A ranar Laraba, a lokacin da suka rage dare shida a watan Zul-Hijja na shekara 232 [11 ga Agusta, 847], al-Mutawakkil ʿalā llāh, wanda a lokacin yana da shekaru ashirin da shida, ya gaji al-Wāthiq a matsayin khalifa. Ta hannunsa Allah ya sa nasara ta samu sunnah, ya kuma kawo ƙarshen wahalar da aka sha saboda Mihna, abin da ya faranta wa mutane rai ƙwarai. 73.1

On Wednesday, with six nights left in Dhu l-Hijjah 232 [August 11, 847], al- Mutawakkil ʿalā llāh, who was then twenty-six years of age, succeeded al-Wāthiq as caliph. Through him God brought about the triumph of the sunnah and put an end to the suffering caused by the Inquisition, much to the gratification of the people. 73.1

[Al-Taymī:] Akwai manyan halifofi uku: Abū Bakr, wanda ya yaƙi masu ridda har suka miƙa wuya; ʿUmar ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz, wanda ya gyara ɓarnar Umayyawa; da al-Mutawakkil, wanda ya kawar da bidi'o'i na ɓatanci kuma ya bayyana sunnah a fili. 73.2

[Al-Taymī:] There were three great caliphs: Abū Bakr, who fought the apostates until they surrendered; ʿUmar ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz, who made good the abuses of the Umayyads; and al-Mutawakkil, who abolished heretical innovations and publicly proclaimed the sunnah. 73.2

[ʿAlī ibn al-Jahm:] Khalifa al-Mutawakkil ya aiko da sako gare ni, ya ce, "ʿAlī, na yi mafarki na ga Annabi ﷺ. Na tashi don gaishe shi, sai ya ce, 'Kana tashi mini alhali kai khalifa ne?'" 73.3

[ʿAlī ibn al-Jahm:] The Caliph al-Mutawakkil sent for me and said, “ʿAlī, I dreamed I saw the Prophet. I rose to greet him, and he said, ‘You’re rising for me even though you’re a caliph?’” 73.3

"Mafarki ne mai kyau, Amirul Muminina," na ce. "Tashinka a gare shi tana nuna tsayuwarka don tsare sunnah. Kuma ya kira ka halifa!" Al-Mutawakkil ya ji daɗi.

“It’s a good dream, Commander of the Faithful,” I said. “Your rising for him symbolizes your standing up for the sunnah. And he called you a caliph!” Al-Mutawakkil was pleased.

[ʿAlī ibn Ismāʿīl:] A Tarsus na yi mafarki na ga al-Mutawakkil yana zaune a wani wuri cike da haske. 73.4

[ʿAlī ibn Ismāʿīl:] In Tarsus I dreamed that I saw al-Mutawakkil sitting in a place full of light. 73.4

"Al-Mutawakkil?" na tambaya.

“Al-Mutawakkil?” I asked.

"Eh," ya ce.

“Yes,” he said.

"Me Allah ya yi maka?" "Ya gafarta mini." "Don me?" "Saboda ɗan ƙaramin sunnah da na samu damar mayarwa." [Marubucin:] Al-Mutawakkil ya kashe wutar bidi'ar ɓatanci, ya kuma kunna fitilun sunnah.

“What has God done with you?” “He forgave me.” “Why?” “Because of the little bit of sunnah I was able to restore.” [The author:] Al-Mutawakkil extinguished the fires of heretical innovation and lit the lamps of sunnah.

[Ibrāhīm ibn Muḥammad:] A shekarar 234 [848–49], al-Mutawakkil ya zaɓi wasu malaman fiqihu da masana hadisi, ciki har da Muṣʿab al-Zubayrī, Isḥāq ibn Abī Isrāʾīl, Ibrāhīm ibn ʿAbd Allāh al-Harawī, da ʿAbd Allāh da ʿUthmān, 'ya'yan Ibn Abī Shaybah, domin su karɓi kyaututtuka da alawus na yau da kullum, kuma ya umarce su da su gudanar da zaman hadisi na jama'a domin koyar da ruwayoyin da ke karyata 'yan Khawāriji da mabiyan Jahm, da kuma ruwayoyin da ke bayyana ganin Allah. ʿUthmān ibn Abī Shaybah ya sa aka kafa masa mimbari domin ya jagoranci zama a cikin Birnin al-Manṣūr. Kimanin mutum dubu talatin ne suka taru domin su saurare shi. Abū Bakr ibn Abī Shaybah kuwa ya gudanar da zamansa a masallacin al-Ruṣāfah, inda wasu mutum dubu talatin suka taru domin saurare shi.423 73.5

