[Al-Būshanjī:] Daga cikin dukkan mutanen da na gani a zamanin Aḥmad, ban taɓa haɗuwa da wanda ya fi Aḥmad kula da addini ba, ko ya fi shi taka-tsantsan, ko ya fi shi riƙo da kai, ko ya fi shi nisantar duniya ba, haka kuma ban taɓa ganin wanda ya fi shi ilimi ko basira a al'amuran addini ba, ko wanda ya fi shi karimci a zuciya, ko ya fi shi ƙarfin zuciya, ko ya fi shi zama tare da mutane cikin walwala, ko ya fi shi gaskiya a fili.196 38.1

[Al-Būshanjī:] Of all the people I saw in Aḥmad’s time, I never met anyone as mindful of religion, as careful, as self-controlled, or as abstinent as Aḥmad, nor anyone as learned or as discerning in matters of religion, nor anyone so generous in spirit, so firm of heart, so congenial in company, or so unmistakably sincere.196 38.1

[ʿAlī ibn al-Madīnī:] Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal ya taba faɗa mini, "Ina so in yi tafiya tare da kai zuwa Makka, amma ina tsoron in gaji da kamfaninka, ko kai ka gaji da nawa." 38.2

[ʿAlī ibn al-Madīnī:] Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal once said to me, “I wish I could accompany you to Mecca, but I’m afraid I’ll get tired of your company, or you of mine.” 38.2

Sa'ad da na zo yin bankwana, na tambaye shi ko yana son wani abu, sai ya ce: "Ina so ka kasance mai tsoron Allah" — wato God — "kuma mai tunawa da lahira." [Ḥanbal:] Na tuna cewa duk lokacin da Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal yake son tashi, zai ce wa duk wanda yake tare da shi: "Da izininka." 38.3

When I came to say good-bye, I asked him if he wanted anything and he said, “I want you to remain fearful of God and mindful of the afterlife.” [Ḥanbal:] I remember that whenever Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal wanted to get up, he would say to whoever was with him, “By your leave.” 38.3

Zama tare da Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal na nufin magana game da lahira; ba a taɓa ambaton al'amuran duniya ba. Ban taɓa ganinsa yana magana game da duniya kwata-kwata ba. 38.4

[Al-Sijistānī:] Sitting with Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal meant talking about the next world; the things of this world were never mentioned. I never saw him talk about this world at all. 38.4

[Ibn al-Munādī:] Na ji kakана na na faɗa, “Aḥmad yana da ƙasƙanci ƙwarai, amma yana da karimci a zuciya; yana cikin mutane mafiya tunani da kula da wasu da na taɓa gani. Sau da yawa yana zaune yana sunkuyar da kai, yana kawar da idanunsa, kuma yana guje wa magana akan abin da bai dace ba ko abin wasa. Idan ya yi magana, sai dai ya tattauna hadisi ko ya tuna misalin da salihai da masu ƙaurace wa duniya suka kafa, abin da yake yi cikin natsuwa da martaba da fasaha a magana. Idan ya haɗu da mutane, sai ya yi murmushi kuma ya ba su cikakken hankalinsa. Yana nuna girmamawa sosai ga manyan malamai, su kuma suna girmama shi ƙwarai. Ya nuna matuƙar daraja ga Yaḥyā ibn Maʿīn, wanda ya girme shi da kusan shekara bakwai.” 38.5

[Ibn al-Munādī:] I heard my grandfather say, “Aḥmad was extremely modest, but generous in spirit; he was one of the most thoughtful and considerate people I’ve ever seen. He would sit with his head bowed and his eyes averted much of the time, and avoid talking about anything unseemly or frivolous. When he did talk, it was to exchange Hadith or recall the example set by righteous men and renunciants, which he did with quiet dignity and eloquence. When meeting people, he would smile and give them his full attention. He showed great deference to senior men of learning, who in turn respected him enormously. He displayed the greatest veneration for Yaḥyā ibn Maʿīn, who was seven or so years older than he.” 38.5

