[Al-Būshanjī:] Dari semua orang yang saya temui pada masa Aḥmad, saya tidak pernah bertemu seorang pun yang lebih memelihara agamanya, lebih berhati-hati, lebih mampu menahan diri, atau lebih zuhud dibandingkan Aḥmad, juga tidak ada yang lebih berilmu atau lebih cermat dalam perkara agama, tidak ada yang sedemikian lapang jiwanya, sedemikian teguh hatinya, sedemikian menyenangkan dalam pergaulan, atau sedemikian jelas ketulusannya.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 pernah berkata kepadaku, "Aku berharap bisa menyertaimu ke Mekah, tetapi aku khawatir engkau akan bosan dengan kebersamaanku, atau aku yang bosan dengan kebersamaanmu." 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

Ketika saya datang untuk berpamitan, saya bertanya kepadanya apakah ia menginginkan sesuatu, dan ia berkata, "Aku ingin engkau tetap takut kepada Allah dan selalu mengingat akhirat." [Ḥanbal:] Saya ingat bahwa setiap kali Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal hendak bangkit, ia akan berkata kepada siapa pun yang bersamanya, "Dengan izinmu." 38. Note: per the rules, "God" should be rendered as Tuhan, not Allah. Corrected version: Ketika saya datang untuk berpamitan, saya bertanya kepadanya apakah ia menginginkan sesuatu, dan ia berkata, "Aku ingin engkau tetap takut kepada Tuhan dan selalu mengingat akhirat." [Ḥanbal:] Saya ingat bahwa setiap kali Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal hendak bangkit, ia akan berkata kepada siapa pun yang bersamanya, "Dengan izinmu." 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

[Al-Sijistānī:] Duduk bersama Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal berarti membicarakan akhirat; hal-hal dunia tidak pernah disebut. Saya tidak pernah melihat beliau membicarakan dunia sama sekali. 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:] Aku mendengar kakekku berkata, "Aḥmad sangat rendah hati, namun berjiwa dermawan; ia termasuk orang paling bijaksana dan paling penuh perhatian yang pernah aku lihat. Sebagian besar waktunya ia duduk dengan kepala tertunduk dan mata dialihkan, serta menghindari pembicaraan tentang hal-hal yang tidak pantas atau sia-sia. Ketika ia berbicara, itu untuk bertukar hadis atau mengingat teladan orang-orang saleh dan para zahid, dan ia melakukannya dengan kewibawaan dan kefasihan yang tenang. Ketika bertemu orang, ia tersenyum dan memberikan perhatian penuh kepada mereka. Ia sangat menghormati para ulama senior, yang pada gilirannya sangat menghormatinya. Ia menunjukkan penghormatan yang paling besar kepada Yaḥyā ibn Maʿīn, yang usianya sekitar tujuh tahun lebih tua darinya." 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:] Setiap kali ayahku meninggalkan masjid untuk masuk ke rumah, beliau akan memukulkan sandalnya ke tanah agar orang-orang dapat mendengar kedatangannya. Beliau juga sering berdeham agar orang-orang tahu bahwa beliau akan masuk. 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:] Aku melihat Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal lebih dari sekali atau dua kali—lebih dari tiga, empat, atau lima kali, sungguh—membiarkan orang-orang mencium wajahnya, kepalanya, atau pipinya. Ia tidak mengatakan apa-apa, tetapi ia juga tidak mencegah mereka. Aku melihat Sulaymān ibn Dāwūd al-Hāshimī mencium kepalanya dan dahinya. Ia tidak mencegahnya dan tampaknya tidak merasa keberatan. Aku juga melihat Yaʿqūb ibn Ibrāhīm mencium dahinya dan wajahnya. 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:] Saya bertanya kepada Zuhayr bin Ṣāliḥ apakah dia pernah melihat kakeknya, Aḥmad bin Ḥanbal. 38.8

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

"Ya," katanya. "Saya kira berumur delapan tahun saat pertama kali. Saya berumur sepuluh tahun ketika dia meninggal."197

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

"Apakah kamu ingat seperti apa dia?" "Saya dan saudari-saudari saya biasa mengunjunginya setiap hari Jumat. Pintu antara rumah kami dan rumahnya dibiarkan terbuka. Dia biasa menulis catatan kepada seorang pria yang dia beli kacang dan buah kering darinya, dan menyuruhnya memberikan masing-masing dari kami dua keping perak, dan kami akan pergi dan mengambil kacang atau buah senilai dua keping perak dan membawa sesuatu untuk saudari-saudari kami juga."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

Berkali-kali saya melihatnya duduk di bawah sinar matahari dengan punggung yang terbuka dan bekas-bekas luka yang tampak.

