[Al-Rabīʿ:] Al-Shāfiʿī menyuruh saya membawa sepucuk surat yang telah beliau tulis, menyerahkannya kepada Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, dan membawa pulang balasannya. Apabila saya sampai di Baghdad, saya dapati Ibn Ḥanbal sedang menunaikan solat Subuh, lalu saya turut bersolat bersamanya. Sebaik sahaja beliau selesai, saya menyerahkan surat itu kepadanya sambil berkata, "Ini daripada saudaramu al-Shāfiʿī di Mesir." 93.1

[Al-Rabīʿ:] Al-Shāfiʿī told me to take a letter he had written, deliver it to Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, and bring back his reply. When I reached Baghdad, I found Ibn Ḥanbal praying the dawn prayer and I joined him. As soon as he finished I handed him the letter, saying, “This is from your brother al-Shāfiʿī in Egypt.” 93.1

"Adakah kamu sudah membacanya?" "Belum." Dia memecahkan meterai dan membaca surat itu, air mata bertakung di matanya.

“Have you read it?” “No.” He broke the seal and read the letter, tears welling up in his eyes.

"Apa itu?" "Dia berkata bahawa Nabi ﷺ datang kepadanya dalam mimpi dan memerintahkannya untuk menulis kepada saya dan menyampaikan salamnya. Saya akan diuji dan diminta untuk mengatakan bahawa al-Qur'an itu makhluk, tetapi jika saya tidak tunduk, God akan mengangkat sepanji untuk memuliakan saya yang akan berkibar sehingga Hari Kebangkitan." "Itu khabar gembira, kalau begitu," kata saya. "Apa ganjaran saya?" Aḥmad menanggalkan baju yang dipakainya di kulit dan menyerahkannya kepada saya. Saya mengambilnya, beserta balasannya, lalu kembali ke Mesir. Apabila saya menyerahkan surat itu kepada al-Shāfiʿī, dia bertanya apa yang telah Aḥmad berikan kepada saya.

“What is it?” “He says the Prophet came to him in a dream and told him to write to me and convey his greetings. I’m going to be tested and asked to call the Qurʾan created, but if I don’t give in, God will raise a banner in my honor that will fly until the Day of Resurrection.” “That’s good news, then,” I said. “What’s my reward?” Aḥmad removed the shirt he was wearing next to his skin and handed it to me. I took it, and his reply, and returned to Egypt. When I handed the letter to al-Shāfiʿī he asked what Aḥmad had given me.

"Baju dari belakang badannya," kata saya.

“The shirt off his back,” I said.

“Saya tidak akan mengambilnya daripada kamu,” katanya, “tetapi rendamlah dan berikan air itu kepadaku supaya aku dapat berkongsi keberkatannya.” [Al-Rabīʿ:] Al-Shāfiʿī meminta aku menyampaikan sepucuk surat yang telah ditulisnya kepada Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, sambil berkata, “Sulaymān, bawalah surat ini ke Iraq dan jangan membacanya.” 93.2

“I won’t take it away from you,” he said, “but soak it and give me the water so I can share in the blessing.” [Al-Rabīʿ:] Al-Shāfiʿī asked me to deliver a letter he had written to Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, saying, “Sulaymān, take this letter down to Iraq and don’t read it.” 93.2

Saya mengambil surat itu dan meninggalkan Mesir menuju Iraq. Apabila saya sampai ke masjid Ibn Ḥanbal, saya dapati beliau sedang menunaikan solat Subuh, lalu saya turut berjemaah bersamanya. Saya belum menunaikan bilangan rakaat yang biasa, jadi saya meneruskan solat selepas beliau selesai. Beliau mengambil sedikit masa untuk mengecam saya, tetapi akhirnya beliau mengenali saya. Apabila saya selesai solat, saya memberi salam kepada beliau dan menyerahkan surat itu kepadanya. Beliau menghabiskan masa yang lama bertanya tentang al-Shāfiʿī sebelum beliau memandang surat itu.

I took the letter and left Egypt for Iraq. When I reached Ibn Ḥanbal’s mosque, I found him praying the dawn prayer and I joined him. I hadn’t prayed the usual number of cycles, so I continued praying after he had finished. It took him a moment to recognize me but he did. When I finished praying, I greeted him and handed him the letter. He spent a long time asking about al-Shāfiʿī before he even looked at the letter.

Akhirnya dia memecahkan segel itu dan mula membaca. Pada satu ketika dia menitiskan air mata sambil berkata, "Saya berdoa kepada Tuhan supaya melakukan apa yang dikatakan al-Shāfiʿī!" "Apa yang dia katakan?" tanya saya.

Finally he broke the seal and began reading. At one point he burst into tears, saying, “I pray to God to do what al-Shāfiʿī says!” “What did he say?” I asked.

"Dia berkata bahawa Nabi ﷺ datang kepadanya dalam mimpi dan bersabda, 'Beritahu lelaki muda itu, Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, bahawa dia akan diuji kerana agama Tuhan dan diminta untuk mengatakan bahawa al-Qur'an itu makhluk. Dia hendaklah menolak. Dia akan disebat, tetapi Tuhan akan mengibarkan sepanduk untuknya yang akan berkibar hingga Hari Kiamat.'" "Itu berita baik, kalau begitu," kata saya. "Apakah ganjarannya untuk saya?" Dia memakai dua helai pakaian, satu di atas yang lain. Dia menanggalkan pakaian dalamnya dan menyerahkannya kepada saya, kemudian menyerahkan kepada saya balasan kepada surat itu. Saya kembali dan memberitahu al-Shāfiʿī apa yang telah berlaku.

“He says the Prophet came to him in a dream and said, ‘Tell that young man Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal that he’ll be tried on account of God’s religion and asked to say that the Qurʾan is created. He should refuse. He’ll be flogged, but God will unfurl a banner for him that will fly until the Day of Resurrection.’” “That’s good news, then,” I said. “What’s my reward?” He was wearing two garments, one on top of the other. He took the under-garment off and handed it to me, then handed me a reply to the letter. I went back and told al- Shāfiʿī what had happened.

"Di mana pakaiannya?" katanya.

“Where’s the garment?” he said.

"Di sini." "Saya tidak akan cuba membelinya daripada kamu," katanya, "atau memintanya sebagai hadiah. Tetapi basuhlah ia dan berikan saya airnya." Maka saya membasuhnya dan membawakan kepadanya air itu. Dia memasukkannya ke dalam sebuah botol, dan setiap hari saya akan melihatnya mengambil sedikit daripadanya dan menyapukannya ke wajahnya supaya dia turut memperoleh keberkatan Ibn Ḥanbal.

“Right here.” “I won’t try to buy it from you,” he said, “or ask for it as a gift. But wash it and give me the water.” So I washed it and brought him the water. He put it in a bottle, and every day I’d see him take a little bit and dab it onto his face so he could share in Ibn Ḥanbal’s blessing.

[Ibn al-Faraj:] Pemenjaraan dan pukulan yang dialami Ibn Ḥanbal memberi kesan yang amat dahsyat kepada diri saya. Namun kemudian saya bermimpi mendengar satu suara berkata, "Tidakkah kamu gembira bahawa dia akan mempunyai kedudukan yang sama di sisi God seperti Abū l-Sawwār al-ʿAdawī?"506 93.3

[Ibn al-Faraj:] Ibn Ḥanbal’s imprisonment and beating had a devastating effect on me. But then I dreamed I heard a voice say, “Aren’t you glad that he’ll have the same standing with God as Abū l-Sawwār al-ʿAdawī?”506 93.3

Saya menemui Aḥmad dan memberitahunya tentang perkara ini. Dia membantah: «Sesungguhnya kami ini milik Tuhan, dan kepada-Nya kami kembali!»507

I found Aḥmad and told him about this. He protested: «We are of God, and to Him we return!»507

Seorang anggota masyarakat Muslim yang fasik memanggil Abū l-Sawwār al-ʿAdawī dan bertanya kepadanya tentang suatu perkara agama.508 Abū l-Sawwār memberikan jawapan yang dia anggap betul, tetapi lelaki itu tidak menyukainya, lalu berkata: "Jika kamu berkeras dengan pendapat itu, aku isytiharkan kamu telah keluar dari Islam!" 93.5

A dissolute member of the Muslim community summoned Abū l-Sawwār al- ʿAdawī and asked him a question about a religious matter.508 Abū l-Sawwār gave the answer he thought was right, but the other man didn’t like it, and said: “If you insist on that opinion, I declare you quit of Islam!” 93.5

"Maka agama manakah yang patut saya ikuti?" "Kalau begitu, anggaplah isterimu sudah diceraikan!" "Jadi ke mana saya patut pergi pada waktu malam?" Mendengar itu, lelaki tersebut memukulnya empat puluh kali sebatan.

