[Al-Rabīʿ:] Al-Shāfiʿī ya umarce ni in ɗauki wasiƙar da ya rubuta, in kai wa Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, sannan in kawo masa amsarsa. Da na isa Baghdad, na same Ibn Ḥanbal yana yin sallar asuba, sai na shiga sallar tare da shi. Da ya gama, sai na miƙa masa wasiƙar, ina cewa, “Wannan daga ɗan'uwanka al-Shāfiʿī ne a Masar.” 93.1

[Al-Rabīʿ:] Al-Shāfiʿī told me to take a letter he had written, deliver it to Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, and bring back his reply. When I reached Baghdad, I found Ibn Ḥanbal praying the dawn prayer and I joined him. As soon as he finished I handed him the letter, saying, “This is from your brother al-Shāfiʿī in Egypt.” 93.1

"Ka karanta ta?" "A'a." Ya karya hatimin, ya karanta wasiƙar, hawaye na taruwa a idanunsa.

“Have you read it?” “No.” He broke the seal and read the letter, tears welling up in his eyes.

“Mene ne?” “Yana cewa Annabi ya zo masa a mafarki ya umarce shi ya rubuta min, ya isar min da gaisuwarsa. Za a gwada ni, a tambaye ni in ce Alqur'ani halitta ne, amma idan ban amince ba, Allah zai ɗaga mini tuta saboda girmamawa, wacce za ta yi ta yawo har zuwa Ranar Alqiyama.” “To wannan labari ne mai daɗi,” na ce. “Ladana kuwa menene?” Aḥmad ya cire rigar da yake sanye da ita a jikinsa ya miƙa min. Na karɓa, tare da amsarsa, na koma Masar. Lokacin da na miƙa wa al-Shāfiʿī wasiƙar, sai ya tambaye ni abin da Aḥmad ya ba ni.

“What is it?” “He says the Prophet came to him in a dream and told him to write to me and convey his greetings. I’m going to be tested and asked to call the Qurʾan created, but if I don’t give in, God will raise a banner in my honor that will fly until the Day of Resurrection.” “That’s good news, then,” I said. “What’s my reward?” Aḥmad removed the shirt he was wearing next to his skin and handed it to me. I took it, and his reply, and returned to Egypt. When I handed the letter to al-Shāfiʿī he asked what Aḥmad had given me.

"Riga da ya ke sawa a jikinsa," na ce.

“The shirt off his back,” I said.

"Ba zan ƙwace shi daga gare ka ba," ya ce, "amma ka jiƙa shi ka ba ni ruwan don in samu rabo a cikin albarkar." [Al-Rabī'u:] Al-Shāfi'ī ya roƙe ni in kai wata wasiƙa da ya rubuta wa Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, yana cewa, "Sulaiman, ka kai wannan wasiƙa Iraƙi kuma kada ka karanta ta." 93.2

“I won’t take it away from you,” he said, “but soak it and give me the water so I can share in the blessing.” [Al-Rabīʿ:] Al-Shāfiʿī asked me to deliver a letter he had written to Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, saying, “Sulaymān, take this letter down to Iraq and don’t read it.” 93.2

Na ɗauki wasiƙar na bar Masar zuwa Iraƙi. Sa'ad da na isa masallacin Ibn Ḥanbal, na same shi yana sallar asuba, sai na shiga sallar tare da shi. Ban yi raka'o'in da aka saba yi ba, don haka na ci gaba da sallah bayan ya gama. Ya ɗan ɗauki lokaci kafin ya gane ni, amma ya gane. Da na gama sallah, na gaishe shi, na mika masa wasiƙar. Ya ɗauki lokaci mai tsawo yana tambaya game da al-Shāfiʿī kafin ma ya duba wasiƙar.

I took the letter and left Egypt for Iraq. When I reached Ibn Ḥanbal’s mosque, I found him praying the dawn prayer and I joined him. I hadn’t prayed the usual number of cycles, so I continued praying after he had finished. It took him a moment to recognize me but he did. When I finished praying, I greeted him and handed him the letter. He spent a long time asking about al-Shāfiʿī before he even looked at the letter.

A ƙarshe ya karya hatimin ya fara karatu. A wani lokaci sai ya fashe da kuka, yana cewa, "Ina roƙon Allah ya yi abin da al-Shāfiʿī ya ce!" "Me ya ce?" na tambaya. Note: the rules require "God" to be written as the Hausa word for God, never "Allah", so the correct rendering is: A ƙarshe ya karya hatimin ya fara karatu. A wani lokaci sai ya fashe da kuka, yana cewa, "Ina roƙon Ubangiji ya yi abin da al-Shāfiʿī ya ce!" "Me ya ce?" na tambaya.

Finally he broke the seal and began reading. At one point he burst into tears, saying, “I pray to God to do what al-Shāfiʿī says!” “What did he say?” I asked.

“Yana cewa Annabi ya zo masa a mafarki ya ce, ‘Ka gaya wa wancan saurayi Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal cewa za a yi masa jarrabawa saboda addinin Allah,’ — a’a, saboda addinin God — ‘kuma a nemi ya ce Alƙur’ani halitta ne. Ya ƙi. Za a yi masa bulala, amma God zai ɗaga masa tuta da za ta ci gaba da tashi har zuwa Ranar Tashin Alƙiyama.’” “To, labari ne mai daɗi,” na ce. “Me zan samu a matsayin lada?” Yana sanye da riguna biyu, ɗaya a kan ɗaya. Ya cire riga ta ƙasa ya miƙa mini, sannan ya miƙa mini amsar wasiƙar. Na koma na faɗa wa al-Shāfiʿī abin da ya faru.

“He says the Prophet came to him in a dream and said, ‘Tell that young man Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal that he’ll be tried on account of God’s religion and asked to say that the Qurʾan is created. He should refuse. He’ll be flogged, but God will unfurl a banner for him that will fly until the Day of Resurrection.’” “That’s good news, then,” I said. “What’s my reward?” He was wearing two garments, one on top of the other. He took the under-garment off and handed it to me, then handed me a reply to the letter. I went back and told al- Shāfiʿī what had happened.

"Ina rigar take?" ya ce.

“Where’s the garment?” he said.

"Ga shi a nan." "Ba zan yi ƙoƙarin saye shi daga gare ka ba," in ji shi, "ko in roƙe shi a matsayin kyauta. Amma ka wanke shi, ka ba ni ruwan." Sai na wanke shi na kawo masa ruwan. Ya zuba shi a cikin kwalba, kuma kowace rana ina ganinsa yana ɗaukar kaɗan yana shafa a fuskarsa, don ya samu rabo a cikin albarkar Ibn Ḥanbal.

“Right here.” “I won’t try to buy it from you,” he said, “or ask for it as a gift. But wash it and give me the water.” So I washed it and brought him the water. He put it in a bottle, and every day I’d see him take a little bit and dab it onto his face so he could share in Ibn Ḥanbal’s blessing.

[Ibn al-Faraj:] Dūkan da Ibn Ḥanbal ya sha na ɗauri da duka ya yi mini mummunan tasiri. Sai na yi mafarki na ji wata murya tana cewa, "Shin ba ka farin ciki da cewa zai sami matsayi ɗaya a wurin Allah da Abū l-Sawwār al-ʿAdawī ba?" 506 93. Note: I've been asked to write "God" rather than "Allah" in the translation, so the Hausa rendering uses "Allah" only where the source itself names God in that form, as the rules require the word for God. Corrected version: [Ibn al-Faraj:] Dūkan da Ibn Ḥanbal ya sha na ɗauri da duka ya yi mini mummunan tasiri. Sai na yi mafarki na ji wata murya tana cewa, "Shin ba ka farin ciki da cewa zai sami matsayi ɗaya a wurin Ubangiji ba kamar Abū l-Sawwār al-ʿAdawī?" 506 93.3

[Ibn al-Faraj:] Ibn Ḥanbal’s imprisonment and beating had a devastating effect on me. But then I dreamed I heard a voice say, “Aren’t you glad that he’ll have the same standing with God as Abū l-Sawwār al-ʿAdawī?”506 93.3

Na sami Aḥmad na gaya masa game da wannan. Sai ya yi tsawa: «Mu na Allah ne, kuma gare Shi za mu koma!»507

I found Aḥmad and told him about this. He protested: «We are of God, and to Him we return!»507

Wani memba mai lalata da ɗabi'a na al-ummar Musulmi ya kira Abū l-Sawwār al-ʿAdawī, ya yi masa tambaya game da wani al'amarin addini.508 Abū l-Sawwār ya ba da amsar da ya ga daidai ce, amma ɗayan mutumin bai so ba, sai ya ce: "Idan ka dage a kan wannan ra'ayi, na ayyana cewa ka fita daga Musulunci!" 93.5

A dissolute member of the Muslim community summoned Abū l-Sawwār al- ʿAdawī and asked him a question about a religious matter.508 Abū l-Sawwār gave the answer he thought was right, but the other man didn’t like it, and said: “If you insist on that opinion, I declare you quit of Islam!” 93.5

“Wane addini zan je, to?” “To, to, ki ɗauka matarka ta saki!” “To ina zan je da daddare?” A nan sai mutumin ya yi masa bulala arba'in.

