[ʿAbd Allāh:] My father died before noon on a Friday. Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn Ṭāhir pushed us aside and performed the funeral prayer for him, though we and the tribesmen of Hāshim prayed over the body while it was still in the house. We buried him after the afternoon prayer. 82.1

[Ṣāliḥ:] When my father died, Ibn Ṭāhir sent a message asking who was going to pray for him. I told him I was. 82.2

When we reached the desert, we found Ibn Ṭāhir standing there waiting for us. He approached us and offered his condolences. The bier was lowered to the ground. I waited a bit, then stepped forward and began lining everyone up. Then Ibn Ṭālūt and Muḥammad ibn Naṣr came forward and, each seizing one of my arms, said, “Make way for the emir!” I tried to stop them but they took me aside and Ibn Ṭāhir ended up performing the prayer. The mourners didn’t realize what had happened. The next day, when they found out, they began praying at the gravesite. That went on for a good while: people coming and praying at the grave.

[ʿUbayd Allāh:] I heard al-Mutawakkil say to Ibn Ṭāhir: “What a blessing for you:

praying over Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal!” 82.3