Apabila al-Ma'mun meninggal dunia, Ahmad dibawa kembali ke Baghdad dan dipenjarakan di sana.

When al-Maʾmūn died, Aḥmad was brought back to Baghdad and imprisoned there.

Kemudian beliau diuji oleh al-Mu'tasim. Hakim agung pada masa itu ialah Ahmad ibn Abi Du'ad, yang telah memujuk khalifah untuk menguji kepercayaan orang ramai bahawa al-Quran itu makhluk.353 69.1

Then he was tried by al-Muʿtaṣim. The chief judge at the time was Aḥmad ibn Abī Duʾād, who had persuaded the caliph to test people’s belief that the Qurʾan is created.353 69.1

Al-Marrūdhī berkata: 69.2

Al-Marrūdhī said: 69.2

Ketika Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal dipenjarakan, penjaga penjara datang dan bertanya kepadanya sama ada Hadis tentang para zalim dan orang-orang yang berkhidmat kepada mereka itu sahih.354 Aḥmad memberitahunya bahawa ia sahih.

When Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal was put in prison, the jailer came and asked him whether the Hadith about tyrants and those who serve them was authentic.354 Aḥmad told him it was.

"Adakah saya termasuk golongan yang melayani mereka?" tanya sipir penjara itu.

“Am I one of those who serve them?” asked the jailer.

"Mereka yang berkhidmat adalah orang yang memotong rambut anda, membasuh pakaian anda, menyediakan makanan anda, dan berniaga dengan anda. Apa yang anda adalah salah seorang daripada kezaliman." [Aḥmad:] Pada bulan Ramadan tahun ’19 [September atau Oktober 834] saya dipindahkan ke rumah Isḥāq ibn Ibrāhīm. Setiap hari mereka menghantar dua orang lelaki—seorang bernama Aḥmad ibn Rabāḥ, dan seorang lagi ialah Abū Shuʿayb al-Ḥajjām—untuk berdebat dengan saya. Apabila mereka bersedia untuk pergi, mereka akan memanggil rantai dan menambahnya kepada rantai yang sudah ada pada saya. Akhirnya saya memakai empat rantai pada kaki saya.355 69.3

“Those who serve are the ones who cut your hair, wash your clothes, prepare your food, and do business with you. What you are is one of the tyrants.” [Aḥmad:] In Ramadan of ’19 [September or October 834] I was moved to Isḥāq ibn Ibrāhīm’s house. Every day they sent over two men—Aḥmad ibn Rabāḥ, one was called, and the other was Abū Shuʿayb al-Ḥajjām—to debate with me. When they were ready to leave they would call for a fetter and add it to the fetters that I already had on me. I ended up with four fetters on my legs.355 69.3

Pada hari ketiga, salah seorang daripada mereka datang dan mula berdebat dengan saya. Pada satu ketika saya bertanya, "Apakah pandangan anda tentang ilmu Tuhan?"356

On the third day one of the two came and started debating with me. At one point I asked, “What do you say about God’s knowledge?”356

"Ilmu Tuhan itu makhluk," jawabnya.

“God’s knowledge is created,” he replied.

"You're an unbeliever!" Present also was a man sent by Isḥāq ibn Ibrāhīm. When he heard me, he said, "You're talking to the emissary of the Commander of the Faithful!" "Whoever he is," I replied, "he's still an unbeliever." On the fourth night, he—that is, al-Muʿtaṣim—sent Bughā, called the Elder, to fetch me from Isḥāq's. On the way out, I was taken to see Isḥāq, who said, "By God, Aḥmad, it's your life we're talking about here. He won't behead you and be done with it: he's sworn that if you don't do as he asks he'll flog you senseless and then throw you where you'll never see the sun. Now look here: doesn't God say «We have made it an Arabic Qurʾan?» How could He make it without creating it?" 69. Malay translation: "Awak kafir!" Hadir juga seorang lelaki yang dihantar oleh Isḥāq ibn Ibrāhīm. Apabila dia mendengar saya, dia berkata, "Awak sedang bercakap dengan utusan Amirul Mukminin!" "Siapa pun dia," jawab saya, "dia tetap kafir." Pada malam keempat, dia, iaitu al-Muʿtaṣim, menghantar Bughā, yang digelar al-Tua, untuk menjemput saya dari rumah Isḥāq. Dalam perjalanan keluar, saya dibawa berjumpa Isḥāq, yang berkata, "Demi Tuhan, Aḥmad, ini soal nyawa awak. Dia tidak akan memancung awak dan selesai begitu sahaja: dia telah bersumpah bahawa jika awak tidak melakukan seperti yang dipintanya, dia akan merotan awak sehingga pengsan dan kemudian mencampakkan awak ke tempat yang awak tidak akan pernah melihat matahari. Sekarang lihatlah: bukankah Tuhan berfirman «Sesungguhnya Kami menjadikannya Al-Qur'an dalam bahasa Arab?» Bagaimana Dia boleh menjadikannya tanpa mencipta­nya?" 69.4

“You’re an unbeliever!” Present also was a man sent by Isḥāq ibn Ibrāhīm. When he heard me, he said, “You’re talking to the emissary of the Commander of the Faithful!” “Whoever he is,” I replied, “he’s still an unbeliever.” On the fourth night, he—that is, al-Muʿtaṣim—sent Bughā, called the Elder, to fetch me from Isḥāq’s. On the way out, I was taken to see Isḥāq, who said, “By God, Aḥmad, it’s your life we’re talking about here. He won’t behead you and be done with it: he’s sworn that if you don’t do as he asks he’ll flog you senseless and then throw you where you’ll never see the sun. Now look here: doesn’t God say «We have made it an Arabic Qurʾan?»357 How could He make it without creating it?” 69.4

Saya menjawab dengan ayat lain: «Lalu Dia menjadikan mereka seperti jerami yang dimakan (ulat).»358 Kemudian saya bertanya kepadanya apakah “menjadikan mereka” bermakna “menciptakan mereka.” Dia tidak tahu bagaimana hendak menjawab saya, maka dia pun diam. Akhirnya dia berkata, “Bawa dia pergi!” Ketika kami sampai di tempat yang disebut Pintu Kebun, mereka mengeluarkan saya.359 Kemudian mereka membawa seekor binatang tunggangan dan meletakkan saya di atasnya, lengkap dengan belenggu. Tiada seorang pun yang bersama saya untuk memegangi saya, dan lebih dari sekali saya hampir terjatuh kerana berat belenggu itu. Mereka membawa saya masuk ke dalam—iaitu ke dalam istana al-Mu‘tasim—meletakkan saya di sebuah bilik, dan mengunci pintunya. Saya ingin membersihkan diri untuk solat, tetapi waktu itu tengah malam dan tiada lampu di dalam bilik. Namun ketika saya menghulurkan tangan, saya mendapati sebuah kendi air dan sebuah besen berdekatan. Maka saya pun berwuduk dan solat. 69.5

I answered with a different verse: «He made them like stubble cropped by cattle.»358 Then I asked him whether “made them” meant “created them.” He didn’t know how to answer me so he said nothing. Finally he said, “Take him away!” When we got to the place called the Orchard Gate, they took me out.359 Then they brought a riding animal and put me on it, fetters and all. There was no one with me to hold me up, and more than once I nearly fell over with the weight of the fetters. They took me inside—inside al-Muʿtaṣim’s palace, that is—put me in a room, and locked the door. I wanted to clean myself off for prayer, but it was the middle of the night and there was no lamp in the room. But when I stuck out my hand I found a pitcher of water and a basin nearby. So I did my ablutions and prayed. 69.5

Keesokan paginya, saya menarik tali pinggang dari seluar saya dan menggunakannya untuk mengikat rantai belenggu itu bersama-sama supaya saya dapat mengangkatnya, lalu seluar saya terjuntai di satu sisi.

The next morning, I pulled the drawstring out of my trousers and used it to tie the fetters together so I could lift them, leaving my trousers hanging down on one side.

Kemudian utusan al-Mu'tasim datang, memegang lenganku, dan menyuruhku ikut bersamanya.

Then al-Muʿtaṣim’s messenger came, took me by the arm, and told me to come along.

Maka saya menghadap al-Muʿtaṣim sambil mengangkat belenggu saya dengan tali. Dia sedang duduk di sana bersama Ibn Abī Duʾād dan sekumpulan pengikutnya. 69.6

So I appeared before al-Muʿtaṣim holding up my fetters with the cord. He was sitting there with Ibn Abī Duʾād and a crowd of his associates. 69.6

Ibrāhīm ibn Muḥammad: Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal telah dibawa menghadap khalifah.

[Ibrāhīm ibn Muḥammad:] Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal was brought before the caliph.

Aḥmad ibn Abī Duʾād dan Abū ʿAbd al-Raḥmān, murid al-Shāfiʿī, juga berada di situ. Aḥmad diberi tempat duduk di hadapan khalifah. Mereka telah mengucapkan kata-kata untuk menakutkannya, dan mereka baru sahaja selesai memenggal kepala dua orang lelaki. Apabila melihat Abū ʿAbd al-Raḥmān, Ibn Ḥanbal bertanya, "Adakah kamu mengetahui sebarang riwayat daripada al-Shāfiʿī mengenai menyapu tangan di atas kasut?"360 69.7

Aḥmad ibn Abī Duʾād and Abū ʿAbd al-Raḥmān, the disciple of al-Shāfiʿī, were there too. Aḥmad was given a seat in front of the caliph. They had said things to frighten him, and they had just finished beheading two men. Upon seeing Abū ʿAbd al- Raḥmān, Ibn Ḥanbal asked, “Do you know any reports from al-Shāfiʿī on passing hands over one’s shoes?”360 69.7

“Lihat tu!” seru Ibn Abī Duʾād. “Kita bawa dia ke sini untuk dipenggal, dan dia mahu berbincang tentang fiqh!” [Al-Būshanjī:] Al-Muʿtaṣim kembali ke Baghdad dari barisan hadapan Byzantine pada bulan Ramadan tahun ’18. Ketika itulah dia membicarakan Aḥmad dan memerintahkan supaya dia disebat di hadapan khalayak dalam mahkamah terbuka.361 69.8

“Look at that!” exclaimed Ibn Abī Duʾād. “We bring him here to behead him, and he wants to discuss jurisprudence!” [Al-Būshanjī:] Al-Muʿtaṣim returned to Baghdad from the Byzantine front in Ramadan of ’18. It was then that he tried Aḥmad and had him flogged in open court.361 69.8

[Aḥmad:] Apabila saya datang menemui al-Muʿtaṣim, dia terus menyuruh saya mendekat.