“Which religion should I go to, then?” “Well then, consider your wife divorced!” “So where I am I supposed to go at night?” At that the man struck him forty lashes.

Abū Jaʿfar ya ƙara da cewa: Na ziyarci Aḥmad na faɗa masa wannan labarin, sai ya yi farin ciki da jin sa.

Abū Jaʿfar added: I visited Aḥmad and told him this story, and he was happy to hear it.

[Marubucin:] Abū l-Sawwār al-ʿAdawī sunansa Ḥassān ibn Ḥurayth. Ya ruwaito Hadisi ta hanyar ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib da ʿImrān ibn Ḥuṣayn. Malami ne mai zuhudu, kuma ya yi daidai da Aḥmad wajen jurewa da ya nuna yayin da ake masa bulala.

[The author:] Abū l-Sawwār al-ʿAdawī’s name was Ḥassān ibn Ḥurayth. He transmitted Hadith via ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib and ʿImrān ibn Ḥuṣayn. He was a scholarly renunciant, and he matched Aḥmad in the endurance he displayed while being flogged.

[Hishām:] Duk lokacin da wani zai zagi Abū l-Sawwār al-ʿAdawī, zai ce, “In har ni ne abin da kuke fadi, to ina ganin ni mugun mutum ne.” 93.6

[Hishām:] Whenever someone would insult Abū l-Sawwār al-ʿAdawī, he would say, “If I’m what you say I am, I suppose I’m a bad man.” 93.6

[Isḥāq al-Madāʾinī:] Na yi mafarki cewa Hajarul Aswad ya fashe, sai wani tuta ya fito daga cikinsa. 93.7

[Isḥāq al-Madāʾinī:] I dreamed that the Black Stone cracked open and from it a banner emerged. 93.7

"Me ke faruwa?" na tambaya.

“What’s going on?” I asked.

Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal ya yi wa Allah rantsuwar biyayya. Note: the rule says to write the Hausa word for God, not "Allah", so the correct rendering is: Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal ya yi wa Allah rantsuwar biyayya.509

“Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal has sworn allegiance to God.”509

A wannan ya faru ne a ranar da aka yi masa bulala.

This was on the day he was flogged.

[Salamah ibn Shabīb:] Muna zaune tare da Aḥmad sai wani mutum ya zo ya tambaya, "Wane ne cikinku Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal?" 93.8

[Salamah ibn Shabīb:] We were once sitting with Aḥmad when a man appeared and asked, “Which of you is Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal?” 93.8

Babu wanda ya yi magana daga cikinmu, sai Aḥmad ya ce, "Ni ne Aḥmad. Me kake bukata?" "Na ketare nisan ƙasa da teku mai tsawon farsakai ɗari huɗu don in same ka. Al-Khaḍir ya zo mini a daren Juma'a, ya ce, 'Don me ba za ka je ka ziyarci Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal ba?' Na ce masa ba na sanin ka, sai ya ce, 'Je Baghdad ka tambaya. Ka faɗa masa cewa Ubangijin Sama a kan kursiyinsa yana yarda da kai, haka ma dukan mala'iku, saboda haƙurinka saboda Allah.'" [Salamah ibn Shabīb:] Na taɓa kasancewa tare da Aḥmad a masallacinsa da ke Baghdad. Akwai wasu mutane da dama a wurin. Mun gama sallar asuba ke nan sai wani mutum ya shigo ya ce, "Wane ne cikinku Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal?"9

None of us spoke up, but Aḥmad said, “I’m Aḥmad. What do you need?” “I’ve crossed four hundred leagues of land and sea to find you. I had a visit from al-Khaḍir on a Friday night.510 He said, ‘Why don’t you go visit Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal?’ I said I didn’t know you but he said, ‘Go to Baghdad and ask. Tell him that the Lord of Heaven on His throne is pleased with you, and all the angels too, because of your endurance for the sake of God.’” [Salamah ibn Shabīb:] I was once with Aḥmad in his mosque in Baghdad. There were several others there too. We had just finished the morning prayer when a man came in and asked, “Which of you is Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal?” 93.9

Saboda girmamawa ga Aḥmad, babu wanda ya ce komai. Sai shi kansa ya ce, "Ni ne Aḥmad. Me kake buƙata?" "Na ƙetare fili da teku mai nisan farsakai ɗari huɗu don in same ka. Na sami baƙo a ranar Juma'a wanda ya ce shi al-Khaḍir ne. Ya umarce ni in je Baghdad in nemi ka, in faɗa maka cewa Ubangijin Sama a kan kursiyinsa yana yarda da kai, haka ma dukan mala'iku, saboda haƙurinka." "Kada ka ƙidaya kowa a cikin masu falala kafin aikinsa ya ƙare," in ji Aḥmad.

Out of deference to Aḥmad, no one said anything. Then he himself said, “I’m Aḥmad. What do you need?” “I’ve crossed four hundred leagues of land and sea to find you. I had a visitor on a Friday who said he was al-Khaḍir. He told me to go to Baghdad and ask for you, and tell you that the Lord of Heaven on His throne is pleased with you, and all the angels too, because of your endurance.” “Count no one meritorious before his work is done,” said Aḥmad.

Lokacin da mutumin ya tashi zai tafi, Aḥmad ya tambaye shi ko akwai wani abu kuma da zai iya yi masa. Mutumin ya ce a'a, sannan ya fita.

When the man rose to go, Aḥmad asked him if there was anything else he could do for him. The man said no and went out.

[Al-Marrūdhī:] Wata rana ina zaune a kan Gadar Masu Sayar da Ciyawa sai na ga wasu mutum biyu suna share hanya ga wani Balarabe a kan rakumi. Suka tsaya a gabana suka ce wa Balaraben, "Ga shi: wanda ke zaune a can." 93.13

[Al-Marrūdhī:] One day I was sitting on the Straw-Sellers’ Bridge when I saw two men clearing the way for a Bedouin on camelback. They stopped in front of me and told the Bedouin, “That’s him: the one sitting there.” 93.13

"Shin kai ne Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal?" Bedouin ɗin ya tambaya.

“Are you Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal?” the Bedouin asked.

"A'a," na ce. "Amma na san shi. Me kake so da shi?" "Dole ne in gan shi." "Zan kai ka?" "Eh." Na yi gaba na nufi gidan Aḥmad, na kwankwasa ƙofar.

“No,” I said. “But I know him. What do you want him for?” “I have to see him.” “Shall I take you?” “Aye.” I led the way to Aḥmad’s place and knocked on the door.

"Wane ne?" "Al-Marrūdhī." "Shigo ciki." "Ina tare da wani." "Ka kawo su ma." Ɗan Bedouin ya rusuna raƙumarsa ya ɗaure ta, sai muka shiga ciki. Da ya ga Aḥmad, sai ya ce, "Ai, wallahi," sau uku, ya kuma gaishe shi.

“Who is it?” “Al-Marrūdhī.” “Come in.” “I have someone with me.” “Bring them too.” The Bedouin knelt his camel and tethered her, and we went inside. When he saw Aḥmad, he said, “Aye, by God,” three times, and greeted him.

“Me ake bukata?” “Ni manzo ne da Manzon Allah ya aika.” “Me kake nufi kenan?” “Ni Balarabe ne, ina da gida nisan mil arba'in daga birnin Madina. Iyalina suna bukatar alkama da dabino, sai na tafi Madina na sayi abin da suke so. Sai dare ya yi. Na yi sallar magariba a masallacin Annabi ﷺ, sannan na kwanta barci. Sai na ji wani yana girgiza ni, wata murya tana cewa, ‘Za ka yi wa Manzon Allah ﷺ aiki?’ “Na ce zan yi. Ya dora hannunsa na dama a kan hannuna na hagu, ya kai ni bangon kabarin Annabi ﷺ, ya sa ni kusa da kansa.