“Which religion should I go to, then?” “Well then, consider your wife divorced!” “So where I am I supposed to go at night?” At that the man struck him forty lashes.

Abū Jaʿfar menambahkan: Saya mengunjungi Aḥmad dan menceritakan kisah ini kepadanya, dan dia gembira mendengarnya.

Abū Jaʿfar added: I visited Aḥmad and told him this story, and he was happy to hear it.

[Pengarang:] Nama Abū l-Sawwār al-ʿAdawī ialah Ḥassān ibn Ḥurayth. Beliau meriwayatkan hadis melalui ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib dan ʿImrān ibn Ḥuṣayn. Beliau seorang zāhid yang berilmu, dan beliau menyamai Aḥmad dalam ketabahan yang ditunjukkan ketika disebat.

[The author:] Abū l-Sawwār al-ʿAdawī’s name was Ḥassān ibn Ḥurayth. He transmitted Hadith via ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib and ʿImrān ibn Ḥuṣayn. He was a scholarly renunciant, and he matched Aḥmad in the endurance he displayed while being flogged.

[Hishām:] Setiap kali seseorang menghina Abū l-Sawwār al-ʿAdawī, dia akan berkata, “Jika aku seperti yang kamu katakan, maka aku ini tentulah seorang yang buruk.” 93.6

[Hishām:] Whenever someone would insult Abū l-Sawwār al-ʿAdawī, he would say, “If I’m what you say I am, I suppose I’m a bad man.” 93.6

Isḥāq al-Madāʾinī: Saya bermimpi bahawa Hajar Aswad retak terbelah dan dari situ keluar sehelai panji. 93.7

[Isḥāq al-Madāʾinī:] I dreamed that the Black Stone cracked open and from it a banner emerged. 93.7

"Apa yang sedang berlaku?" tanya saya.

“What’s going on?” I asked.

Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal telah berbai'ah kepada Tuhan.509

“Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal has sworn allegiance to God.”509

Ini terjadi pada hari dia disebat.

This was on the day he was flogged.

[Salamah ibn Shabīb:] Kami pernah duduk bersama Aḥmad ketika seorang lelaki datang dan bertanya, "Siapakah antara kalian yang bernama Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal?" 93.8

[Salamah ibn Shabīb:] We were once sitting with Aḥmad when a man appeared and asked, “Which of you is Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal?” 93.8

Tiada seorang pun daripada kami yang bersuara, tetapi Aḥmad berkata, "Saya Aḥmad. Apa yang kamu perlukan?" "Saya telah merentasi empat ratus batu liga darat dan laut untuk mencari kamu. Saya didatangi al-Khaḍir pada malam Jumaat. Dia berkata, 'Mengapa tidak kamu pergi menziarahi Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal?' Saya berkata bahawa saya tidak mengenali kamu, tetapi dia berkata, 'Pergilah ke Baghdad dan bertanya. Katakan kepadanya bahawa Tuhan Langit yang bersemayam di atas arasy-Nya berkenan kepadanya, begitu juga semua malaikat, kerana kesabarannya demi Tuhan.'" [Salamah ibn Shabīb:] Pada suatu ketika saya bersama Aḥmad di masjidnya di Baghdad. Ada beberapa orang lain di situ juga. Kami baru sahaja selesai solat Subuh apabila seorang lelaki masuk dan bertanya, "Siapakah antara kamu Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal?" 93.9

None of us spoke up, but Aḥmad said, “I’m Aḥmad. What do you need?” “I’ve crossed four hundred leagues of land and sea to find you. I had a visit from al-Khaḍir on a Friday night.510 He said, ‘Why don’t you go visit Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal?’ I said I didn’t know you but he said, ‘Go to Baghdad and ask. Tell him that the Lord of Heaven on His throne is pleased with you, and all the angels too, because of your endurance for the sake of God.’” [Salamah ibn Shabīb:] I was once with Aḥmad in his mosque in Baghdad. There were several others there too. We had just finished the morning prayer when a man came in and asked, “Which of you is Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal?” 93.9

Demi menghormati Aḥmad, tiada seorang pun berkata apa-apa. Kemudian beliau sendiri berkata, "Saya Aḥmad. Apa yang kamu perlukan?" "Saya telah merentasi empat ratus batu luas daratan dan lautan untuk mencari tuan. Pada hari Jumaat, saya telah dikunjungi seorang lelaki yang mengatakan dirinya al-Khaḍir. Beliau menyuruh saya pergi ke Baghdad dan bertanya tentang tuan, serta menyampaikan bahawa Tuhan Langit yang bersemayam di atas Arasy-Nya redha terhadap tuan, dan para malaikat juga, kerana kesabaran tuan." "Janganlah kamu anggap seseorang itu mulia sebelum dia menyelesaikan amalannya," kata Aḥmad.

Out of deference to Aḥmad, no one said anything. Then he himself said, “I’m Aḥmad. What do you need?” “I’ve crossed four hundred leagues of land and sea to find you. I had a visitor on a Friday who said he was al-Khaḍir. He told me to go to Baghdad and ask for you, and tell you that the Lord of Heaven on His throne is pleased with you, and all the angels too, because of your endurance.” “Count no one meritorious before his work is done,” said Aḥmad.

Apabila lelaki itu bangkit untuk pergi, Aḥmad bertanya kepadanya sama ada ada apa-apa lagi yang boleh dia lakukan untuknya. Lelaki itu berkata tidak lalu keluar.

When the man rose to go, Aḥmad asked him if there was anything else he could do for him. The man said no and went out.

[Al-Marrūdhī:] Pada suatu hari saya sedang duduk di Jambatan Penjual Jerami apabila saya ternampak dua lelaki membuka jalan untuk seorang Badwi yang menunggang unta. Mereka berhenti di hadapan saya dan memberitahu Badwi itu, "Itulah dia: yang duduk di situ." 93.13

[Al-Marrūdhī:] One day I was sitting on the Straw-Sellers’ Bridge when I saw two men clearing the way for a Bedouin on camelback. They stopped in front of me and told the Bedouin, “That’s him: the one sitting there.” 93.13

"Adakah engkau Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal?" tanya Badwi itu.

“Are you Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal?” the Bedouin asked.

“Tidak,” kataku. “Tapi saya kenal dia. Awak mahu dia untuk apa?” “Saya perlu jumpa dia.” “Mahu saya bawa awak?” “Ya.” Saya memimpin jalan ke rumah Aḥmad dan mengetuk pintu.

“No,” I said. “But I know him. What do you want him for?” “I have to see him.” “Shall I take you?” “Aye.” I led the way to Aḥmad’s place and knocked on the door.

"Siapa itu?" "Al-Marrūdhī." "Masuklah." "Saya bersama seseorang." "Bawa dia sekali." Orang Badwi itu melutut untanya dan mengikatnya, lalu kami masuk ke dalam. Apabila dia melihat Aḥmad, dia berkata, "Ya, demi Tuhan," tiga kali, dan memberi salam kepadanya.

“Who is it?” “Al-Marrūdhī.” “Come in.” “I have someone with me.” “Bring them too.” The Bedouin knelt his camel and tethered her, and we went inside. When he saw Aḥmad, he said, “Aye, by God,” three times, and greeted him.

"Apa yang kamu perlukan?" "Saya seorang utusan yang diutus oleh Utusan Tuhan." "Apa maksudmu sebenarnya?" "Saya seorang Badwi, dengan kediaman empat puluh batu di luar Madinah. Keluarga saya memerlukan sedikit gandum dan beberapa biji kurma, jadi saya pergi ke Madinah dan membeli apa yang mereka mahukan. Kemudian hari menjadi gelap. Saya menunaikan solat Isyak di masjid Nabi ﷺ dan berbaring untuk tidur. Lalu saya merasakan seseorang menggoncang badan saya, dan satu suara berkata, 'Adakah kamu akan menjalankan satu urusan untuk Utusan Tuhan ﷺ?' "Saya berkata bahawa saya akan melakukannya. Dia meletakkan tangan kanannya di atas lengan kiri saya, membawa saya ke dinding makam Nabi ﷺ, dan meletakkan saya di sisi kepalanya."