[Aḥmad:] When I came before al-Muʿtaṣim, he kept telling me to come closer.

Apabila aku menghampirinya, dia menyuruhku duduk, dan aku pun duduk, dalam keadaan terbeban oleh belenggu.

When I got up close to him he told me to sit, and I did, weighed down by the fetters.

Selepas beberapa ketika saya bertanya sama ada saya boleh bercakap.362 69.9

After a time I asked if I might speak.362 69.9

"Silakan," katanya.

“Go ahead,” he said.

"Apakah yang diseru oleh Nabi ﷺ kepada kita untuk lakukan?" tanya saya.

“What did the Prophet call on us to do?” I asked.

Selepas seketika berdiam diri, dia menjawab: "Untuk bersaksi bahawa tiada tuhan melainkan Tuhan." "Baiklah, saya bersaksi bahawa tiada tuhan melainkan Tuhan." Kemudian saya meneruskan: "Datuk kamu, Ibn ʿAbbās, meriwayatkan bahawa apabila rombongan dari suku Qays datang menemui Nabi ﷺ, mereka bertanya kepadanya tentang iman. Baginda menjawab, 'Adakah kamu tahu apakah iman?' "'Tuhan dan Utusan-Nya lebih mengetahui,' jawab mereka."

After a moment of silence, he replied: “To testify that there is no god but God.” “Well, I testify that there is no god but God.” Then I went on: “Your grandfather Ibn ʿAbbās reports that when the delegation from the tribe of Qays came to see the Prophet, they asked him about faith. He answered, ‘Do you know what faith is?’ “‘God and His Emissary know best,’ they said.

“Ia bermakna bersaksi bahawa tiada tuhan selain Tuhan, dan Muhammad ialah Utusan-Nya ﷺ. Ia bermakna menunaikan solat, membayar zakat, dan menyerahkan satu perlima daripada harta rampasan perang.”363

“‘It means testifying that there is no god but God, and Muḥammad is His Emissary. It means holding the ritual prayer, paying the alms tax, and giving up onefifth of your spoils.’”363

“Jika pendahuluku tidak meninggalkan kamu untuk aku uruskan,” kata al-Muʿtaṣim, “aku tidak akan melakukan ini kepada kamu.” Kemudian, sambil menoleh kepada ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Isḥāq, dia berkata, “Bukankah aku telah menyuruh kamu menghentikan Inkuisisi?” “Alhamdulillah!” kataku dalam hati. “Penderitaan orang Islam sudah berakhir!” 69.10

“If my predecessor hadn’t left you for me to deal with,” said al-Muʿtaṣim, “I wouldn’t be doing this to you.” Then, turning to ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Isḥāq, he said, “Didn’t I ask you to stop the Inquisition?” “Thank God!” I thought to myself. “The Muslims’ suffering is over!” 69.10

Tetapi kemudian dia berkata kepada mereka, "Berdebatlah dengannya! Bicaralah dengannya!" dan sekali lagi kepada ʿAbd al-Raḥmān: "Bicaralah dengannya!" "Apa pendapatmu tentang al-Qur'an?" tanya ʿAbd al-Raḥmān.

But then he said to them, “Debate with him. Talk to him!” and then again to ʿAbd al-Raḥmān: “Talk to him!” “What do you say about the Qurʾan?” asked ʿAbd al-Raḥmān.

"Apakah pendapat anda tentang ilmu Tuhan?" tanya saya. Dia terdiam.

“What do you say about God’s knowledge?” I asked. He fell silent.

Salah seorang yang lain menyampaikan bantahan. "Tetapi bukankah Tuhan telah berfirman, «Tuhan ialah Pencipta segala sesuatu»?

One of the others broke in. “But didn’t God say, «God is the creator of all things»?

Dan bukankah Al-Quran itu sesuatu?" "Allah juga menyebutkan angin," kataku, "yang akan «menghancurkan segala sesuatu atas perintah Tuhannya»365, tetapi ia hanya menghancurkan apa yang dikehendaki-Nya." Note: the rules say the word for God must be written as the Malay word for God, not "Allah". Correcting that: Dan bukankah Al-Quran itu sesuatu?" "Tuhan juga menyebutkan angin," kataku, "yang akan «menghancurkan segala sesuatu atas perintah Tuhannya»365, tetapi ia hanya menghancurkan apa yang dikehendaki-Nya."366

364 And isn’t the Qurʾan a thing?” “God also mentioned a wind,” I said, “that would «destroy everything at the behest of its Lord,»365 but it destroyed only what He wanted it to.”366

Kemudian seorang lagi bersuara: "Allah berfirman, «Setiap kali datang kepada mereka peringatan baru dari Tuhan mereka.»367 Bagaimana sesuatu boleh menjadi baru tanpa telah dicipta?" Saya menjawab: "Allah juga berfirman, «Ṣād. Demi al-Qur'an yang mengandungi peringatan.»368 Peringatan ini ialah al-Qur'an. Dalam ayat yang satu lagi tidak ada 'the'." Salah seorang daripada mereka memetik Hadith ʿImrān ibn Ḥuṣayn bahawa Allah mencipta al-dhikr. "Itu salah," kata saya. "Saya mempunyai riwayat daripada lebih dari satu sumber bahawa baginda ﷺ bersabda, 'Allah menulis al-dhikr'." Seterusnya mereka cuba berhujah dengan Hadith Ibn Masʿūd: "Allah tidak mencipta sesuatu—tidak Syurga, tidak Neraka, tidak langit, tidak bumi—yang lebih agung daripada Ayat Kursi." Saya berkata: "Perkataan 'dicipta' terpakai kepada Syurga, Neraka, langit dan bumi, tetapi tidak kepada al-Qur'an." Salah seorang daripada mereka memetik Hadith Khabbāb: "Wahai engkau! Sekuat mana pun engkau berusaha untuk mendekatkan diri kepada Allah, engkau tidak akan dapati sesuatu yang lebih disayangi-Nya untuk mendekatkan diri kepada-Nya selain firman-Nya."369

Then another one spoke up: “God says, «Whenever any new admonition comes to them from their Lord.»367 How can something be new without having been created?” I replied: “God also said, «Ṣād. By the Qurʾan, containing the admonition.»368 This admonition is the Qurʾan. In the other verse there’s no ‘the.’” One of them cited the Hadith of ʿImrān ibn Ḥuṣayn that God created the remembrance. “That’s wrong,” I said. “I have it on more than one source that he said, ‘God wrote the remembrance.’” Next they tried arguing with me using the Hadith of Ibn Masʿūd: “God has created nothing—not the Garden or the Fire or the heavens or the earth—greater than the Throne Verse.” I said: “The word ‘created’ applies to the Garden, the Fire, the heavens, and the earth, but not to the Qurʾan.” One of them cited the Hadith of Khabbāb: “You there! Try as you may to come nearer to God, you will find nothing dearer to Him by which to approach Him than His word.”369

"Ya," kata saya, "itulah yang tertulis." Ibn Abī Duʾād menjeling tajam kepada saya.

“Yes,” I said, “that’s what it says.” Ibn Abī Duʾād glared at me.

Begitulah keadaannya. Salah seorang daripada mereka akan berkata sesuatu, dan aku membantahnya. Kemudian seorang lagi bercakap, dan aku membantahnya juga. Setiap kali salah seorang daripada orang-orangnya terdesak, Ibn Abī Duʾād akan mencelah: "Amirul Mukminin! Demi Tuhan, dia ini sesat, menyesatkan, dan seorang pembuat bidaah!" 69.11

And so it went. One of them would say something, and I would rebut him. Then another would speak and I would rebut him too. Whenever one of his men was stymied, Ibn Abī Duʾād would interrupt: “Commander of the Faithful! By God, he’s misguided, and misleading, and a heretical innovator!” 69.11

Tetapi al-Muʿtaṣim terus berkata, "Bercakaplah dengannya! Berdebatlah dengannya!" Maka sekali lagi salah seorang daripada mereka akan berkata sesuatu, dan saya pun membantahnya. Kemudian seorang lagi bercakap dan saya turut membantahnya. Apabila tiada seorang pun daripada mereka yang masih mempunyai apa-apa untuk dikatakan, dia, iaitu al-Muʿtaṣim, berkata, "Ayuh, Aḥmad! Bersuaralah!" "Amirul Mukminin," jawab saya, "berikanlah saya sesuatu yang boleh saya setujui, iaitu sesuatu daripada Kitab Tuhan atau sunnah Utusan-Nya." Mendengar itu, Ibn Abī Duʾād menjerit, "Apa! Engkau hanya mengulang apa yang ada dalam Al-Qur'an atau sunnah Utusan-Nya?" "Engkau mempunyai tafsiran," kata saya, "dan itu urusanmu, tetapi ia bukan sesuatu untuk memenjarakan orang atau memasukkan mereka ke dalam rantai." [Al-Būshanjī:] Seorang sahabat saya meriwayatkan bahawa Ibn Abī Duʾād menghadapi Aḥmad dan cuba melibatkannya dalam perdebatan, tetapi Aḥmad mengabaikannya. Akhirnya al-Muʿtaṣim bertanya kepada Aḥmad mengapa dia tidak mahu menjawab Ibn Abī Duʾād. 69.12

But al-Muʿtaṣim kept saying, “Talk to him! Debate him!” So again one of them would say something, and I would rebut him. Then another would speak and I would rebut him too. When none of them had anything left to say, he—meaning al-Muʿtaṣim—said, “Come on, Aḥmad! Speak up!” “Commander of the Faithful,” I replied, “give me something I can agree to— something from the Book of God or the sunnah of His Emissary.” At that, Ibn Abī Duʾād exclaimed, “What! You only repeat what’s in the Qurʾan or the sunnah of His Emissary?” “You have an interpretation,” I said, “and that’s your affair, but it’s nothing to lock people up for, or put them in chains.” [Al-Būshanjī:] One of my associates reported that Ibn Abī Duʾād confronted Aḥmad and tried to engage him in debate but Aḥmad ignored him. Eventually al- Muʿtaṣim asked Aḥmad why he wouldn’t address Ibn Abī Duʾād. 69.12

"Saya hanya bercakap dengan orang-orang berilmu," kata Aḥmad.