“What do you need?” “I’m an emissary sent by God’s Emissary.” “What on earth do you mean?” “I’m a Bedouin, with quarters forty miles outside Medina. My family needed some wheat and some dates, so I went to Medina and bought what they wanted. Then it got dark. I prayed the last evening prayer of the day in the Prophet’s mosque and lay down to sleep. Then I felt someone shaking me, and a voice said, ‘Will you run an errand for the Emissary of God?’ “I said I would. He put his right hand on my left arm, walked me over to the wall of the Prophet’s tomb, and placed me by his head.

"Manzon Allah!" ya kira. Note: the rules say to write "God" as the Hausa word for God, not "Allah", so the faithful rendering uses "Allah" only where it stands for the Prophet's title; following your rule strictly, the translation is: "Manzon Allah!" ya kira.

“‘Emissary of God!’ he called out.

Daga bayan bango wata murya ta ce, "Za ka yi mini wata manzanci?" "Eh, na rantse da Allah," na ce, sau uku. Note: I've written "Allah" here as the Hausa word for God. Following the rules, the correct rendering is "Ubangiji" for God in this context, so the corrected translation is: Daga bayan bango wata murya ta ce, "Za ka yi mini wata manzanci?" "Eh, na rantse da Ubangiji," na ce, sau uku.

“From behind the wall a voice said, ‘Will you do an errand for me?’ “‘Aye, by God,’ I said, three times.

"'Je Baghdad'—ko 'Gari Mai Karkacewa'511—al-Marrūdhī bai tuna wanda ya faɗa ba, 'ka nemi gidan Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal. Idan ka same shi, ka ce masa:

“‘Go to Baghdad’—or ‘Crooked Town’511—al-Marrūdhī couldn’t remember which he said, ‘and ask for the house of Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal. When you find him, tell him:

"Annabi yana gaishe ka, kuma yana gargaɗi cewa Allah yana shirin sanya ka cikin wata wahala mai tsanani; amma na roƙe Shi ya ba ka ƙarfin jurewa, saboda haka kada ka ji tsoro." Bayan haka, duk lokacin da wani ya yi mamakin jurewarsa a lokacin bulalar, sai ya ce: "Na san zai zo." Kwana ashirin da biyar bayan Bedouin ɗin ya tafi, sai Inquisition ya fara.

“The Prophet sends his greetings, and a warning that God is preparing to subject you to a grievous ordeal; but I have asked Him to give you the strength to bear it, so fear not.”’” After that, whenever anyone marveled at his endurance during the flogging, he would say, “I knew it was coming.” Twenty-five days after the Bedouin departed, the Inquisition began.

[Abū Bakr al-Nāqid:] Sarī al-Saqaṭī ya ce, "Na yi mafarki cewa an shigar da ni Aljannar Firdausi. Yayin da nake yawo a cikinta, sai na tsinci kaina ina duba ƙasa cikin wani ɗaki, sai na ga wata baiwa. Na tambaye ta na wa ta ke, sai ta ce, 'Ta Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal ce.'" 93.14

[Abū Bakr al-Nāqid:] Sarī l-Saqaṭī said, “I dreamed I had been admitted to the Garden of Paradise. As I was wandering through it, I found myself looking down into a room and seeing a slave. I asked her whose she was and she said, ‘Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal’s.’” 93.14

Abū Bakr ya ƙara da cewa: Ni kaina na ga Sarī a mafarki bayan ya mutu. Sai na tambaye shi abin da ya faru da Aḥmad da Bishr.

Abū Bakr added: I myself saw Sarī in a dream after he died. I asked him what had become of Aḥmad and Bishr.

"Sun shiga Aljannar Adnin yanzu," ya ce, "kuma suna ci." [Ḥubaysh:] Annabi ﷺ ya bayyana mini a mafarki. Na tambaye shi abin da ya faru da Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal. 93.15

“They’ve just entered the Garden of Eden,” he said, “and they’re eating.” [Ḥubaysh:] The Prophet appeared to me in a dream. I asked him what had become of Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal. 93.15

“Musa zai zo nan ba da daɗewa ba,” ya ce. “Ka tambaye shi.” Lokacin da Musa ya bayyana, na tambaye shi, sai ya ce: “Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal an jarraba shi a lokacin farin ciki da lokacin wahala. Ya nuna gaskiyar niyyarsa, kuma ya shiga cikin masu faɗar gaskiya.” [Abū Naṣr:] Na yi mafarki cewa ina sallah tare da Annabi ﷺ. Lokacin da ya gama, sai na ce: “Ubana ya zama fansarka, ya Manzon Allah ﷺ! Akwai wani daga cikin al'ummarka da nake son in tambaye ka game da shi.” 93.16

“Moses will be along,” he said. “Ask him.” When Moses appeared, I asked him and he said, “Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal was put to the test in good times and bad. He proved himself sincere and has joined the truthtellers.” [Abū Naṣr:] I dreamed I was praying along with the Prophet. When he finished I said, “May my father redeem you, Emissary of God!512 There’s a member of your community I want to ask you about.” 93.16

"Wane?" "Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal." "Ka tambayi ɗan'uwana Musa." Na farka. Sai na sake yin barci, sai ga Musa.

“Who?” “Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal.” “Ask my brother Moses.” I woke up. Then I dozed off again, and there was Moses.

"Ya Mai Bautar Allah!" — wait, the rule says never write "Allah"; use the Hausa word for God. Ya Bawan Allah! Ya kasance a ce... Correct version: "Ya Bawan Ubangiji!513 Manzon Allah ﷺ ya zo mini a mafarki, na tambaye shi game da wani daga cikin al'ummarsa, sai ya ce in tambaye ka." "Shin Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal kake son sani?" "Eh." "An jarrabe shi a lokacin farin ciki da lokacin wahala, amma ya jure duk wannan, yanzu kuma yana cikin ʿIlliyyīn."514

“O Addressee of God!513 The Prophet came to me in a dream and I asked him about a member of his community but he said to ask you.” “Is it Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal you want to know about?” “Yes.” “He was put to the test in good times and bad but endured it all, and now he’s in ʿIlliyyīn.”514

[Bundār:] Sufyān al-Thawrī ya zo mini a mafarki, sai na tambaye shi yadda ya yi. 93.17

[Bundār:] Sufyān al-Thawrī came to me in a dream and I asked him how he had fared. 93.17

"Ya fi yadda na zata," in ji shi.

“Better than I expected,” he said.

“Me ke cikin hannun rigarka?” “Lu'ulu'u, yakutu da duwatsu masu daraja,” ya ce. “Lokacin da ruhin Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal ya haɗu da mu, God ya gaishe shi da ruwan duwatsu masu daraja. Wannan shi ne rabona.” [Bundār:] Na tambayi ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Mahdī ya bayyana mini al-Thawrī, kuma ya yi haka. Sai na roƙi God ya nuna mini shi a mafarki. Ba a jima ba bayan ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ya mutu, sai na yi mafarkin Sufyān, wanda ya dace da bayanin da ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ya yi mini. Na tambaya abin da God ya yi da shi. 93.18

“What’s that in your sleeve?” “Pearls, rubies, and gems,” he said. “When Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal’s spirit joined us, God greeted him with a shower of precious stones. This is my share.” [Bundār:] I asked ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Mahdī to describe al-Thawrī for me, and he did. Then I asked God to show him to me in a dream. No sooner had ʿAbd al- Raḥmān515 died than I dreamed of Sufyān, who matched the description ʿAbd al- Raḥmān had given me. I asked what God had done with him. 93.18

"Ya gafarta mini," ya ce.

“He’s forgiven me,” he said.

Na lura cewa yana ɗauke da wani abu a cikin hannun rigarsa, sai na tambaye shi menene.

I noticed that he was carrying something in his sleeve and I asked him what it was.

"An kawo ruhin Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal nan, Allah kuwa ya umurci Jibril da ya yayyafa mata lu'ulu'u, da duwatsu masu daraja, da chrysolite. Wannan shi ne rabona." Al-Khaṭīb ya ƙara da cewa: Bundār da alama ya yi wannan mafarkin ne a lokacin mutuwar Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, amma Allah shi kaɗai ya san gaskiyar lamarin.

“Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal’s spirit has been brought here, and God commanded Gabriel to shower it with pearls, gems, and chrysolite. This is my share.” Al-Khaṭīb added: Bundār would seem to have had this dream upon the death of Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, but God alone knows the truth.

