Muslims through Imam Ahmad (RH); He protected Islam and its people through him

when he stood firm in that trial—that difficult,

harsh trial—and did not yield to what they demanded of him.

Of course, this trial—

began in the late second century and intensified at the beginning of the third century,

and lasted for approximately fifteen years.

This trial continued.

Imagine, fifteen years, and the people were in affliction and trial

because of this matter.

This was because the Abbasid Caliph, Al-Ma'mun, the son of Harun al-Rashid,

was convinced by the innovators, the leaders of misguidance, who convinced Al-Ma'mun that the Quran is created.

For they had brought books of philosophy and kalam, and their hearts absorbed them.

They became convinced of this, and then convinced Al-Ma'mun,

the Abbasid Caliph, that the Quran is created, so he adopted it.

He was convinced of it, and absorbed this trial and innovation.

He adopted it and then tested the people on it.

He began forcing people to say that the Quran is created.

And many scholars, judges, and Quran reciters complied under duress, because Allah ﷻ says:

“Whoever disbelieves in [i.e., denies] Allāh after his belief... except for one who is forced [to renounce his religion] while his heart is secure in faith. But those who [willingly] open their breasts to disbelief, upon them is wrath from Allāh, and for them is a great punishment;” (Quran 16:106)

'...breast [to disbelief].' People were being threatened:

'Either say it or we kill you; either say it or we imprison you.'

But Imam Ahmad (RH) stood firm,

along with some other scholars. They refused to submit to this heinous and ugly innovation,

because of its danger to the creed of the Muslims.

Abu Ja'far al-Anbari said: "When Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal was taken...

...to al-Ma'mun, because al-Ma'mun had summoned him.

They said that the scholars had acquiesced, except for so-and-so, so-and-so, and Ahmad ibn Hanbal. He said, "Bring him." So he summoned Ahmad ibn Hanbal.

Abu Ja'far al-Anbari said, "When Imam Ahmad was being taken to al-Ma'mun,

I was informed, so I crossed the Euphrates, and there he was, sitting in the inn. I greeted him,

and he said, 'O Abu Ja'far, you have troubled yourself—you went to great lengths'

...this distance."

I said, "This is no hardship."

And I said to him, "O you, today you are the leader of the people,

and the people follow your example.

By Allah, if you comply, a vast number of Allah's ﷻ creation will comply because of you,

and if you do not comply, a vast number of people will refuse.

Moreover, the man"—meaning Al-Ma'mun—

"even if he does not kill you, you will eventually die,

and death is inevitable, so fear Allah ﷻ

and do not comply with them in anything."

Ahmad began to weep, saying, "Whatever Allah ﷻ wills, whatever Allah ﷻ wills."

Then Ahmad traveled to Al-Ma'mun,

and he heard of the Caliph's threat to kill him if he did not agree to say that the Quran is created.

So Imam Ahmad turned to Allah ﷻ in supplication that He not bring him and Al-Ma'mun together.

He supplicated Allah ﷻ not to see Al-Ma'mun, nor Al-Ma'mun him, and that He not bring them together.

While he was on the way, before reaching the Caliph, news reached him of Al-Ma'mun's death.

Glory be to Allah, the Magnificent! He had died in his youth.

News of Al-Ma'mun's death reached him, so Imam Ahmad (RH) was returned to Baghdad and imprisoned there.

Then Al-Mu'tasim, Al-Ma'mun's brother, assumed the caliphate after Al-Ma'mun.

And he tested Imam Ahmad (RH) even more severely than Al-Ma'mun.

When Imam Ahmad (RH) was brought to the palace of the caliphate, people crowded at his door as if it were the day of Eid,

as if it were the day of Eid. A carpet was spread in his council,

and they set up a chair for him to sit on.

Then he said, 'Bring Ahmad ibn Hanbal (RH),' and they brought him.

When he stood before him, he greeted him with peace.

He said to him, 'O Ahmad, speak and do not fear.'

Imam Ahmad (RH) said, "By Allah, I entered upon you with not a grain of fear in my heart."

Al-Mu'tasim asked him, 'What do you say about the Quran?'

He replied, "It is the speech of Allah, uncreated." Allah ﷻ says:

“And if any one of the polytheists seeks your protection, then grant him protection so that he may hear the words of Allāh [i.e., the Qur’ān]. Then deliver him to his place of safety. That is because they are a people who do not know.” (Quran 9:6)

He said to him, "Do you have any proof other than this?"

He said, "Yes, the saying of Allah ﷻ: 'The Most Merciful. Taught the Qur'an.'"

