Virtues of the Imam Ahmad ibn Ḥanbal: Volume One

Chapter 3: His Childhood

٢٩ 29 Chapter 3: His Childhood Our exemplar Aḥmad was born in Baghdad, as we have mentioned, and grew up there. After studying with the teachers and Hadith scholars of the city, he set out to seek learning elsewhere as well. I read back to Muḥammad ibn Abī Manṣūr his report, citing Abū l-Qāsim ibn al-Busrī, citing Abū ʿAbd Allāh ibn Baṭṭah, who cited Abū Bakr al-Ājurrī (the brick maker), who cited Abū Naṣr ibn Kurdī, who said: [Ibn Kurdī:] Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal’s house had the One-Eyed Tigris22 directly behind it. We cite Muḥammad ibn Abī Manṣūr, who cites ʿAbd al-Qādir ibn Muḥammad ibn Yūsuf, who was informed by Ibrāhīm ibn ʿUmar al-Barmakī, who was informed by ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz ibn Jaʿfar, who cites Abū Bakr al-Khallāl, who cites Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥusayn, who heard Abū Bakr al-Marrūdhī report that Abū ʿAfīf was talking about Abū ʿAbd Allāh Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal and said: [Abū ʿAfīf:] Aḥmad was with us in Qurʾan school when he was just a little boy. Even then he stood out. At that time, the caliph was living in al-Raqqah and the courtiers who joined him there began writing letters to their families in Baghdad. When they wanted to reply to a letter, their womenfolk would ask our schoolmaster to send Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal to their homes. The teacher would send him out and off he’d go, looking carefully at the ground. The women often dictated obscene words but he wouldn’t write them down. Al-Marrūdhī added that Abū Sirāj ibn Khuzaymah said: [Abū Sirāj:] When we were in Qurʾan school with Aḥmad, women would send messages to the schoolmaster saying, “Send Ibn Ḥanbal to write for us so we can reply to the letters we’ve received.” Whenever he went in to where the women were, he would keep his head down so as not to look at them. [Al-Marrūdhī:] Abū Sirāj also said that his father, whose name he gave, was impressed by how well Aḥmad conducted himself: “One day my father said to us, ‘I spend money to hire tutors for my children hoping they’ll learn to behave properly, but it doesn’t seem to do any good. Then take Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal: he’s an orphan, but look how well he’s turned out!’23 He went on marveling for some time.” 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 ٣٠ 30 Á `d‹ [  * +  ,   $X"` _ ìaÇ \¸^ ! P˜ i™   * +  ,   _ c@ / _?@ / #  f ?@ / # :  * D E Â01P“u / #P²™³Ö 01¤£ " # . /    * + ,I/ " #    Þ=®9  y #  k‚ _ƒ  f  g? è j éÖI/ # * + ,I/ " #  Z [0101 $X?@ / " #  " # $Xv w     AB . / 01ÙopP@ / # * + ,I/ " # $Xv w     AB ¢ " # à9 ABP“ " #  * D E7^†@ / #  f g? è j éÖI/ #    " # : "2 3 4 5 6 . /     k‚ _ƒ .à9?@ / " # $X AB  މ   ã 01     . ¼   –›/œŠ@ / #  * +  ,    f g? è j éÖI/ # #  Â01É01 |  ! §   $XÀ9O ) ¢ñ h i :$X†@ / . /  v=µ   ‫؟‬  f ?@ / # * + ,NO ) :. /    $ % &'# `  dò )    ÎÏ wx@ / #  Ë )  f¦Ž^°̄¡ " # :. /     * D E Â01¡  P !“u / #P²™³Ö 01¤£ " # _ ?‘  7°̄01 :. /im nX:  HI/ # . /    $ % &'# ( )  * + ,- " #  k‚  ) * + ,I/ " #  މ  ã 01 ¶   Â# v w x- F    y  " # !  * + ,NO ) \ f " –›/œŠ£ " # : k l–›/œ øab„    Â01 #  * + ,I/ . /    * + ,I/ " # v‰ ë9Z [01¡ " #01 vÉF !  P€ " # ¢ " #  ABF " #    d˜ i™ 01 k l01 Ê?@ / # F    y  "2 3 4 5 6 #  ` dc@ / " # Z [ Š£ t u / :  ` d    # .  * +   " #   #  " #» wÚ v‰Š£  _ dÞ w x-     :  * + ,I/ . /  v=µ   .  $X v= >À9:  HI/ # à9v wÚ¡  _ dÞ w x- ! îǸ^†@ /" # :. /  v=µ   . k lim nX  O ) 01É01 $ % &'# ( )   AB " # P “‹ [ ã  "    $X  Ë ) _ Þ w  > §   :. /    ‫؟‬F    y  "2 3 4 5 6 # . k‚­ w x- :. /    ‫؟‬v‰ ë9Z [01 ¤£ t u /|  * D _ Yÿp  * D E"im nX    :. /    .|© / #  * +  ,   v‰Š£¡   dÐF ‫؛‬F    y  "2 3 4 5 6 # à99†B» w   F " #    d˜ i™AB " # :. /    .     Ì  §²™³   Æ  F01 Ê ?‘ k lim nX  O ) #  vÉ :. / 01  á=  TB01» w ¹ ¦ Ž^`ab„ k l–›/œ øab„   # v w ¹      :. /    :. /     f  Â" 01È / # îb „01¤£     * +!º! P !€  * D Y_   7°̄01 :  * D E Â01P“u / # . /    .F \  !    $X†@ / 01 k‚ \   !_ çab¡ ÞÉ k l  AB " #  * +  ,     ` d      " #   ݑ " #F :. / 01  á= TB  * + ,- " #¡  Þ w媫ÿp .  $X`ìop ¢01P _“abò )  * + ,I/ 01 k‚  _ çab¡ ÞÉ  f :. / 01  á= TB $ % &'# ( )   AB !" #  Þ w媫ÿp 01 :  * D E Â01P“u / # . /    :. /    ¢©ª _«ò )     " #    $ % &'# `  d¡ ò ) AB "    ?‘ " # :. /   PSÉ v=T@ / # ( )    à99© / # ( )    7  JKL M  AB¦Ž^°̄ " # :. /   P“‹ [AB    7  JKL M  AB¦Ž^°̄ " # .           :   ١ ٥،٣ ٦،٣ ٧،٣ ٨،٣ ٩،٣ [3.15.3.154] Project MUSE (2024-04-25 12...