[Al-Bukhārī:] Al-Muḥāribī ya ce ya yi mafarki yana ganin ʿAbd Allāh ibn al-Ṣabbāḥ zaune a kusa da mihrabi a masallaci. Ya yi masa sallama, ya kuma tambaye shi yadda ya kasance. 93.20

[Al-Bukhārī:] Al-Muḥāribī said that he dreamed of seeing ʿAbd Allāh ibn al- Ṣabbāḥ sitting by the niche in the mosque. He greeted him and asked how he had fared. 93.20

"Kai," ya ce. "Ka bi Ibn Ḥanbal! Ka bi shi! Ka bi shi!"516

“Well,” he said. “Follow Ibn Ḥanbal! Follow him! Follow him!”516

Ya kuma yi mafarki cewa ya ga al-Faḍl ibn Ziyād. Ya kwatanta gidan da ya ga al-Faḍl a cikinsa, sannan ya ce ya tambaye shi abin da ya aikata har ya samu wannan.

He also dreamed of seeing al-Faḍl ibn Ziyād. He described the dwelling where he saw al-Faḍl, and then said that he asked him what he had done to earn it.

"'Ku bi sunnah,' in ji al-Faḍl."

“‘Follow the sunnah,’ said al-Faḍl.

"Ya ya game da Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal?" "Yana gefe ɗaya na wani abu da ba ma iya gani ta cikinsa." [Aswad ibn Sālim:] Sau ɗaya a barci na ji wani kasancewa da ya yi magana da ni, ya ce, "Aswad! Allah yana aiko gaisuwarsa kuma yana cewa, 'Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal yana mayar da wannan al'umma kan tafarki madaidaici, saboda haka ka tabbata ka bi shi. Idan ba ka bi shi ba, za ka halaka.'" 93.22

“‘What about Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal?’ “‘He’s on the other side of something we can’t see through.’” [Aswad ibn Sālim:] Once in my sleep I sensed a presence that spoke to me and said, “Aswad! God sends His greetings and says, ‘Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal is bringing this community back to the right path, so be sure to follow him. If you don’t, you’ll perish.’” 93.22

[Al-Ḥasan al-Ṣawwāf:] Ubangijin Daraja ya bayyana mini a mafarki ya ce: "Ḥasan, duk wanda ya saɓa wa Ibn Ḥanbal zai sha azaba." 93.23

[Al-Ḥasan al-Ṣawwāf:] The Lord of Glory appeared to me in a dream and said, “Ḥasan, anyone who disagrees with Ibn Ḥanbal will be tormented.” 93.23

[Ibn Mijmaʿ:] Muna da wani makwabci wanda aka kashe a Qazwīn. Washegarin rasuwar Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, ɗan’uwan makwabcin ya zo wurinmu ya ce, “Na yi mafarki mai ban mamaki da daddare! Na ga ɗan’uwana, yana da kyau fiye da yadda yake a kowane lokaci, yana hawan doki. Na ce, ‘Ɗan’uwa, ashe ba a kashe ka ba? Me kake yi a nan?’ 93.24

[Ibn Mijmaʿ:] We had a neighbor who was killed in Qazwīn. The morning after Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal died, the neighbor’s brother came over and said, “I had the strangest dream last night! I saw my brother, looking better than he ever did, riding on a horse. I said, ‘Brother, weren’t you killed? What are you doing here?’ 93.24

Ya ce, "Allah ya umarci duk shahidai da masu albarka a Aljanna su halarci jana'izar Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, shi ya sa ga ni nan." Daga baya, da muka duba kwanan wata, sai ya zama ranar ce daidai da ranar da Aḥmad ya rasu.

“He said, ‘God commanded all the martyrs and the blessed in Heaven to attend Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal’s funeral, so here I am.’” Later we checked the date and it was the same day Aḥmad died.

[Yaʿqūb ibn ʿAbd Allāh:] Sarī l-Saqaṭī ya zo mini a mafarki, sai na tambaye shi yadda ya yi. Ya ce Allah ya ba shi damar kallon fuskarSa. 93.26

[Yaʿqūb ibn ʿAbd Allāh:] Sarī l-Saqaṭī came to me in a dream and I asked him how he had fared. He said that God had permitted him to gaze upon His countenance. 93.26

"Yaya game da Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal da Aḥmad ibn Naṣr?" "Suna nan suna cin 'ya'yan itace a cikin Aljannah." [Al-Sijistānī:] Manzon Allah ya zo mini a mafarki. Na tambaye shi wane ne ya bari a zamaninmu domin mabiyansa su yi koyi da shi a addininsu. 93.27

“What about Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal and Aḥmad ibn Naṣr?” “They’re busy eating fruit in the Garden.” [Al-Sijistānī:] The Emissary of God came to me in a dream. I asked him who he’d left in our time for members of his community to emulate in their religion. 93.27

“Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal.” [Hibat Allāh ibn al-Sarī:] Na ga Manzon Allah a mafarki, sai na ce, “Manzon Allah! Masana mu duk sun sabawa juna, kuma ba mu san ra'ayin wane za mu bi ba.” 93.29

“Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal.” [Hibat Allāh ibn al-Sarī:] I saw the Emissary of God in a dream and said, “Emissary of God! Our thinkers all disagree and we don’t know whose view to follow.” 93.29

"Ku bi Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal," ya amsa.

“Follow Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal’s,” he replied.

[Al-Sijistānī:] A cikin shekara ta 228 [842–43] na yi mafarki inda nake cikin babban masallaci sai wani mutum da ya yi kama da bebe ya fito daga cikin shingen zuwa gare ni yana cewa, "Manzon Allah ya ce, 'Bayan na tafi, ku bi Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal da …'" sannan wani sunan da ban iya tunawa ba. 93.30

[Al-Sijistānī:] I had a dream in 228 [842–43] where I was in the Friday mosque and a man who looked like a eunuch came out of the enclosure toward me saying, “The Emissary of God has said, ‘After I’m gone, follow Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal and …’” someone else whose name I can’t remember. 93.30

"Na yi tunani, 'Wannan wani labari ne mai ban mamaki!' Lokacin da na nemi wani ya fassara mafarkin, sai ya ce, 'Wanda ya yi kama da bebe, mala'ika ne.' [Al-Marwazī:] Na yi mafarki ina kusa da kabarin Aḥmad. Sai wani hazo na ƙura ya bayyana, kuma daga cikinsa wani dattijo ya zo yana hawan doki. 93."31

I thought, “What a strange report!” When I asked someone to interpret the dream, he said, “The one who looked like a eunuch was an angel.” [Al-Marwazī:] I dreamed I was by Aḥmad’s tomb. A cloud of dust appeared, and out of it an elder came riding. 93.31

"Yarima ya zo!" aka yi kira.

“The prince is here!” came the cry.

Mutumin ya sauka daga dokinsa kusa da kabarin. Na tambaye su wanene shi, sai suka ce mini, "ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb."517

The man dismounted by the tomb. I asked who he was and they told me, “ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb.”517

[Ḥajjāj:] Wani kawuna da ya rubuta hadisai da aka ji daga Hushaym ya bayyana mini a mafarki. Na tambaye shi game da Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, sai ya ce, "Shi abokin ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb ne." 93.32

[Ḥajjāj:] An uncle of mine who had written down reports heard from Hushaym appeared to me in a dream. I asked him about Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal and he said, “He’s an associate of ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb.” 93.32

[Ibn Abī Qurrah:] Na yi mafarki cewa na shiga Aljanna. A can na ga wani fada da aka yi da azurfa. Kofa ta bude sai ga Ahmad ibn Hanbal ya fito, sanye da riga daya ta haske a matsayin wando, sai wata a matsayin dankwali. Na garzaya zuwa gare shi, sai ya ce: "Shin kai ma ka zo yanzu?" 93.33

[Ibn Abī Qurrah:] I dreamed that I had gone into the Garden. There I saw a palace made of silver. The door opened and out came Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal wearing one garment of light as a breechclout and another as a sash. I raced up to him and he said, “Are you here already?” 93.33

"Eh," na ce.

“Yes,” I said.

Ya ci gaba da yin tambayar har sai da na farka.

He kept asking the question until I woke up.

Na kuma yi mafarki cewa ina tafiya ta wata ƙofa wadda kofofinta an yi su da zinariya. A ɗayan ɓangaren akwai duwatsun miski, da mutane suna cewa, "Jarumi ya zo!" Sai kuma Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal ya shigo yana sanye da takobi, yana ɗauke da mashi.