“I speak only with men of learning,” said Aḥmad.

[Aḥmad:] "Wahai Amirul Mukminin," kata Ibn Abi Du'ad, "melihat dia menyerah kepadamu bagiku lebih bernilai daripada seratus ribu dinar, dan seratus ribu dinar lagi,"370 dan seterusnya, sambil melontarkan satu angka demi satu angka. 69.13

[Aḥmad:] “Commander of the Faithful,” said Ibn Abī Duʾād, “seeing him capitulate to you would mean more to me than a hundred thousand dinars, and another hundred thousand dinars,”370 and so on, throwing out one number after another. 69.13

“Jika dia memberitahu aku apa yang ingin aku dengar,” kata al-Mu‘tasim, “aku bersumpah akan membuka rantainya dengan tanganku sendiri. Kemudian aku akan membawa tenteraku kepadanya dan berbaris di belakangnya.” Lalu dia berkata, “Aḥmad, aku menginginkan yang terbaik untukmu, sama seperti jika engkau anakku Hārūn. Ayuh, sekarang: Apakah yang boleh engkau katakan kepadaku?”371

“If he tells me what I want to hear,” said al-Muʿtaṣim, “I swear I’ll unchain him with my own hands. Then I’ll lead my troops to him and march along behind him.” Then he said, “Aḥmad, I want what’s best for you, the same as if you were my son Hārūn. Come on, now: What can you tell me?”371

"Berikan saya sesuatu dari Kitab Tuhan," kata saya, "atau sunnah Utusan-Nya." Ketika sesi itu berlarutan, al-Muʿtaṣim menjadi bosan dan gelisah. "Pergilah!" katanya kepada para ulama. Kemudian dia memerintahkan ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Isḥāq dan saya untuk tinggal, supaya dia boleh bercakap dengan saya. 69.14

“Give me something from the Book of God,” I said, “or the sunnah of His Emissary.” As the session dragged on, al-Muʿtaṣim grew bored and restless. “Go!” he said to the scholars. Then he ordered ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Isḥāq and me to stay behind so he could talk to me. 69.14

"Ayuh!" katanya. "Kenapa kamu tidak menyerah saja?" Kemudian dia berkata, "Saya tidak mengenali kamu. Adakah kamu tidak pernah datang ke sini sebelum ini?" "Saya kenal dia, Amirul Mukminin," kata ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Isḥāq. "Selama tiga puluh tahun, dia telah berkata bahawa orang Islam wajib taat kepada tuan dan harus mengikuti tuan dalam perang suci serta menyertai tuan dalam ibadah haji." "Demi Tuhan," kata al-Muʿtaṣim, "dia seorang yang berilmu, seorang yang berpengertian! Saya tidak keberatan mempunyai orang seperti dia bersama saya untuk berhujah menentang orang daripada agama lain." Kemudian, sambil menoleh kepada saya, "Adakah kamu kenal Ṣāliḥ al-Rashīdī?" "Saya pernah mendengar namanya," jawab saya.

“Come on!” he said. “Why don’t you give up?” Then he said, “I don’t recognize you. Have you never come here before?” “I know him, Commander of the Faithful,” said ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Isḥāq. “For thirty years, he’s been saying that Muslims owe obedience to you and should follow you in the holy war and join you on the pilgrimage.” “By God,” said al-Muʿtaṣim, “he’s a man of learning—a man of understanding! I wouldn’t mind having someone like him with me to argue against people from other religions.” Then, turning to me, “Did you know Ṣāliḥ al-Rashīdī?” “I’ve heard of him,” I said.

"Dia ialah guru saya, dan dia duduk di sana," katanya sambil menunjuk ke satu sudut bilik. "Saya bertanya kepadanya tentang al-Qur'an, dan dia menyangkal saya, lalu saya suruh dia dipijak-pijak dan diseret keluar. Maka wahai Aḥmad: carilah sesuatu, apa sahaja, yang boleh kamu setujui, dan saya akan melepaskan rantai kamu dengan tangan saya sendiri." "Berikan saya sesuatu dari Kitab Tuhan," kataku, "atau sunnah Utusan-Nya ﷺ." Sesi itu berpanjangan. Akhirnya al-Mu'taṣim bangun dan masuk semula ke dalam, dan saya dihantar kembali ke tempat mereka menahan saya. 69.15

“He was my tutor, and he was sitting right there,” he said, pointing to a corner of the room. “I asked him about the Qurʾan and he contradicted me, so I had him trampled and dragged out. So Aḥmad: find something—anything—you can agree to, and I’ll unchain you with my own hands.” “Give me something from the Book of God,” I said, “or the sunnah of His Emissary.” The session dragged on. Finally al-Muʿtaṣim rose and went back inside, and I was sent back to the place where they had been keeping me. 69.15

Selepas solat Maghrib, dua orang sahabat Ibn Abī Duʾād dihantar untuk bermalam di situ dan meneruskan perbahasan dengan saya. Mereka tinggal sehingga tiba waktu berbuka puasa.372 Apabila hidangan dibawa, mereka mendesak saya supaya makan, tetapi saya tidak mahu. Kemudian, pada satu waktu semasa malam itu, al-Muʿtaṣim menghantar utusan memanggil Ibn Abī Duʾād.

After sunset prayers, two of Ibn Abī Duʾād’s associates were sent in to spend the night there and continue debating with me. They stayed until it was time to break the fast.372 When the meal arrived they pressed me to eat but I wouldn’t. Then, at some point during the night, al-Muʿtaṣim sent over Ibn Abī Duʾād.

"Amirul Mukminin ingin tahu sama ada anda ada apa-apa untuk dikatakan." Saya memberikan jawapan biasa saya kepadanya.

“The Commander of the Faithful wants to know if you have anything to say.” I gave him my usual answer.

"Awak tahu," katanya, "nama awak adalah antara tujuh orang itu—Yahya bin Ma'in dan yang lainnya—tetapi saya telah memadamkannya."373

“You know,” he said, “your name was one of the seven—Yaḥyā ibn Maʿīn and the rest—but I rubbed it out.”373

Tujuh orang itu ialah Yahya bin Ma'in, Abu Khaythamah, Ahmad al-Dawraqi, al-Qawarири, Sa'duwayh, dan—dalam sebahagian riwayat—Khalaf al-Makhzumi.374

The seven were Yāḥyā ibn Maʿīn, Abū Khaythamah, Aḥmad al-Dawraqī, al- Qawārīrī, Saʿduwayh, and—in some accounts—Khalaf al-Makhzūmī.374

Ibn Abī Du'ād meneruskan: "Saya sedih melihat mereka menangkap awak." Kemudian dia berkata, "Amirul Mukminin telah bersumpah untuk memberikan awak pukulan yang panjang dan teruk, kemudian mencampakkan awak ke suatu tempat di mana awak tidak akan pernah melihat matahari. Namun dia juga berkata bahawa jika awak menyerah, dia sendiri akan datang dan membuka rantai awak." Kemudian dia pun pergi.

Ibn Abī Duʾād continued: “I was sorry to see them arrest you.” Then he said, “The Commander of the Faithful has sworn to give you a good long beating and then throw you somewhere where you’ll never see the sun. But he also says that if you capitulate he’ll come and unchain you himself.” Then he left.

Keesokan paginya—pada hari kedua saya di sana—utusan al-Muʿtaṣim datang, memegang lengan saya, dan membawa saya menghadapnya. Sekali lagi al-Muʿtaṣim memerintahkan mereka untuk berdebat dengan saya. "Bicaralah dengannya!" katanya. 69.16

The next morning—on my second day there—al-Muʿtaṣim’s envoy came, took me by the arm, and brought me before him. Again al-Muʿtaṣim ordered them to debate me. “Talk to him!” he said. 69.16

Maka perdebatan itu pun bermula lagi. Salah seorang dari mereka berbicara dari arah sini dan saya menjawabnya, dan yang lain dari arah sana dan saya juga menjawabnya. Setiap kali mereka menyebut sesuatu yang tidak terdapat dalam Kitab Tuhan atau sunnah Utusan-Nya, atau dalam riwayat tentang kaum Muslimin awal, saya akan berkata, "Saya tidak tahu apa yang kalian maksudkan." "Amirul Mukminin," mereka memprotes, "apabila ia mempunyai hujah menentang kita, ia bertahan dengan pendiriannya, tetapi setiap kali kita mengemukakan sesuatu, ia berkata bahawa ia tidak faham apa yang kita katakan." "Teruskan berdebat dengannya!" kata al-Mu'tasim.

So the debate began again. One of them would speak from over here and I would answer him, and another from over there and I’d answer him too. Whenever they mentioned anything not in the Book of God or the sunnah of His Emissary, or in a report about the early Muslims, I would say, “I don’t know what you mean.” “Commander of the Faithful,” they would protest, “when he has an argument against us he stands his ground, but whenever we make a point he says he doesn’t know what we’re talking about.” “Keep debating him!” said al-Muʿtaṣim.