“What do you need?” “I’m an emissary sent by God’s Emissary.” “What on earth do you mean?” “I’m a Bedouin, with quarters forty miles outside Medina. My family needed some wheat and some dates, so I went to Medina and bought what they wanted. Then it got dark. I prayed the last evening prayer of the day in the Prophet’s mosque and lay down to sleep. Then I felt someone shaking me, and a voice said, ‘Will you run an errand for the Emissary of God?’ “I said I would. He put his right hand on my left arm, walked me over to the wall of the Prophet’s tomb, and placed me by his head.

"Utusan Tuhan!" serunya.

“‘Emissary of God!’ he called out.

Dari sebalik dinding, sebuah suara berkata, "Adakah kamu mahu melakukan satu urusan untukku?" "Ya, demi Tuhan," kataku, tiga kali.

“From behind the wall a voice said, ‘Will you do an errand for me?’ “‘Aye, by God,’ I said, three times.

“‘Pergilah ke Baghdad’—atau ‘Kota Bengkok’511—al-Marrūdhī tidak dapat mengingat yang mana satu yang dia katakan—‘dan tanyakan rumah Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal. Apabila kamu menemuinya, katakanlah kepadanya:

“‘Go to Baghdad’—or ‘Crooked Town’511—al-Marrūdhī couldn’t remember which he said, ‘and ask for the house of Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal. When you find him, tell him:

"Nabi menyampaikan salam beliau, serta peringatan bahawa Tuhan sedang bersedia untuk mengenakan ke atas kamu satu ujian yang berat; tetapi saya telah memohon kepada-Nya supaya memberi kamu kekuatan untuk menanggungnya, maka jangan takut."ﷺ Selepas itu, setiap kali seseorang kagum dengan ketabahannya semasa disebat, dia akan berkata, "Saya sudah tahu ia akan datang." Dua puluh lima hari selepas orang Badwi itu berlalu pergi, Inkuisisi pun bermula.

“The Prophet sends his greetings, and a warning that God is preparing to subject you to a grievous ordeal; but I have asked Him to give you the strength to bear it, so fear not.”’” After that, whenever anyone marveled at his endurance during the flogging, he would say, “I knew it was coming.” Twenty-five days after the Bedouin departed, the Inquisition began.

[Abū Bakr al-Nāqid:] Sarī l-Saqaṭī berkata, "Aku bermimpi bahawa aku telah dimasukkan ke dalam Taman Syurga. Ketika aku berjalan-jalan di dalamnya, aku mendapati diriku sedang melihat ke bawah ke sebuah bilik dan ternampak seorang hamba perempuan. Aku bertanya kepadanya milik siapakah dia, lalu dia menjawab, 'Milik Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal.'" 93.14

[Abū Bakr al-Nāqid:] Sarī l-Saqaṭī said, “I dreamed I had been admitted to the Garden of Paradise. As I was wandering through it, I found myself looking down into a room and seeing a slave. I asked her whose she was and she said, ‘Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal’s.’” 93.14

Abū Bakr menambahkan: Saya sendiri melihat Sarī dalam mimpi setelah dia meninggal. Saya bertanya kepadanya apa yang telah terjadi kepada Aḥmad dan Bishr.

Abū Bakr added: I myself saw Sarī in a dream after he died. I asked him what had become of Aḥmad and Bishr.

"Mereka baru sahaja memasuki Syurga Eden," katanya, "dan mereka sedang makan." [Ḥubaysh:] Nabi ﷺ muncul kepadaku dalam mimpi. Aku bertanya kepadanya apa yang telah berlaku ke atas Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal. 93.15

“They’ve just entered the Garden of Eden,” he said, “and they’re eating.” [Ḥubaysh:] The Prophet appeared to me in a dream. I asked him what had become of Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal. 93.15

“Musa akan datang,” katanya. “Tanyalah kepadanya.” Apabila Musa muncul, saya bertanya kepadanya, lalu dia berkata, “Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal telah diuji dalam keadaan senang dan susah. Dia terbukti ikhlas dan telah bergabung dengan golongan yang benar.” [Abū Naṣr:] Saya bermimpi bahawa saya sedang bersolat bersama Nabi ﷺ. Apabila baginda selesai, saya berkata, “Semoga ayahku menjadi tebusanmu, wahai utusan Tuhan! Ada seorang anggota umatmu yang ingin saya tanyakan kepadamu.” 93.16

“Moses will be along,” he said. “Ask him.” When Moses appeared, I asked him and he said, “Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal was put to the test in good times and bad. He proved himself sincere and has joined the truthtellers.” [Abū Naṣr:] I dreamed I was praying along with the Prophet. When he finished I said, “May my father redeem you, Emissary of God!512 There’s a member of your community I want to ask you about.” 93.16

"Siapa?" "Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal." "Tanyalah saudaraku Musa." Aku terjaga. Kemudian aku tertidur semula, dan di sana ada Musa.

“Who?” “Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal.” “Ask my brother Moses.” I woke up. Then I dozed off again, and there was Moses.

"Wahai Penerima Seru Tuhan!513 Nabi datang kepadaku dalam mimpi, lalu aku bertanya kepadanya tentang seorang anggota umatnya, tetapi beliau berkata: tanyalah kepadamu." "Adakah yang engkau mahu ketahui itu Aḥmad bin Ḥanbal?" "Ya." "Beliau telah diuji dalam keadaan senang dan susah, tetapi beliau sabar menanggung semuanya, dan kini beliau berada di ʿIlliyyīn."514

“O Addressee of God!513 The Prophet came to me in a dream and I asked him about a member of his community but he said to ask you.” “Is it Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal you want to know about?” “Yes.” “He was put to the test in good times and bad but endured it all, and now he’s in ʿIlliyyīn.”514

[Bundār:] Sufyān al-Thawrī datang kepadaku dalam mimpi, lalu aku bertanya kepadanya bagaimana keadaannya. 93.17

[Bundār:] Sufyān al-Thawrī came to me in a dream and I asked him how he had fared. 93.17

"Lebih baik daripada yang saya jangkakan," katanya.

“Better than I expected,” he said.

“Apa itu di dalam lengan bajumu?” “Mutiara, delima, dan permata,” jawabnya. “Ketika roh Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal bergabung dengan kami, Tuhan menyambutnya dengan hujan batu-batu berharga. Ini adalah bahagianku.” [Bundār:] Saya bertanya kepada ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Mahdī untuk menggambarkan al-Thawrī kepada saya, dan dia melakukannya. Kemudian saya memohon kepada Tuhan agar menunjukkannya kepada saya dalam mimpi. Tidak lama selepas ʿAbd al-Raḥmān515 meninggal dunia, saya bermimpi tentang Sufyān, yang sepadan dengan gambaran yang diberikan ʿAbd al-Raḥmān kepada saya. Saya bertanya apa yang telah Tuhan lakukan terhadapnya. 93.18

“What’s that in your sleeve?” “Pearls, rubies, and gems,” he said. “When Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal’s spirit joined us, God greeted him with a shower of precious stones. This is my share.” [Bundār:] I asked ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Mahdī to describe al-Thawrī for me, and he did. Then I asked God to show him to me in a dream. No sooner had ʿAbd al- Raḥmān515 died than I dreamed of Sufyān, who matched the description ʿAbd al- Raḥmān had given me. I asked what God had done with him. 93.18

"Dia telah mengampuni saya," katanya.

“He’s forgiven me,” he said.

Saya perasan dia membawa sesuatu di lengan bajunya, lalu saya bertanya kepadanya apa itu.

I noticed that he was carrying something in his sleeve and I asked him what it was.

Roh Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal telah dibawa ke sini, dan Tuhan memerintahkan Gabriel untuk menyiraminya dengan mutiara, permata, dan zabarjad. Ini adalah bahagian saya.” Al-Khaṭīb menambahkan: Bundār nampaknya mempunyai mimpi ini ketika kematian Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, tetapi hanya Tuhan yang mengetahui kebenarannya.

“Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal’s spirit has been brought here, and God commanded Gabriel to shower it with pearls, gems, and chrysolite. This is my share.” Al-Khaṭīb added: Bundār would seem to have had this dream upon the death of Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, but God alone knows the truth.

