Menurut para penulis biografinya, al-Ma'mūn mengirimkan surat dari al-Raqqah 338 kepada kepala kepolisian Baghdad, Isḥāq ibn Ibrāhīm, yang memerintahkannya untuk menguji umat, dan ia pun melaksanakannya. 67.1

According to his biographers, al-Maʾmūn sent a letter from al-Raqqah 338 to the chief of the Baghdad police, Isḥāq ibn Ibrāhīm, telling him to put the community to the test, which he did. 67.1

[Ṣāliḥ:] Aku mendengar ayahku berkata, “Ketika kami dibawa untuk diinterogasi oleh Isḥāq ibn Ibrāhīm, hal pertama yang mereka lakukan adalah membacakan dengan lantang surat yang ditulis oleh orang di Tarsus”—yaitu al-Maʾmūn.339 “Mereka membacakan kepada kami beberapa ayat, di antaranya «Tidak ada sesuatu pun yang serupa dengan-Nya»340 dan «Dialah Pencipta segala sesuatu.»341 Ketika aku mendengar ‘Tidak ada sesuatu pun yang serupa dengan-Nya,’ aku membacakan «Dialah Yang Maha Mendengar lagi Maha Melihat.»342 67.2

[Ṣāliḥ:] I heard my father say, “When they took us in to be questioned by Isḥāq ibn Ibrāhīm, the first thing they did was to read aloud the letter written by the one in Tarsus”—that is, al-Maʾmūn.339 “They recited some verses to us, including «Nothing is like Him»340 and «He is the creator of everything.»341 When I heard ‘Nothing is like Him,’ I recited «He is the One who hears and sees.»342 67.2

Kemudian orang-orang yang hadir diuji. Mereka yang menolak memberikan persetujuan dibawa pergi dan dipenjarakan. Dari semuanya, hanya empat orang yang bertahan. Mereka adalah Muḥammad bin Nuḥ; ʿUbayd Allāh bin ʿUmar al-Qawārīrī; al-Ḥasan bin Ḥammād, yang dikenal dengan julukan Sajjādah; dan ayahku. Kemudian ʿUbayd Allāh bin ʿUmar dan al-Ḥasan bin Ḥammād juga menyerah, sehingga hanya Muḥammad bin Nūḥ dan ayahku yang tetap dalam tahanan.

“Then those present were put to the test. Those who withheld their assent were taken away and locked up. Of them all, only four resisted. Their names are Muḥammad ibn Nuḥ; ʿUbayd Allāh ibn ʿUmar al-Qawārīrī; al-Ḥasan ibn Ḥammād, called Sajjādah; and my father. Later ʿUbayd Allāh ibn ʿUmar and al-Ḥasan ibn Ḥammād gave in too, leaving only Muḥammad ibn Nūḥ and my father in confinement.

Kemudian mereka tinggal di sana hingga, beberapa hari kemudian, sepucuk surat tiba dari Tarsus yang memerintahkan agar keduanya dikirim ke sana. Mereka pun segera dikirim, dalam keadaan dirantai satu sama lain. [Abū Maʿmar al-Qaṭīʿī:] Saya berada di sana ketika Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal dibawa ke istana pada masa Inkuisisi. Ia selalu seorang yang lembut hati, tetapi ketika ia melihat para anggota masyarakat menyatakan persetujuan mereka, urat-urat di tubuhnya menegang, matanya memerah, dan seluruh kelembutannya lenyap. Melihatnya, saya masih ingat berpikir dalam hati, "Ia sedang membela Tuhan." 67.3

There they stayed until, several days later, a letter arrived from Tarsus ordering the two of them to be transported there. They were duly sent, shackled one to the other.” [Abū Maʿmar al-Qaṭīʿī:] I was there when Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal was brought to the palace during the Inquisition. He had always been a meek man, but when he saw the members of the community giving their assent, his veins swelled, his eyes went red, and all the meekness was gone. Seeing him, I remember thinking to myself, “He’s standing up for God.” 67.3