[ʿAbd Allāh:] Duk lokacin da mahaifina ya fita daga masallaci zai shigo gida, yakan buga takalmansa a ƙasa domin mutane su ji shigowarsa. Sau da yawa kuma yakan yi tari, don mutane su san cewa yana shigowa. 38.6

[ʿAbd Allāh:] Whenever my father left the mosque to come into the house, he would slap his sandal against the ground so people could hear him coming. He would often clear his throat, too, to let people know he was coming in. 38.6

[Muhannaʾ:] Na gani Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal fiye da sau ɗaya ko biyu—fiye da sau uku ko huɗu ko biyar, a gaskiya—yana barin mutane su sumbaci fuskarsa, kansa, ko kuncinsa. Bai ce komai ba, amma bai hana su ba, haka nan. Na ga Sulaymān ibn Dāwūd al-Hāshimī yana sumbatar kansa da goshinsa. Bai hana shi ba, kuma ba alamar ƙin yarda ya nuna ba. Na kuma ga Yaʿqūb ibn Ibrāhīm yana sumbatar goshinsa da fuskarsa. 38.7

[Muhannaʾ:] I saw Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal more than once or twice—more than three or four or five times, really—letting people kiss his face, his head, or his cheek. He wouldn’t say anything, but he wouldn’t stop them, either. I saw Sulaymān ibn Dāwūd al-Hāshimī kiss him on the head and forehead. He didn’t stop him and he didn’t seem to disapprove. I also saw Yaʿqūb ibn Ibrāhīm kissing him on the forehead and the face. 38.7

[Al-Khallāl:] Na tambayi Zuhayr ibn Ṣāliḥ ko ya taɓa ganin kakansa, Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal. 38.8

[Al-Khallāl:] I asked Zuhayr ibn Ṣāliḥ if he had ever seen his grandfather, Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal. 38.8

"Eh," ya ce. "Ina da kimanin shekara takwas a karon farko. Ina da shekara goma lokacin da ya rasu."197

“Yes,” he said. “I was about eight years old the first time. I was ten when he died.”197

"Kana tuna yadda yake?" "Ni da 'yan'uwana mata muna ziyartarsa kowace Juma'a. Kofar da ke tsakanin gidanmu da nasa an bar ta a bude. Yakan rubuta takarda zuwa ga wani mutum da yake sayen goro da busasshen 'ya'yan itace daga wurinsa, ya ce a ba kowannenmu na azurfa biyu, sai mu je mu karbi goro ko 'ya'yan itace na azurfa biyu, mu kuma kawo wani abu ga 'yan'uwanmu mata ma."198

“Do you remember what he was like?” “My sisters and I used to visit him every Friday. The door between our house and his was left open. He used to write a note to a man he bought nuts and dried fruit from and tell him to give each of us two silver pennies’ worth, and we would go and take two pennies’ worth of nuts or fruit and bring something for our sisters too.198

Sau da yawa na gan shi zaune a rana da bayansa a bude, ga tabon raunuka a fili.

“Many times I saw him sitting in the sun with his back exposed and the scars showing.

Ina da ƙaramin ɗan'uwa mai suna ʿAlī, wanda ake kira da laƙabin Abū Ḥafs. Mahaifina ya so a yi masa kaciya. Ya shirya abinci mai yawa, ya kuma gayyaci mutane su zo. Lokacin da lokaci ya yi, ya aika wani ya gayyaci kakana ma. Daga baya mahaifina ya faɗa mini abin da ya ce: ‘Na ji labarin wannan sabon abu da kuke yi, kuma na ji cewa kun yi almubazzaranci a kai. Ya kamata ku fara da talakawa da marasa lafiya, ku ciyar da su tukuna.’ 38.9

“I had a younger brother named ʿAlī, with the nickname Abū Ḥafs. My father wanted to have him circumcised. He prepared a lot of food and invited people to come over. When the time came, he sent someone to invite my grandfather too. Later my father told me what he said: ‘I’ve heard about this new thing you’re doing, and I’ve heard that you’ve been wasteful about it. You should start with the poor and ill and feed them first.’ 38.9

Washegari, bayan da mai yin cupping da iyalan suka isa, mahaifina ya shiga ya sanar da kakana. Kakana ya fito tare da shi, ya zauna kusa da yaron nan ƙarami, ya kuma ci gaba da zama a wurin har aka yi kaciyar. Bayan haka ya fitar da guda biyu na zane masu ƙulli, ya ba mai yin cupping ɗaya, ɗayan kuma ya ba yaron.