[Al-Bukhārī:] Al-Muḥāribī berkata bahawa beliau bermimpi melihat ʿAbd Allāh ibn al-Ṣabbāḥ duduk di sisi mihrab dalam masjid. Beliau memberi salam kepadanya dan bertanya bagaimana keadaannya. 93.20

[Al-Bukhārī:] Al-Muḥāribī said that he dreamed of seeing ʿAbd Allāh ibn al- Ṣabbāḥ sitting by the niche in the mosque. He greeted him and asked how he had fared. 93.20

"Baiklah," katanya. "Ikutilah Ibnu Hanbal! Ikutilah dia! Ikutilah dia!"516

“Well,” he said. “Follow Ibn Ḥanbal! Follow him! Follow him!”516

Dia juga bermimpi melihat al-Faḍl ibn Ziyād. Dia menggambarkan tempat tinggal tempat dia melihat al-Faḍl, kemudian berkata bahawa dia bertanya kepadanya apakah yang telah dia lakukan sehingga memperoleh tempat itu.

He also dreamed of seeing al-Faḍl ibn Ziyād. He described the dwelling where he saw al-Faḍl, and then said that he asked him what he had done to earn it.

"Ikutlah sunnah," kata al-Faḍl.

“‘Follow the sunnah,’ said al-Faḍl.

“‘Bagaimana pula dengan Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal?’ ‘Dia berada di sebalik sesuatu yang tidak dapat kita lihat.’” [Aswad ibn Sālim:] Sekali dalam tidur saya, saya merasakan kehadiran seseorang yang berbicara kepada saya dan berkata, “Aswad! Tuhan mengirimkan salam-Nya dan berfirman, ‘Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal sedang mengembalikan umat ini ke jalan yang benar, maka pastikan engkau mengikutinya. Jika tidak, engkau akan binasa.’” 93.22

“‘What about Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal?’ “‘He’s on the other side of something we can’t see through.’” [Aswad ibn Sālim:] Once in my sleep I sensed a presence that spoke to me and said, “Aswad! God sends His greetings and says, ‘Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal is bringing this community back to the right path, so be sure to follow him. If you don’t, you’ll perish.’” 93.22

[Al-Ḥasan al-Ṣawwāf:] Tuhan Yang Maha Mulia menampakkan diri kepadaku dalam mimpi dan berfirman, "Hasan, sesiapa yang menyanggah Ibn Ḥanbal akan diseksa." 93.23

[Al-Ḥasan al-Ṣawwāf:] The Lord of Glory appeared to me in a dream and said, “Ḥasan, anyone who disagrees with Ibn Ḥanbal will be tormented.” 93.23

[Ibn Mijmaʿ:] Kami mempunyai seorang jiran yang telah dibunuh di Qazwīn. Pada pagi selepas Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal meninggal dunia, adik-beradik jiran itu datang ke rumah kami dan berkata, "Saya bermimpi aneh semalam! Saya melihat abang saya, kelihatan lebih baik daripada yang pernah saya lihat, sedang menunggang kuda. Saya berkata, 'Abang, bukankah abang telah dibunuh? Apa yang abang buat di sini?' 93."24

[Ibn Mijmaʿ:] We had a neighbor who was killed in Qazwīn. The morning after Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal died, the neighbor’s brother came over and said, “I had the strangest dream last night! I saw my brother, looking better than he ever did, riding on a horse. I said, ‘Brother, weren’t you killed? What are you doing here?’ 93.24

“Dia berkata, ‘Tuhan memerintahkan semua syuhada dan orang-orang yang diberkati di Syurga untuk menghadiri pengebumian Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, maka inilah aku.’ Kemudian, selepas kami menyemak tarikhnya, didapati ia adalah hari yang sama dengan hari Aḥmad meninggal dunia.”

“He said, ‘God commanded all the martyrs and the blessed in Heaven to attend Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal’s funeral, so here I am.’” Later we checked the date and it was the same day Aḥmad died.

[Yaʿqūb ibn ʿAbd Allāh:] Sarī l-Saqaṭī datang kepada saya dalam mimpi, lalu saya bertanya bagaimana keadaannya. Dia berkata bahawa Allah telah mengizinkannya memandang wajah-Nya. 93.26

[Yaʿqūb ibn ʿAbd Allāh:] Sarī l-Saqaṭī came to me in a dream and I asked him how he had fared. He said that God had permitted him to gaze upon His countenance. 93.26

"Bagaimana dengan Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal dan Aḥmad ibn Naṣr?" "Mereka sedang sibuk makan buah-buahan di Syurga." [Al-Sijistānī:] Utusan Tuhan datang kepada saya dalam mimpi. Saya bertanya kepadanya siapa yang telah beliau tinggalkan pada zaman kita untuk dijadikan teladan oleh ahli umatnya dalam agama mereka. 93.27

“What about Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal and Aḥmad ibn Naṣr?” “They’re busy eating fruit in the Garden.” [Al-Sijistānī:] The Emissary of God came to me in a dream. I asked him who he’d left in our time for members of his community to emulate in their religion. 93.27

"Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal." [Hibat Allāh ibn al-Sarī:] Saya melihat Utusan Allah dalam mimpi dan berkata, "Wahai Utusan Allah! Para pemikir kami semuanya berbeza pendapat dan kami tidak tahu pendapat siapa yang harus diikuti." 93.29

“Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal.” [Hibat Allāh ibn al-Sarī:] I saw the Emissary of God in a dream and said, “Emissary of God! Our thinkers all disagree and we don’t know whose view to follow.” 93.29

"Ikutlah Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal," jawabnya.

“Follow Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal’s,” he replied.

[Al-Sijistānī:] Saya bermimpi pada tahun 228 [842–43] bahawa saya berada di masjid Jumaat, dan seorang lelaki yang kelihatan seperti sida-sida keluar dari bahagian berpagar menuju ke arah saya sambil berkata, "Utusan Tuhan telah bersabda, 'Selepas aku tiada, ikutlah Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal dan …'" seseorang yang lain yang namanya saya tidak ingat. 93.30

[Al-Sijistānī:] I had a dream in 228 [842–43] where I was in the Friday mosque and a man who looked like a eunuch came out of the enclosure toward me saying, “The Emissary of God has said, ‘After I’m gone, follow Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal and …’” someone else whose name I can’t remember. 93.30

Saya berfikir, "Alangkah peliknya riwayat ini!" Apabila saya meminta seseorang mentafsirkan mimpi itu, dia berkata, "Yang menyerupai sida-sida itu ialah seorang malaikat." [Al-Marwazī:] Saya bermimpi bahawa saya berada di tanah perkuburan Aḥmad. Lalu muncul segumpal debu, dan dari dalamnya datang seorang tua menunggang kuda. 93.31

I thought, “What a strange report!” When I asked someone to interpret the dream, he said, “The one who looked like a eunuch was an angel.” [Al-Marwazī:] I dreamed I was by Aḥmad’s tomb. A cloud of dust appeared, and out of it an elder came riding. 93.31

"Putera itu sudah sampai!" terdengar seruan.

“The prince is here!” came the cry.

Lelaki itu turun dari kenderaannya di tepi kubur. Saya bertanya siapakah dia, lalu mereka memberitahu saya, "ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb."517

The man dismounted by the tomb. I asked who he was and they told me, “ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb.”517

[Ḥajjāj:] Seorang bapa saudara saya yang pernah menulis riwayat-riwayat yang didengar daripada Hushaym muncul kepada saya dalam mimpi. Saya bertanya kepadanya tentang Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, lalu dia berkata, "Dia adalah sahabat ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb." 93.32

[Ḥajjāj:] An uncle of mine who had written down reports heard from Hushaym appeared to me in a dream. I asked him about Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal and he said, “He’s an associate of ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb.” 93.32

[Ibn Abī Qurrah:] Saya bermimpi bahawa saya telah memasuki Syurga. Di sana saya melihat sebuah istana yang diperbuat daripada perak. Pintunya terbuka dan keluarlah Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, memakai satu pakaian cahaya sebagai kain penutup pinggang dan satu lagi sebagai tali pinggang. Saya bergegas mendapatkannya dan dia berkata, "Adakah kamu sudah sampai di sini?" 93.33

[Ibn Abī Qurrah:] I dreamed that I had gone into the Garden. There I saw a palace made of silver. The door opened and out came Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal wearing one garment of light as a breechclout and another as a sash. I raced up to him and he said, “Are you here already?” 93.33

"Ya," kataku.

