lineage, Ibn Hanbal belonged to the tribe of Shaybaan through both
parents. He was still an infant when his father died at the age of 30.
When Ibn Hanbal was fifteen, he began to study the Traditions (
Ahadeeth ) of the Prophet Muhammad, , . Seeking to learn from the
great scholars of his day, he traveled tothe cities of Koofah and
Basrah inIraq; Makkah, Hijaaz and Al-Madeenah in Arabia; and to
thelands of Yemen and Syria. He made five pilgrimages to Makkah,three
of which were on foot. Ibn Hanbal led a life of asceticism and
humility, acquiring many students. He had eight children, of whom two
were well known and closely associated with his intellectual work:
Saalih (died 880 CE) and 'Abdullaah (died 903 CE).
Ahmad bin Hanbal became so competent in the sciences of religion that
al-Imaam Ash-Shaafi'ee said: "I left Baghdad and did not leave there
any man more knowledgeable than Ibn Hanbal."
His Ordeal:
The most talked about issue of Ibn Hanbal's life is the suffering to
which he was subjected during the trial, known as " al-mihnah ",
ordered by the Caliph Al-Ma'moon. The tribulation began in 833 CE,
whenthe Caliph made obligatory upon all Muslims the belief that the
Quran was created --a doctrine ofthe Mu'tazilites, a rationalist
Islamic school that claimed that reason was equal to revelation asa
means to religious truth. The Caliph had already made public
profession of this belief in 827 CE. Before this time, the Glorious
Quran had been regarded as the uncreated, eternal word of Allaah. The
inquisition was conducted in Baghdad, central location of the
'Abbaasid Caliphate, as well as in the provinces. It lasted from 833
to 848 CE, a period involving the reign of four Caliphs, ending during
the Caliphate of al-Mutawakkil, who returned people to the correct
view.
At the risk of his life, Ibn Hanbal refused to subscribe to the
Mu'tazilee doctrine. He was put inchains, beaten and imprisoned for
more than two years. After his release, he did not resume hislectures
until the inquisition was publicly proclaimed at an end. In order to
survive the ordeal, some scholars had recanted, and later claimed the
privilege of dissimulation, Taqiyyah (hiding their feelings because of
the extreme danger involved), as a justification for their behavior.
Other scholars, following the example of Ibn Hanbal refused to
renounce their beliefs.
In 833 CE, Ibn Hanbal and another scholar, Muhammad bin Nooh who had
also refused to recant, were cited to appear for trial before Caliph
al-Ma'moon, who was in Tarsus (now in modern Turkey) at the time. They
were sent off in chainsfrom Baghdad; but shortly after beginning their
journey, the Caliph died and on their trip back to the capital, Ibn
Nooh died as well.
Ibn Hanbal was ordered to appear before the new Caliph, al-Mu'tasim.
He was on trial for three days, and on the third day after the learned
men disputed with him, there followed a private conference with the
Caliph who asked Ibn Hanbal to yield at least a little so that hemight
grant him his freedom. IbnHanbal made the same reply he had been
making from the beginning of the inquisition; he would yield when
given some proof for modifying his faith derived from the Quran and
the Traditions of Prophet Muhammad, . Losing patience, the Caliph
ordered that he be taken away and lashed. Throughout the lashing, the
Caliph persisted in his attempts to obtain a recantation, but to
noavail. Ibn Hanbal's unflinching spirit affected the Caliph, but his
advisers warned that if he discontinued the punishment, he would be
accused of having opposed the doctrine of his predecessor al-Ma'moon,
and it would be counted as a victory forIbn Hanbal resulting in dire
consequences on the reign of thecaliphs. Nevertheless, the
Caliph'streatment of Ibn Hanbal had to be suspended, because of the
mounting anger of the populace gathering outside the palace and
preparing to attack it. Ibn Hanbal is reported to have been beaten by
150 lashers, each in turn striking him twice and moving aside. The
scars from his wounds remained with him to the end of his life.
The inquisition continued under the next Caliph, al-Waathiq, but Ibn
Hanbal was left alone, in spiteof attempts on the part of his
opponents to persuade the Caliphto persecute him. The new Caliph,like
his predecessor, was most likely influenced by the threat of a popular
uprising should he lay violent hands on a man popularlyheld to be a
great scholar and themost knowledgeable person of his time. The
momentum of the inquisition carried it two years into the reign of
Caliph al-Mutawakkil, who finally put an end to it in 848 CE.
Ibn Hanbal earned the greatest reputation of all the persons involved
in the inquisition and the everlasting gratitude of the Muslim people.
He is credited with having held his ground in the face of all
odds,saving Muslims from becoming unbelievers. Ibn Hanbal's record in
history is that of a great scholar who stood firm in the face of the
Mu'tazilites' heresies, and their campaign to alter Allaah's religion.
His Death:
Ibn Hanbal died in 855 CE, in Baghdad. He was then 77 years old.
People attending his funeral ceremony flooded the streets of Baghdad
and the procession was estimated at more than 800,000 mourners.
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And Allah Knows the Best!
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Published by :->
M NajimudeeN Bsc- INDIA
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