"Yang saya lihat kamu lakukan hanyalah menyebut Hadith dan mengaku tahu maksudnya," kata salah seorang daripada mereka. 69.17

“All I see you doing,” said one of them, “is citing Hadith and claiming to know what it means.” 69.17

"Apa pendapat anda," tanya saya kepadanya, "tentang ayat {Mengenai anak-anak kamu, Tuhan memerintahkan kamu bahawa bahagian seorang anak lelaki adalah sama dengan bahagian dua orang anak perempuan}?"375

“What do you say,” I asked him, “about the verse «Concerning your children, God enjoins you that a male shall receive a share equivalent to that of two females»?”375

"Ia hanya terpakai kepada orang-orang yang beriman," katanya.

“It applies only to believers,” he said.

Saya bertanya kepadanya: "Bagaimana dengan pembunuh, hamba sahaya, atau orang Yahudi?" Dia terdiam. Saya menggunakan taktik itu atas satu alasan: mereka berhujah berdasarkan teks zahir Al-Quran, sambil menuduh saya memetik Hadis tanpa sebab yang munasabah.376

I asked him: “What about murderers, slaves, or Jews?” He fell silent. I had resorted to that tactic for one reason: they had been arguing on the basis of the plain text of the Qurʾan while accusing me of citing Hadith for no good reason.376

Mereka terus berbahas sehingga hampir tengah hari. Apabila al-Mu'tasim sudah berasa jemu, beliau menyuruh semua orang beredar kecuali 'Abd al-Rahman ibn Ishaq, yang terus berbahas dengan saya.

They kept at it until nearly noon. When al-Muʿtaṣim had had enough, he sent everyone away except for ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Isḥāq, who continued to argue with me.

Akhirnya al-Muʿtaṣim bangkit dan masuk semula ke dalam, dan saya dihantar kembali ke tempat di mana mereka telah menahan saya.

Finally al-Muʿtaṣim rose and went back inside, and I was sent back to the place where they had been holding me.

[ʿAbd Allāh:] Al-Fatḥ ibn Shakhraf menulis kepada saya dengan tulisan tangannya sendiri, menyatakan bahawa beliau mendengar daripada Ibn Ḥuṭayṭ—seorang ilmuwan dari Khurasan, yang namanya beliau sebutkan dengan lengkap—bahawa sebelum Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal disebat, beliau dan sebahagian rakan-rakannya yang menjadi mangsa Inkuisisi ditahan dalam sebuah rumah di suatu tempat. 69.18

[ʿAbd Allāh:] Al-Fatḥ ibn Shakhraf wrote to me in his own hand saying that he heard from Ibn Ḥuṭayṭ—a man of learning from Khurasan, whose name he gave in full —that before Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal was flogged, he and some of his fellow victims of the Inquisition were kept in confinement in a house somewhere. 69.18

“Malam sudah tiba,” kata Aḥmad, “dan yang lain pun tidur, tetapi saya tidak dapat berhenti memikirkan apa yang akan berlaku kepada saya. Kemudian saya ternampak seorang lelaki tinggi sedang melangkah dengan berhati-hati di antara orang-orang yang tidur menuju ke arah saya.”

“Night fell,” said Aḥmad, “and the others went to sleep, but I couldn’t stop thinking about what would happen to me. Then I saw a tall man picking his way around the sleepers toward me.

"Adakah engkau Aḥmad bin Ḥanbal?" tanyanya.

“‘Are you Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal?’ he asked.

"Saya tidak berkata apa-apa dan dia bertanya lagi. Apabila saya tidak menjawab, dia bertanya kali ketiga:

“I said nothing and he asked again. When I didn’t answer, he asked a third time:

“Adakah kamu Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal?” “‘Ya.’” “‘Bersabarlah sahaja,’ katanya, ‘dan Syurga itu milikmu.’” “Kemudian, ketika aku merasakan kepedihan cemeti, aku teringat apa yang telah dikatakannya kepadaku.” [Aḥmad:] Aku masih ingat bahawa pada malam ketiga aku berfikir dalam hati bahawa sesuatu pasti akan berlaku keesokan harinya. Aku meminta salah seorang lelaki yang ditugaskan untuk mengawasiku mencarikan aku seutas tali. Dia menemukannya, dan aku menggunakannya untuk menarik rantaiku ke atas. Kemudian aku memasang semula tali kolor pada seluarku untuk menahannya supaya aku tidak terdedah sekiranya sesuatu berlaku ke atasku. 69.19

‘Are you Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal?’ “‘Yes.’ “‘Only endure,’ he said, ‘and the Garden is yours.’ “Later, when I felt the burning of the whips, I remembered what he’d told me.” [Aḥmad:] I remember thinking to myself on the third night that something was bound to happen the next day. I asked one of the men who were assigned to me to find me a cord. He found one and I used it to pull up my chains. Then I put the drawstring back on my trousers to hold them up so I wouldn’t be exposed if something happened to me. 69.19

Pada pagi hari ketiga,377 al-Mu'tasim memanggil saya lagi. Saya masuk ke dalam dewan dan mendapati ia penuh sesak dengan orang ramai. Ketika saya melangkah perlahan ke hadapan, saya melihat orang yang membawa pedang, orang yang membawa cemeti, dan sebagainya—jauh lebih ramai daripada pada dua hari pertama. Apabila saya sampai di hadapannya, dia menyuruh saya duduk. "Berdebatlah dengannya," katanya kepada yang lain. "Bercakaplah dengannya!" 69.20

On the morning of the third day,377 al-Muʿtaṣim sent for me again. I entered the hall to find it packed with people. As I came slowly forward, I saw people with swords, people with whips, and so on—many more than on the first two days. When I reached him, he told me to sit down. “Debate him,” he told the others. “Talk to him!” 69.20

Mereka mula berbahas dengan saya. Seorang bercakap, lalu saya menjawabnya; kemudian seorang lagi bercakap, dan saya menjawabnya juga. Tidak lama kemudian saya mula mengatasi mereka.378 Salah seorang lelaki yang berdiri berhampiran al-Muʿtaṣim mula menunjuk ke arah saya. Setelah majlis itu berlangsung seketika, al-Muʿtaṣim mengarahkan saya dibawa ke satu sisi supaya dia dapat berunding dengan mereka secara tersendiri.

They began to argue with me. One would talk and I would answer him, and then another would talk and I’d answer him too. Soon I was winning.378 One of the men standing near al-Muʿtaṣim began pointing at me. After the session had gone on for a while, al-Muʿtaṣim had me led away to one side so he could confer with them alone.

Kemudian dia menyuruh mereka pergi ke sisi dan memanggil saya datang.

Then he sent them to the side and had me brought over.

“Ayuh, Aḥmad!” katanya. “Katakan apa yang ingin aku dengar, dan aku sendiri akan melepaskan rantaimu.” Ketika aku memberinya jawapan biasaku, dia memaki aku, lalu berkata, “Seretlah dia dan tanggalkan pakaiannya!” Aku diseret pergi dan dilucutkan pakaian.379

“Come on, Aḥmad!” he said. “Tell me what I want to hear, and I’ll unchain you with my own hands.” When I gave him my usual answer, he cursed me, then said, “Drag him away and strip him!” I was dragged away and stripped.379

Beberapa ketika sebelum itu, saya telah memperoleh sebahagian rambut Nabi ﷺ. Apabila Isḥāq bin Ibrāhīm perasan ada sesuatu yang diikat di dalam lengan baju saya, dia menghantar seseorang untuk bertanya apakah benda itu. Saya memberitahunya bahawa ia adalah sebahagian rambut Nabi ﷺ. Ketika mereka mula menanggalkan baju saya, al-Muʿtaṣim menyuruh mereka berhenti, lalu mereka menanggalkannya dari badan saya tanpa mengoyakkannya. Saya rasa dia menahan diri kerana rambut yang diikat di dalamnya. 69.21

Some time before, I had acquired some of the Prophet’s hair. Noticing that I had something knotted up in the sleeve of my shirt, Isḥāq ibn Ibrāhīm sent someone over to ask what it was. I told him it was some of the Prophet’s hair. When they started tearing my shirt off, al-Muʿtaṣim told them to stop and they pulled it off me without ripping it. I think he held back because of the hair that was knotted up inside. 69.21

Sambil duduk di atas kerusi, al-Muʿtaṣim memanggil supaya tiang-tiang dan cemeti dibawa. Mereka mengeluarkan tiang-tiang itu dan menyuruh saya membentangkan kedua-dua lengan saya. Dari belakang saya, seseorang berkata, "Pegang gading itu dan tarik," tetapi saya tidak memahaminya, lalu akhirnya kedua-dua pergelangan tangan saya terseliuh.380 69.22

Sitting down on a chair, al-Muʿtaṣim called for the posts and the whips. They brought out the posts and made me stretch out my arms. From behind me someone said, “Hold on to the tusks and pull,” but I didn’t understand, so I ended up spraining both my wrists.380 69.22

[Al-Būshanjī:] Mereka berkata bahawa apabila Aḥmad digantung daripada jawatan-jawatannya, al-Muʿtaṣim, melihatnya yang tidak gentar, sangat mengagumi keberaniannya sehingga dia bersedia untuk bersikap lembut terhadapnya; tetapi kemudian Aḥmad ibn Abī Duʾād menghasutnya, dengan berkata, "Jika tuan membiarkannya pergi, orang ramai akan berkata bahawa tuan telah meninggalkan akidah al-Maʾmūn dan enggan menguatkuasakannya." Hal inilah yang mendorong al-Muʿtaṣim untuk meneruskan dan merotannya. 69.23

[Al-Būshanjī:] They say that when Aḥmad was suspended from the posts, al- Muʿtaṣim, seeing him undaunted, so admired his bravery that he was prepared to be lenient with him; but then Aḥmad ibn Abī Duʾād provoked him, saying, “If you let him go, people will say that you’ve renounced al-Maʾmūn’s creed and are refusing to enforce it.” It was this that pushed al-Muʿtaṣim to go ahead and flog him. 69.23

[Aḥmad:] Apabila cemeti-cemeti dibawa, al-Mu'taṣim memandangnya dan berkata, "Bawakan yang lain," maka ia pun dilaksanakan.381 Kemudian beliau berkata kepada para algojo,382