“The next day, when the cupper and the family members had arrived, my father went in to tell my grandfather. My grandfather came out with him, sat down next to the little boy, and stayed there while the circumcision took place. Afterward he took out two knotted pieces of cloth and gave one to the cupper and the other to the boy.

Sai ya koma gidansa. Mai yin cupping ya duba ƙaramar jakar, ya sami dirhami guda ɗaya. Mu kuma muka duba jakar yaron, muka sami irin wannan.

Then he went back into his house. The cupper looked into the little bag and found a single dirham. We looked into the boy’s bag and found the same.

Mun cire yawancin abubuwan da muka shimfiɗa a ƙasa, muka sa yaron a kan wani ƙaramin dandali da aka ɗora a kan wasu tufafi masu rini. Babana bai nuna alamar ƙin amincewa ba.

“We had removed most of the things we had spread on the floor and put the boy on a little platform resting on some dyed garments. My grandfather didn’t seem to disapprove.

"Wata rana, dan uwan mahaifiyar kakана, wanda kunyarsa Abū Aḥmad, ya zo daga Khurasan ya zauna da mahaifina. Wata rana bayan sallar magariba, mahaifina ya ce in riƙe hannun Abū Aḥmad in kai shi wurin kakana. Na shiga gidan kakana, sai na same shi yana yin wasu sallolin nafila, sai na zauna. Da ya gama, ya tambaye ni ko Abū Aḥmad ya iso. 38."10

“Once my grandfather’s maternal cousin, who had the kunyah Abū Aḥmad, came from Khurasan and stayed with my father. One day after sunset prayers, my father told me to take Abū Aḥmad by the hand and show him in to my grandfather. I went into my grandfather’s house and found him doing more prayers so I sat down. When he finished, he asked me if Abū Aḥmad had arrived. 38.10

"Eh." "Ce masa ya shigo." Na fita, na sami Abū Aḥmad, na dawo da shi ciki. Ya zauna. Kakana ya kira wata tsohuwa—mai haya a wajensa—wadda ta saba yi masa aiki, sai ta fito da burodi, ganyen ƙamshi, vinegar, da gishiri a cikin kwandon sako.

“‘Yes.’ “‘Tell him to come in.’ “I went out, found Abū Aḥmad, and brought him back in. He sat down. My grandfather called out to an elderly woman—a tenant of his199—who used to work for him, and she brought out some bread, fresh herbs, vinegar, and salt on a wicker tray.

Daga baya ta fito da ɗaya daga cikin manyan tire-tire ta ajiye mana a gaban mu. Miyar busasshiyar madara ce mai naman da yawa da kuma ganyen chard. Muka fara ci, sai shi ma ya shiga tare da mu. Yayin da muke ci, ya tambayi Abū Aḥmad game da 'yan uwa da ke har yanzu a Khurasan. Sau da dama Abū Aḥmad yana samun matsala wajen fahimtar abubuwa cikin Larabci, sai kakana ya rika magana da shi cikin Farisanci. A duk lokacin, yakan zaɓi guntayen nama ya ba Abū Aḥmad da ni ma. Bayan haka, ya ɗauki tiren da kansa ya ajiye shi gefe, sannan ya kawo kwano mai ɗauke da dabino Barnī masu inganci da goro da aka cire harsashinsa, ya ajiye mana a kan tire. Ya ci, mu ma muka ci, shi yana ba Abū Aḥmad. Daga nan muka wanke hannayenmu, kowannenmu yana kula da kansa.” [Al-ʿAṭṭār:] Na aika ɗana ƙarami tare da wata baiwa, don ya isar da gaisuwata ga Aḥmad. Ya karɓi yaron da fara’a, ya ɗora shi a cinyarsa, ya yi masa tambayoyi. Ya kuma aika a kawo masa wani abincin pudding, ya kawo shi ya ajiye a gaban yaron, ya rarrashe shi ya ci, yana gayyatar baiwar ta ci ma. Sa'an nan ya fita wajen wani mai sayar da 'ya'yan itace, goro da alewa, ya dawo da wasu almond da sukari naɗe a cikin rigarsa. Ya fitar da komai, ya naɗe shi a cikin ɗan tawul, ya ba baiwar. Sannan ya ce wa yaron, “Ka faɗa wa Abū Muḥammad cewa na gaishe shi.” 38.11