"Abū ʿAbd Allāh," kataku padanya, "ini kabar baik! Bukankah kita telah mendengar Muḥammad ibn Fuḍayl ibn Ghazwān meriwayatkan, dengan mengutip al-Walīd ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn Jumayʿ, dengan mengutip Abū Salamah ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn ʿAwf, yang berkata, 'Di antara para Sahabat Nabi ﷺ ada yang, jika ditantang dalam suatu perkara agama, akan melotot dan memutar matanya seperti orang gila'?" [Ibn Abī Usāmah:] Aku ingat pernah mendengar bahwa pada masa Inkuisisi, seseorang berkata kepada Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, "Lihat? Kebenaran kalah dan kebatilan menang!" 67.4

“Abū ʿAbd Allāh,” I told him, “this is good news! Haven’t we heard Muḥammad ibn Fuḍayl ibn Ghazwān report, citing al-Walīd ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn Jumayʿ, citing Abū Salamah ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn ʿAwf, who said, ‘Among the Prophet’s Companions were some who, if challenged on any matter of religion, would glower and roll their eyes like madmen’?” [Ibn Abī Usāmah:] I remember hearing that during the Inquisition, someone said to Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, “See? Right loses and wrong wins!” 67.4

"Tidak pernah!" balasnya. "Kebatilan hanya menang jika hati manusia menyimpang dan kehilangan arah, sedangkan hati kami belum sampai ke sana." [Ṣāliḥ:] Ayahku dan Muḥammad ibn Nūḥ dibawa dalam keadaan dirantai, dan kami ikut mengiringi mereka sampai ke al-Anbār. Di sana Abū Bakr al-Aḥwal bertanya kepada ayahku, "Abū ʿAbd Allāh, jika mereka mengancammu dengan pedang, apakah engkau akan menyerah?" 67.5

“Never!” he retorted. “Wrong wins only if people’s hearts wander off and lose their way, but ours haven’t done that yet.” [Ṣāliḥ:] My father and Muḥammad ibn Nūḥ were carried off in chains and we went with them as far as al-Anbār. There Abū Bakr al-Aḥwal asked my father, “Abū ʿAbd Allāh, if they threaten you with a sword, will you give in?” 67.5

"Tidak," jawabnya. Kemudian dia dan Muḥammad ibn Nūḥ dibawa pergi.

“No,” he answered. Then he and Muḥammad ibn Nūḥ were taken away.

Kemudian ayah saya berkata kepada saya:

Later my father told me:

“Ketika kami sampai di al-Raḥbah343 saat tengah malam. Ketika kami hendak berangkat, seorang laki-laki datang menghampiri kami dan berkata, ‘Siapa di antara kalian yang bernama Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal?’ Seseorang menunjuk saya. ‘Pelankan untamu,’ kata laki-laki itu kepada penuntun unta. Kemudian kepada saya: ‘Dengarkan! Apa artinya jika mereka membunuhmu di sini dan sekarang? Engkau akan masuk Surga, di sini dan sekarang.’ Lalu ia berkata, ‘Aku serahkan engkau kepada penjagaan Tuhan,’ dan ia pun pergi.”

“When we got to al-Raḥbah343 it was the middle of the night. As we were leaving, a man came up to us and said, ‘Which of you is Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal?’ “Someone pointed me out. ‘Slow down,’ said the man to the camel-driver. Then to me: ‘Listen, you! What does it matter if they kill you right here and now? You’ll enter the Garden, here and now.’ Then he said, ‘I leave you in the care of God,’ and left.

“Aku bertanya siapa dia, dan mereka menjawab: ‘Dia orang Arab dari Rabīʿah bernama Jābir ibn ʿĀmir yang menggubah syair di padang gurun. Orang-orang memuji-muji dirinya.’” [Ibrāhīm ibn ʿAbd Allāh:] Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal berkata, “Kata-kata paling berpengaruh yang kudengar selama masa cobaanku adalah yang diucapkan seorang Arab badui kepadaku di Raḥbat Ṭawq: ‘Aḥmad, jika engkau mati demi kebenaran, engkau mati syahid, dan jika engkau hidup, engkau hidup sebagai pahlawan.’” 67.7

“I asked who he was and they told me: ‘He’s an Arab of Rabīʿah named Jābir ibn ʿĀmir who composes poetry in the wilderness. People speak highly of him.’” [Ibrāhīm ibn ʿAbd Allāh:] Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal said, “The most powerful thing anyone said to me during my ordeal was what a desert Arab said to me at Raḥbat Ṭawq: ‘Aḥmad, if you die for the truth you die a martyr, and if you live you live a hero.’” 67.7

Dengan itu, beliau menguatkan tekadku.