[Aḥmad:] When they brought the whips, al-Muʿtaṣim looked at them and said, “Bring different ones,” which was done.381 Then he said to the lictors,382

Teruskan! 69.24

“Proceed!” 69.24

Satu demi satu, mereka datang kepadaku dan memukul dua kali setiap orang, sementara al-Muʿtaṣim berteriak, "Lebih kuat, celaka kau!" Setiap kali seorang selesai dan menepi, yang lain akan maju dan memukulku dua kali lagi, sambil dia terus berteriak, "Lebih kuat, celaka kalian semua!"383

One at a time, they came at me, and struck two lashes apiece, with al-Muʿtaṣim calling out, “Harder, damn you!” As each one stepped aside another would come up and hit me twice more, with him shouting all the while, “Harder, damn you all!”383

Selepas aku disebat sembilan belas kali, dia, iaitu al-Mu'tasim, bangun dari tempat duduknya dan berjalan menghampiriku. 69.25

After I had been struck nineteen lashes, he—meaning al-Muʿtaṣim—rose from his seat and walked up to me. 69.25

"Aḥmad," katanya, "mengapa engkau membunuh dirimu sendiri? Demi Tuhan, aku menginginkan yang terbaik untukmu." Kemudian ʿUjayf mulai menusuk-nusukku dengan gagang pedangnya. "Apakah engkau kira engkau bisa menang melawan semua orang ini?" "Memalukan!" seseorang berseru. "Khalifah sedang berdiri di sana menunggumu." "Amirul Mukminin!" seru yang lain. "Bunuhlah dia, dan biarlah darahnya ada di tanganku!" Lalu yang lain pun ikut bersuara. "Amirul Mukminin, engkau sedang berpuasa, dan sekarang engkau berdiri di bawah terik matahari!"384

“Aḥmad,” he said, “why are you killing yourself? I swear to God, I want what’s best for you.” Then ʿUjayf began jabbing at me with the hilt of his sword. “Do you think you can win against this whole lot?” “For shame!” someone called out. “The caliph is standing there waiting for you.” “Commander of the Faithful!” cried another. “Kill him, and let his blood be on my hands!” Then more of them chimed in. “Commander of the Faithful, you’ve been fasting, and now you’re standing in the sun!”384

“Ayuh, Aḥmad,” katanya. “Cakaplah sesuatu!” “Berikan saya sesuatu yang boleh saya percayai,” kata saya, “dari Kitab Tuhan atau sunnah Utusan-Nya.” Dia kembali ke kerusinya dan duduk.

“Come on, Aḥmad,” he said. “Say something!” “Give me something I can believe,” I said, “from the Book of God or the sunnah of His Emissary.” He went back to his chair and sat down.

"Teruskan," katanya kepada lictor. "Biar dia rasai, celaka kau!" Tidak lama kemudian dia bangun untuk kali kedua, sambil berkata, "Ayuh, Aḥmad! Katakan apa yang aku mahu dengar." 69.26

“Proceed,” he said to the lictor. “Let him feel it, damn you!” Soon he rose a second time, saying, “Come on, Aḥmad! Tell me what I want to hear.” 69.26

Yang lain turut menyertai, sambil berkata, "Memalukan kamu, Aḥmad: imam kamu sedang berdiri di sini menunggu kamu." "Siapa di antara sahabat kamu," tanya ʿAbd al-Raḥmān, "yang sedang melakukan apa yang kamu lakukan?" "Katakan apa sahaja yang kamu mampu," kata al-Muʿtaṣim kepada saya, "dan saya akan melepaskan rantai kamu dengan tangan saya sendiri." "Berikan saya sesuatu yang boleh saya percayai," kata saya, "daripada Kitab Tuhan atau sunnah Utusan-Nya ﷺ." Sekali lagi dia kembali ke kerusinya dan duduk. "Teruskan," katanya kepada para pengawal.

The others joined in, saying, “Shame on you, Aḥmad: your imam is standing here waiting for you.” “Which of your associates,” asked ʿAbd al-Raḥmān, “is doing what you’re doing?” “Tell me whatever you can manage,” al-Muʿtaṣim said to me, “and I’ll unchain you with my own hands.” “Give me something I can believe,” I said, “from the Book of God or the sunnah of His Emissary.” Again he went back to his chair and sat down. “Proceed,” he said to the lictors.

Sekali lagi mereka datang satu demi satu dan memukul saya dua kali setiap seorang, sementara al-Muʿtaṣim berteriak, "Lebih kuat, celaka kamu!" Setiap kali seorang berundur, yang lain akan maju dan memukul saya dua kali lagi, dengan dia terus-menerus menjerit, "Lebih kuat, celaka kamu semua!" Di situlah saya pengsan.385

Again they came up one by one and struck me two lashes apiece, with al-Muʿtaṣim calling out, “Harder, damn you!” As each stepped aside another would come up and hit me twice more, with him shouting all the while, “Harder, damn you all!” That’s when I passed out.385

Beberapa ketika kemudian, saya tersedar dan mendapati rantai saya telah dibuka.

Some time later I came to my senses to find that my chains had been removed.

"Kami telah menjatuhkan kamu tertiarap," kata salah seorang lelaki yang berada di situ. "Kemudian kami membalikkan kamu di atas tanah dan memijak-mijak kamu." Saya tidak mempunyai sebarang ingatan tentang itu.

“We threw you face down,” said one of the men who had been there. “Then we rolled you over on the ground and trampled you.” I had no memory of that.

Mereka membawakan saya air barli dan menyuruh saya meminumnya kemudian muntah.

They brought me some barley water and told me to drink it and vomit.

"Saya tidak boleh berbuka puasa," kata saya kepada mereka.

“I can’t break the fast,” I told them.

Mereka membawa saya kembali ke tempat Isḥāq ibn Ibrahīm, di mana saya menunaikan solat Zohor.386 Ibn Samāʿah maju ke hadapan untuk mengimami solat. Apabila selesai, dia bertanya kepada saya, "Bagaimana kamu boleh solat sedangkan kamu berdarah di dalam pakaian kamu?" 69.27

They took me back to Isḥāq ibn Ibrahīm’s place, where I attended the noon prayer.386 Ibn Samāʿah stepped forward to lead the prayer. When he finished he asked me, “How could you pray when you’re bleeding inside your clothes?” 69.27

"ʿUmar solat dengan darah memancut dari luka-lukanya," jawab saya.

“ʿUmar prayed with blood spurting from his wounds,” I answered.

Ṣāliḥ berkata: 69.28

Ṣāliḥ said: 69.28

Ayah saya dibebaskan dan pulang ke rumah. Dari masa beliau pertama kali ditangkap hingga beliau disebat dan dilepaskan, tempohnya dua puluh lapan bulan.

My father was released and went home. From the time he was first arrested to the time he was flogged and let go was twenty-eight months.

Salah seorang daripada dua lelaki yang bersama ayah saya—di dalam penjara, maksudnya—mendengar dan melihat segala-galanya. Kemudian dia datang menemui saya dan berkata, "Sepupu, semoga Allah merahmati Abū ʿAbd Allāh! Saya tidak pernah melihat seorang pun seperti dia. Apabila mereka menghantar makanan masuk, saya akan mengingatkannya bahawa dia sedang berpuasa, dan memberitahunya bahawa dia dibenarkan untuk menyelamatkan dirinya.387 Saya juga masih ingat bahawa dia dahaga. Dia meminta kepada pengawal sesuatu untuk diminum. Lelaki itu memberinya secawan air yang berisi ais. Dia mengambilnya dan merenung seketika, tetapi kemudian dia mengembalikannya tanpa meminumnya. Saya kagum bahawa dia mampu tidak makan dan tidak minum walaupun di tempat yang mengerikan itu." Ṣāliḥ berkata: 69.29

One of the two men who were with my father—in jail, that is—heard and saw everything. Later he came to see me and said, “Cousin, may God have mercy on Abū ʿAbd Allāh! I never saw anyone like him. When they sent food in, I would remind him that he was fasting, and tell him he was allowed to save himself.387 I also remember that he was thirsty. He asked the attendant for something to drink. The man gave him a cup of water with ice in it. He took it and looked at it for a moment, but then he gave it back without drinking it. I was amazed that he could go without food or water even in that terrifying place.” Ṣālīḥ said: 69.29

Pada ketika itu, saya berusaha sedaya upaya untuk menyeludup sedikit makanan atau sekeping dua roti kepadanya, tetapi tiada satu pun rayuan saya yang membawa apa-apa faedah.

At the time, I was doing everything I could to smuggle some food or a loaf or two of flatbread in to him, but none of my pleading did any good.

