[Ṣāliḥ:] Al-Ḥiẓāmī ya ziyarci Ibn Abī Duʾād148, sannan ya zo ya gaishe mahaifina. Lokacin da mahaifina ya fito ya ga yana zuwa, sai ya rufe kofa a fuskarsa ya koma ciki. 23.1

[Ṣāliḥ:] Al-Ḥiẓāmī visited Ibn Abī Duʾād148 and then came to call on my father. When my father came out and saw him coming, he shut the door in his face and went back inside. 23.1

[Al-Sijistānī:] Na taɓa tambayar Aḥmad ko, idan na ga wani mutum da na sani mabiyin sunna yana tare da wani mai bidʻa abar ƙyama, ya kamata in daina magana da shi. 23.2

[Al-Sijistānī:] I once asked Aḥmad whether, if I see a man I know to be an adherent of the sunnah in the company of a reprehensible innovator, I should stop speaking to him. 23.2

"A'a," ya amsa. "Da farko ka gaya masa cewa mutumin da ka gan shi tare da shi mai kirkirar bidi'a ne. Idan ya daina magana da shi, to lafiya. Idan kuma bai daina ba, to ka dauke shi ma mai kirkirar bidi'a. Kamar yadda Ibn Mas'ud ya ce: 'Ka auna mutum da abokansa.'" [Al-Ḥasan ibn Thawwāb:] Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal ya taba gaya mani: "Mutane ba su taba bukatar Hadisi ba kamar yadda suke bukata a yanzu." 23.3

“No,” he replied. “First tell him that the man you saw him with is an innovator. If he stops talking with him, fine. If not, consider him an innovator too. As Ibn Masʿūd said, ‘Judge a man by his friends.’” [Al-Ḥasan ibn Thawwāb:] Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal once told me, “People have never needed Hadith more than they need it now.” 23.3

"Me ya sa?" "Sababbin bidi'o'i masu ƙyama sun bayyana," ya amsa. "Idan ba tare da Hadisi ba, za ku kama kanku cikinsu." [Abū Muzāḥim:] Malamina, Abū ʿAlī ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Yaḥyā ibn Khāqān, ya gaya mini cewa al-Mutawakkil ya umarce shi ya tambayi Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal wanda ya cancanta ya yi aikin alƙali. Na roƙi malamina ya nuna mini amsar Ibn Ḥanbal, sai ya aiko mini da kwafinta. Na yi nawa kwafin, sannan na koma wajensa don in tabbatar cewa abin da na rubuta daidai ne. Rubutun ya kasance kamar haka: 23.4

“Why?” “Reprehensible innovations have appeared,” he answered. “Without Hadith, you’ll be caught up in them.” [Abū Muzāḥim:] My uncle, Abū ʿAlī ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Yaḥyā ibn Khāqān, told me that al-Mutawakkil ordered him to ask Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal who was qualified to serve as a judge. I asked my uncle to show me Ibn Ḥanbal’s response and he sent me a copy of it. I made my own copy and then went back to him to check that what I had written was correct. The text ran as follows: 23.4

Da sunan Allah, Mai rahama, Mai jin kai. Note: The rules require "God" to be rendered as the Hausa word for God, not "Allah", so the translation above should read: Da sunan Allah... (corrected per rules) → Da sunan Ubangiji, Mai rahama, Mai jin kai. 23.5

In the name of God, full of compassion, ever compassionate 23.5

Wannan kwafi ne na takardar da na gabatar wa Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal bayan na nemi ya tabbatar da abubuwan da ke cikinta, wanda ya yi. Na nemi ya sanya hannunsa a kanta, sai ya umarci ɗansa ʿAbd Allāh ya sanya hannu a madadinsa a ƙasan takardar.

This is a copy of the document I presented to Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal after requesting that he confirm its contents, which he did. I asked him to sign it, and he asked his son ʿAbd Allāh to sign for him at the bottom.

Na tambayi Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal game da Aḥmad ibn Rabāḥ. Ya amsa da cewa shi sananne ne a matsayin mabiyin Jahm, kuma ya taba riƙe matsayi na iko inda ya cutar da Musulmai saboda akidunsa na ɓangaranci.

I asked Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal about Aḥmad ibn Rabāḥ. He replied that he was a wellknown follower of Jahm who had held a position of authority where he had brought harm to Muslims because of his sectarian beliefs.

Na tambaye shi game da Ibn Khalanjī. Ya amsa kamar yadda ya yi a game da Ibn Abī Rabāḥ, yana cewa shi sananne ne a matsayin mabiyin Jahm—a zahiri, mabiyi mai muni da hatsari musamman.