Later she brought out one of those big platters and put it in front of us. It was a driedwhey stew200 with lots of meat and chard. We started eating and he joined us. As we ate, he asked Abū Aḥmad about the members of the family who were still in Khurasan. Several times, Abū Aḥmad had trouble understanding things in Arabic and so my grandfather would speak to him in Persian. All the while, he would choose pieces of meat and serve them to Abū Aḥmad and me too. Afterward he picked up the platter himself and put it aside, then brought over a serving dish containing premium Barnī dates and shelled walnuts and put it in front of us on the tray. He ate and we did too, with him serving Abū Aḥmad. Then we washed our hands, with each of us taking care of himself.” [Al-ʿAṭṭār:] I sent my young son, along with a slave woman, to give my regards to Aḥmad. He welcomed the boy, held him in his lap, and asked him questions. He also sent out for a pudding,201 which he brought in, put in front of the boy, and coaxed him to eat, inviting the woman to eat as well. Then he went out to a vendor of fruits, nuts, and sweets, and came back with some almonds and sugar wrapped up in his gown. He took everything out, wrapped it up in a handkerchief, and gave it to the servant. Then he said to the boy, “Tell Abū Muḥammad I said hello.” 38.11

Al-Marrūdhī: Na taba ganin Aḥmad yana jefa dirhami biyu a cikin kwano na wanda ke yin kaciya. 38.12

[Al-Marrūdhī:] I once saw Aḥmad toss two dirhams into a circumciser’s basin. 38.12

[Al-Maymūnī:] Sau da yawa ina tambayar Aḥmad game da wani abu, sai ya ce, "Ga ni, ina jin ka!" 38.13

[Al-Maymūnī:] I would often ask Aḥmad about something and he would say, “At your service!” 38.13

Ahmad bai taɓa zagi ba. Duk wanda ya zage shi, zai jure shi da haƙuri. Maimakon ya yi fushi, sai ya ce, "Allah ya ishe ni!"202 38. Note: the rules say to write the Hausa word for God, never "Allah". Correcting that: Ahmad bai taɓa zagi ba. Duk wanda ya zage shi, zai jure shi da haƙuri. Maimakon ya yi fushi, sai ya ce, "Ubangiji ya ishe mu!"202 38.14

[Al-Marrūdhī:] Aḥmad was never abusive. If anyone was abusive to him, he would bear it patiently. Instead of getting angry, he would say, “May God suffice!”202 38.14

Bai taɓa riƙe ƙiyayya ko yin magana da fushi ba. Wata rana kawunsa ya yi faɗa da maƙwabta. Idan suka zo wajen Aḥmad, zai karɓe su da girma da ladabi kamar yadda ya saba, ba tare da ya goyi bayan kawunsa ko ya yi jayayya don kare shi ba.

He didn’t bear grudges or speak rashly. His uncle once quarreled with the neighbors. When they would come to see Aḥmad, he would receive them as courteously as he always had, without taking sides or arguing his uncle’s part.

Ya kasance mai tawali'u sosai kuma yana son talakawa. Ban taba ganin ana kula da matalauta yadda ake kula da su ba idan suna zaune a gabansa. Yakan nuna musu girmamawa ta musamman, yayin da yake yin watsi da masu arziki. An ba shi natsuwa da mutunci na musamman. Duk lokacin da, a kusa da la'asar, ya zauna a wajensa da ya saba kuma yana ba da fatawa, ba zai yi magana ba sai an tambaye shi. Idan ya fita zuwa masallacinsa, ba zai je ya zauna a tsakiyar taron ba; a maimakon haka, yakan zauna duk inda aka samu wuri. Idan ya zauna, ba zai taba miƙe ƙafafunsa ba, saboda tsoron kada a ga kamar yana rashin girmama wasu.