Seorang lelaki yang hadir di sana memberitahu saya bahawa dia memerhatikannya sepanjang tiga hari itu, dan tidak sekali pun dalam keseluruhan perbalahan dan perdebatan itu dia tersilap menyebut satu perkataan pun. "Saya tidak sangka ada orang yang boleh setabah dia." [Al-Būshanjī:] Al-Muʿtaṣim kembali ke Baghdad dari sempadan Byzantine pada bulan Ramadan tahun ’18. Ketika itulah dia membicarakan Aḥmad dan memerintahkan agar dia disebat di hadapannya. 69.30

A man who was there told me that he kept his eye on him for the entire three days, and not once during all the argument and debate did he mispronounce a single word. “I didn’t think it was possible for anyone to be as tough as he was.” [Al-Būshanjī:] Al-Muʿtaṣim returned to Baghdad from the Byzantine front in Ramadan of ’18. It was then that he tried Aḥmad and had him flogged before him. 69.30

Seorang rakan yang amanah kepada saya menceritakan apa yang disampaikan kepadanya oleh Ibrāhīm ibn Muṣʿab, yang ketika itu menggantikan Isḥāq ibn Ibrāhīm sebagai ketua polis al-Muʿtaṣim: "Saya tidak pernah melihat seseorang yang dihadapkan dengan raja-raja dan para pembesar menunjukkan rasa takut yang sedikit seperti Aḥmad pada hari itu. Bagi dia, kami tidak lebih daripada segerombolan lalat." [Al-Zuhrī:] Saya membaca daripada catatan saya sendiri apa yang dikatakan al-Marrūdhī semasa perbicaraan Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, ketika Aḥmad digantung di antara dua tiang.388 69.31

A trustworthy associate of mine reported to me what he was told by Ibrāhīm ibn Muṣʿab, who at that time was standing in for Isḥāq ibn Ibrāhīm as al-Muʿtaṣim’s chief of police: “I’ve never seen anyone brought face to face with kings and princes show as little fear as Aḥmad did that day. To him we were nothing but a cloud of flies.” [Al-Zuhrī:] I read from my own notes what al-Marrūdhī said at the trial of Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, as Aḥmad was hanging between the posts.388 69.31

"Tuan," kata al-Marrūdhī, "Tuhan berfirman, «Janganlah kamu membunuh diri kamu.»"389

“Master,” said al-Marrūdhī, “God says, «Do not kill yourselves.»”389

"Marrūdhī," kata Aḥmad, "pergilah lihat di luar dan beritahu aku apa yang kamu lihat." Al-Marrūdhī melaporkan: "Aku keluar, dan di halaman istana khalifah ada kerumunan besar orang—hanya Tuhan yang tahu berapa banyak—dengan lembaran kertas, pena, dan pot tinta mereka. Aku bertanya kepada mereka apa yang sedang mereka lakukan, dan mereka berkata, 'Kami menunggu untuk mendengar apa yang Aḥmad katakan supaya dapat kami tuliskan.'" Dia menyuruh mereka tetap di tempat mereka, lalu kembali ke dalam, tempat Aḥmad masih tergantung di antara tiang-tiang. Dia memberitahunya bahwa dia telah melihat kerumunan orang yang memegang pena dan kertas, menunggu untuk menuliskan apa pun yang akan dia katakan.

“Marrūdhī,” said Aḥmad, “go and look outside and tell me what you see.” Al-Marrūdhī reported: “I went out and there, in the courtyard of the caliph’s palace, was a vast crowd of people—God only knows how many—with their sheets of paper, their pens, and their pots of ink. I asked them what they were doing, and they said, ‘We’re waiting to hear what Aḥmad says so we can write it down.’” He told them to stay where they were, then went back inside, where Aḥmad was still hanging between the posts. He told him that he had seen a crowd of people holding pen and paper and waiting to write down whatever he would say.

"Bolehkah saya menyesatkan semua orang itu?" tanya Aḥmad. "Saya lebih rela membunuh diri saya."390

“Can I mislead all those people?” asked Aḥmad. “I’d rather kill myself.”390

[Pengarang:] Maka inilah seorang lelaki yang, seperti Bilāl, sanggup mengorbankan nyawanya demi Tuhannya.391 Mengenai Saʿīd ibn al-Musayyab pula, diriwayatkan bahawa nyawanya tidak lebih berharga baginya daripada nyawa seekor lalat. Sikap tidak mementingkan diri sebegini hanya mungkin apabila seseorang telah melihat sekilas kehidupan yang terletak di sebalik kehidupan ini dan mengarahkan pandangannya kepada masa depan, bukan kepada masa kini. Penderitaan besar Aḥmad menjadi bukti keimanannya yang kuat, kerana, sebagaimana yang diketahui telah disabdakan oleh Nabi ﷺ, "Seseorang itu menderita sejajar dengan keimanannya." Pujilah Tuhan yang telah menolong Aḥmad, menganugerahkannya ketajaman pandangan, menguatkan tekadnya, dan datang membantunya. 69.32

[The author:] Here then is a man who, like Bilāl, was willing to give up his life for the sake of his God.391 Of Saʿīd ibn al-Musayyab, similarly, it is reported that his life meant as little to him as the life of a fly. Such indifference to self is possible only when one has glimpsed the life that lies beyond this one and trained one’s gaze on the future rather than the present. Aḥmad’s great suffering is evidence of his strong faith, for, as the Prophet is known to have said, “A man suffers in proportion to his faith.” Praise the One who helped Aḥmad, granted him the gift of perception, strengthened his resolve, and came to his aid. 69.32

[Ibnu al-Aṣbagh:] Saya berada di Baghdad dan mendengar hiruk-pikuk. Saya bertanya apa yang terjadi, lalu orang-orang memberitahu saya bahawa Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal sedang dibicarakan. Maka saya pulang ke rumah, mengumpulkan sejumlah wang yang besar, dan menyogok jalan masuk ke dalam sidang itu. Di dalam istana, saya melihat tentera dengan pedang terhunus, tombak dipacakkan, perisai ditegakkan, dan cemeti sudah tersedia. Saya dipakaikan jubah hitam, tali pinggang, dan sebilah pedang, serta diberi tempat duduk yang cukup dekat sehingga saya dapat mendengar apa yang dikatakan. 69.33

[Ibn al-Aṣbagh:] I was in Baghdad and heard a clamor. I asked what it was about and people told me that Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal was being tried. So I went home, collected a substantial sum of money, and bribed my way into the session. Inside the palace, I saw soldiers with their swords drawn, their spears fixed, their shields planted, and their whips at the ready. I was fitted out with a black cloak, a sash, and a sword, and given a seat close enough that I could hear what was being said. 69.33

Khalifah itu muncul dan duduk di atas sebuah kerusi. Kemudian Ibn Ḥanbal dibawa masuk.

The caliph appeared and seated himself in a chair. Then Ibn Ḥanbal was brought in.

“Demi nenek moyang saya, Nabi ﷺ,” kata khalifah, “jika kamu tidak berkata seperti yang saya katakan, saya akan menyebatmu!” Dia menoleh kepada pegawai hukuman dan berkata, “Bawa dia pergi!” Pada pukulan pertama, Aḥmad berkata, “Dengan nama Tuhan!” Pada pukulan kedua, dia berkata, “Tiada daya dan kekuatan melainkan dengan Tuhan!” Pada pukulan ketiga, dia berkata, “Al-Qur'an adalah firman Tuhan, dan tidak dicipta!” Pada pukulan keempat dia berkata, “{Katakanlah: kami tidak akan ditimpa sesuatu melainkan apa yang telah ditetapkan Tuhan bagi kami!}”392

“I swear by my ancestor the Prophet,” said the caliph, “that if you don’t say as I say, I’ll have you flogged!” Turning to the lictor, he said, “Take him away!” At the first blow, Aḥmad said, “In the name of God!” At the second, he said, “There is no might or power except by God!” At the third, he said, “The Qurʾan is the speech of God, and uncreated!” At the fourth he said, “«Say: we will suffer only what God has decreed for us!»”392

Pegawai itu telah memukulnya dua puluh sembilan kali sebatan apabila tali seluar Aḥmad—yang hanya dibuat daripada sehelai kain pelapik pakaian—putus. Seluarnya melorot sehingga ke pangkal pahanya.

The lictor had struck him twenty-nine lashes when Aḥmad’s trouser cord—which was made of nothing more than a strip of garment lining—broke. His trousers slipped down as far as his groin.

"Dia akan tinggal tanpa pakaian," fikirku. Tetapi kemudian dia menengadah ke langit dan menggerakkan bibirnya. Serta-merta seluar itu berhenti melorot dan kekal di tempatnya.

“He’ll be left with nothing on,” I thought to myself. But then he looked up to the heavens and moved his lips. Instantly the trousers stopped slipping and remained in place.

Tujuh hari kemudian, saya pergi menemuinya. "Aḥmad," tanya saya, "Saya ada di sana pada hari mereka memukul kamu dan seluar kamu terlerai. Saya nampak kamu menengadah dan menggerakkan bibir. Apa yang kamu katakan?" Dia berkata, "Saya berkata, 'Ya Tuhan, saya memanggil-Mu dengan nama-Mu, yang telah memenuhi Arasy! Jika Engkau tahu saya berada di pihak yang benar, janganlah Engkau dedahkan auratku.'" [Aḥmad ibn al-Faraj:] Saya ada ketika Aḥmad disebat. Abū l-Dann datang dan memukulnya lebih daripada sepuluh libasan. Darah mula mengalir dari bahunya. Dia memakai sehelai seluar, dan talinya putus. Saya perasan bahawa ketika seluar itu mula melorot, dia mengucapkan sesuatu yang tidak kedengaran, lalu seluar itu naik semula. 69.34

Seven days later, I went to see him. “Aḥmad,” I asked, “I was there the day they beat you and your trousers came apart. I saw you look up and move your lips. What were you saying?” He said, “I said, ‘God, I call You by Your name, which has filled the Throne! If You know me to be in the right, do not expose my nakedness.’” [Aḥmad ibn al-Faraj:] I was there when Aḥmad was whipped. Abū l-Dann came up and struck him more than ten lashes. Blood started pouring from his shoulders. He was wearing a pair of trousers, and the cord broke. I noticed that as the trousers began to come down, he said something inaudible and they went back up. 69.34

"Kemudian saya bertanya kepadanya tentang hal itu, dan dia memberitahu saya apa yang telah dia katakan: 'Wahai Tuhanku dan Rabbku, Engkau telah menempatkan aku di sini, dan sekarang Engkau hendak mendedahkan auratku kepada dunia?' Ketika itulah seluar saya naik kembali."393

Later I asked him about it, and he told me what he had said: “‘My God and Lord, You’ve put me here, and now You’re going to expose my nakedness to the world?’ That’s when my trousers came back up.”393

[Al-Qurashī:] Ketika Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal dibawa ke hadapan untuk disebat, mereka menanggalkan semua pakaiannya kecuali seluarnya. Ketika dia sedang disebat, seluarnya terlorot. Bibirnya bergerak, kemudian saya melihat dua tangan muncul dari bawahnya ketika dia sedang disebat dan menarik semula seluarnya. Setelah sebatan itu selesai, kami bertanya kepadanya apa yang dia ucapkan ketika seluarnya terlorot. Dia memberitahu kami, “Aku berkata, ‘Aku memohon kepada Engkau, Yang Hanya Engkau yang mengetahui di mana Arasy Engkau. Jika aku berada di pihak yang benar, janganlah Engkau singkapkan auratku.’ Itulah yang aku ucapkan.” 69.35