“Yes,” I said.

Dia terus bertanya soalan itu sehingga saya bangun.

He kept asking the question until I woke up.

Saya juga bermimpi berjalan melalui sebuah pintu gerbang yang pintunya diperbuat daripada emas. Di sebelah sana terdapat gunung-ganang kasturi dan orang ramai berkata, "Pahlawan itu telah tiba!" Kemudian Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal masuk dengan memakai pedang dan membawa tombak.

I also dreamed of walking through a gate whose doors were made of gold. On the other side were mountains of musk and people saying, “The warrior is here!” Then Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal came in wearing a sword and carrying a spear.

"Inilah Syurga," katanya.

“This is the Garden,” he said.

Kakak saya, Fāṭimah binti Abī Qurrah, memberitahu saya bahawa pada suatu hari Jumaat dia bermimpi melihat burung-burung yang diperbuat daripada cahaya turun dari Syurga, dan orang ramai menggunakannya untuk terbang naik.

My sister Fāṭimah bint Abī Qurrah told me that one Friday she dreamed of seeing birds made of light coming down from Heaven and people using them to fly up.

"Saya bertanya apakah cahaya itu, dan mereka berkata, ‘Ia adalah roh Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, dan ia membawamu naik kepada Tuhan.’" [Ibn al-ʿAbbās:] Saya bermimpi kami sedang menunggu iring-iringan jenazah Aḥmad keluar. Apabila ia muncul, saya melihat dan mendapati ia sedang naik ke langit. Ia terus naik sehingga hilang daripada pandangan. 93.34

“I asked what the light was and they said, ‘It’s Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal’s spirit, and it takes you up to God.’” [Ibn al-ʿAbbās:] I dreamed we were waiting for Aḥmad’s funeral procession to come out. When it appeared, I looked and saw that it was rising into the sky. It kept on rising until it disappeared. 93.34

[Al-Warrāq:] Nabi ﷺ datang kepadaku dalam mimpi lalu bertanya, "Mengapa engkau kelihatan begitu sedih?" 93.35

[Al-Warrāq:] The Prophet came to me in a dream and asked me, “Why do you look so sad?” 93.35

"Bagaimana saya tidak akan kelihatan sedih," jawab saya, "apabila komuniti tuan sedang mengalami zaman yang begitu sukar?" "Beritahu semua orang supaya berpegang teguh kepada jalan Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal," katanya, dua kali.

“How could I not look sad,” I answered, “when your community has fallen on such hard times?” “Tell everyone to cleave to the path of Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal,” he said, twice.

[Abū Zurʿah:] Saya bermimpi melihat Nabi ﷺ, lalu saya mengadukan kepada baginda tentang kesukaran yang kami hadapi daripada pengikut Jahm. 93.36

[Abū Zurʿah:] I saw the Prophet in a dream and complained to him about the trouble we were having with the followers of Jahm. 93.36

"Jangan takut," katanya. "Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal berdiri menghalang mereka." [Ibn al-Mubārak al-Zamin:] Saya bermimpi melihat Zubaydah dan bertanya kepadanya bagaimana Tuhan telah menghakiminya. 93.37

“Have no fear,” he said. “Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal stands in their way.” [Ibn al-Mubārak al-Zamin:] I saw Zubaydah in a dream and asked her how God had judged her. 93.37

“Sejak kami memecahkan tanah untuk jalan ke Mekah, Dia telah mengampuniku.” “Tetapi mengapa engkau kelihatan kuning?” “Seorang lelaki bernama Bishr al-Marīsī dikebumikan di kalangan kami. Neraka begitu menginginkannya sehingga ia mengeluarkan rintihan yang membuat kulitku meremang dan mukaku menjadi kuning.” “Apa yang berlaku kepada Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal?” “Dia baru sahaja melintasiku dengan sebuah perahu mutiara putih yang belayar di atas laut merah yang tidak berdasar, dalam perjalanan untuk menziarahi Yang Maha Pengasih.” “Apa yang dilakukannya sehingga layak menerima ganjaran itu?” “Dengan mengatakan bahawa al-Qur’an ialah firman Tuhan dan bukan makhluk.” [Ḥanbal:] Seseorang yang aku percayai memberitahuku bahawa dia bermimpi tentang seorang wanita yang rambut di pelipisnya telah memutih. Apabila dia bertanya kepadanya tentang hal itu, wanita itu berkata, “Ketika Aḥmad disebat, Neraka menarik nafas yang begitu panjang sehingga kami semua menjadi beruban.” 93.38

“The moment we broke ground for the Mecca road, He forgave me.” “But why do you look jaundiced?” “A man called Bishr al-Marīsī was buried among us. Hell wanted him so badly it gave a groan that made my skin crawl and turned my face yellow.” “What happened to Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal?” “He just passed me in a boat of white pearl that sails on a fathomless red sea, on his way to visit the Merciful One.” “What did he do to deserve his reward?” “Saying that the Qurʾan is the speech of God and not created.” [Ḥanbal:] Someone I trust told me that he dreamed of a woman whose hair had turned white at the temples. When he asked her about it, she said, “When Aḥmad was flogged, Hell breathed such a sigh that all of us went grey.” 93.38

[Al-Qawārīrī:] Seorang lelaki yang mempunyai kedudukan rohani dikatakan pernah mendapat penglihatan dalam mimpi, dan saya ingin mendengarnya daripada beliau sendiri. Beliau datang, lalu kami duduk berdua untuk seketika.

[Al-Qawārīrī:] A certain man of spiritual standing was said to have had a dream vision and I wanted to hear about it from him. He came and we sat alone for a while.

Kemudian anak perempuan kecil saya berkata, "Dia mempunyai cahaya yang memancar dari wajahnya." 93.39

Later my little girl said, “He had light coming from his face.” 93.39

Dia memberitahu saya bahawa dia pernah melihat Nabi ﷺ duduk bersama Aḥmad ibn Naṣr.

He told me that he had seen the Prophet sitting with Aḥmad ibn Naṣr.

“Nabi berkata, ‘Semoga laknat Allah ke atas Si Fulan,’ sebanyak tiga kali, ‘dan Si Fulan serta Si Fulan! Mereka sedang merancang tipu daya terhadap Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal dan al-Qawārīrī, tetapi mereka tidak akan berjaya, insya-Allah!’ Kemudian baginda bersabda kepada saya, ‘Sampaikan salam kepada Aḥmad dan al-Qawārīrī, dan beritahu mereka bahawa aku memohon kepada Tuhan agar memberi ganjaran kepada mereka bagi pihakku dan bagi pihak umatku.’”518

“The Prophet said, ‘God’s curse on So-and-So,’ three times, ‘and So-and-So and So-and-So! They’re plotting against Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal and al-Qawārīrī, but they won’t get anywhere, God willing!’ Then he said to me, ‘Greet Aḥmad and al-Qawārīrī and tell them that I pray to God to reward them on my behalf and on behalf of my community.’”518

[Al-Maḥāmilī:] Abū Saʿīd al-Nahratīrī ialah seorang yang menguasai al-Qur'an, ilmu hadis, dan kefahaman agama. Selepas dia meninggal dunia, dia datang kepada saya dalam mimpi, seolah-olah dia sedang menemui saya di pintu Cotton House.519 93.40

[Al-Maḥāmilī:] Abū Saʿīd al-Nahratīrī was a man of Qurʾan, Hadith-learning, and religious understanding. After he died, he came to me in a dream, as if he were meeting me at the gate of Cotton House.519 93.40

"Apa yang berlaku kepada kamu?" tanyaku kepadanya. Dengan isyarat, dia menyampaikan bahawa dia telah mengalami suatu ujian, tetapi akhirnya memperoleh keselamatan.

“What happened to you?” I asked him. Using gestures, he conveyed that he had suffered an ordeal but gained salvation in the end.

“Bagaimana dengan kita di sini?” “Hanya dua perkara yang penting,” katanya. “Al-Qur’an dan ilmu Hadis.” “Bagaimana dengan halaqah pengajian kita?” “Jalan yang kalian tempuh”—yakni mazhab fikih al-Shāfiʿī—“adalah benar.” “Bagaimana dengan Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal?” Dia memberi isyarat dengan tangan bahawa Aḥmad telah mencapai kedudukan yang tinggi.