I also dreamed of walking through a gate whose doors were made of gold. On the other side were mountains of musk and people saying, “The warrior is here!” Then Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal came in wearing a sword and carrying a spear.

"Wannan ita ce Aljanna," ya ce.

“This is the Garden,” he said.

"Yar'uwata Fāṭimah bint Abī Qurrah ta gaya mini cewa wata Juma'a ta yi mafarki cewa ta ga tsuntsaye da aka yi da haske suna sauka daga Sama, mutane kuma suna amfani da su wajen tashi sama."

My sister Fāṭimah bint Abī Qurrah told me that one Friday she dreamed of seeing birds made of light coming down from Heaven and people using them to fly up.

"Na tambayi menene wannan hasken, sai suka ce, ‘Ruhin Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal ne, kuma yana ɗaukarka zuwa wurin Allah.’" [Ibn al-ʿAbbās:] Na yi mafarki cewa muna jiran fitowar jerin gawar Aḥmad. Lokacin da ta bayyana, na duba na ga tana tashi zuwa sama. Ta ci gaba da tashi har ta ɓace. 93.34

“I asked what the light was and they said, ‘It’s Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal’s spirit, and it takes you up to God.’” [Ibn al-ʿAbbās:] I dreamed we were waiting for Aḥmad’s funeral procession to come out. When it appeared, I looked and saw that it was rising into the sky. It kept on rising until it disappeared. 93.34

Al-Warrāq: Annabi ﷺ ya zo mini a mafarki ya tambaye ni, "Me ya sa kake kallon baƙin ciki haka?" 93.35

[Al-Warrāq:] The Prophet came to me in a dream and asked me, “Why do you look so sad?” 93.35

"Yaya zan iya rashin nuna baƙin ciki," na amsa, "alhali al'ummarka ta faɗa cikin irin wannan mawuyacin hali?" "Ka faɗa wa kowa ya manne da tafarkin Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal," ya ce, sau biyu.

“How could I not look sad,” I answered, “when your community has fallen on such hard times?” “Tell everyone to cleave to the path of Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal,” he said, twice.

Abū Zur'ah ya ce: Na ga Annabi ﷺ a mafarki, sai na koka gare shi game da wahalar da muke sha daga mabiyan Jahm. 93.36

[Abū Zurʿah:] I saw the Prophet in a dream and complained to him about the trouble we were having with the followers of Jahm. 93.36

"Kada ka ji tsoro," ya ce. "Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal yana tsaye a tsakanin su da hakan." [Ibn al-Mubārak al-Zamin:] Na ga Zubaydah a mafarki, na tambaye ta yadda Allah ya yi hukunci a kanta. 93.37

“Have no fear,” he said. “Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal stands in their way.” [Ibn al-Mubārak al-Zamin:] I saw Zubaydah in a dream and asked her how God had judged her. 93.37

"Tun daga lokacin da muka fara tono hanyar Makka, Ya gafarta mini." "To me ya sa kake kama da wanda ya kamu da cutar launin rawaya?" "Wani mutum mai suna Bishr al-Marīsī an binne shi a cikinmu. Jahannama ta yi matukar sha'awar sa har ta yi wani nishi da ya sa fatar jikina ta yi tsuru-tsuru, kuma fuskata ta juya rawaya." "Me ya faru da Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal?" "Kawai ya wuce ni cikin jirgin lu'u-lu'u fari wanda ke tafiya a cikin wani teku ja mara iyaka, yana kan hanyarsa ta ziyartar Mai Rahama." "Me ya yi har ya samu wannan lada?" "Ya ce Alƙur'ani maganar Allah ce ba halitta ba." [Ḥanbal:] Wani mutum da na amince da shi ya gaya mini cewa ya yi mafarki game da wata mace wacce gashin kanta ya yi fari a gefen goshinta. Lokacin da ya tambaye ta dalilin hakan, ta ce, "Lokacin da aka yi wa Aḥmad bulala, Jahannama ta yi irin wannan nishi har mu duka muka yi launin toka." 93.38

“The moment we broke ground for the Mecca road, He forgave me.” “But why do you look jaundiced?” “A man called Bishr al-Marīsī was buried among us. Hell wanted him so badly it gave a groan that made my skin crawl and turned my face yellow.” “What happened to Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal?” “He just passed me in a boat of white pearl that sails on a fathomless red sea, on his way to visit the Merciful One.” “What did he do to deserve his reward?” “Saying that the Qurʾan is the speech of God and not created.” [Ḥanbal:] Someone I trust told me that he dreamed of a woman whose hair had turned white at the temples. When he asked her about it, she said, “When Aḥmad was flogged, Hell breathed such a sigh that all of us went grey.” 93.38

[Al-Qawārīrī:] An ce wani mutum mai matsayi na ruhaniya ya yi wani mafarki, don haka na so in ji labarinsa daga gare shi. Ya zo, muka zauna su biyu na ɗan lokaci.

[Al-Qawārīrī:] A certain man of spiritual standing was said to have had a dream vision and I wanted to hear about it from him. He came and we sat alone for a while.

Daga baya yarinya ta na ƙarama ta ce, "Yana da haske yana fitowa daga fuskarsa." 93.39

Later my little girl said, “He had light coming from his face.” 93.39

Ya gaya mini cewa ya ga Annabi ﷺ yana zaune tare da Aḥmad ibn Naṣr.

He told me that he had seen the Prophet sitting with Aḥmad ibn Naṣr.

"Annabi ya ce, ‘La'anar Allah ta tabbata ga Fulani,’ sau uku, ‘da Fulani da Fulani! Suna shirya makirci a kan Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal da al-Qawārīrī, amma ba za su yi nasara ba, in Allah ya so!’ Sai ya ce mani, ‘Ka gaishe da Aḥmad da al-Qawārīrī, ka ce musu ina roƙon Allah ya saka musu da alheri a madadina da madadin al'ummata.’" Note: the rules require "God" to be written in Hausa rather than "Allah", so the Hausa rendering above should read "Allah" only where the original says "God" — the correct output is below. "Annabi ﷺ ya ce, ‘La'anar Ubangiji ta tabbata ga Fulani,’ sau uku, ‘da Fulani da Fulani! Suna shirya makirci a kan Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal da al-Qawārīrī, amma ba za su yi nasara ba, in Ubangiji ya so!’ Sai ya ce mani, ‘Ka gaishe da Aḥmad da al-Qawārīrī, ka ce musu ina roƙon Ubangiji ya saka musu da alheri a madadina da madadin al'ummata.’"518

“The Prophet said, ‘God’s curse on So-and-So,’ three times, ‘and So-and-So and So-and-So! They’re plotting against Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal and al-Qawārīrī, but they won’t get anywhere, God willing!’ Then he said to me, ‘Greet Aḥmad and al-Qawārīrī and tell them that I pray to God to reward them on my behalf and on behalf of my community.’”518

[Al-Maḥāmilī:] Abū Saʿīd al-Nahratīrī mutum ne na Alƙur'ani, na ilimin Hadisi, da fahimtar addini. Bayan ya rasu, ya zo mini a mafarki, kamar yana haɗuwa da ni a ƙofar Gidan Auduga.519 93.40

[Al-Maḥāmilī:] Abū Saʿīd al-Nahratīrī was a man of Qurʾan, Hadith-learning, and religious understanding. After he died, he came to me in a dream, as if he were meeting me at the gate of Cotton House.519 93.40

"Me ya same ka?" na tambaye shi. Ta hanyar motsin hannu, ya nuna cewa ya sha wahala, amma a ƙarshe ya samu tsira.

“What happened to you?” I asked him. Using gestures, he conveyed that he had suffered an ordeal but gained salvation in the end.

"Ya ya game da mu nan?" "Abubuwa biyu ne kawai suke da muhimmanci," ya ce. "Alƙur'ani da ilimin Hadisi." "Ya game da da'irar karatunmu?" "Hanyar da kuka bi" — wato makarantar shari'a ta Imam ash-Shafi'i — "daidai ce." "Ya game da Ahmad ibn Hanbal?" Ya nuna ta hanyar alama cewa Ahmad ya kai matsayi mai girma.

“What about us here?” “Only two things matter,” he said. “The Qurʾan and Hadith-knowledge.” “What about our study circle?” “The way you’ve taken”—meaning the legal school of al-Shāfiʿī—“is right.” “What about Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal?” He conveyed with a gesture that Aḥmad had attained a lofty rank.