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

“Saya memiliki seorang adik laki-laki bernama ʿAlī, dengan julukan Abū Ḥafs. Ayah saya ingin menyunatkannya. Beliau menyiapkan banyak makanan dan mengundang orang-orang untuk datang. Ketika waktunya tiba, beliau mengutus seseorang untuk mengundang kakek saya juga. Kemudian ayah saya menceritakan kepada saya apa yang dikatakan kakek: ‘Aku telah mendengar tentang hal baru yang kalian lakukan ini, dan aku mendengar bahwa kalian telah berlebih-lebihan dalam hal itu. Kalian seharusnya memulai dengan orang-orang miskin dan sakit, dan memberi mereka makan terlebih dahulu.’ 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

"Keesokan harinya, ketika tukang bekam dan anggota keluarga telah datang, ayah saya masuk untuk memberitahu kakek saya. Kakek saya keluar bersamanya, duduk di samping anak kecil itu, dan tetap di sana selama khitan dilaksanakan. Setelah itu ia mengeluarkan dua potong kain yang diikat simpul, lalu memberikan satu kepada tukang bekam dan yang satunya kepada anak itu."

“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.

Kemudian dia kembali ke rumahnya. Tukang bekam itu melihat ke dalam kantong kecil dan mendapati satu dirham. Kami melihat ke dalam kantong anak laki-laki itu dan mendapati yang sama.

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.

Kami telah menyingkirkan sebagian besar barang yang kami hamparkan di lantai dan meletakkan anak laki-laki itu di atas sebuah dipan kecil yang dialasi beberapa kain yang telah dicelup. Kakek saya tampaknya tidak keberatan.

“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.

"Suatu kali sepupu dari pihak ibu kakek saya, yang berkunyah Abū Aḥmad, datang dari Khurasan dan menginap di rumah ayah saya. Suatu hari setelah shalat Maghrib, ayah saya menyuruh saya untuk menggandeng tangan Abū Aḥmad dan mengantarnya masuk menemui kakek saya. Saya pun masuk ke rumah kakek dan mendapatinya sedang melaksanakan shalat-shalat sunnah, maka saya duduk. Ketika beliau selesai, beliau bertanya kepada saya apakah Abū Aḥmad sudah datang. 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

"Ya." "Suruh dia masuk." Aku keluar, menemukan Abū Aḥmad, lalu membawanya masuk kembali. Dia duduk. Kakekku memanggil seorang wanita tua—salah seorang penyewa miliknya199—yang dulu pernah bekerja untuknya, dan wanita itu membawakan roti, sayuran segar, cuka, dan garam di atas nampan anyaman.

“‘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.

Kemudian ia membawa keluar salah satu dari nampan besar itu dan meletakkannya di depan kami. Itu adalah sup kering dari whey dengan banyak daging dan bayam swiss.200 Kami mulai makan dan ia bergabung bersama kami. Sambil makan, ia menanyakan kepada Abū Aḥmad tentang anggota keluarga yang masih berada di Khurasan. Beberapa kali Abū Aḥmad kesulitan memahami hal-hal dalam bahasa Arab, sehingga kakekku berbicara kepadanya dalam bahasa Persia. Sepanjang waktu itu, ia memilih potongan-potongan daging dan menyajikannya kepada Abū Aḥmad dan juga kepada saya. Setelah itu ia sendiri mengangkat nampan tersebut dan menyingkirkannya, lalu membawa piring saji berisi kurma Barnī pilihan dan kenari yang sudah dikupas, dan meletakkannya di depan kami di atas baki. Ia makan, dan kami pun makan, dengan dia yang melayani Abū Aḥmad. Kemudian kami mencuci tangan, masing-masing mengurus dirinya sendiri. [Al-ʿAṭṭār:] Saya mengirim putra kecil saya, bersama seorang budak perempuan, untuk menyampaikan salam saya kepada Aḥmad. Ia menyambut anak itu, memangkunya, dan mengajukan pertanyaan kepadanya. Ia juga memesan puding,201 yang kemudian dibawa masuk, diletakkan di depan anak itu, dan ia membujuknya agar makan, sambil mengundang perempuan itu untuk ikut makan. Lalu ia pergi keluar menemui penjual buah, kacang, dan manisan, dan kembali dengan membawa beberapa almond dan gula yang dibungkus dalam jubahnya. Ia mengeluarkan semuanya, membungkusnya dalam sapu tangan, dan memberikannya kepada pelayan itu. Kemudian ia berkata kepada anak itu, "Sampaikan salamku kepada Abū Muḥammad."3811