“What about us here?” “Only two things matter,” he said. “The Qurʾan and Hadith-knowledge.” “What about our study circle?” “The way you’ve taken”—meaning the legal school of al-Shāfiʿī—“is right.” “What about Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal?” He conveyed with a gesture that Aḥmad had attained a lofty rank.

[Abu Bakr:] Seorang lelaki dari Tarsus menceritakan kisah ini kepadaku. 93.41

[Abū Bakr:] A man from Tarsus told me this story. 93.41

"Dahulu saya selalu berdoa kepada Tuhan agar Dia memperlihatkan kepada saya orang-orang mati di kubur mereka, supaya saya dapat bertanya kepada mereka tentang apa yang telah terjadi kepada Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal. Sepuluh tahun selepas kematiannya, saya bermimpi bahawa orang-orang mati sedang berdiri di atas kubur mereka dan memanggil-manggil saya."

“I used to pray to God to show me dead people in their graves so I could ask them what had happened to Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal. Ten years after his death, I dreamed that the dead were standing on their graves and calling out to me.

“Hai kamu! Sampai bilakah lagi kamu akan meminta kepada Tuhan supaya menunjukkan dia kepada kami? Sejak dia meninggalkan kamu, orang yang kamu tanyakan itu berada di bawah pohon Ṭūbā, dengan malaikat-malaikat menghiasinya dengan pakaian kebesaran.” [Al-Ḥimmānī:] Saya bermimpi bahawa saya sedang duduk di bawah serambi di rumah saya apabila Nabi ﷺ muncul. Baginda berdiri di ambang pintu dengan kedua-dua tangannya pada bingkai pintu, melaungkan azan, dan mengumumkan bahawa solat telah bermula. Kemudian baginda bersabda, “Orang yang selamat itu selamat dan orang yang binasa itu binasa.” 93.42

“‘You there! How much longer will you ask God to show us to you? Ever since he left you, the one you’ve been asking about has been under the Ṭūbā tree,520 with angels piling him with finery.’” [Al-Ḥimmānī:] I dreamed I was sitting under a portico at home when the Prophet appeared. He stood in the doorway with his hands on the jambs, called to prayer, and announced that prayer had begun. Then he said, “The saved are saved and the damned damned.” 93.42

“Utusan Tuhan,” kata saya. “Siapakah golongan yang selamat?” “Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal dan pengikut-pengikutnya.” [Al-Warrāq:] Di Ramla tinggal seorang lelaki bernama ʿAmmar yang orang dakwa sebagai salah seorang daripada al-Abdāl. Dia jatuh sakit dan saya pergi menziarahinya. Saya pernah mendengar tentang satu mimpi yang dia alami, lalu saya bertanya kepadanya mengenainya. 93.43

“Emissary of God,” I said. “Who are the saved?” “Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal and his followers.” [Al-Warrāq:] In Ramla there lived a man named ʿAmmar who people claimed was one of the Substitutes. He fell ill and I went to see him. I had heard about a vision he’d had, and so I asked him about it. 93.43

“Itu benar,” katanya. “Saya telah melihat Nabi ﷺ dalam mimpi, lalu saya meminta baginda agar berdoa kepada Tuhan supaya mengampuni saya, dan baginda pun berbuat demikian. Kemudian saya melihat al-Khaḍir dan bertanya kepadanya, ‘Apakah pendapatmu tentang al-Qur’an?’ “Dia berkata, ‘Ia adalah firman Tuhan, dan bukan makhluk.’ “‘Apakah pendapatmu tentang Bishr ibn al-Ḥārith?’ “‘Pada hari dia meninggal, dia tidak meninggalkan seorang pun yang lebih takut kepada Tuhan daripadanya.’ “‘Bagaimana pula dengan Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal?’ “‘Dia adalah seorang yang benar dalam perkataannya.’ “‘Bagaimana pula dengan al-Ḥusayn al-Karābīsī?’ “Sebagai jawapan, dia mencela beliau. Kemudian saya bertanya, ‘Apakah yang akan berlaku kepada ibu saya?’ “Dia berkata, ‘Dia akan jatuh sakit dan hidup selama tujuh hari sebelum meninggal dunia,’ dan demikianlah yang berlaku.” [Al-Dahhān:] Saya melihat al-Khaḍir dalam mimpi dan bertanya kepadanya sama ada dia adalah orang yang bersama Musa.521 Dia berkata bahawa dia memang orang itu. Kemudian saya bertanya kepadanya apakah pendapatnya tentang Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal. 93.44

“It’s true,” he said. “I saw the Prophet in a dream and I asked him to pray to God to forgive me, and so he did. Later I saw al-Khaḍir and asked him, ‘What do you say about the Qurʾan?’ “He said, ‘It’s God’s speech, and not created.’ “‘What do you say about Bishr ibn al-Ḥārith?’ “‘The day he died, he left behind him no one more fearful of God.’ “‘What about Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal?’ “‘He was a truth-teller.’ “‘What about al-Ḥusayn al-Karābīsī?’ “In response he vilified him. Then I asked, ‘What’s going to happen to my mother?’ “He said, ‘She’ll fall ill and live for seven days before she dies,’ and that’s what happened.” [Al-Dahhān:] I saw al-Khaḍir in a dream and asked him if he was the one who was with Moses.521 He said he was. Then I asked him what he thought of Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal. 93.44

"Dia seorang yang jujur." [Abū Bakr:] Saya bermimpi bahawa saya berada di masjid al-Khayf dan di situ saya melihat Nabi ﷺ. Saya bertanya, "Bagaimana keadaan Bishr bersama kamu?" 93.45

“He’s a truth-teller.” [Abū Bakr:] I dreamed I was in the mosque of al-Khayf and there I saw the Prophet. I asked, “How is Bishr doing with you?” 93.45

"Dia telah diberikan tempat di tengah-tengah Syurga." "Bagaimana pula dengan Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal?" "Tidakkah engkau pernah mendengar bahawa apabila God memasukkan orang-orang yang berzikir ke dalam Syurga, Dia tersenyum kepada mereka?" [Ibn al-Fatḥ:] Bishr ibn al-Ḥārith datang kepadaku dalam mimpi, sedang duduk dan makan di meja yang disediakan untuknya di sebuah kebun. Aku bertanya kepadanya bagaimana God telah menghakiminya. 93.46

“He was given a place in the middle of the Garden.” “What about Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal?” “Haven’t you heard that when God admits the people of remembrance522 to the Garden, he smiles at them?” [Ibn al-Fatḥ:] Bishr ibn al-Ḥārith came to me in a dream, sitting and eating at a table laid for him in an orchard. I asked him how God had judged him. 93.46

"Dia berbelas kasihan kepadaku, mengampuniku, dan membukakan seluruh Taman itu untukku." "Dan di mana sahabatmu Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal?" "Berdiri di pintu gerbang untuk memberi syafaat bagi kaum Sunni yang menyatakan bahwa Al-Qur'an adalah firman Tuhan yang tidak diciptakan." [ʿAlī ibn al-Muwaffaq:] Aku punya beberapa ibadah pribadi yang harus kulakukan pada malam hari, maka aku terjaga dari malam Kamis hingga pagi Jumat, lalu pergi tidur. Aku bermimpi bahwa aku telah memasuki Taman itu. Di sana aku melihat tiga orang. Yang pertama sedang duduk di sebuah meja dengan seorang malaikat melayaninya dengan makanan dan yang lain menuangkan minuman untuknya. Yang kedua sedang berdiri di tengah Taman memandang Tuhan, Yang Mahaperkasa lagi Mahamulia, tanpa berkedip. Yang ketiga akan keluar dari Taman, memegang orang-orang, dan membawa mereka masuk ke dalam. 93.47

“He took pity on me and forgave me, and opened the whole Garden to me.” “And where’s your friend Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal?” “Standing at the gate to intercede for Sunnis who declare the Qurʾan to be the uncreated speech of God.” [ʿAlī ibn al-Muwaffaq:] I had some personal devotions to do at night, so I stayed up from Thursday night until Friday morning then went to bed. I dreamed that I had entered the Garden. There I saw three men. The first was sitting at a table with one angel serving him food and another pouring him drink. The second was standing in the middle of the Garden gazing at God, Mighty and Glorious, without blinking. The third would leave the Garden, take hold of people, and bring them inside. 93.47

Saya bertanya kepada Riḍwān, “Siapakah tiga orang itu yang telah diberi ganjaran begitu baik?” “Saudara-saudara kamu yang meninggal dunia dalam keadaan tidak berdosa.” “Ceritakan lebih lanjut.” “Yang pertama,” katanya, “ialah Bishr si Kaki Ayam, yang sejak mencapai umur akal tidak pernah sekali pun makan sampai kenyang atau minum air sebanyak yang dia mahu, semuanya kerana takut kepada God, yang telah menetapkan baginya dua malaikat: seorang untuk memberinya makan dan seorang untuk menuangkan minuman untuknya.