And He did not say, 'The Most Merciful created the Qur'an.'

"And He ﷻ said: 'Ya, Seen. By the wise Qur'an.'"

"And He did not say, 'Ya, Seen. By the created Qur'an.'"

Al-Mu'tasim said, 'Imprison him.' So he was imprisoned and the people dispersed,

because they had gathered to hear the decisive word on this matter, so they left,

and Imam Ahmad (RH) did not yield to what they called him to.

On the next day, Al-Mu'tasim sat

in his assembly on his chair and said, "Bring Ahmad ibn Hanbal."

The people gathered, and he said, "I heard an uproar from them in Baghdad,"

meaning it became a matter of public opinion, the talk of the town.

Everyone was preoccupied with this matter.

When he was brought, he stood before him,

with swords drawn, spears erected, and leather sheets laid out.

and the whips were laid out.

It was indeed a situation that would terrify a person and might make them...

...comply with what they were calling him to.

So Al-Mu'tasim asked him what he said about the Quran.

Imam Ahmad (RH) said with complete steadfastness—

Al-Mu'tasim asked him, "What do you say about the Quran?"

He replied, "I say it is uncreated."

Then Al-Mu'tasim brought the jurists and judges to him, of course,

headed by Ahmad ibn Abi Du'ad,

who adopted this ugly innovation.

He brought the jurists and judges whose hearts were saturated with this innovation,

and they debated him in his presence for three days—three days,

debating him before the Caliph, while he refuted them with decisive proofs.

Glory be to Allah ﷻ, the Almighty! His arguments...

...were like burning meteors falling upon their heads, and he would say, "I...

"I am a man who has acquired knowledge, but I do not know this in it.

Give me something from the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ

so that I may say it."

Whenever they debated him and tried to force him to say the Quran is created,

he would say to them, "How can I say what has not been said?"

One of these innovators spoke to him and said, "O Ahmad,

whisper in my ear that the Quran is created,

and I will save you from these shackles, these chains, and this torment."

So Ahmad said to him, "Whisper in my ear that Allah speaks,

and that the Quran is the word of Allah, and I will intercede for you with Allah,

and testify that you are a believer in the word of Allah.

Allahu Akbar! What steadfastness!

This is support from Allah ﷻ.

Here, of course, in the face of this situation...

Meaning, Imam Ahmad's victory and triumph over them,

and his adherence to this principle made Al-Mu'tasim fly into a rage.

He said, "Ahmad has defeated us!"

When the leaders of innovation heard what Al-Mu'tasim said,

They rose and incited him to kill him—we seek refuge with Allah.

They said to him, "Kill him so we can be rid of him; he is a dark disbeliever."

Al-Mu'tasim said, "I have covenanted with Allah that I will not kill him with a sword, nor order his execution by a sword."

So they devised a devilish trick for him and said to him, "Whip him."

Al-Mu'tasim said to Imam Ahmad, "By my kinship to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ,"

"I will surely whip you unless you say what they say, or say what I say."

Imam Ahmad (RH), with complete steadfastness, was not intimidated by this threat.

So Al-Mu'tasim said, "Bring the executioners!"

Al-Mu'tasim said to one of the executioners, "With how many lashes can you kill him?"

He replied, "With ten." He said, "Take him."

So this executioner stripped Imam Ahmad (RH) of his clothes and tied his hands with two new, thick ropes.

When the whips were brought, Al-Mu'tasim looked at them and said, "Bring me others."

Then he said to the executioners, "Step forward."

When he struck the first lash, Imam Ahmad (RH) said, "Bismillah."

When he struck the second, he said, "La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah."

When he struck the third, he said, "The Quran is the word of Allah ﷻ, not created."

When he struck the fourth, he said...

“Say, "Never will we be struck except by what Allāh has decreed for us; He is our protector." And upon Allāh let the believers rely.” (Quran 9:51)

Each man would step forward to Imam Ahmad and strike him twice,

while Al-Mu'tasim urged him to strike harder.

Then he would step aside, and another would step forward and strike him twice.

When he had been struck nineteen times, Al-Mu'tasim stood over him and said,

"...to me, 'O Ahmad, why do you kill yourself? By Allah, I am compassionate towards you.'

Ahmad said,

'Ujayf began to poke me with the hilt of his sword,

and said, "Do you want to defeat all of these?"

Some said, 'Woe to you — the Caliph stands over you!'

Some said, 'O Commander of the Faithful, his blood is on my neck — kill him!'

And they kept saying, 'O Commander of the Faithful, he is fasting while you stand in the sun!'