He was very humble and loved the poor. I never saw poor men treated as well as they were when sitting in his company. He would treat them with special consideration while disregarding the affluent. He was graced with a quiet dignity. Whenever, in the late afternoon, he would sit in his usual place and give legal opinions, he would not speak until someone asked him a question. If he went out to his mosque, he didn’t go sit in the center of the gathering; instead, he sat wherever there was room. When he sat, he would never extend his leg, for fear of seeming disrespectful of others.

Ya kasance mai taushin hali, mai fara'a, mai sauƙin kai, kuma ba ya taɓa zama mai batsa ko mai tsauri. Abin da yake so, yana so ne saboda Allah, haka kuma abin da yake ƙi. Idan ya so wani, zai nuna kulawa ga jin daɗinsa kamar yadda yake yi wa kansa, ba tare da bambance abin da yake so da ƙyama da na abokinsa ba. Duk da haka, soyayya ba ta taɓa hana shi tsoma baki ba idan wanda yake ƙauna ya aikata ba daidai ba ko ya cuci wani. Duk lokacin da ya ji cewa wani mutum mai adalci ne, ko mai kamewa da kansa, ko ya tsaya kan gaskiya, ko ya taimaka wa al'amari na alheri, zai yi tambaya game da shi, ya yi magana game da burinsa na haɗuwa da shi, kuma ya nuna sha'awar sanin yanayin rayuwarsa.

He was kind, cheerful, and accommodating, and never vulgar or coarse. What he loved, he loved for the sake of God, and likewise for the things he hated. When he liked someone, he would show as much regard for his well-being as he would for his own, making no distinction between his own wishes and aversions and those of his friend. Even so, friendship never prevented him from intervening when someone he cared for behaved badly or wronged anyone else. Whenever he learned that someone was righteous, or self-denying, or had stood up for justice, or furthered the cause, he would inquire about him, talk about wanting to meet him, and express curiosity about his circumstances.

Ya kasance mutum mai ji sosai: idan bai son wani abu ba, yana nuna hakan a fili. Zai yi fushi, sai dai kawai saboda Allah... (no) Correction: the rules say to write the Hausa word for God, never "Allah". So: Ya kasance mutum mai ji sosai: idan bai son wani abu ba, yana nuna hakan a fili. Zai yi fushi, amma domin Ubangiji kaɗai; ba zai taɓa yin fushi saboda kansa ba, ko ya aikata wani abu don amfanin kansa ba. Duk inda al'amarin addini ya shiga, zai yi matuƙar fushi har ya zama kamar wani mutum daban gaba ɗaya:

He was a sensitive man: if he didn’t like something, he showed it. He would become indignant, though only on behalf of God; he would never get angry on his own behalf or do anything to promote his own interests. Wherever a matter of religion was at stake, he would become so incensed that he seemed a different person altogether:

Wani mutum wanda ba ya damuwa da zargi ko tsawatarwa. Duk da haka, yana da sauƙin zama tare da shi, domin yana jure wahala ba tare da gunaguni ba. Ɗaya daga cikin maƙwabtansa—wani mutum da ke raba bango da shi—ne ya faɗa mini wannan labarin.

one heedless of blame or reproach. All the same he was easy to live with because he would suffer without complaint. One of his neighbors—a man who shared a wall with him—told me this story.

Muna da wani rumfa na kurciyoyi, akwai kurciyoyi a cikinta, tana kallon gidan Aḥmad. Ina yaro, ina hawa can in leƙa ƙasa in kalle shi. Shi kuwa yana jurewa, bai taɓa ce mini in daina ba. Sai wata rana kawuna ya hau can, ya ga rumfar tana kallon gidan Aḥmad.