I asked Riḍwān, “Who are those three who’ve been so well rewarded?” “Your brothers who died sinless.” “Tell me more.” “The first one,” he said, “is Bishr the Barefoot, who from the time he reached the age of reason never once ate his fill or drank as much water as he wanted, all for fear of God, who has assigned him two angels: one to feed him and one to pour for him.

Orang kedua—yang sedang merenung ke arah takhta—ialah Maʿrūf al-Karkhī, yang menyembah Tuhan kerana rindu kepada-Nya, bukan kerana takut kepada Neraka atau kerana mengharapkan Syurga; dan kini Tuhan telah mengizinkannya memandang kepada-Nya sepuas hatinya. Dan yang ketiga ialah Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, yang benar dalam tutur katanya dan teliti dalam agamanya. Tuhan telah memerintahkannya untuk memandang wajah-wajah Sunni dan membawa mereka ke dalam Syurga." [Ibn al-Muthannā:] Aku melihat Bishr ibn al-Ḥārith dalam mimpi, lalu aku bertanya kepadanya bagaimana Tuhan telah menghakiminya. 93.48

The second man—the one gazing at the throne—is Maʿrūf al-Karkhī, who worshipped God because he longed for Him, not for fear of the Fire or in hope of the Garden; and now God has allowed him to gaze at Him all he wants. And the third one is Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, who was truthful in his speech and scrupulous in his religion. God has commanded him to look into the faces of the Sunnis and bring them into the Garden.” [Ibn al-Muthannā:] I saw Bishr ibn al-Ḥārith in a dream and asked him how God had judged him. 93.48

"Dia telah mengampunkan saya." "Bagaimana pula dengan Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal dan ʿAbd al-Wahhāb al-Warrāq?" "Mereka berada di dalam Syurga" — atau "di dalam Taman" — "makan dan minum." [Al-Anṭākī:] Saya bermimpi bahawa hari itu ialah Hari Kiamat. Dari dalam ʿArasy, seorang penyeru memanggil, "Bawalah Abū ʿAbd Allāh, Abū ʿAbd Allāh, Abū ʿAbd Allāh, dan Abū ʿAbd Allāh ke dalam Taman!" 93.49

“He’s forgiven me.” “What about Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal and ʿAbd al-Wahhāb al-Warrāq?” “They’re in Paradise”—or “in the Garden”—“eating and drinking.” [Al-Anṭākī:] I dreamed it was the Day of Resurrection. From inside the Throne a herald called out, “Bring Abū ʿAbd Allāh, Abū ʿAbd Allāh, Abū ʿAbd Allāh, and Abū ʿAbd Allāh into the Garden!” 93.49

Saya bertanya kepada seorang malaikat di sebelah saya, "Siapakah mereka?" "Mālik, al-Thawrī, Muḥammad ibn Idrīs, dan Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal." Dalam riwayat lain dia menambah: "Keempat-empat mereka adalah teladan bagi umat Muḥammad ﷺ, dan mereka dibawa ke Syurga lebih dahulu daripada semua yang lain." [Al-Maḥāmilī:] Al-Qāshānī datang kepada saya dalam mimpi dan saya bertanya apa yang dia ketahui tentang Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal. 93.50

I asked an angel next to me, “Who are they?” “Mālik, al-Thawrī, Muḥammad ibn Idrīs, and Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal.” In another telling he added: “Those four are the exemplars of Muḥammad’s community, and they were brought to the Garden ahead of everyone else.” [Al-Maḥāmilī:] Al-Qāshānī came to me in a dream and I asked what he knew about Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal. 93.50

"Tuhan telah mengampuninya," katanya.

“God forgave him,” he said.

[Thābit al-Marwazī:] Saya dahulu berpendapat bahawa Ibn Shabbuwayh, yang berjihad, menebus tawanan, dan tinggal di sempadan, mempunyai kelebihan yang lebih daripada Aḥmad. Saya bertanya kepada saudara saya ʿAbd Allāh ibn Aḥmad, yang mana antara keduanya yang dia lebih sukai. 93.51

[Thābit al-Marwazī:] I used to think that Ibn Shabbuwayh, who fought in the jihad, ransomed prisoners, and lived on the frontier, had more merit than Aḥmad. I asked my brother ʿAbd Allāh ibn Aḥmad which of the two he preferred. 93.51

"Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal." Saya tidak yakin, dan tidak dapat menaruh kekaguman kepada sesiapa pun selain Ibn Shabbuwayh.

“Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal.” I wasn’t convinced, and couldn’t bring myself to admire anyone but Ibn Shabbuwayh.

Setahun kemudian, saya bermimpi melihat seorang tua yang sedang berbicara kepada sekumpulan orang yang berkumpul di sekelilingnya. Apabila beliau bangkit untuk pergi, saya mengikutinya dan berkata, "Beritahu saya siapa yang lebih tinggi pahala dan kedudukannya: Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal atau Aḥmad ibn Shabbuwayh?" "Apa soalan ini!" jawabnya. "Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal telah diuji dan teguh berdiri, sementara Aḥmad ibn Shabbuwayh tidak diuji. Bagaimana boleh membandingkan orang yang telah melalui ujian dengan orang yang tidak pernah melaluinya? Saya tidak boleh! Antara mereka ada jurang yang amat besar." [Al-Jallāʾ:] Seorang sahabat saya memberitahu bahawa dia pernah melihat Nabi ﷺ dalam mimpi dan bertanya kepadanya tentang beberapa perkara yang para fuqaha berselisih padanya. Nabi ﷺ bersabda kepadanya, "Setiap fuqaha itu benar dalam sebahagian perkara dan silap dalam sebahagian yang lain. Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal mendapat pertolongan Tuhan dan kurang melakukan kesilapan, maka ikutilah teladannya dan petiklah pendapatnya apabila kamu berhujah. Kamu hidup dalam zaman yang tidak akan melahirkan orang lain seperti dia." 93.52

A year later, I had a dream where an elder was speaking to a group of people gathered around him. When he rose to go I followed him and said, “Tell me who has more merit and a higher rank: Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal or Aḥmad ibn Shabbuwayh?” “What a question!” he replied. “Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal was put to the test and stood firm while Aḥmad ibn Shabbuwayh was spared. How can you compare someone who survived an ordeal to one who never went through it? I can’t! There’s a world of difference between them.” [Al-Jallāʾ:] A friend told me that he saw the Prophet in a dream and asked him about some of the issues that jurists disagree on. The Prophet told him, “All jurists are right about some things and wrong about others. Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal has God’s help, and makes fewer errors, so cleave to his example and cite him when you make an argument. You live in an age that will see no other like him.” 93.52

[Muḥammad ibn al-ʿAbbās:] Sahabat Bishr, al-Khayyāṭ, memberitahu saya bahawa seorang lelaki yang rapat dengan Bishr ibn al-Ḥārith pernah datang kepada Bishr dan berkata, "Pada salah satu hari raya, saya bermimpi bahawa hari kiamat telah tiba. Semua orang begitu ketakutan sehingga saya melihat orang-orang menangis air mata darah. Seorang pemanggil maju ke hadapan dan menyeru, 'Di manakah Bishr, dan di manakah Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal?'" 93.53

[Muḥammad ibn al-ʿAbbās:] Bishr’s associate al-Khayyāṭ told me that a man who was an intimate of Bishr ibn al-Ḥārith once came to Bishr and said, “On one of the festival days I dreamed that it was the end of the world. Everyone was so terrified that I saw people weeping tears of blood. A herald came forward and called out, ‘Where is Bishr and where is Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal?’ 93.53

"Mereka membawa kamu berdua dan menghadapkan kamu ke hadirat Tuhan."

“They took the two of you and brought you into God’s presence.

"Jika kedua-dua mereka didapati tidak mencukupi," kata orang-orang yang sedang menunggu penghakiman, "maka kita semua binasa." Kemudian seorang malaikat muncul. "Apa yang berlaku kepada Bishr dan Aḥmad?" tanya kami.