He said to me, 'Woe to you, O Ahmad — what do you say?'

So I would say, 'Give me something from the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and I will follow it.'

Then the Caliph returned, sat down, and told the executioner, "Step forward," urging him to make the beating painful.

Imam Ahmad said, "Then I lost consciousness, and I woke up after that"—meaning he fainted completely.

He said, "When I woke up, the shackles had been removed from me."

They brought me sawiq and said, "Drink and vomit," because his body had suffered harm.

They said, "Drink and vomit." I said, "I will not break my fast."

Then I was brought to the house of Ishaq ibn Ibrahim, and the time for the Dhuhr prayer arrived.

Ibn Sama'ah stepped forward and led the prayer.

When he finished the prayer, he said to me, "Did you pray, O Ahmad, while blood was flowing onto your garment?"

Meaning, from the whip wounds. He said, "Did you pray while blood was flowing onto your garment?"

Imam Ahmad said—look, SubhanAllah, how Imam Ahmad recalled the evidence—he said, "Umar (RA) prayed...

...while his wound was bleeding.

Of course, Al-Mu'tasim died, but the trial was still raging and ongoing,

and the people of innovation were fueling its fire and testing people with it.

Then Al-Wathiq took over after Al-Mu'tasim,

but he did not harm Imam Ahmad in any way, except that he sent to him saying, "Do not reside with me in the same land,"

meaning, "I do not wish for you to live in the city where I am."

And it was said he ordered him not to leave his house.

So Imam Ahmad began hiding in different places,

then he returned to his home and hid there for several months

until Al-Wathiq died.

Then the caliphate was assumed by Al-Mutawakkil, through whom Allah ﷻ aided the Sunnah.

He opposed what Al-Ma'mun, Al-Mu'tasim, and Al-Wathiq adhered to regarding this corrupt creed.

and criticized them for what they said regarding the creation of the Quran.

forbade disputation, and invalidated these debates.

and punished those who sought to incite such innovations and similar things,

and ordered the public narration of Hadith, bringing the people back to the ancient way,

and to the sound, pure fitrah. Thus, Allah manifested the Sunnah and refuted innovation,

and released all who had been imprisoned because of this Mihnah.

And the Imam, Ali ibn al-Madini (RH), spoke the truth when he said:

Indeed, Allah strengthened this religion through two men: Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (RA)

on the day of Apostasy, and Ahmad ibn Hanbal on the day of the Mihnah.

Yahya says that he saw Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal

in a circle in the grand mosque— he had a dream—

He says he saw Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal in a circle in the grand mosque,

and Ahmad ibn Abi Du'ad in another circle: Ahmad the Sunni, and Ahmad the innovator.

Ahmad, the supporter of the Sunnah, and Ahmad bin Abi Du'ad, the supporter of innovation.

He said, 'I saw Ahmad ibn Hanbal in a circle in the congregational mosque,

and Ahmad bin Abi Du'ad in another circle.

and it was as if the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was standing between the two circles,

reciting this verse:

'But if these disbelieve in it'— pointing to the circle of Ibn Abi Du'ad—

“Those are the ones to whom We gave the Scripture and authority and prophethood. But if they [i.e., the disbelievers] deny it, then We have entrusted it to a people who are not therein disbelievers.” (Quran 6:89)

'...are not disbelievers in it'—pointing to the circle of Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal and his companions.

Imam Ahmad (RH) continued to suffer from the effects of the whipping and torture inflicted upon him.

Abdullah ibn Ahmad (RH) said, "My father used to pray three hundred rak'ahs every day.

But when he fell ill from those whips, which weakened him, he would pray one hundred and fifty rak'ahs every day. Allahu Akbar!

In the days of his health and wellness, he used to pray three hundred rak'ahs a day. This chain of narration is authentic.

This is the blessing of Allah ﷻ that He bestows upon those who truly lived for Allah ﷻ.

He says, "When he fell ill because of those whips, which weakened him,

he would pray one hundred and fifty rak'ahs every day," despite all the injustice he suffered.

arbitrariness, and exclusion—

Yet, he never withdrew his hand from obedience nor separated from the community,

nor did he call to fitnah, despite his overwhelming popularity among the masses.

He did not incite against the Caliph,

nor did he call to disobedience,

nor did he call to revolutions.

Hanbal ibn Ishaq said,

He said—as Al-Khallal narrated in "As-Sunnah"— "The scholars of Baghdad gathered

to Abu Abdullah—meaning Imam Ahmad— during the reign of Al-Wathiq.

During the reign of Al-Wathiq, when Imam Ahmad was forbidden from teaching hadith,

indeed, he was even forbidden from praying in the masjid.

and Imam Ahmad went into hiding.