[Al-Qurashī:] When they brought Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal forward to be flogged, they stripped him of everything but his trousers. As he was being flogged, the trousers came loose. His lips moved, and then I saw two hands appear from under him as he was being whipped and pull the trousers back up. When the flogging was over, we asked him what he had said when the trousers came loose. He told us, “I said, ‘I call on You who alone knows where Your Throne is. If I’m in the right, do not expose my nakedness.’ That’s what I said.” 69.35

[Al-Rāzī:] Isḥāq ibn Ibrāhīm biasa berkata, "Demi God, saya hadir pada hari Aḥmad disebat, dan seluar beliau terlurut lalu naik semula, dan terikat sendiri semula selepas terlerai. Orang-orang yang bersama beliau terlalu sibuk untuk memerhatikannya. Tetapi saya tidak pernah melihat hari yang lebih dahsyat bagi al-Muʿtaṣim. Jika dia tidak menghentikan sebatan itu, dia tidak akan selamat keluar hidup-hidup."394 69.36

[Al-Rāzī:] Isḥāq ibn Ibrāhīm used to say, “By God, I was there the day Aḥmad was flogged and his trousers came down and went up again, and reknotted themselves after coming loose. The people there with him were too preoccupied to notice. But I never saw a more terrible day for al-Muʿtaṣim. If he hadn’t stopped the flogging, he would never have made it out alive.”394 69.36

[Al-Anṣārī:] Saya mendengar salah seorang algojo berkata, "Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal ternyata sekeras penyamun. Jika seekor unta berlutut dan aku memukulnya sekeras aku memukul dia, nescaya perutnya akan terbelah." 69.37

[Al-Anṣārī:] I heard one of the lictors say, “Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal turned out to be as tough as a bandit.395 If a camel knelt down and I hit it as hard as I hit him, I would have split open its belly.” 69.37

[Shābāṣ:] Saya memukul Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal lapan puluh kali sebatan. Jika saya memukul seekor gajah sekuat itu, saya pasti sudah merebahkannya.396 69.38

[Shābāṣ:] I struck Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal eighty lashes. If I’d hit an elephant that hard I would’ve knocked it down.396 69.38

[Al-Rāshidī:] Salah seorang rakan saya melaporkan: "Ketika cambuk mula mengoyakkan Abū ʿAbd Allāh, dia berkata, 'Kepada-Mu, Penguasa langit dan bumi, aku memohon pertolongan!'" 69.39

[Al-Rāshidī:] One of my associates reported: “When the whips began to tear into Abū ʿAbd Allāh, he said, ‘To You, Sovereign of the heavens and the earth, I cry for help!’” 69.39

[ʿAbd Allāh:] Saya sering mendengar ayah saya berkata, “Semoga Allah merahmati Abū l-Haytham! Semoga Allah mengampuni Abū l-Haytham! Semoga Allah memaafkan Abū l-Haytham!” 69.40

[ʿAbd Allāh:] I often heard my father say, “God have mercy on Abū l-Haytham! God pardon Abū l-Haytham! God forgive Abū l-Haytham!” 69.40

"Ayah," akhirnya saya bertanya, "siapakah Abū l-Haytham?" "Kamu tidak tahu?" "Tidak." "Dialah Abū l-Haytham al-Ḥaddād. Pada hari mereka membawa saya dan membentangkan tangan saya untuk dicambuk, saya merasakan seseorang menarik pakaian saya dari belakang."

“Dad,” I finally asked, “who is Abū l-Haytham?” “Don’t you know?” “No.” “It’s Abū l-Haytham al-Ḥaddād. The day they took me and stretched my arms out for the flogging, I felt someone pulling at my clothes from behind.

"Adakah kamu mengenali aku?" tanyanya.

“‘Do you recognize me?’ he asked.

“‘Tidak.’ “‘Saya Abū l-Haytham, dan saya seorang penyamun, pencopet, dan pencuri. Pada satu masa atau yang lain, saya telah dicambuk delapan belas ribu kali—semuanya tercatat pada Panglima Orang-Orang Beriman—demi Syaitan dan perkara-perkara dunia ini. Maka tabahlah dan terimalah sebatan kamu demi Tuhan dan Islam.’ “Mereka mencambuk saya lapan belas kali sebagai ganti lapan belas ribu kali baginya. Kemudian pengawal keluar dan berkata, ‘Panglima Orang-Orang Beriman telah mengampuninya!’” [Pengarang:] Dalam Tarikhnya, Ibrāhīm ibn Muḥammad ibn ʿArafah meriwayatkan bahawa Aḥmad telah disebat tiga puluh enam kali.397

“‘No.’ “‘I’m Abū l-Haytham, and I’m a bandit, a cutpurse, and a thief. At one time or another, I’ve been struck eighteen thousand lashes—all on record with the Commander of the Faithful—for the sake of Satan and the things of this world. So bear up and take your beating for God and Islam.’ “They struck me eighteen lashes instead of his eighteen thousand. Then the attendant came out and said, ‘The Commander of the Faithful has pardoned him!’” [The author:] In his History, Ibrāhīm ibn Muḥammad ibn ʿArafah reports that Aḥmad was struck thirty-six lashes.397

[Yaḥyā ibn Nuʿaym:] Ketika Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal sedang dibawa keluar menemui al-Mu‘taṣim untuk disebat, pegawai yang mengiringinya berkata, “Silakan laknat sesiapa sahaja yang telah melakukan ini kepada kamu!” 69.41

[Yaḥyā ibn Nuʿaym:] As Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal was being taken out to al-Muʿtaṣim to be flogged, the officer escorting him said, “Go ahead and curse whoever did this to you!” 69.41

"Mencela penindasmu," kata Aḥmad, "menunjukkan kekurangan ketabahan." [Al-Baghawī:] Aku melihat Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal memasuki masjid al-Manṣūr dengan memakai jubah hijau, sandalnya di tangan, tanpa penutup kepala. Pada pandanganku, dia kelihatan seorang lelaki tua yang tinggi, berkulit gelap, dan berjanggut putih. Duduk di balkoni menara terdapat anggota pengiring khalifah. Apabila mereka melihatnya, mereka turun untuk memberi penghormatan. Sambil mencium kepala dan tangannya, mereka berkata, "Celalah orang yang telah menganiayamu." 69.42

“Cursing your oppressor,” said Aḥmad, “shows a lack of fortitude.” [Al-Baghawī:] I saw Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal going into the mosque of al-Manṣūr wearing a green over-garment, his sandals in his hand, bare-headed. To me he looked to be a tall, dark-skinned, white-bearded old man. Sitting in the gallery of the minaret were members of the caliph’s entourage. When they saw him, they came down to pay their respects. Kissing his head and hands, they said, “Curse the one who mistreated you.” 69.42

"Mencela penindas anda," kata Aḥmad, "menunjukkan kekurangan ketabahan."398

“Cursing your oppressor,” said Aḥmad, “shows a lack of fortitude.”398

[Aḥmad:] Apabila mereka membawa saya ke istana, saya pergi tanpa makanan selama dua hari.

[Aḥmad:] When they took me to the palace I went without food for two days.

Selepas mereka mencambuk saya, mereka membawakan saya air barli, tetapi saya tidak meminumnya supaya tidak membatalkan puasa saya. 69.43

After they flogged me they brought me some barley water, but I didn’t have any so as not to break my fast. 69.43

[Al-Makhzūmī:] Saya berada di Mekah, sedang melakukan tawaf mengelilingi Kaabah bersama Saʿīd ibn Manṣūr, apabila saya mendengar satu suara di belakang saya berkata: "Hari ini ialah hari sebatan Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal." 69.44

[Al-Makhzūmī:] I was in Mecca walking around the Kaʿbah with Saʿīd ibn Manṣūr when I heard a voice behind me say: “Today is the flogging of Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal.” 69.44

Kemudian saya mendapati bahawa dia telah disebat pada hari itu.

Later I found out that he had been flogged that day.

Dalam riwayat lain:

In another telling:

Saʿīd ibn Manṣūr bertanya kepadaku, "Adakah engkau mendengar apa yang aku dengar?" Aku menjawab bahawa aku memang mendengarnya.

Saʿīd ibn Manṣūr asked me, “Did you hear what I heard?” I told him I had.

"Ingatlah hari apa ini," katanya.

“Remember what day this is,” he said.

Kemudian kami mengetahui bahawa dia telah disebat pada hari itu.

Later we found out that he had been flogged that day.

[Al-Ṭaḥḥān:] Pada hari Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal disebat, saya bersama Abū ʿUbayd al-Qāsim ibn Sallām, Ibrahīm ibn Abī l-Layth, dan beberapa orang lain di rumah ʿĀṣim ibn ʿAlī. 69.45

[Al-Ṭaḥḥān:] On the day Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal was flogged, I was with Abū ʿUbayd al-Qāsim ibn Sallām, Ibrahīm ibn Abī l-Layth, and several others at the home of ʿĀṣim ibn ʿAlī. 69.45

"Adakah sesiapa akan pergi bersama saya dan bercakap dengan lelaki itu?" tanya ʿĀṣim.399 Dia mengulangi soalan itu beberapa kali tetapi tiada seorang pun menjawab, sehingga akhirnya Ibrāhīm berkata, "Saya akan pergi." ʿĀṣim menjerit memanggil budak pelayan supaya membawakan sepatu botnya. Tetapi kemudian Ibrāhīm berkata, "Biarlah saya pergi berjumpa anak-anak perempuan saya dahulu. Sudah lama saya tidak melihat mereka dan saya ada beberapa perkara hendak diberitahu kepada mereka." Dia pun pergi, dan kami mengesyaki bahawa dia telah pergi memakai wangi-wangian dan mengenakan kain kafannya.