I asked him about Ibn Khalanjī. He replied as he had in the case of Ibn Abī Rabāḥ, saying that he was a well-known follower of Jahm—in fact, an especially bad and dangerous one.

Na tambaye shi game da Shu'ayb ibn Sahl, sai ya amsa da cewa shi sanannen mabiyin Jahm ne.

I asked him about Shuʿayb ibn Sahl, and he replied that he was a well-known follower of Jahm.

Na tambaye shi game da ʿUbayd Allāh ibn Aḥmad, sai ya amsa da cewa shi sananne ne a matsayin mabiyin Jahm.

I asked him about ʿUbayd Allāh ibn Aḥmad, and he replied that he was a well-known follower of Jahm.

Na tambaye shi game da mutumin da ake kira Abū Shuʿayb, sai ya amsa da cewa shi sanannen mabiyin Jahm ne.

I asked him about the man called Abū Shuʿayb, and he replied that he was a well-known follower of Jahm.

Na tambayi shi game da Muḥammad ibn Manṣūr, alkali a al-Ahwāz. "Ya kasance yana da alaƙa da Ibn Abī Du'ād kuma yana aiki a wurinsa, amma yana ɗaya daga cikin waɗanda suka fi kyau, kuma ban san matsayinsa ba." Na tambayi shi game da Ibn ʿAlī ibn al-Ja'd, sai ya ce: "Ya shahara da kasancewa mabiyin Jahm, amma sai na ji cewa ya janye daga wannan akidar." Na tambayi shi game da al-Fatḥ ibn Sahl, wanda ya kasance yana jagorantar kotun korafe-korafe ta Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd Allāh a Baghdad. Ya amsa da cewa shi sananne ne a matsayin mabiyin Jahm kuma abokin Bishr al-Marīsī, kuma ya ce yana da haɗari a bar duk wani mutum irinsa ya riƙe iko a kan Musulmi.

I asked him about Muḥammad ibn Manṣūr, judge in al-Ahwāz. “He was involved with Ibn Abī Duʾād and worked for him, though he was one of the better ones, and I don’t know where he stands.” I asked him about Ibn ʿAlī ibn al-Jaʿd and he said, “He was well-known for being a follower of Jahm, but then I heard that he’s recanted.” I asked him about al-Fatḥ ibn Sahl, who had run Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd Allāh’s grievance court in Baghdad. He replied that he was a well-known follower of Jahm and an associate of Bishr al-Marīsī, and that it was dangerous to allow anyone like him to hold authority over Muslims.

Na tambaye shi game da Ibn al-Thaljī, sai ya ce, "Mai ƙirƙirar bidi'a abin ƙi kuma mai ɓangaranci." Na tambaye shi game da Ibrāhīm ibn ʿAttāb, sai ya ce, "Ban san shi ba, amma abokin Bishr al-Marīsī ne, don haka zan nisanci shi, kuma in hana shi kowane matsayi na iko. Gabaɗaya, ya kamata a hana ɓatattu da masu ɓangaranci aiki a matsayin iko, domin ba su ikon yana da matuƙar haɗari ga Musulunci, kamar yadda Shugaban Muminai - Allah ya ba shi tsawon rai - ya sani sosai, saboda matsayinsa na riƙe sunnah da yaƙi da bidi'a." Ni, Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, na bayyana cewa ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Yaḥyā ibn Khāqān ya tambaye ni game da duk abin da ke cikin wannan takarda, kuma abin da na faɗa shi ne abin da ya rubuta. Saboda ina rashin lafiya sosai ba zan iya motsi ko gani sarai ba, don haka ban iya rubuta komai da kaina ba. Bisa roƙona kuma a gabana, ɗana ʿAbd Allāh ya sanya hannu a ƙasan wannan takarda. Ina roƙon Allah ya ba Shugaban Muminai tsawon rai da lafiya, ya albarkace shi da taimako da shiriya, ta alherinsa da ikonsa.

I asked him about Ibn al-Thaljī and he said, “A reprehensible innovator and a sectarian.” I asked him about Ibrāhīm ibn ʿAttāb and he said, “I don’t know him, but he was an associate of Bishr al-Marīsī, so I would steer clear of him, and keep him out of any position of authority. In general, heretics and sectarians should not be employed in positions of authority, since giving them power is extremely dangerous to Islam, as the Commander of Believers—God grant him long life—well knows, given his insistence on upholding the sunnah and combating heresy.” I, Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, declare that ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Yaḥyā ibn Khāqān has asked me about everything on this document and what I said is what he wrote down. As I am too ill to move or see clearly, I could not write anything myself. At my request and in my presence, my son ʿAbd Allāh has signed at the bottom of this document. I pray to God to give the Commander of Believers long life and good health and bless him with help and guidance, by His grace and power.