“We had a dovecote, with pigeons in it, overlooking Aḥmad’s house. As a boy, I would climb up there and look down at him. He put up with it and never told me to stop. Then one day my uncle went up there and saw that the dovecote overlooked Aḥmad’s house.

“‘Kunya ta tabbata a kanka!’ ya ce mini. ‘Ba ka ganin cewa kana dagula wa Aḥmad hankali ne?’ “‘Amma shi bai taba cewa komai a gare ni ba!’ “‘Ka fi kyau ka ba ni waɗannan tsuntsayen, ko kuwa!’ “Ya ci gaba da matsa mini har sai da na ba shi tsuntsayen. Sai ya yanka su, ya kuma rushe gidan kurciyoyin.” [Hārūn ibn Sufyān:] Lokacin da Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal ya yanke shawarar bayar da kuɗin da al-Mutawakkil ya ba shi, sai na je wurinsa, shi kuma ya ba ni dirhami ɗari biyu. 38.15

“‘Shame on you!’ he said to me. ‘Can’t you see that you’re disturbing Aḥmad?’ “‘But he never said anything to me!’ “‘You’d better give me those birds, or else!’ “He kept after me until I gave him the birds. Then he slaughtered them and tore down the dovecote.” [Hārūn ibn Sufyān:] When Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal decided to give away the money that al-Mutawakkil had given him, I went to see him and he gave me two hundred dirhams. 38.15

"Ina buƙatar ƙari," na ce masa.

“I need more,” I told him.

"Wannan ne kawai akwai," ya ce, "amma zan gaya maka abin da zan yi. Zan ba ka dirhami ɗari uku, kai kuma ka ba da su." Bayan na karɓi kuɗin, na ce, "Aḥmad, ba zan ba kowa ko dirhami ɗaya ba." Abin da ya yi kawai shi ne murmushi.

“That’s all there is,” he said, “but I tell you what I’ll do. I’ll give you three hundred and you can give it away.” After I took the money I said, “Aḥmad, I’m not giving a single dirham away to anyone.” All he did was smile.

Sau ɗaya na kasance a gidan Aḥmad, sai ya ambaci wani Hadisi da nake so in rubuta. Yana da kwandon tawada a gabansa, sai na tambaye shi ko zan iya amfani da shi. 38.16

[Al-Anmāṭī:] Once I was at Aḥmad’s and he mentioned a Hadith I wanted to write down. He had his inkwell in front of him, and I asked if I could use it. 38.16

"Tabbas," ya ce cikin murya mai tsauri. "Babu buƙatar ka damu da al'ada!"203

“Of course,” he said gruffly. “No need to stand on ceremony!”203

[ʿAbd Allāh:] Wani ya tambayi mahaifina dalilin da ya sa bai ciyar da lokaci mai yawa tare da mutane ba. 38.17

[ʿAbd Allāh:] Someone asked my father why he didn’t spend more time with people. 38.17

"Saboda ina ƙin yin bankwana," ya ce.

“Because I hate saying good-bye,” he said.

Ibrāhīm al-Ḥarbī: Aḥmad yana halartar bukukuwan aure, da walima, da kaciya idan an gayyace shi, kuma yana ci abin da aka ba shi a wurin. 38.18

[Ibrāhīm al-Ḥarbī:] Aḥmad would attend marriages, weddings, and circumcisions if invited, and eat what he was served there. 38.18

Na taɓa jin shi yana cewa wa Aḥmad ibn Ḥafṣ al-Wakīʿī, "Ina ƙaunarka sosai, Abū ʿAbd al-Raḥmān." Sannan ya karanta, "Mun ji Yaḥyā yana ruwaitowa, daga Thawr, daga Ḥabīb ibn ʿUbayd, daga al-Miqdām, cewa Annabi ﷺ ya ce, 'Idan ɗayanku ya ji soyayya ga wani, to ya kamata ya faɗa masa.'" [Hārūn:] Wata dare Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal ya zo ya ƙwanƙwasa mini ƙofa. 38.19

I once heard him say to Aḥmad ibn Ḥafṣ al-Wakīʿī, “I’m very fond of you, Abū ʿAbd al-Raḥmān.” Then he recited, “We heard Yaḥyā report, cit ing Thawr, citing Ḥabīb ibn ʿUbayd, citing al-Miqdām, that the Prophet—God bless and keep him— said, ‘When one of you feels affection for another, he should tell him.’” [Hārūn:] One night Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal came knocking on my door. 38.19

"Wane ne?" na tambaya.

