Virtues of the Imam Ahmad ibn Ḥanbal: Volume One

Chapter 16: Reports That al-Khadir Spoke in His Praise

٢٦٣ 263 Chapter 16: Reports That al-Khaḍir Spoke in His Praise We cite ʿAbd al-Malik ibn Abī l-Qāsim, who cites ʿAbd Allāh ibn Muḥammad al-Anṣārī, who cites Ghālib ibn ʿAlī, who cites Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥusayn; and we cite Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd al-Bāqī, who was informed by Rizq Allāh ibn ʿAbd al-Wahhāb, who was informed by Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥusayn; and I heard Ismāʿīl ibn Aḥmad al-Samarqandī say that he heard ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿAṭāʾ say that he heard ʿAlī ibn al-Ḥusayn al-Ḥusaynī say that he heard ʿAbd al-Karīm ibn Muḥammad al-Shīrāzī say that he heard Muḥammad ibn ʿAlī l-Ṣūfī, who like [Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥusayn] said that he heard Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd Allāh al-Rāzī say that he heard Bilāl al-Khawwāṣ say: [Bilāl al-Khawwāṣ:] I was in the desert of the Israelites when suddenly I found a man walking beside me. I was surprised, but then I was given to realize that he was al-Khaḍir. “I ask you by God,” I said. “Who are you?” “Your brother al-Khaḍir.” “I want to ask you something.” “Go ahead.” “What do you think of al-Shāfiʿī?” “He’s one of the Pegs.”168 “What about Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal?” “A truth-teller.”169 “What about Bishr ibn al-Ḥārith?” “He’s the last of his kind.” “So how is it that I’m able to see you?” “Because you were kind to your mother.” We cite ʿAbd al-Malik, who cites ʿAbd Allāh ibn Muḥammad al-Anṣārī, who cites Muḥammad ibn Maḥmūd, who cites Muḥammad ibn Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad, who heard al-Ḥusayn ibn Aḥmad report that he heard ʿUbayd Allāh ibn Muḥammad ibn Ibrāhīm al-Dīnawarī report that he heard Isḥāq ibn Ibrāhīm al-Bustī say that he heard his father say that he heard a man of Baghdad say: [A man of Baghdad:] I was traveling on a ship and we landed on an island. There was an elderly white-haired man sitting there. I greeted him and he asked me where I was from. 16.1 16.2 ٢٦٤ 264 $XÀ9O ) | ?@ /\ 01 "2 3 4 5 6 #01 ¡ wx@ / # |  ABP¡ ± ) |_ ?‘  * +  ,   P _“abò )» w x-`abc@ / #  f ?@ / # ١،١٧ !¢ " # \ 8! = \ Z [   } :$X†@ /     01 k lim nX`abc@ / #   ` d      " # " * D E P  â   "    Â# v w x- ! ¸^’‘ " # #   " # :. /  v=µ   .Â# v w x- { !¢01¡  Ê! §  01¡ ¤£ 2 3 4 5 6 !  ! 7^ !†@ / # ! à9 ! != !  ð  !• \ s ab ! „ 2 3 4 5 6 ! 01 Í ¼½ ! G  ! $ % &'# !  \ O )01 .P “‹ [  ã  HI/ # $X AB " # e9v w    ¡ Q q r _ s`abc@ / # !  f9  O )  k‚ _ƒ :. /   |  ABP¡ ± ) |  _ ݑ    ½  F1_ abò )» w x-abc@ / #  fc@ / # $Xê9O ) |c@ / \ 01 "2 3 4 5 6 #01   ¡ Þ wx@ / # AB¦Ž^°̄ " # :. /     * D E¦Ž^! :  HI/ #  " #     ( ) ©ª«ÿp " # AB¦Ž^°̄ " # :. /     ݑ_ AB      * + ,NO )     " # AB¦Ž^°̄ " # :. /     F#  P  S=T@ / # F01ÊZ [e 01¤£ " # AB¦Ž^°̄ " #  * D EF  Z [ Š£ "2 3 4 5 6 # 7  JKL M     $ % &'# ( ) AB¦Ž^°̄ " # :. /     * +  01¡ P ! ²™³Ö@/ # k‚ ÿp v=T@ / #  * + ,- " #    à99© / # ( ) AB¦Ž^°̄ " #01 ‫؛‬  * +  !9¡ `abc@ / #  P@ / # ( ) 01¤£ " # :. / 01  á= TB  * D E F#P@ / #P²™³Ö   AB " #  w媫ÿp :. /     * +  ,- #   ! ß !ˆ‰Š@ / # ¼   : •sØp " #    7  JKL M       * + ,NO )  Þ w媫ÿp :. /     ï›/œ Œ   :  HI/ #  f01  á= w x- 01¤£ " # AB¦Ž^°̄ " # :. /    :. / 01  á= TB  * +   \ )9 ! –›/œŠI/ # * D Yÿp 01¶    $ % &'# ( )  Þ w媫ÿp  * D Y¬9 = úìop    Q  q 0 HI/ #  ABF " # Â# v w x-       P € :. / 01  á= TB  * +º _`abc@ / # ÎÏ wx@ / #     " #  Þ w媫ÿp ‫؟‬     P €    " #   :  * + ,I/ . /  v=µ    Á wx@ / #P _  " # $XÀ9O )   °̄F .v‰ ë9vÉ "   AB  e !   ‫؟‬ k‚­É   :  ê9    F01ÊZ [e01 _ fF :  HI/ #    P \_“ab ! „01  * +  P²™³Ö@/ # š  01PS wÚ01   ` d      " # k l " 2 3 4 5 6 # :. /    .F  Ë )   # .F01  Ê =T@ / #  fF  F01  Þ w ¹ P  â   :  f01  á= w x- 01¤£ " # Â#  F .7°̄#01  Ž  ?‘#01P@ / # * D Yç wÚ ‫؟‬  * D  YZ [ 3ª  Å    " # * + ,I/ " #  ݑ "    :$X†@ /  ê9 v=µ   ٢٦٥ 265 17: Praise of Him by Pious Strangers and Allies of God “From Baghdad,” I said. “When you get there,” he said, “give Ibn Ḥanbal my regards, and tell him,«Have patience! God’s promise is true; let not those who will not be convinced make you discouraged.»”170 Then he disappeared, and we realized that he was al-Khaḍir. Chapter 17: Praise of Him by Pious Strangers and...