His Lineage
He is Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Hanbal bin Hilaal bin Asad bin Idrees bin Abdullah bin Hayyan bin Abdullah bin Anas bin Auf bin Qaaset bin Maazin. He was born in Baghdad in the month of Rabi-ul-Awwal in the year 164 AH. He lost his father when he was three years old so he was brought up by his mother. His search for knowledge During his early life, he used to attend the sitting of al-Qadee Abu Yusuf. He later abandoned it and developed the habit of listening to hadith. He started learning and searching for hadith at the age of 16. He travelled far and wide to different cities and learned under different Shaykhs.
He was devoted to the sunnah and he travelled for 19 years in the pursuit of hadith. He memorized 100,000 hadiths, 30,000 of which are in his Musnad and he also memorized the Quraan and al-Muwatta of Imaam Malik. Allaah blessed his effort to the extent that he became renowned in the field of hadith. What the scholars say concerning him Imaam Bukharee said: "We were in Basra when Ahmad was lashed. I heard Abu-al-Waleed at-Tayaalesee saying: If Ahmad was among Bani Israeel (children of Israel), he would have been a subject of conversation. " Harmalaah said: "I heard Imaam Shaafi saying: "I left Iraaq and did not leave anyone there better in knowledge, abstaining from the worldly pleasures and pious than Imaam Ahmad. Ibn Qutaibah said: "Sufyan Thawree died and cautiousness died, as-Shaafi died and the Sunnah died and Ahmad died and Bidah (Innovations) appeared. Yahya bin Maeen said: "Ahmad bin Hanbal possessed some qualities which I have not found in any scholar.
He is a Muhaddith, scholar, pious and intelligent. His trial: All sincere scholars of this religion were tested with trials and hardship in the cause of Allaah just as the Prophets were tested in the hands of their various people. Imaam Ahmad was tried when the fitnah of the Mutazilah sect spread in this religion. These were the people who proclaimed that the Quraan was created whereas it is not so. The truth for which Imaam Ahmad stood for and for which he was persecuted, flogged and imprisoned and threatened with death can be summarized in this statement "The Quraan is the speech of Allaah and it is from Allaah's Knowledge and Allaah's Knowledge is not created." His lbaadah Imaam Ahmad was among the great scholars of this religion who used to observe the Tahajjud every night and he used to recite the whole of the Quraan everyday or once a week. Followers of the madhhab: The majority of the followers of this madhhab can be found in Palestine and Saudi Arabia.
His Death: Imaam Ahmad died on a Friday in the month of Rabiul-Awwal in the year 241 A H and at the time of his death he was 77 years of age.
This article was culled from the publications of Deen Communication Limited