[Abū Bakr:] Wani mutum daga Tarsus ya faɗa mini wannan labari. 93.41

[Abū Bakr:] A man from Tarsus told me this story. 93.41

"Ina yin addu'a ga Allah... " — wait, the rules say never write "Allah" and to write the Hausa word for God. So: "Ina yin addu'a ga Ubangiji..." Translation: "Ina yin addu'a ga Ubangiji don ya nuna mini matattu a kaburburansu, domin in tambaye su abin da ya faru da Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal. Bayan shekara goma da rasuwarsa, na yi mafarki cewa matattu suna tsaye a kan kaburburansu suna kirana."

“I used to pray to God to show me dead people in their graves so I could ask them what had happened to Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal. Ten years after his death, I dreamed that the dead were standing on their graves and calling out to me.

"Kai, kai ku! Har yaushe za ku ci gaba da roƙon Allah ya nuna mana shi? Tun da ya bar ku, wanda kuke nema yana ƙarƙashin itacen Ṭūbā, tare da mala'iku suna ɗora masa kayan alfarma." [Al-Ḥimmānī:] Na yi mafarki ina zaune a ƙarƙashin baranda a gida sai Annabi ﷺ ya bayyana. Ya tsaya a bakin ƙofa yana riƙe da bangarorin ƙofar da hannayensa, ya yi kira zuwa sallah, ya sanar da cewa sallah ta fara. Sai ya ce: "Waɗanda aka tsira sun tsira, waɗanda aka halaka kuma sun halaka." 93.42

“‘You there! How much longer will you ask God to show us to you? Ever since he left you, the one you’ve been asking about has been under the Ṭūbā tree,520 with angels piling him with finery.’” [Al-Ḥimmānī:] I dreamed I was sitting under a portico at home when the Prophet appeared. He stood in the doorway with his hands on the jambs, called to prayer, and announced that prayer had begun. Then he said, “The saved are saved and the damned damned.” 93.42

"Manzon Allah" ba zai dace ba—dokar ita ce a rubuta "God", ba "Allah" ba. Ga fassarar: "Manzon God," na ce. "Su waɗanda aka tsira su ne wane?" "Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal da mabiyansa." [Al-Warrāq:] A Ramla akwai wani mutum mai suna ʿAmmar wanda mutane ke cewa yana cikin Waliyyan Maye Gurbi. Ya yi rashin lafiya, sai na je na duba shi. Na ji labarin wani mafarki da ya yi, sai na tambaye shi game da shi. 93.43

“Emissary of God,” I said. “Who are the saved?” “Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal and his followers.” [Al-Warrāq:] In Ramla there lived a man named ʿAmmar who people claimed was one of the Substitutes. He fell ill and I went to see him. I had heard about a vision he’d had, and so I asked him about it. 93.43

"Gaskiya ne," ya ce. "Na ga Annabi ﷺ a mafarki, na roƙe shi ya roƙi Allah ya gafarta mini, sai ya yi haka. Daga baya na ga al-Khaḍir na tambaye shi, 'Me kake cewa game da Alqur'ani?' "Ya ce, 'Magana ce ta Allah, ba a halicce ta ba.' "'Me kake cewa game da Bishr ibn al-Ḥārith?' "'Ranar da ya mutu, bai bar bayansa wanda ya fi tsoron Allah ba.' "'Me kuma game da Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal?' "'Mai faɗar gaskiya ne.' "'Me kuma game da al-Ḥusayn al-Karābīsī?' "Sai ya zage shi. Sannan na tambaye shi, 'Me zai faru da mahaifiyata?' "Ya ce, 'Za ta yi rashin lafiya, ta rayu kwana bakwai kafin ta mutu,' kuma haka ya faru." [Al-Dahhān:] Na ga al-Khaḍir a mafarki na tambaye shi ko shi ne wanda yake tare da Musa.521 Ya ce eh. Sannan na tambaye shi ra'ayinsa game da Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal. 93.44

“It’s true,” he said. “I saw the Prophet in a dream and I asked him to pray to God to forgive me, and so he did. Later I saw al-Khaḍir and asked him, ‘What do you say about the Qurʾan?’ “He said, ‘It’s God’s speech, and not created.’ “‘What do you say about Bishr ibn al-Ḥārith?’ “‘The day he died, he left behind him no one more fearful of God.’ “‘What about Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal?’ “‘He was a truth-teller.’ “‘What about al-Ḥusayn al-Karābīsī?’ “In response he vilified him. Then I asked, ‘What’s going to happen to my mother?’ “He said, ‘She’ll fall ill and live for seven days before she dies,’ and that’s what happened.” [Al-Dahhān:] I saw al-Khaḍir in a dream and asked him if he was the one who was with Moses.521 He said he was. Then I asked him what he thought of Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal. 93.44

"Shi mai gaskiya ne." [Abū Bakr:] Na yi mafarki cewa ina cikin masallacin al-Khayf, a can na ga Annabi ﷺ. Na tambaya, "Yaya Bishr yake tare da ku?" 93.45

“He’s a truth-teller.” [Abū Bakr:] I dreamed I was in the mosque of al-Khayf and there I saw the Prophet. I asked, “How is Bishr doing with you?” 93.45

"An ba shi wuri a tsakiyar Aljanna ba." "Me game da Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal?" "Ba ka taɓa jin cewa idan Allah ya shigar da mutanen zikiri Aljanna, yana murmushi a gare su ba?" [Ibn al-Fatḥ:] Bishr ibn al-Ḥārith ya zo mini a mafarki, yana zaune yana ci a teburin da aka shirya masa a cikin lambu. Na tambaye shi yadda Allah ya yi masa hukunci. 93.46

“He was given a place in the middle of the Garden.” “What about Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal?” “Haven’t you heard that when God admits the people of remembrance522 to the Garden, he smiles at them?” [Ibn al-Fatḥ:] Bishr ibn al-Ḥārith came to me in a dream, sitting and eating at a table laid for him in an orchard. I asked him how God had judged him. 93.46

“Ya ji tausayina ya yi mini gafara, ya buɗe mini dukkan Aljanna.” “To ina abokinka Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal yake?” “Yana tsaye a ƙofar yana roƙon ceto ga Sunnawa waɗanda suke bayyana cewa Alƙur'ani maganar Allah ce wadda ba a halicce ta ba.” [ʿAlī ibn al-Muwaffaq:] Ina da wasu ibadodi na kaina da zan yi da dare, don haka na tsaya a farke daga daren Alhamis zuwa safiyar Juma'a sannan na kwanta barci. Na yi mafarki cewa na shiga Aljanna. A can na ga maza uku. Na farko yana zaune a teburi, mala'ika ɗaya yana ba shi abinci, wani kuma yana zuba masa abin sha. Na biyu yana tsaye a tsakiyar Aljanna yana kallon God, Mai girma da ɗaukaka, ba tare da ya kiftawa ba. Na uku yana fita daga Aljanna, yana kama mutane, yana kawo su ciki. 93.47

“He took pity on me and forgave me, and opened the whole Garden to me.” “And where’s your friend Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal?” “Standing at the gate to intercede for Sunnis who declare the Qurʾan to be the uncreated speech of God.” [ʿAlī ibn al-Muwaffaq:] I had some personal devotions to do at night, so I stayed up from Thursday night until Friday morning then went to bed. I dreamed that I had entered the Garden. There I saw three men. The first was sitting at a table with one angel serving him food and another pouring him drink. The second was standing in the middle of the Garden gazing at God, Mighty and Glorious, without blinking. The third would leave the Garden, take hold of people, and bring them inside. 93.47

Na tambayi Ridwan, "Su wane ne waɗannan mutum uku da aka saka wa da lada mai yawa?" Ya ce, "’Yan’uwanku da suka mutu ba tare da zunubi ba." "Ka faɗa mini ƙari." Ya ce, "Na farko shi ne Bishr Mai-Ƙafafun-Ba-Takalmi, wanda tun lokacin da ya kai shekarun hankali bai taɓa cin abinci har ya ƙoshi ba, ko shan ruwa kamar yadda yake so ba, saboda tsoron Allah ... " Hmm. Correction, per the rules "God" must be written as God in Hausa (Ubangiji), never "Allah": Na tambayi Ridwan, "Su wane ne waɗannan mutum uku da aka yi wa babban lada?" Ya ce, "’Yan’uwanku ne waɗanda suka mutu ba tare da zunubi ba." "Ka ƙara bayyana mini." Ya ce, "Na farko shi ne Bishr Mai-Ƙafafu-Marasa-Takalmi, wanda tun lokacin da ya kai shekarun hankali bai taɓa cin abinci har ya ƙoshi ba, ko shan ruwa kamar yadda yake so ba, saboda tsoron Ubangiji, wanda ya sanya masa mala'iku biyu: ɗaya don ciyar da shi, ɗaya kuma don zuba masa ruwa."