“Who is it?” I asked.

"Ahmad ne," ya ce.

“It’s Aḥmad,” he said.

Na garzaya zuwa ƙofar. Ya yi mini fatan alheri da maraice, ni ma na mayar masa da irin wannan fatan. Sai na tambaye shi ko akwai wani abu ba daidai ba.

I rushed to the door. He wished me a good evening and I did likewise. Then I asked him if something was wrong.

"Eh," ya ce. "Na damu da kai ne." "Don me?" "Yau, da na wuce ta gabanka, kana karanta Hadisi zaune a inuwa, alhali mutanen da ke riƙe da alƙalami da littattafai suna zaune a rana. Kar ka sake yin haka! Idan ka koyar, ka tabbata ka zauna tare da mutanen da ke sauraronka." [Al-Maṣṣīṣī:] Na taɓa kasancewa a wurin Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal lokacin da ake karanta Hadisi.

“Yes,” he said. “I’ve been worried about you.” “Why?” “Today, when I walked by you, you were reciting Hadith sitting in the shade while the people holding the pens and notebooks were sitting in the sun. Don’t do that again! When you teach, make sure to sit with the people who are listening to you.” [Al-Maṣṣīṣī:] I was once at Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal’s when they were reciting Hadith.

Muḥammad ibn Yaḥyā l-Naysābūrī ya karanta wani hadisi mai rauni, sai Aḥmad ya ce: "Kada ku ambato hadisai irin wannan." 38.20

Muḥammad ibn Yaḥyā l-Naysābūrī recited a weak report, and Aḥmad said, “Don’t cite reports like that.” 38.20

Muḥammad ibn Yaḥyā ya yi kama da wanda ya ji kunya, amma sai Aḥmad ya ce, "Na faɗi hakan ne kawai saboda girmamawa a gare ka." [Aḥmad ibn al-Ḥakam:] Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal ya zo Kufa don yin karatun Hadisi. Ya kasance yana zuwa akai-akai don sauraron Wakīʿ ibn al-Jarrāḥ, kuma ya ji hadisai masu yawa daga gare shi. 38.21

Muḥammad ibn Yaḥyā looked abashed, but then Aḥmad said, “I said that only out of respect for you.” [Aḥmad ibn al-Ḥakam:] Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal came to Kufa to study Hadith. He came regularly to hear Wakīʿ ibn al-Jarrāḥ and heard a great many reports from him. 38.21

[Isḥāq ibn Hāniʾ:] Muna wurin Aḥmad a gidansa tare da al-Marrūdhī da Muhannaʾ ibn Yaḥyā l-Shāmī. Sai aka ji ana kwankwasa ƙofa, sannan wani ya kira cewa, "Shin al-Marrūdhī yana nan?" 38.22

[Isḥāq ibn Hāniʾ:] We were once at Aḥmad’s house with al-Marrūdhī and Muhannaʾ ibn Yaḥyā l-Shāmī. There was a knock on the door and someone called out, “Is al-Marrūdhī here?” 38.22

Saboda al-Marrūdhī ya ƙi a san inda yake, sai Muhannaʾ ibn Yaḥyā ya sa yatsansa a tafin hannunsa, ya kuma kira da baya, ya ce, "Al-Marrūdhī ba ya nan."

Since al-Marrūdhī didn’t want anyone to know where he was, Muhannaʾ ibn Yaḥyā put his finger on the palm of his hand204 and called back, “Al-Marrūdhī’s not here.

"Me zai yi a nan, to?" Aḥmad ya yi dariya, kuma ba alama ce ta ƙin yarda ba.

What would he be doing here anyway?” Aḥmad laughed and did not seem to disapprove.