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: Suatu ketika saya melihat Aḥmad melemparkan dua dirham ke dalam baskom seorang tukang khitan. 38.12

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

[Al-Maymūnī:] Saya sering bertanya kepada Aḥmad tentang sesuatu, dan ia akan menjawab, "Labbaik!" 38.13

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

[Al-Marrūdhī:] Aḥmad tidak pernah mencela. Jika ada orang yang mencelanya, ia akan bersabar menanggungnya. Alih-alih marah, ia akan berkata, "Cukuplah Tuhan (bagiku)!"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

Dia tidak menyimpan dendam dan tidak berbicara sembarangan. Pamannya pernah bertengkar dengan para tetangga. Ketika mereka datang menemui Aḥmad, ia menerima mereka dengan sopan santun seperti biasanya, tanpa memihak dan tanpa membela pamannya.

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.

Beliau sangat rendah hati dan menyayangi orang-orang miskin. Saya tidak pernah melihat orang-orang miskin diperlakukan sebaik ketika mereka duduk di majelisnya. Beliau memperlakukan mereka dengan penuh perhatian khusus, sementara orang-orang kaya diabaikan. Beliau dianugerahi keagungan yang tenang. Setiap kali, menjelang sore, beliau duduk di tempat biasanya dan memberikan fatwa, beliau tidak berbicara sampai ada seseorang yang bertanya kepadanya. Jika beliau pergi ke masjidnya, beliau tidak duduk di tengah-tengah majelis; sebaliknya, beliau duduk di mana pun ada tempat kosong. Ketika duduk, beliau tidak pernah menjulurkan kakinya, karena khawatir dianggap tidak menghormati orang lain.

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.

Beliau adalah orang yang lembut, ceria, dan mudah bergaul, tidak pernah kasar atau berkata-kata keji. Apa yang beliau cintai, beliau cintai karena Allah, demikian pula apa yang beliau benci. Ketika beliau menyukai seseorang, beliau menunjukkan perhatian terhadap kesejahteraannya sebagaimana terhadap dirinya sendiri, tanpa membedakan antara keinginan dan ketidaksukaannya sendiri dengan keinginan dan ketidaksukaan sahabatnya. Meski demikian, persahabatan tidak pernah menghalangi beliau untuk turun tangan ketika seseorang yang beliau sayangi berperilaku buruk atau menzalimi orang lain. Setiap kali beliau mendengar bahwa seseorang itu saleh, zuhud, membela keadilan, atau memperjuangkan kebenaran, beliau akan menanyakan tentang orang tersebut, membicarakan keinginannya untuk bertemu dengannya, dan menunjukkan rasa ingin tahu tentang keadaannya.

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.

Beliau adalah seorang yang peka: jika ia tidak menyukai sesuatu, ia menunjukkannya. Ia akan menjadi murka, namun hanya demi Tuhan; ia tidak pernah marah untuk kepentingan dirinya sendiri atau melakukan sesuatu untuk memajukan kepentingannya sendiri. Di mana pun suatu urusan agama dipertaruhkan, ia akan menjadi begitu geram hingga tampak seperti orang yang sama sekali berbeda:

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:

seseorang yang tidak peduli terhadap celaan atau teguran. Meski demikian, ia mudah diajak hidup bersama karena ia akan menanggung penderitaan tanpa mengeluh. Salah seorang tetangganya—seorang pria yang berbatasan dinding dengannya—menceritakan kisah ini kepada saya.

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.

"Kami punya merpati-merpati di dalam kandang merpati yang menghadap ke rumah Aḥmad. Waktu masih kecil, saya suka memanjat ke sana dan melihat ke bawah, ke arahnya. Dia tetap sabar dan tidak pernah menyuruh saya berhenti. Lalu suatu hari paman saya naik ke sana dan melihat bahwa kandang merpati itu memang menghadap ke rumah 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.