“‘If those two are found wanting,’ said the people waiting to be judged, ‘then we’re all doomed.’ “Then an angel appeared. ‘What happened to Bishr and Aḥmad?’ we asked.

“Mereka sedang dihisab berdasarkan sejauh mana mereka menzahirkan kesyukuran kepada Tuhan atas nikmat-Nya dengan reputasi yang tidak tercemar.” Mendengar kisah ini, Bishr berkata, “Salah seorang daripada dua orang itu tidak pernah cukup dalam bersyukur. Adapun yang seorang lagi, pengalaman menunjukkan betapa bersyukurnya dia.” [Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd Allāh:] Saya bermimpi melihat Abū l-Ḥasan ibn ʿAbdūs. Dia berpakaian putih. Saya bertanya, “Adakah kamu pernah melihat al-Shāfiʿī?” 93.54

“‘They’re being judged on how well they showed their gratitude to God for blessing them with untarnished reputations.’” Hearing this story, Bishr said, “One of the two can never do enough. As for the other, experience shows how grateful he is.” [Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd Allāh:] I saw Abū l-Ḥasan ibn ʿAbdūs in a dream. He was dressed in white. I said, “Have you seen al-Shāfiʿī?” 93.54

“Dia adalah lautan yang tidak akan pernah kering,” katanya, “dan umat sepatutnya berkumpul di sekelilingnya.” “Bagaimana dengan Mālik ibn Anas?” “Dia melebihi yang lain dengan jauh.” “Bagaimana dengan Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal?” “Pendekatannya yang paling hampir kepada Tuhan.” [Bilāl al-Khawwāṣ:] Al-Khaḍir datang kepada saya dalam mimpi dan saya bertanya kepadanya tentang Bishr ibn al-Ḥārith. 93.57

“He’s a sea that never runs dry,” he said, “and the community should gather around him.” “What about Mālik ibn Anas?” “Head and shoulders above the others.” “What about Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal?” “His is the closest approach to God.” [Bilāl al-Khawwāṣ:] Al-Khaḍir came to me in a dream and I asked him about Bishr ibn al-Ḥārith. 93.57

"Dia adalah yang terakhir daripada jenisnya," katanya.

“He was the last of his kind,” he said.

Saya kemudian bertanya tentang Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal.

Then I asked about Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal.

"Seorang yang benar," katanya.

“A truth-teller,” he said.

“Bagaimana saya boleh melihat awak?” “Ia kerana kebaikan awak terhadap ibu awak.” [Pengarang:] Juga telah diriwayatkan bahawa Bilāl melihat al-Khaḍir dalam keadaan sedar. Kisah ini terdapat dalam bab kami tentang pujian al-Khaḍir terhadap Aḥmad.

“How is it that I’m able to see you?” “It’s because of your kindness to your mother.” [The author:] It has also been reported that Bilāl saw al-Khaḍir while awake. The story appears in our chapter on al-Khaḍir’s praise of Aḥmad.

[Haydhām:] Seorang lelaki bermimpi mendengar seseorang berkata, "Tuhan telah memilih beberapa orang dalam kalangan kamu untuk melindungi kamu daripada bencana—atau kata-kata yang seerti dengannya—dan Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal adalah salah seorang daripada mereka." 93.58

[Haydhām:] A man dreamed he heard someone saying, “God has chosen certain persons among you to protect you from disaster—or words to that effect—and Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal is one of them.” 93.58

Pada suatu malam saya terfikir tentang Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal dan bagaimana beliau berjaya bertahan daripada disebat walaupun beliau sangat lemah. Saya tersentuh hingga menitiskan air mata. Malam itu saya bermimpi mendengar satu suara yang berkata, "Alangkah baiknya jika engkau dapat melihat betapa bangganya para malaikat di Syurga ketika mereka menyaksikan beliau dipukul!" 93.59

One night I fell to thinking about Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal and how he survived being flogged despite how frail he was. I was moved to tears. That night I dreamed of a voice that said, “If only you could have seen how proud the angels in Heaven were as they saw him being beaten!” 93.59

"Apa?" tanya saya. "Malaikat tahu tentang sebatan Aḥmad?" "Tidak ada seorang pun dari mereka yang tidak sedang memandang ke bawah." [Yaʿqūb ibn Yūsuf:] Pada suatu malam semasa Inkuisisi, saya sedang tidur apabila seorang lelaki yang memakai jubah bulu tanpa lengan masuk ke dalam bilik. 93.60

“What?” I asked. “The angels knew about Aḥmad’s flogging?” “There wasn’t a single one who wasn’t looking down.” [Yaʿqūb ibn Yūsuf:] One night during the Inquisition, I was sleeping when a man wearing a sleeveless woolen cloak came into the room. 93.60

"Siapakah kamu?" tanyaku.

“Who are you?” I asked.

"Musa, anak ʿImrān." "Adakah kamu Musa yang Tuhan berbicara kepadanya secara langsung, tanpa penterjemah?" "Betul." Pada saat itulah seorang lelaki kedua, berambut kerinting dan memakai dua jubah, jatuh dari siling.

“Moses, son of ʿImrān.” “You’re the Moses who had God speak to him directly, without an interpreter?” “That’s right.” It was at that moment that a second man, this one curly-haired and dressed in two robes, fell from the ceiling.

"Siapa itu?" tanyaku.

“Who’s that?” I asked.

"Jesus, anak Maryam." Kemudian Musa berkata lagi. "Aku, Musa yang Allah berbicara kepadanya secara langsung, tanpa penerjemah, dan Jesus anak Maryam, dan Nabimu ﷺ, dan Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, dan Pembawa Arasy, dan semua malaikat menjadi saksi bahawa al-Qur'an adalah firman Allah dan bukan makhluk." [ʿAbd Allāh ibn al-Ḥasan:] Dalam mimpi, aku melihat seorang ahli hadis yang baru saja meninggal. Aku bertanya kepadanya bagaimana Allah menghakiminya, dan dia berkata, "Dia telah mengampuniku." 93.61

“Jesus, the son of Mary.” Then Moses spoke again. “I, the Moses who had God speak to him directly, without an interpreter, and Jesus the son of Mary, and your Prophet, and Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, and the Carriers of the Throne, and all the angels bear witness that the Qurʾan is the speech of God and not created.” [ʿAbd Allāh ibn al-Ḥasan:] In a dream I saw a Hadith-man who had just died. I asked him how God had judged him and he said, “He’s forgiven me.” 93.61

"Betul ke?" "Demi Tuhan, Dia telah mengampuniku!" "Kenapa?" "Kerana aku mencintai Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal." "Dan adakah kamu selesa?" Dia tersenyum. "Selesa dan gembira." [Al-Fasawī:] Ketika Ḥamdūn al-Bardhaʿī datang kepada Abū Zurʿah untuk mempelajari Hadis, dia mendapati rumah itu penuh dengan perkakas, permaidani, dan seumpamanya—yang kebetulan milik saudara lelaki Abū Zurʿah. Ḥamdūn hampir hendak pergi tanpa menyalin sebarang Hadis. Malam itu, bagaimanapun, dia bermimpi bahawa dia berdiri di tepi sebuah tasik. Dia melihat bayang seorang lelaki terpantul di air dan mendengar satu suara berkata, "Adakah kamu orang yang berpendapat Abū Zurʿah perlu lebih menjadi seorang zahid?" Suara itu terus berkata: "Ketahuilah bahawa Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal adalah salah seorang daripada al-Abdāl, dan apabila dia wafat, Tuhan telah mengutus Abū Zurʿah untuk menggantikan tempatnya." 93.62

“Really?” “I swear to God He’s forgiven me!” “Why?” “Because I loved Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal.” “And are you comfortable?” He smiled. “Comfortable and happy.” [Al-Fasawī:] When Ḥamdūn al-Bardhaʿī came to Abū Zurʿah to study Hadith, he saw that the house was full of utensils, carpets, and the like—which, as it happened, belonged to Abū Zurʿah’s brother. Ḥamdūn was on the verge of leaving without copying any Hadith. That night, however, he dreamed that he was standing on the shore of a lake. He saw a man’s shadow reflected in the water and heard a voice say, “Are you the one who thinks Abū Zurʿah needs to be more of a renunciant?” The voice continued: “You should know that Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal was one of the Substitutes, and when he died, God sent Abū Zurʿah to take his place.” 93.62