The scholars of Baghdad gathered to Imam Ahmad

and said to him: "O Abu Abdullah, the matter has become severe and widespread,"

—meaning, they meant the public declaration of the belief that the Quran is created.

"Indeed, the matter has worsened and spread, and we do not accept his rule and authority."

So he reasoned with them—Allahu Akbar—he reasoned with them.

and said, "You must object in your hearts, and do not withdraw your hand from obedience,

do not divide the Muslims, and do not shed your blood and the blood of the Muslims with you.

Consider the consequences of your actions, and be patient until a righteous person finds relief or is relieved of a wicked one."

He said, "This is not correct," meaning withdrawing the hand from obedience.

"This is contrary to the narrations; this is contrary to the narrations."

It was reported that he was upset, stood up shaking his garment, and said, "Blood! Blood! Fear Allah regarding blood!"

Allahu Akbar. Meaning, Imam Ahmad (RH) had immense popularity,

and the people listened to him; if he had said one word, the people would have revolted.

But he was firmly grounded in knowledge, may Allah have mercy on him; this is what being firmly grounded in knowledge means.

He examined the Sharia texts and the reports of the Companions (RA),

and he also examined the principles of Sharia in balancing benefits and harms,

and warding off the greater harm by accepting the lesser of the two.

Allahu Akbar! These are the imams. "And We made them..."

“And We made from among them leaders guiding by Our command when they were patient and [when] they were certain of Our signs.” (Quran 32:24)

By your Lord, look now at the fruits and the effects.

Look at the outcomes of this Shariah methodology, based on the Book and the Sunnah,

based on the Companions' (RA) reports and on the principles of Sharia.

What was the outcome? "The outcome is for the righteous."

Allah ﷻ elevated the status of Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal

until he gained a fame that no one after him had.

When leadership is mentioned, the first thing that comes to our minds is Imam Ahmad (RH), associated with it.

Allah decreed for him renown; there is no one but they know Imam Ahmad,

invoking Allah's pleasure upon Imam Ahmad and praying for mercy on him,

But those who adopted this creed,

and had authority in their hands,

Allah ﷻ disgraced them, disgracing the detractor of Imam Ahmad, and they became a thing of the past.

Is there any mention of them left?

Who knows Ahmad ibn Abi Du'ad except the elite students of knowledge?

Who knows those judges who adopted this idea?

No one knows them, but Imam Ahmad— may Allah exalt his status and mention—

may Allah Almighty have mercy on him.

Those who harmed him, nothing remains of their memory except a bad reputation,

We seek refuge in Allah; we ask Him for well-being and safety.

As for Imam Ahmad (RH), he is known by the near and the far, the supporter and the opponent.

Everyone knows him, of course, Imam Ahmad.

It is Allah's way with creation that "for every term there is a decree."

Therefore, he (RH) passed away on the twelfth of Rabi' al-Awwal in the year 241 AH.

Of course, illnesses followed one after another upon him (RH) after this incident,

and he was seventy-seven years old,

all in knowledge, teaching,

spreading the Sunnah, and protecting the religion,

and he did not allow...

anyone to blemish this great religion and this Sunnah.

He defended the sanctuaries of the religion, may Allah have mercy on him.

When news of Imam Ahmad's illness reached the people, they came from every direction,

Streets filled, markets halted, and people could not buy or sell. Glory be to Allah the Almighty.

Imagine this scene. They said, "Imam Ahmad is sick, and his illness is serious." No one was left but came.

The streets filled up, markets came to a standstill, and people could no longer buy and sell.

They entered upon him in crowds, greeting him and then leaving.

Historians even reported that the Caliph al-Mutawakkil sent his guards, and the roads were blocked,

preventing entry to the alley where the house of Imam Ahmad (RH) was located.

Of course, he passed away that night, and his funeral was attended by

over 800,000 men and 60,000 women, as they were counted.

by those who kept track of this.

Abd al-Wahhab al-Warraq mentioned that the Caliph al-Mutawakkil was amazed by the size of the funeral,

and said, "We have never heard, in Jahiliyyah or Islam, of a funeral larger than this one gathering to bid farewell to Ibn Hanbal."

Peace be upon Imam Ahmad among the first,

and peace upon him among the last,

may Allah ﷻ be pleased with him, and gather us with him in the Gardens of Pleasure

with the Prophet ﷺ and the noble companions.

We will also move on to another biography of another Imam among the Imams of Islam.

Until then, I leave you in the care of Allah. Peace be upon you, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.