[Ibrāhīm ibn Muḥammad:] In 234 [848–49], al-Mutawakkil chose a number of jurists and Hadith-men, including Muṣʿab al-Zubayrī, Isḥāq ibn Abī Isrāʾīl, Ibrāhīm ibn ʿAbd Allāh al-Harawī, and ʿAbd Allāh and ʿUthmān, the sons of Ibn Abī Shaybah, to receive awards and regular stipends, and ordered them to hold public Hadith sessions to teach the reports that refute the Secessionists and the followers of Jahm, as well as the reports that describe seeing God. ʿUthmān ibn Abī Shaybah had a pulpit set up for him to lead a session inside the City of al-Manṣūr. Some thirty thousand people gathered to hear him. Abū Bakr ibn Abī Shaybah held his session in the mosque of al- Ruṣāfah, where another thirty thousand gathered to hear.423 73.5

[Ghulām Khalīl:] A ʿAbbādān, bayan ƙarshen Inquisition (Mihna), Abū Jaʿfar al-Khawwāṣ ya karanta mini: 73.6

[Ghulām Khalīl:] In ʿAbbādān, after the end of the Inquistion, Abū Jaʿfar al- Khawwāṣ recited for me: 73.6

Igiyar 'yan bidi'a ta yi rauni, ta kuma karye.

The heretics’ rope has frayed and snapped.

Lokacinsu na mulki ya zo ya wuce.

Their turn in power come and gone.

Kuma tare da su ya tafi rundunar Shaidan.

And gone with them is the Devil’s horde.

Waɗanda suka taru don ƙarfafa su.

That gathered round to cheer them on.

Ka gaya mini, abokai: A cikin duk wannan tarin.

Tell me, friends: In all that lot.

Shin akwai misali? Ko da guda ɗaya ne?

Was there an exemplar? Even one?

Kamar Sufyān na Thawr, wanda ya koyar da mu duka.

One like Sufyān of Thawr, who taught us all.

Me za a karɓa da abin da za a guje wa?

What to accept and what to shun?

Ko Sulaymān na Taym, wanda bai taɓa yin barci ba.

Or Sulaymān of Taym, who never slept.

Saboda tsoron kallon Allah mai gani?

For fear of God’s all-seeing gaze?

Ko kamar Mālik, wannan teku, wannan filin kiwo.

Or like Mālik, that sea, that pasture-ground.

Inda masana shari'a suke kiwo?

Where the jurists come to graze?

Ko Ibn Ḥanbal, jarumin matashin Musulunci.

Or Ibn Ḥanbal, Islam’s brave young man.

Zuciya mai ƙarfi kamar yadda Allah ya taɓa halitta.

As stout a heart as God e’er made.

Wanda, ko da yake an kewaye shi da bulala da takobi.

Who, though ringed about with whip and sword.

Sun fuskanci hayaniyarsu ba tare da tsoro ba.424

Faced their clamor unafraid.424

Watanni biyar bayan hawansa mulki, al-Mutawakkil ya aika aka kira Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal. 73.7

Five months into his reign, al-Mutawakkil sent for Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal. 73.7

[Ṣāliḥ:] Al-Mutawakkil ya umarci Isḥāq ɗan Ibrāhīm ya aika wa mahaifina zuwa gare shi. Sai Isḥāq ya kira mahaifina ya ce: "Amirul Muminina yana bukatar kasancewarka. Ka shirya don tafiya!" Mahaifina ya ce: 73.8

[Ṣāliḥ:] Al-Mutawakkil ordered Isḥāq ibn Ibrāhīm to send my father to him. So Isḥāq summoned my father and said: “The Commander of the Faithful requires your presence. Prepare yourself for a journey!” My father said: 73.8

Isḥāq kuma ya nemi in yafe masa saboda kasancewarsa a wurin lokacin da aka yi mini bulala. Na gaya masa cewa na riga na yafe wa duk wanda ya kasance a wurin. Sai ya ce yana so ya tambaye ni game da Alƙur'ani—ba don ya gwada ni ba, sai dai don yana son sanin gaskiya.

