In this Book
- Virtues of the Imam Ahmad ibn Ḥanbal: Volume Two
- Book
- 2015
- Published by: NYU Press
Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal (d. 241/855), renowned for his profound knowledge of hadith—the reports of the Prophet’s sayings and deeds—is a major figure in the history of Islam. Ibn Ḥanbal’s piety and austerity made him a folk hero, especially after his principled resistance to the attempts of two Abbasid caliphs to force him to accept rationalist doctrine. His subsequent imprisonment and flogging became one of the most dramatic episodes of medieval Islamic history. Ibn Ḥanbal’s resistance influenced the course of Islamic law, the rise of Sunnism, and the legislative authority of the caliphate.
Virtues of the Imam Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal is a translation of the biography of Ibn Ḥanbal penned by the Baghdad preacher, scholar, and storyteller, Ibn al-Jawzī (d. 597/1201). It includes insights into Ibn Ḥanbal’s childhood, travels, and teachings, as well as descriptions of his way of life. This second and final volume gives a vivid account of Ibn Ḥanbal’s legendary confrontation with the caliphal Inquisition, including his imprisonment, trial, and flogging. Ultimately, it recounts how the people of Baghdad came to admire him as a symbol of Sunni Islam.
A bilingual Arabic-English edition.
Table of Contents
- Title Page, Copyright
- pp. iv-vi
- Table of Contents
- pp. vii-viii
- Chapter 52: His Humility
- pp. 4-11
- Chapter 56: His Fear of God
- pp. 22-25
- Chapter 58: His Devotions
- pp. 28-35
- Chapter 63: His Concubines
- pp. 58-61
- Chapter 72: His Experience with al-Wāthiq
- pp. 150-165
- Chapter 78: Those Who Defied the Inquisition
- pp. 244-259
- Chapter 79: His Final Illness
- pp. 260-273
- Chapter 82: On Who Sought to Pray over Him
- pp. 282-283
- Chapter 86: His Estate
- p. 294
- Chapter 87: Reactions to His Death
- pp. 294-295
- Chapter 91: His Dreams
- pp. 326-327
- Chapter 93: Dreams in Which He was Mentioned
- pp. 370-421
- [Colophons]
- p. 522
- Glossary of Names and Terms
- pp. 549-556
- Bibliography
- pp. 557-565
- Further Reading
- p. 566
- About the Typefaces
- p. 582