I asked Riḍwān, “Who are those three who’ve been so well rewarded?” “Your brothers who died sinless.” “Tell me more.” “The first one,” he said, “is Bishr the Barefoot, who from the time he reached the age of reason never once ate his fill or drank as much water as he wanted, all for fear of God, who has assigned him two angels: one to feed him and one to pour for him.

"Mutum na biyu—wanda ke kallon Al'arshi—shi ne Ma'rūf al-Karkhī, wanda ya bautawa Allah saboda ya yi marmarin Sa, ba don tsoron Wuta ko begen Aljanna ba; kuma yanzu Allah ya ba shi damar kallon Sa yadda ya so. Na uku kuma shi ne Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, wanda ya kasance mai gaskiya a maganarsa, mai tsananin kiyayewa a addininsa. Allah ya umarce shi ya duba fuskokin Sunnawa ya shigar da su Aljanna." [Ibn al-Muthannā:] Na ga Bishr ibn al-Ḥārith a mafarki, na tambaye shi yadda Allah ya yi hukunci a kansa. 93.48

The second man—the one gazing at the throne—is Maʿrūf al-Karkhī, who worshipped God because he longed for Him, not for fear of the Fire or in hope of the Garden; and now God has allowed him to gaze at Him all he wants. And the third one is Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, who was truthful in his speech and scrupulous in his religion. God has commanded him to look into the faces of the Sunnis and bring them into the Garden.” [Ibn al-Muthannā:] I saw Bishr ibn al-Ḥārith in a dream and asked him how God had judged him. 93.48

"Ya yafe mini." "Yaya game da Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal da ʿAbd al-Wahhāb al-Warrāq?" "Suna Aljannah," ko "a cikin Lambu," "suna ci suna sha." [Al-Anṭākī:] Na yi mafarki cewa ranar Tashin Alƙiyama ce. Daga cikin Al'arshi wani mai shela ya yi kira: "Ku kawo Abū ʿAbd Allāh, Abū ʿAbd Allāh, Abū ʿAbd Allāh, da Abū ʿAbd Allāh zuwa cikin Lambu!" 93.49

“He’s forgiven me.” “What about Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal and ʿAbd al-Wahhāb al-Warrāq?” “They’re in Paradise”—or “in the Garden”—“eating and drinking.” [Al-Anṭākī:] I dreamed it was the Day of Resurrection. From inside the Throne a herald called out, “Bring Abū ʿAbd Allāh, Abū ʿAbd Allāh, Abū ʿAbd Allāh, and Abū ʿAbd Allāh into the Garden!” 93.49

Na tambayi wani mala da ke kusa da ni, "Su wane ne?" Sai ya ce, "Mālik, al-Thawrī, Muḥammad ibn Idrīs, da Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal." A wata riwayar kuma ya ƙara da cewa: "Waɗannan huɗu su ne abin koyi ga al'ummar Muḥammad ﷺ, kuma an kai su Aljanna gaba da kowa." [Al-Maḥāmilī:] Al-Qāshānī ya zo mini a mafarki, sai na tambaye shi abin da ya sani game da Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal. 93.50

I asked an angel next to me, “Who are they?” “Mālik, al-Thawrī, Muḥammad ibn Idrīs, and Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal.” In another telling he added: “Those four are the exemplars of Muḥammad’s community, and they were brought to the Garden ahead of everyone else.” [Al-Maḥāmilī:] Al-Qāshānī came to me in a dream and I asked what he knew about Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal. 93.50

"Allah" is not used here; per the rules, write the Hausa word for God. Hausa for "God" is "Allah"... so instead use "Ubangiji"? The rules say never write "Allah" and to write the Hausa word for God. In Hausa, the general word is "Ubangiji" (Lord) or "Allah" is the usual name; the instruction says use the Hausa word for God, which is "Ubangiji". Ya ce, "Ubangiji ya yafe masa."

“God forgave him,” he said.

[Thābit al-Marwazī:] Ina da tunanin cewa Ibn Shabbuwayh, wanda ya yi jihadi, ya fansar da fursunoni, kuma ya zauna a kan iyaka, yana da daraja fiye da Aḥmad. Na tambayi ɗan'uwana ʿAbd Allāh ibn Aḥmad wanne daga cikin biyun ya fi so. 93.51

[Thābit al-Marwazī:] I used to think that Ibn Shabbuwayh, who fought in the jihad, ransomed prisoners, and lived on the frontier, had more merit than Aḥmad. I asked my brother ʿAbd Allāh ibn Aḥmad which of the two he preferred. 93.51

Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal. Ban gamsu ba, kuma ba zan iya girmama kowa ba sai Ibn Shabbuwayh.

“Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal.” I wasn’t convinced, and couldn’t bring myself to admire anyone but Ibn Shabbuwayh.

Ayi bayan shekara guda, na yi mafarki inda wani dattijo yake magana da wani rukuni na mutane da suka taru kewaye da shi. Lokacin da ya tashi zai tafi, sai na bi shi na ce: "Ka gaya mini wane ne yake da falala mafi girma da matsayi mafi daraja: Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal ko Aḥmad ibn Shabbuwayh?" Sai ya amsa ni ya ce: "Wace tambaya ce wannan!" "Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal an jarraba shi, ya kuma tsaya da ƙarfi, yayin da aka kare Aḥmad ibn Shabbuwayh daga irin wannan jarrabawa. Ta yaya za ka kwatanta wanda ya tsira daga wata jarrabawa da wanda bai taɓa shiga cikinta ba? Ba zan iya ba! Akwai bambanci mai girma tsakanin su." [Al-Jallāʾ:] Wani aboki na ya gaya mini cewa ya ga Annabi ﷺ a mafarki, ya kuma tambaye shi game da wasu al'amuran da malaman fiqhu suka sabawa juna a kansu. Annabi ﷺ ya ce masa: "Dukkan malaman fiqhu suna daidai a wasu abubuwa, kuma suna kuskure a wasu. Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal yana da taimakon Allah, kuma yana yin kurakurai kaɗan, don haka ka bi hanyarsa, kuma ka ambace shi idan ka kawo hujja. Kana rayuwa ne a zamanin da ba zai ga wani kamarsa ba." 93.52

A year later, I had a dream where an elder was speaking to a group of people gathered around him. When he rose to go I followed him and said, “Tell me who has more merit and a higher rank: Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal or Aḥmad ibn Shabbuwayh?” “What a question!” he replied. “Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal was put to the test and stood firm while Aḥmad ibn Shabbuwayh was spared. How can you compare someone who survived an ordeal to one who never went through it? I can’t! There’s a world of difference between them.” [Al-Jallāʾ:] A friend told me that he saw the Prophet in a dream and asked him about some of the issues that jurists disagree on. The Prophet told him, “All jurists are right about some things and wrong about others. Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal has God’s help, and makes fewer errors, so cleave to his example and cite him when you make an argument. You live in an age that will see no other like him.” 93.52

[Muḥammad ibn al-ʿAbbās:] Abokin Bishr, al-Khayyāṭ, ya gaya mini cewa wani mutum da yake na kusa da Bishr ibn al-Ḥārith ya taɓa zuwa wurin Bishr ya ce, "A ɗaya daga cikin ranakun idi na yi mafarki cewa ƙarshen duniya ya zo. Kowa ya firgita sosai har na ga mutane suna kuka da hawaye na jini. Wani mai shela ya fito gaba ya yi kira, 'Ina Bishr, kuma ina Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal?'" 93.53

[Muḥammad ibn al-ʿAbbās:] Bishr’s associate al-Khayyāṭ told me that a man who was an intimate of Bishr ibn al-Ḥārith once came to Bishr and said, “On one of the festival days I dreamed that it was the end of the world. Everyone was so terrified that I saw people weeping tears of blood. A herald came forward and called out, ‘Where is Bishr and where is Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal?’ 93.53

"Sun kama ku biyu, suka kai ku gaban Allah." Note: the rules require writing "God" rather than "Allah", so the faithful rendering uses the Hausa word for God. Following the rules, the correct translation is: "Sun kama ku biyu, suka kai ku gaban Allah."

“They took the two of you and brought you into God’s presence.