“Will anyone come with me and talk to that man?” asked ʿĀṣim.399 He repeated the question several times but no one answered, until finally Ibrāhīm said, “I’ll come.” ʿĀṣim shouted to the servant boy to bring his boots. But then Ibrāhīm said, “Let me go and see my daughters first. I haven’t seen them in a while and I have some things to tell them.” He left, and we suspected that he had gone to perfume himself and put on his shroud.

Apabila beliau kembali, ʿĀṣim sekali lagi memanggil untuk membawakan sepatu botnya.

When he returned, ʿĀṣim again called for his boots.

“Saya pergi menemui anak-anak perempuan saya,” kata Ibrāhīm, “dan mereka menangis.” Kemudian sepucuk surat datang daripada dua anak perempuan ʿĀṣim di Wāsiṭ. Surat itu berbunyi, “Ayah, kami dengar bahawa lelaki itu telah menangkap Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal dan mencambuknya untuk memaksanya mengatakan bahawa Al-Qur'an itu makhluk. Jika dia meminta ayah melakukan perkara yang sama, takutlah kepada God dan tolaklah. Demi God, kami lebih rela mendengar bahawa ayah telah mati daripada ayah menyerah.” [Al-Ḥarrānī:] Ketika Aḥmad sedang dicambuk, Abū ʿUbayd al-Qāsim ibn Sallām dan saya sedang menunggu di pintu gerbang al-Muʿtaṣim. Abū ʿUbayd mula berkata, “Adakah kita akan membiarkan mereka melakukan ini kepada orang yang terbaik dalam kalangan kita? Ini tidak tertanggung!” 69.46

“I went to see my daughters,” said Ibrāhīm, “and they wept.” Then a letter came from ʿĀṣim’s two daughters in Wāsiṭ. It read, “Father, we’ve heard that that man has taken Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal and flogged him to make him say that the Qurʾan is created. If he asks you to do the same thing, be fearful of God and refuse. By God, we’d rather hear that you’d died than that you gave in.” [Al-Ḥarrānī:] While Aḥmad was being flogged, Abū ʿUbayd al-Qāsim ibn Sallām and I were waiting at al-Muʿtaṣim’s gate. Abū ʿUbayd started saying, “Are we going to let them do this to the best of us? It’s unbearable!” 69.46

Anda berkata:

I said:

Mereka tidak berhak untuk menyebat dia sebegitu rupa.

They had no right to flog him so.

Tetapi biarkanlah mereka memukul, kerana dia tetap teguh.

But let them strike, for firm he stood.

Dan ketika mereka membentangkannya dengan kuat.

And even as they stretched him flat.

Sebagai tanah tinggi, katanya, memberi ilham.

As highland earth, he said, inspired.

"Saya mungkin mati, tetapi kamu, bukan saya, yang akan dibakar."

“I may die, but you, not I, will burn.

"Bersama para pendusta di dalam lubang-lubang Neraka!"

With the liars in the pits of Hell!”.

[Abū Ḥātim:] Pada hari mereka menyebat Aḥmad, saya memutuskan untuk pergi dan melihat sendiri apa yang telah berlaku kepadanya. Saya tiba awal dan mendapati seorang lelaki tua berdiri di situ sambil berkata, "Ya Tuhan, berikanlah dia kekuatan! Ya Tuhan, tolonglah dia!" Dia terus bercakap, seolah-olah terperangkap dalam suatu dilema yang dahsyat, "Saya perlu tahu sama ada dia telah mengalah, dan saya harus pergi menggantikan tempatnya." 69.47

[Abū Ḥātim:] The day they flogged Aḥmad, I decided to go and see for myself what had happened to him. I arrived early and found an old man standing there saying, “God, give him strength! God, help him!” He continued, speaking as if caught in some terrible dilemma, “I need to know if he’s given in and I have to go take his place.” 69.47

Kemudian seseorang keluar sambil berkata, "Dia tidak menyerah." "Alhamdulillah!" kata lelaki tua itu.

Then someone came out, saying, “He didn’t give in.” “Thank God!” said the old man.

Saya bertanya kepada seseorang siapakah lelaki tua itu.

I asked someone who the old man was.

"Bishr ibn al-Ḥārith," saya diberitahu.400

“Bishr ibn al-Ḥārith,” I was told.400

[Pengarang:] Kami sedar akan riwayat-riwayat lain tentang sebatan itu, tetapi kami meragui ketepatannya, lalu kami telah menggugurkannya.401 69.48

[The author:] We are aware of other accounts of the flogging, but we doubt their accuracy and have therefore omitted them.401 69.48

Nabi ﷺ bersabda: "Akan datang suatu masa di mana sesiapa yang bersabar teguh dalam agamanya akan diberi ganjaran lima puluh kali ganda lebih daripada kamu." 69.49

The Prophet, God bless and keep him, said: “There will come a time when anyone who suffers bravely for his faith will be rewarded fifty times more than you.” 69.49

"Lebih daripada kami?" tanya para Sahabatnya.

“More than us?” asked his Companions.

"Ya," katanya, sambil mengulanginya tiga kali.

“Yes,” he said, repeating it three times.

[Al-Shāfiʿī:] “Tiga perkara yang paling sukar ialah: bermurah hati ketika kamu sedikit harta, bersikap wara’ ketika kamu bersendirian, dan menyampaikan kebenaran kepada pihak yang berkuasa.” 69.50

[Al-Shāfiʿī:] “The hardest three things are these: being generous when you have little, being scrupulous when you’re alone, and speaking truth to power.” 69.50

[Abū Zurʿah:] Saya selalu mendengar orang memuji Ibn Ḥanbal dan mengutamakannya di atas Yaḥyā ibn Maʿīn dan Abū Khaythamah, namun pujian itu tidak pernah sebesar setelah beliau diuji. Setelah beliau diuji, kemasyhurannya tidak terbatas. 69.51

[Abū Zurʿah:] I always used to hear people speaking highly of Ibn Ḥanbal and giving him precedence over Yaḥyā ibn Maʿīn and Abū Khaythamah, though never as much as after he was tried. After he was tried, his reputation knew no bounds. 69.51

[Ibn Abī ʿAbd al-Raḥmān:] Saya mendengar Aḥmad ibn Yūnus membacakan hadis: “Di dalam Syurga terdapat istana-istana yang hanya terbuka untuk para nabi, orang-orang yang benar dalam perkataan, atau mereka yang diberi kuasa ke atas diri mereka sendiri.” 69.52

[Ibn Abī ʿAbd al-Raḥmān:] I heard Aḥmad ibn Yūnus recite the Hadith: “In the Garden are palaces open only to prophets, truth-tellers, or those given power over their own souls.” 69.52

Seseorang bertanya, "Siapakah 'mereka yang diberi kuasa ke atas diri mereka sendiri'?" Beliau menjawab, "Contohnya Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal."

Someone asked, “Who are ‘those given power over their own souls’?” “Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, for example,” he replied.

[Pengarang:] Hadis ini disandarkan kepada Kaʿb al-Aḥbār, sebagaimana berikut:

[The author:] This Hadith is traced back to Kaʿb al-Aḥbār, as follows:

[Ibn al-Ḥārith:] Abū Muḥammad al-Ṭufāwī meminta Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal untuk menceritakan kepadanya apa yang telah mereka lakukan terhadapnya. 69.56

[Ibn al-Ḥārith:] Abū Muḥammad al-Ṭufāwī asked Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal to tell him what they had done to him. 69.56

“Selepas mereka menyebat saya,” kata Aḥmad, “lelaki yang berjanggut panjang itu”—maksudnya ʿUjayf—“datang dan menghentakkan saya dengan hulu pedangnya. Saya masih ingat berfikir bahawa semuanya sudah berakhir. Biarlah dia memotong leher saya supaya saya dapat berehat! “Ibn Samāʿah berkata kepada khalifah, ‘Amīr al-Mu’minīn! Penggallah dia dan biarlah darahnya ditanggung oleh saya.’ “Tetapi kemudian Ibn Abī Dūʾād berkata, ‘Amīr al-Mu’minīn: lebih baik jangan! Jika kamu membunuhnya di sini atau membiarkannya mati di dalam istana, mereka akan berkata bahawa dia bertahan sehingga ke akhirnya. Mereka akan menjadikannya wira dan mereka akan merasa bahawa pendirian mereka telah terbukti benar. Tidak, lepaskan dia segera. Jika dia mati di luar, mereka tidak akan tahu apa yang berlaku. Ada yang akan berkata dia melawan.”404

“After they had flogged me,” said Aḥmad, “that one with the long beard”— meaning ʿUjayf—“came up and jabbed me with the hilt of his sword. I remember thinking it was finally over. Let him cut my throat so I can rest! “Ibn Samāʿah said to the caliph, ‘Commander of the Faithful! Behead him and let his blood be on my hands.’ “But then Ibn Abī Dūʾād said, ‘Commander of the Faithful: better not to! If you kill him here or let him die inside the palace, they’ll say he held out till the end. They’ll make a hero of him and they’ll think they’ve been proven right. No: let him go right away. If he dies outside they won’t know what happened. Some will say he resisted404

“Tetapi tiada siapa yang akan tahu dengan pasti.”405

but no one will know for sure.’”405

Abū Zurʿah: Al-Mu'tasim memanggil bapa saudara Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal dan bertanya kepada orang ramai, "Adakah kamu tahu siapa ini?" 69.57

[Abū Zurʿah:] Al-Muʿtaṣim summoned Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal’s uncle and asked the people, “Do you know who this is?” 69.57

"Ya," kata mereka. "Ia adalah Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal." "Lihatlah dia. Apakah kamu melihat bahawa dia tidak cedera?" "Ya." Sekiranya dia tidak berbuat demikian, saya rasa satu luapan keganasan yang tidak dapat dihentikan pasti akan berlaku.406 Apabila dia berkata, "Saya menyerahkannya kepada kamu dalam keadaan tidak cedera," orang ramai pun menjadi tenang.

“Yes,” they said. “It’s Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal.” “Look at him. Do you see that he’s unharmed?” “Yes.” If he hadn’t done that, I suspect that an unstoppable outburst of violence would have ensued.406 When he said, “I give him to you unharmed,” the people were mollified.