With that he strengthened my resolve.

[Aḥmad:] “Tidak ada yang pernah lebih membekas di hatiku daripada ucapan seorang Arab badui dari Raḥbat Ṭawq: ‘Aḥmad, jika engkau mati demi kebenaran, engkau mati sebagai syahid, dan jika engkau hidup, engkau hidup sebagai pahlawan.’” 67.8

[Aḥmad:] “Nothing has ever made more of an impression on me than the words of a desert Arab from Raḥbat Ṭawq: ‘Aḥmad, if you die for the truth you die a martyr, and if you live you live a hero.’” 67.8

Ibn Abī Ḥātim meriwayatkan dari ayahnya yang berkata, "Pada akhirnya dia benar. Ketika Inkuisisi berakhir, Allah telah menjadikan Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal sebagai nama yang patut diperhitungkan." [Penulis:] Kami juga mendengar bahwa al-Shāfiʿī, semoga Allah meridhainya, pernah bermimpi bahwa Nabi ﷺ meminta dia untuk memperingatkan Aḥmad bahwa dia akan diuji mengenai penciptaan Al-Qur'an. Riwayat ini akan disampaikan beserta rantai periwayatnya dalam bab tentang mimpi. 67.9

Ibn Abī Ḥātim quoted his father as saying, “In the end he was right. By the time the Inquisition was over, God had made Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal a name to be reckoned with.” [The author:] We have also heard that al-Shāfiʿī, may God be pleased with him, had a dream where the Prophet asked him to warn Aḥmad that he would be tried regarding the creation of the Qurʾan. This report will be given along with its chain of transmitters in the chapter on dreams. 67.9

[Al-Anbārī:] Ketika saya mengetahui bahwa Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal sedang dibawa untuk menemui al-Maʾmūn, saya menyeberangi Sungai Efrat dan mendapati Aḥmad sedang duduk di sebuah penginapan kafilah. Ketika saya mengucapkan salam kepadanya, ia berkata, "Abū Jaʿfar, seharusnya engkau tidak perlu repot-repot!" 67.10

[Al-Anbārī:] When I found out that Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal was being taken to see al- Maʾmūn, I crossed the Euphrates and found Aḥmad sitting in a caravanserai. When I greeted him he said, “Abū Jaʿfar, you shouldn’t have troubled yourself!” 67.10

"Tidak masalah," kataku kepadanya. Lalu aku berkata, "Dengarkan! Mulai hari ini, ada orang-orang yang siap mengikuti teladanmu. Jika kamu mengatakan bahwa Al-Qur'an itu makhluk, banyak dari mereka akan mengatakan hal yang sama. Jika kamu menolak, banyak dari mereka juga akan menolak. Pikirkanlah: bahkan jika orang itu tidak membunuhmu, kamu toh akan mati cepat atau lambat. Maka takutlah kepada Tuhan dan jangan menyerah!" "Kehendak Tuhan terjadi!" kata Aḥmad sambil menangis. "Kehendak Tuhan terjadi!" Lalu dia berkata, "Abū Jaʿfar, ulangi apa yang kamu katakan untukku." Maka aku mengulanginya, dan sekali lagi dia berkata, "Kehendak Tuhan terjadi! Kehendak Tuhan terjadi!" [Ṣāliḥ:] Ayahku bercerita kepadaku: "Kami baru saja meninggalkan Adana ketika gerbang kota terbuka di belakang kami dan seseorang berseru: 'Kabar baik! Orang itu sudah mati!'" 344 67.11

“It was no trouble,” I told him. Then I said, “Listen here! As of today, you have people prepared to follow your example. If you say the Qurʾan is created, many of them will say the same. If you resist, many of them will too. Think about it: even if that man doesn’t kill you, you’re going to die sooner or later anyway. So fear God and don’t give in!” “God’s will be done!” said Aḥmad, weeping. “God’s will be done!” Then he said, “Abū Jaʿfar, repeat what you said for me.” So I repeated it, and again he said “God’s will be done! God’s will be done!” [Ṣāliḥ:] My father told me: “We were just leaving Adana when the city gate opened behind us and someone called out: ‘Good news! That man is dead!’344 67.11