“‘Malu kamu!’ katanya kepadaku. ‘Tidakkah kamu lihat bahwa kamu mengganggu Aḥmad?’ “‘Tapi dia tidak pernah berkata apa-apa kepadaku!’ “‘Lebih baik kamu serahkan burung-burung itu kepadaku, atau kamu akan menyesal!’ “Dia terus mendesakku sampai aku menyerahkan burung-burung itu. Lalu dia menyembelihnya dan merobohkan kandang merpati itu.” [Hārūn ibn Sufyān:] Ketika Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal memutuskan untuk membagikan uang yang telah diberikan al-Mutawakkil kepadanya, aku pergi menemuinya dan dia memberiku dua ratus dirham. 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

"Saya butuh lebih banyak," kataku kepadanya.

“I need more,” I told him.

"Hanya itu yang ada," katanya, "tapi begini, saya akan memberimu tiga ratus, dan kamu boleh menyedekahkannya." Setelah aku menerima uang itu, aku berkata, "Aḥmad, aku tidak akan menyedekahkan satu dirham pun kepada siapa pun." Dia hanya tersenyum.

“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.

[Al-Anmāṭī:] Suatu kali saya berada di rumah Aḥmad, lalu ia menyebutkan sebuah hadis yang ingin saya catat. Ia memiliki tempat tinta di hadapannya, dan saya bertanya apakah saya boleh menggunakannya. 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

"Tentu saja," katanya dengan nada kasar. "Tidak perlu ada basa-basi!"203

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

[ʿAbd Allāh:] Seseorang pernah bertanya kepada ayahku mengapa beliau tidak menghabiskan lebih banyak waktu bersama orang-orang. 38.17

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

"Karena aku benci mengucapkan selamat tinggal," katanya.

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

Ibrāhīm al-Ḥarbī: Aḥmad akan menghadiri pernikahan, walimah, dan khitanan jika diundang, dan memakan apa yang dihidangkan di sana. 38.18

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

Saya pernah mendengar beliau berkata kepada Aḥmad ibn Ḥafṣ al-Wakīʿī, “Aku sangat menyukaimu, Abū ʿAbd al-Raḥmān.” Kemudian beliau membacakan, “Kami mendengar Yaḥyā meriwayatkan, dengan menyebut Thawr, dengan menyebut Ḥabīb ibn ʿUbayd, dengan menyebut al-Miqdām, bahwa Nabi ﷺ bersabda, ‘Apabila salah seorang di antara kalian merasakan kasih sayang kepada saudaranya, hendaklah ia memberitahukannya.’” [Hārūn:] Suatu malam Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal datang mengetuk pintu rumahku. 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

"Siapa itu?" tanyaku.

“Who is it?” I asked.

"Itu Aḥmad," katanya.

“It’s Aḥmad,” he said.

Aku bergegas ke pintu. Dia mengucapkan selamat malam kepadaku dan aku membalasnya dengan cara yang sama. Lalu aku bertanya kepadanya apakah ada sesuatu yang tidak beres.

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

“Ya,” katanya. “Aku khawatir padamu.” “Kenapa?” “Hari ini, ketika aku lewat di dekatmu, kamu sedang membacakan Hadis sambil duduk di tempat teduh, sementara orang-orang yang memegang pena dan buku catatan duduk di bawah terik matahari. Jangan lakukan itu lagi! Ketika kamu mengajar, pastikan untuk duduk bersama orang-orang yang mendengarkanmu.” [Al-Maṣṣīṣī:] Aku pernah berada di tempat Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal ketika mereka sedang membacakan Hadis.

“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 meriwayatkan sebuah riwayat yang lemah, lalu Aḥmad berkata, “Jangan meriwayatkan riwayat seperti itu.” 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 tampak malu, tetapi kemudian Aḥmad berkata, “Saya mengatakan itu semata-mata karena hormat kepada Anda.” [Aḥmad ibn al-Ḥakam:] Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal datang ke Kufah untuk mempelajari Hadis. Ia datang secara rutin untuk mendengarkan Wakīʿ ibn al-Jarrāḥ dan banyak meriwayatkan hadis darinya. 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:] Kami pernah berada di rumah Aḥmad bersama al-Marrūdhī dan Muhannaʾ ibn Yaḥyā l-Shāmī. Lalu terdengar ketukan di pintu dan seseorang memanggil, "Apakah al-Marrūdhī ada di sini?" 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

Karena al-Marrūdhī tidak ingin ada yang tahu keberadaannya, Muhannaʾ ibn Yaḥyā meletakkan jarinya di telapak tangannya204 dan berseru kembali, "Al-Marrūdhī tidak ada di sini.

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.

“Apa yang sebenarnya sedang dia lakukan di sini?” Aḥmad tertawa dan tampaknya tidak merasa keberatan.

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