Isḥāq also asked me to forgive him for being present when I was flogged. I told him that I had already forgiven everyone who was there. Then he said he wanted to ask me about the Qurʾan—not to test me, but because he genuinely wanted to know.

“Tsakaninmu kawai, to me kake ce game da Alƙur'ani?” “Magana ce ta Allah,” na ce masa, “wadda ba a halicce ta ba.” “Don me ba a halicce ta ba?” “Allah Ya ce: «Nasa ne halitta, nasa ne umarni»,425 wanda ke nuna cewa abin da Yake halittawa ba ɗaya yake da abin da Yake umartarwa ba.” “Amma umarninSa an halicce shi,” in ji Isḥāq.

“Just between us, then: What do you say about the Qurʾan?” “It’s the speech of God,” I told him, “uncreated.” “Why uncreated?” “God has said, «His is the creation, His the command,»425 which shows that what He creates is not the same as what He commands.” “But His command is created,” said Isḥāq.

"Allah ya taimake mu!" na ce. "Shin wani abu da aka halitta zai iya halitta wani?" "Amma wace hujja ce ke gaya maka cewa ba a halicce shi ba?" "Jaʿfar ibn Muḥammad yana cewa, 'Ba mahalicci ba ne, kuma ba abin halitta ba ne.'" Sai ya yi shiru.

“God help us!” I said. “Can one created thing create another?” “But what authority tells you it isn’t created?” “Jaʿfar ibn Muḥammad says, ‘It is neither a creator nor a created thing.’” He fell silent.

Washegari da dare, ya aika a kira ni ya ce, “Yaya kake ji game da tafiya?” Sai na ce, “Hakan ya dogara da kai.” [Ṣāliḥ ya ci gaba:] 73.9

The next night, he sent for me and asked, “How do you feel about going?” “That’s up to you.” [Ṣāliḥ continued:] 73.9

Bayan an kai Aḥmad wurin al-Mutawakkil, sannan aka mayar da shi, sai Isḥāq ibn Ibrāhīm ya rasu, sai ɗansa, ʿAbd Allāh ibn Isḥāq, ya gaje shi. Daga nan sai maƙiyan Aḥmad suka kai ƙara a kansa wurin al-Mutawakkil, suna mai da’awar cewa yana ɓoye wani mai goyon bayan ʿAlī.426 73.10

After Aḥmad was taken to see al-Mutawakkil and then sent back again, Isḥāq ibn Ibrāhīm died and was succeeded by his son, ʿAbd Allāh ibn Isḥāq. Then Aḥmad’s enemies denounced him to al-Mutawakkil, claiming that he was harboring a partisan of ʿAlī.426 73.10

[Ṣāliḥ:] Halifa al-Mutawakkil ya aika saƙo ga ʿAbd Allāh ibn Isḥāq, sabon gwamnan Baghdad, yana umurce shi da ya gargaɗi Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal da kada ya ɓoye wani abu daga halifa. Sa'an nan halifa ya tura hadiminsa, Muẓaffar, tare da shugaban sabis ɗin manzanni, wani mutum mai suna Ibn al-Kalbī, wanda shi ma ya aika masa da irin wannan saƙo. A makare da dare, bayan yawancin mutane sun kwanta barci, al-Muẓaffar da Ibn al-Kalbī suka tarar da Aḥmad, suka isar masa da saƙon da ʿAbd Allāh ibn Isḥāq ya isar musu: wato, cewa ya yi taka-tsantsan kada ya ɓoye wani abu daga halifa. 73.11

[Ṣāliḥ:] The Caliph al-Mutawakkil sent a message to ʿAbd Allāh ibn Isḥāq, the new governor in Baghdad, telling him to warn Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal against hiding anything from the caliph. The caliph then dispatched his chamberlain, Muẓaffar, as well as the chief of the courier service, a man named Ibn al-Kalbī, to whom he had sent the same message. Late at night, after most people had gone to bed, al-Muẓaffar and Ibn al-Kalbī confronted Aḥmad and passed on the message that ʿAbd Allāh ibn Isḥāq had conveyed to them: that is, that he should be wary of hiding anything from the caliph. 73.11