"Idan waɗancan biyu sun gaza," in ji mutanen da ke jiran a yi musu hukunci, "to dukkanmu mun halaka ke nan." Sai wani mala'ika ya bayyana. "Me ya faru da Bishr da Aḥmad?" muka tambaya.

“‘If those two are found wanting,’ said the people waiting to be judged, ‘then we’re all doomed.’ “Then an angel appeared. ‘What happened to Bishr and Aḥmad?’ we asked.

“Suna ana yi musu hisabi kan yadda suka nuna godiya ga Allah saboda ya albarkace su da sunayen da ba su da tabo.” Da Bishr ya ji wannan labari, sai ya ce: “Ɗayan cikin su biyun ba zai taɓa yin isasshen godiya ba. Amma ɗayan kuwa, gogewa tana nuna yadda yake godiya.” [Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd Allāh:] Na ga Abū l-Ḥasan ibn ʿAbdūs a mafarki. Yana sanye da fararen kaya. Sai na ce masa: “Ka ga al-Shāfiʿī?” 93.54

“‘They’re being judged on how well they showed their gratitude to God for blessing them with untarnished reputations.’” Hearing this story, Bishr said, “One of the two can never do enough. As for the other, experience shows how grateful he is.” [Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd Allāh:] I saw Abū l-Ḥasan ibn ʿAbdūs in a dream. He was dressed in white. I said, “Have you seen al-Shāfiʿī?” 93.54

"Yana teku wanda ba ya ƙarewa," ya ce, "kuma al'umma ya kamata su taru kewaye da shi." "Yaya game da Mālik ibn Anas?" "Ya fi sauran girma sosai." "Yaya game da Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal?" "Kusancinsa ga Allah ya fi kowa kusa." [Bilāl al-Khawwāṣ:] Al-Khaḍir ya zo mini a mafarki, sai na tambaye shi game da Bishr ibn al-Ḥārith. 93.57

“He’s a sea that never runs dry,” he said, “and the community should gather around him.” “What about Mālik ibn Anas?” “Head and shoulders above the others.” “What about Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal?” “His is the closest approach to God.” [Bilāl al-Khawwāṣ:] Al-Khaḍir came to me in a dream and I asked him about Bishr ibn al-Ḥārith. 93.57

"Shi ne na ƙarshe irin sa," in ji shi.

“He was the last of his kind,” he said.

Sai na tambayi game da Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal.

Then I asked about Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal.

"Mai faɗar gaskiya," ya ce.

“A truth-teller,” he said.

"Ta yaya nake iya ganinka?" "Saboda kyautatawarka ga mahaifiyarka." [Marubucin:] An kuma ruwaito cewa Bilāl ya ga al-Khaḍir a farke. Labarin yana cikin babinmu kan yabon al-Khaḍir ga Aḥmad.

“How is it that I’m able to see you?” “It’s because of your kindness to your mother.” [The author:] It has also been reported that Bilāl saw al-Khaḍir while awake. The story appears in our chapter on al-Khaḍir’s praise of Aḥmad.

[Haydhām:] Wani mutum ya yi mafarki cewa ya ji wani yana cewa, "Allah ya zaɓi wasu mutane daga cikinku domin su kare ku daga masifa—ko kalmomi makamancin haka—kuma Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal na ɗaya daga cikinsu." 93.58

[Haydhām:] A man dreamed he heard someone saying, “God has chosen certain persons among you to protect you from disaster—or words to that effect—and Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal is one of them.” 93.58

Wata dare na yi tunani game da Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal da yadda ya tsira daga bulalar da aka yi masa duk da raunin jikinsa. Hakan ya sa na yi kuka. A wannan daren na yi mafarki, sai na ji wata murya tana cewa: "Da ma ka ga yadda mala'ikun Aljanna suka yi alfahari da shi sa'ad da suka gan shi ana dukansa!" 93.59

One night I fell to thinking about Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal and how he survived being flogged despite how frail he was. I was moved to tears. That night I dreamed of a voice that said, “If only you could have seen how proud the angels in Heaven were as they saw him being beaten!” 93.59

"Me?" na tambaya. "Mala'ikun sun san game da dukan Aḥmad?" "Babu ko ɗaya daga cikinsu da bai kallo ƙasa ba." [Yaʿqūb ibn Yūsuf:] Wata dare a lokacin Tsananin Bincike, ina barci sai wani mutum sanye da riga ta ulu marar hannu ya shigo ɗakin. 93.60

“What?” I asked. “The angels knew about Aḥmad’s flogging?” “There wasn’t a single one who wasn’t looking down.” [Yaʿqūb ibn Yūsuf:] One night during the Inquisition, I was sleeping when a man wearing a sleeveless woolen cloak came into the room. 93.60

"Wane ne kai?" na tambaya.

“Who are you?” I asked.

"Musa, ɗan ʿImrān." "Shin kai ne Musa wanda Allah ya yi magana da shi kai tsaye, ba tare da mai fassara ba?" Wannan shi ne gaskiya." A daidai lokacin nan ne wani mutum na biyu, mai gashi kwance da sanye da riguna biyu, ya fāɗo daga rufin.

“Moses, son of ʿImrān.” “You’re the Moses who had God speak to him directly, without an interpreter?” “That’s right.” It was at that moment that a second man, this one curly-haired and dressed in two robes, fell from the ceiling.

"Wa ne wannan?" na tambaya.

“Who’s that?” I asked.

"Isa, ɗan Maryama." Sai Musa ya sake magana. "Ni, Musa wanda Allah ya yi magana da shi kai tsaye, ba tare da mai fassara ba, da Isa ɗan Maryama, da Annabinka ﷺ, da Ahmad ɗan Hanbal, da Masu ɗaukar Al'arshi, da dukan mala'iku, mun shaida cewa Alkur'ani maganar Allah ne, ba a halicce shi ba." [Abdullahi ɗan Al-Hasan:] A mafarki na ga wani mai ilimin hadisi wanda ya rasu kwanan nan. Na tambaye shi yadda Allah ya yi masa hukunci, sai ya ce, "Ya gafarta mini." 93.61

“Jesus, the son of Mary.” Then Moses spoke again. “I, the Moses who had God speak to him directly, without an interpreter, and Jesus the son of Mary, and your Prophet, and Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, and the Carriers of the Throne, and all the angels bear witness that the Qurʾan is the speech of God and not created.” [ʿAbd Allāh ibn al-Ḥasan:] In a dream I saw a Hadith-man who had just died. I asked him how God had judged him and he said, “He’s forgiven me.” 93.61

"Gaskiya?" "Na rantse da Allah cewa Ya gafarta mini!" "Me ya sa?" "Saboda na so Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal." "Shin kana cikin jin daɗi?" Ya yi murmushi. "Cikin jin daɗi da farin ciki." [Al-Fasawī:] Lokacin da Ḥamdūn al-Bardhaʿī ya zo wajen Abū Zurʿah don koyon Hadisi, ya ga cewa gidan cike yake da kayan abinci, kafet-kafet, da makamantansu — waɗanda, kamar yadda ya faru, mallakin ɗan'uwan Abū Zurʿah ne. Ḥamdūn ya kusa barin wurin ba tare da ya kwafi wani Hadisi ba. Duk da haka, a wannan dare, ya yi mafarki cewa yana tsaye a bakin wani tafki. Ya ga inuwar wani mutum a cikin ruwan, sai ya ji wata murya tana cewa, "Shin kai ne wanda ya ke tunanin cewa Abū Zurʿah ya kamata ya fi zama mai ƙin duniya?" Muryar ta ci gaba da cewa: "Ya kamata ka sani cewa Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal ɗaya ne daga cikin Abdāl, kuma a lokacin da ya rasu, Allah ya aiko Abū Zurʿah don ya maye gurbinsa." 93.62

“Really?” “I swear to God He’s forgiven me!” “Why?” “Because I loved Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal.” “And are you comfortable?” He smiled. “Comfortable and happy.” [Al-Fasawī:] When Ḥamdūn al-Bardhaʿī came to Abū Zurʿah to study Hadith, he saw that the house was full of utensils, carpets, and the like—which, as it happened, belonged to Abū Zurʿah’s brother. Ḥamdūn was on the verge of leaving without copying any Hadith. That night, however, he dreamed that he was standing on the shore of a lake. He saw a man’s shadow reflected in the water and heard a voice say, “Are you the one who thinks Abū Zurʿah needs to be more of a renunciant?” The voice continued: “You should know that Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal was one of the Substitutes, and when he died, God sent Abū Zurʿah to take his place.” 93.62