“Aku telah berdoa agar tidak pernah bertemu dengannya.” [Al-Būshanjī:] Aku mendengar Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal berkata, “Tiga kali aku meminta sesuatu kepada Tuhan, dan dua kali aku melihat permintaanku dikabulkan. Aku meminta kepada-Nya agar menjauhkanku dari al-Ma’mūn, dan aku mengatakan kepada-Nya bahwa aku tidak ingin melihat al-Mutawakkil. Nah, aku tidak pernah melihat al-Ma’mūn.”345 67.12

“I had been praying I would never meet him.” [Al-Būshanjī:] I heard Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal say, “Three times I’ve asked God for something and twice seen my request granted. I asked Him to keep me away from al- Maʾmūn, and I told Him I didn’t want to see al-Mutawakkil. Well, I never saw al- Maʾmūn.”345 67.12

Al-Ma'mūn wafat di Badhandūn, sebuah sungai di wilayah Bizantium, sementara Aḥmad masih dipenjara di al-Raqqah. Al-Mu'taṣim menerima bai'at di Anatolia lalu kembali ke Irak. Aḥmad dibawa kembali ke Baghdad pada tahun 218 H [833 M], dan al-Mu'taṣim sendiri yang mengadilinya. Adapun al-Mutawakkil, ketika ia membawa Aḥmad ke istana untuk mengajarkan hadis kepada anak-anaknya, ia mengamatinya dari sebuah ruang rahasia, artinya ia melihat Aḥmad namun Aḥmad tidak pernah melihatnya.

Al-Maʾmūn died at the Badhandūn—a river in Byzantine territory—while Aḥmad was locked up in al-Raqqah. Al-Muʿtaṣim received the oath of allegiance in Anatolia and returned to Iraq. Aḥmad was brought back to Baghdad in 218 [833], and it was al- Muʿtaṣim who tried him. As for al-Mutawakkil, when he brought Aḥmad to the palace to instruct his children in Hadith, he observed him from a secret compartment, meaning that he saw Aḥmad but Aḥmad never saw him.

[Ṣāliḥ:] Ayahku dan Muḥammad bin Nūḥ dikembalikan dari Tarsus dalam keadaan masih dirantai. Ketika mereka sampai di al-Raqqah, mereka dinaikkan ke sebuah perahu. Di ʿĀnāt,346

[Ṣāliḥ:] My father and Muḥammad ibn Nūḥ were sent back from Tarsus still in irons. When they reached al-Raqqah, they were put onto a boat. At ʿĀnāt,346

Muḥammad ibn Nūḥ wafat dan rantai-rantainya dilepaskan. Ayah saya menshalatkan jenazahnya. 67.13

Muḥammad ibn Nūḥ died and his chains were removed. My father prayed over his body. 67.13

[Ḥanbal:] Aku mendengar Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal berkata: "Aku tidak pernah melihat seorang yang semuda dan sekurang ilmu itu membela agama Allah dengan lebih gagah daripada Muḥammad ibn Nūḥ. Aku berharap semoga Tuhan menyelamatkannya ketika ia wafat!" 67.14

[Ḥanbal:] I heard Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal say: “I never saw anyone so young or so unlearned stand up for God more bravely than Muḥammad ibn Nūḥ. I hope God saved him when he died! 67.14

“Suatu hari, ketika kami berdua sendirian, ia berkata kepadaku, ‘Aḥmad, takutlah kepada Allah! Takutlah kepada Allah! Kita berdua tidak sama. Engkau adalah orang yang diikuti orang banyak, dan semua orang memperhatikan serta menunggu apa yang akan engkau lakukan. Takutlah kepada Allah dan teguhlah pendirianmu!’—atau kurang lebih seperti itu.” Ia mungkin juga menambahkan, “Itu terjadi di ʿĀnāh.” Aḥmad ibn ʿAlī ibn Thābit melaporkan bahwa Muḥammad ibn Nūḥ wafat pada tahun 218 H [833 M].

“One day, when the two of us were alone, he said to me, ‘Aḥmad, fear God! Fear God! We’re nothing alike, you and I. You’re a man people follow and everyone is watching and waiting to see what you’ll do. Fear God, and stand firm!’—or words to that effect. Imagine him trying to keep me strong and warn me to do the right thing! And look what happened to him: he fell sick and ended up dying by the side of a road somewhere. I prayed over him and buried him.” He may have added: “That was in ʿĀnāh.” Aḥmad ibn ʿAlī ibn Thābit reported that Muḥammad ibn Nūḥ died in 218 [833].