[Ṣāliḥ:] An buga ƙofa, sai mahaifina, wanda bai sa kome ba sai abin ɗaura a ƙasa, ya amsa. Mutanen da suka zo sun karanta wata sanarwa daga halifa da ke nuna cewa yana ɓoye wani mai goyon bayan ʿAlī. Ya ce, “Ban san abin da yake nufi ba. Na yi imani cewa wajibi ne a yi masa biyayya a lokacin farin ciki da lokacin wahala, ko da ni ba na so, ko da zai fifita wasu a kaina. Ina baƙin ciki da cewa ba zan iya yin sallah tare da ’yan’uwana Musulmi ba, ko halartar sallar Juma’a, ko yin jawabi ga al’umma.”427 73.12

[Ṣāliḥ:] There was a knock, and my father, who was dressed only in his breechclout, answered the door. The callers read aloud a message from the caliph suggesting that he was harboring a partisan of ʿAlī. He said, “I don’t know what he means. I believe that obedience is due him in good times and bad, willingly or not, even if he should favor others over me. I regret not being able to pray with my fellow Muslims, attend Friday prayers, or address the community.”427 73.12

Kafin ya rasu, Isḥāq ya gaya wa mahaifina ya zauna a gida kada ya fita zuwa sallar Juma'a ko sauran sallolin jama'a, yana mai gargaɗin cewa idan ya fita, zai sha abin da ya sha a zamanin al-Mu'taṣim.

[Ṣāliḥ:] Mahaifina ya karɓi wasiƙa daga ʿAlī ibn al-Jahm yana cewa: "Shugaban masu imani ya aiko maka da Yaʿqūb, wanda ake kira Qawṣarrah, tare da kyauta a gare ka, kuma ya umurce ka da ka zo wurinsa. Yana roƙon ka da sunan God kada ka nemi a yafe maka ko ka mayar da kuɗin da ya aiko maka, domin yin hakan zai ƙarfafa hannun waɗanda ke aiki a kanka." 73.16

[Ṣāliḥ:] My father received a letter from ʿAlī ibn al-Jahm saying: “The Commander of the Faithful herewith sends you Yaʿqūb, called Qawṣarrah, with a gift for you, and orders you to come to him. He calls upon you in the name of God not to plead for exemption or to return the money he has sent you, for doing so will strengthen the hand of those working against you.” 73.16

Washegari Yaʿqūb ya dawo ya shiga wajensa. "Abū ʿAbd Allāh," in ji shi, "Amirul-Mu'minīn yana gaishe ka, kuma yana cewa: 'Yanzu na tabbata da rashin laifinka. Ina kwadayin kasancewarka kusa da ni da albarkar addu'o'inka, saboda haka ina aika maka dirhami dubu goma domin su rufe kudin tafiyarka.'" Sai Yaʿqūb ya fitar da wata jaka mai aljihu da aka ɗaure, dauke da kimanin dinari dari biyu, sauran kuma cike da dirhami marasa gyara. Mahaifina bai ma kalli ta ba.

The next day, Yaʿqūb returned and went in to see him. “Abū ʿAbd Allāh,” he said, “the Commander of the Faithful conveys his greetings to you and says: ‘I am now convinced of your innocence. Desiring, as I do, the comfort of your presence and the blessing of your prayers, I herewith send to you ten thousand dirhams to cover the expenses of your journey.’” Yaʿqūb then brought out a bag with a knotted pouch containing about two hundred dinars and the rest filled with untrimmed dirhams. My father didn’t even look at it.

Yaʿqūb ya sake ɗaure shi, yana cewa, "Gobe zan dawo in ji abin da kuka yanke shawara a kai." Ya ƙara da cewa, "Godiya ta tabbata ga Allah... " — no, correcting: the rule says write the Hausa word for God, never "Allah". Yaʿqūb ya sake ɗaure shi, yana cewa, "Gobe zan dawo in ji abin da kuka yanke shawara a kai." Ya ƙara da cewa, "Godiya ta tabbata ga Ubangiji, wanda ya hana masu bidi'a su yi farin ciki da faɗuwarka." Sannan ya tafi.