[Aḥmad:] Duk kabarin da ke ɗauke da wanda ya bi sunnah, ko da yana da zunubi, lambu ne daga cikin Aljanna. Duk kabarin da ke ɗauke da wanda ya bi bidi'a, ko da ya ƙaurace wa duniya, rami ne daga cikin Wuta. 23.6

[Aḥmad:] Any grave where lies a follower of the sunnah, even one who has sinned, is a flowerbed in the Garden. Any grave where lies a follower of innovation, even one who renounced the world, is a pit inside the Fire. 23.6

Babban abin koyinmu Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal ya kasance mai tsananin kishi da ƙwazo wajen riƙo da sunnah da ƙin bidi'a, har ya kan soki mutane masu yawa na kirki saboda ayyukan da suka saɓa wa sunnah. Irin waɗannan sukar ya kamata a fahimce su a matsayin shawara ta gaskiya a al'amarin addini. 23.7

Our exemplar Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal was so fervent in his attachment to the sunnah and his rejection of innovation that he would criticize many virtuous persons for actions that went against the sunnah. Such criticisms are to be understood as good counsel in a matter of religion. 23.7

[Al-Sarrāj:] Wata rana Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal ya ce mini, "Na ji cewa kana yawan ganin al-Ḥārith," yana nufin al-Muḥāsibī. "Idan ya sake zuwa gidanka, ko za ka iya ɓoye ni a wani wuri domin in ji abin da zai faɗa?" 23.8

[Al-Sarrāj:] One day Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal said to me, “I hear that you see a lot of al-Ḥārith,” meaning al-Muḥāsibī. “Next time he comes to your house, could you hide me somewhere so I can hear what he has to say?” 23.8

Na yi farin ciki da ya zo wurina, kuma na gaya masa cewa zan yi farin ciki in yi abin da ya roƙa. Sai na je wurin al-Ḥārith, na roƙe shi ya zo gidana a daren nan, kuma ya kawo abokan aikinsa su ma.

I was glad that he had come to me, and I told him that I would be happy to do as he asked. Then I went to see al-Ḥārith and asked him to come over that night and to bring his associates as well.

"Ismāʿīl," ya ce mini, "su babban rukuni ne. Ka ba su duk ɗigon mai da dabino da za ka iya, amma kada ka ƙara komai." Na amince da yin abin da ya nema. Sai na je wurin Aḥmad na sanar da shi. Ya zo bayan sallar magariba, ya shiga wani ɗaki a sama, inda ya shagala da ibadarsa ta kansa.149 Bayan ya gama, al-Ḥārith da mabiyansa suka zo. Suka ci abinci, sannan suka tashi suka yi sallar isha, wadda ita ce sallar ƙarshe da suka yi a daren. Sai suka zauna a gaban al-Ḥārith ba tare da sun ce uffan ba. Ba wanda ya ce komai har kusan tsakar dare. Sai wani daga cikinsu ya tambayi al-Ḥārith game da wata matsala. Ya yi magana, sauran kuma suna saurare, cikin kasala kamar suna da tsuntsaye suna gina gida a kawunansu, wasu suna kuka, wasu suna ihu, wasu kuma suna nishi yayin da yake magana. Na hau sama don duba Aḥmad, sai na ga ya yi kuka sosai har ya suma. Na koma wurin rukunin, wanda ya ci gaba har asuba ta yi, suka tashi suka tafi. Na sake komawa sama wajen Aḥmad, wanda ya zama kamar yana cikin wani yanayi na suma.

“Ismāʿīl,” he told me, “they’re a large group. Give them all the dregs of oil and dates as you can, but nothing more.” I agreed to do as he asked. Then I went to Aḥmad and let him know. He arrived after the sunset prayer and went into a room upstairs, where he busied himself with his personal devotions.149 After he finished, al-Ḥārith and his followers arrived. They ate and then got up to pray the evening prayer, which was the last prayer they performed that night. Then they sat down in front of al-Ḥārith without saying a word. No one said anything until it was almost midnight. Then one of them asked al-Ḥārith about a problem. He spoke and the others listened, as rapt as if they had birds nesting on their heads, with some weeping, others crying out, and others again sighing as he spoke. I went upstairs to check on Aḥmad and found that he had been weeping so hard that he had passed out. I went back to the group, which kept on until dawn came and they rose and left. I went back up to Aḥmad, who seemed to be in an altered state.