Yaʿqūb tied it back up, saying, “I’ll be back tomorrow to find out what you’ve decided to do.” He added, “Praise God, who prevented the innovators from rejoicing in your downfall.” Then he left.

Na kawo wata koriyar tukunya ta wanki, na juyar da ita, na kuma jefa ta a kan jakar.

I brought in a green washtub,430 turned it over, and dropped it on top of the bag.

Lokacin sallar magariba ya yi, sai mahaifina ya ce, "Ṣāliḥ, ɗauki wannan ka sa shi a gidanka." Sai na sa shi a saman rufin kusa da inda nake kwana. Da safiyar wayewar gari, sai na ji yana kiran sunana, sai na tashi na je wurinsa. Ya gaya mini cewa bai yi barci ba. Lokacin da na tambaye shi dalilin da ya sa bai yi barci ba, sai ya fara kuka ya ce, "Na yi tunanin na tsere musu, amma yanzu sun zo don su azabtar da ni a ƙarshen rayuwata!" Ya ci gaba da cewa, "Na yanke shawarar bayar da wannan abu da zarar gari ya waye." Sai na ce, "Hakan yana hannunka."

[Ṣāliḥ:] Mahaifina yana karɓar baƙi waɗanda ke zuwa daga wurin al-Mutawakkil, suna isar da gaisuwarsa suna kuma tambayar lafiyarsa. Mu kan ji daɗin karɓar baƙin, amma mahaifina zai yi rawar jiki sosai har sai mun naɗe shi da tufafi masu kauri. Zai haɗa yatsunsa tare ya ce, “Da ina riƙe da raina a hannuna, da na sake shi,” sa'an nan ya buɗe hannunsa. 73.45

[Ṣāliḥ:] My father used to receive visits from messengers conveying al-Mutawakkil’s greetings and asking after his health. We were happy to receive the visitors, but my father would shudder so violently that we had to bundle him up in heavy clothes. He would bunch his fingers together and say, “If I had my soul in my hand, I would let it go,” then open his hand. 73.45

Wani lokaci bayan haka, al-Mutawakkil da mabiyansa suna wucewa ta al-Shammāsiyyah a hanyarsu zuwa al-Madāʾin. Mahaifina ya gaya mini cewa baya so in je wurinsu ko in aika musu da saƙo ta kowace hanya. Na ce ba zan yi ba.

Some time later, al-Mutawakkil and his entourage were passing through al- Shammāsiyyah on their way to al-Madāʾin. My father told me that he didn’t want me to go to them or send them word of any kind. I said I wouldn’t.

Washegari ina zaune a waje, sai ga Yaḥyā ibn Khāqān a gabana, duk da cewa ranar ruwa ce; ya zo, ruwa da komai, tare da babban tarin mabiyansa.

The next day I was sitting outside and there right in front of me—even though it was a rainy day—appeared Yaḥyā ibn Khāqān, who had come, rain and all, with a vast entourage.

"Wannan shi ne irin halin da ya kamata mutum ya nuna?" ya ce, yana sauka daga doki a bakin layinmu. "Ba ka zo ka isar da gaisuwar mahaifinka ga Shugaban Muminai ba, don haka ya aiko ni gare ka." Na yi ƙoƙarin shawo kansa ya shiga layin a kan doki, amma ya ki, sai ya fara tafiya a cikin laka da ƙafafunsa. Da ya isa ƙofar, ya cire takalmin roba da ya saka a bisa takalmansa, sannan ya shiga gida.

“Is this any way to act?” he said, dismounting just outside our alley. “You didn’t come and convey your father’s greetings to the Commander of the Faithful, so he sent me to you.” I tried to persuade him to come through the alley on horseback, but he refused and began sloshing his way through the mud instead. When he reached the door, he removed the galoshes he was wearing over his boots and went into the house.

Mahaifina yana zaune a kusurwa yana sanye da tsohuwar zane mai fasa-fasa da rawani. Labulen kofa daya tilo tsiri ne na bargon buhu. Yahya ya gaishe shi, ya sumbaci goshinsa, sannan ya tambaye shi game da lafiyarsa.

My father was sitting in the corner wearing a patched wrap and a turban. The only curtain across the door was a strip of burlap. Yaḥyā greeted him, kissed him on the forehead, and asked after his health.