[Al-Būshanjī:] Daripada semua orang yang saya temui pada zaman Aḥmad, saya tidak pernah bertemu seseorang yang sebegitu prihatin terhadap agama, sebegitu berhati-hati, sebegitu mampu menahan diri, atau sebegitu zuhud seperti Aḥmad, mahupun seseorang yang sebegitu berilmu atau sebegitu tajam pertimbangannya dalam perkara agama, mahupun seseorang yang sebegitu luas jiwanya, sebegitu teguh hatinya, sebegitu menyenangkan dalam pergaulan, atau sebegitu jelas keikhlasannya.196 38.1

[Al-Būshanjī:] Of all the people I saw in Aḥmad’s time, I never met anyone as mindful of religion, as careful, as self-controlled, or as abstinent as Aḥmad, nor anyone as learned or as discerning in matters of religion, nor anyone so generous in spirit, so firm of heart, so congenial in company, or so unmistakably sincere.196 38.1

[ʿAlī ibn al-Madīnī:] Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal pernah berkata kepada saya, "Saya ingin sekali menemani kamu ke Mekah, tetapi saya takut saya akan jemu dengan kebersamaan kamu, atau kamu dengan kebersamaan saya." 38.2

[ʿAlī ibn al-Madīnī:] Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal once said to me, “I wish I could accompany you to Mecca, but I’m afraid I’ll get tired of your company, or you of mine.” 38.2

Ketika saya datang untuk berpamitan, saya bertanya kepadanya apakah dia menginginkan sesuatu, dan dia berkata, "Saya mahu kamu tetap takut kepada Tuhan dan sentiasa mengingati akhirat." [Ḥanbal:] Saya masih ingat bahawa setiap kali Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal hendak bangun, dia akan berkata kepada sesiapa yang bersamanya, "Dengan izin kamu." 38.3

When I came to say good-bye, I asked him if he wanted anything and he said, “I want you to remain fearful of God and mindful of the afterlife.” [Ḥanbal:] I remember that whenever Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal wanted to get up, he would say to whoever was with him, “By your leave.” 38.3

Bersama Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal bermakna membicarakan tentang akhirat; perkara-perkara dunia tidak pernah disebut. Saya tidak pernah melihat beliau bercakap tentang dunia sama sekali. 38.4

[Al-Sijistānī:] Sitting with Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal meant talking about the next world; the things of this world were never mentioned. I never saw him talk about this world at all. 38.4

[Ibn al-Munādī:] Saya mendengar datuk saya berkata, "Aḥmad sangat rendah diri, namun murah hati; beliau antara orang yang paling berfikir dan paling prihatin yang pernah saya lihat. Beliau sering duduk dengan kepala tertunduk dan mata dilarikan ke bawah, serta menjauhi perbualan tentang perkara yang tidak sopan atau sia-sia. Apabila beliau bercakap, ia adalah untuk bertukar-tukar Hadith atau mengingati teladan yang ditinggalkan oleh orang-orang soleh dan zuhud, dan beliau melakukannya dengan maruah yang tenang serta kefasihan. Apabila bertemu orang, beliau akan tersenyum dan memberikan perhatian sepenuhnya. Beliau menunjukkan penghormatan yang besar kepada ulama-ulama senior, yang sebaliknya amat menghormati beliau. Beliau menzahirkan penghormatan yang paling tinggi kepada Yaḥyā ibn Maʿīn, yang lebih tua daripadanya kira-kira tujuh tahun." 38.5

[Ibn al-Munādī:] I heard my grandfather say, “Aḥmad was extremely modest, but generous in spirit; he was one of the most thoughtful and considerate people I’ve ever seen. He would sit with his head bowed and his eyes averted much of the time, and avoid talking about anything unseemly or frivolous. When he did talk, it was to exchange Hadith or recall the example set by righteous men and renunciants, which he did with quiet dignity and eloquence. When meeting people, he would smile and give them his full attention. He showed great deference to senior men of learning, who in turn respected him enormously. He displayed the greatest veneration for Yaḥyā ibn Maʿīn, who was seven or so years older than he.” 38.5

[ʿAbd Allāh:] Setiap kali ayah saya keluar dari masjid untuk masuk ke rumah, beliau akan menghentakkan selipadnya ke tanah supaya orang dapat mendengar kedatangannya. Beliau juga sering berdeham untuk memberitahu orang bahawa beliau sedang masuk. 38.6

[ʿAbd Allāh:] Whenever my father left the mosque to come into the house, he would slap his sandal against the ground so people could hear him coming. He would often clear his throat, too, to let people know he was coming in. 38.6

[Muhannaʾ:] Saya melihat Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal lebih dari sekali atau dua kali — sebenarnya lebih dari tiga, empat atau lima kali — membiarkan orang mencium wajahnya, kepalanya atau pipinya. Dia tidak berkata apa-apa, tetapi dia juga tidak menghentikan mereka. Saya melihat Sulaymān ibn Dāwūd al-Hāshimī mencium kepalanya dan dahinya. Dia tidak menghalanginya dan dia tidak kelihatan tidak bersetuju. Saya juga melihat Yaʿqūb ibn Ibrāhīm mencium dahi dan wajahnya. 38.7

[Muhannaʾ:] I saw Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal more than once or twice—more than three or four or five times, really—letting people kiss his face, his head, or his cheek. He wouldn’t say anything, but he wouldn’t stop them, either. I saw Sulaymān ibn Dāwūd al-Hāshimī kiss him on the head and forehead. He didn’t stop him and he didn’t seem to disapprove. I also saw Yaʿqūb ibn Ibrāhīm kissing him on the forehead and the face. 38.7

[Al-Khallāl:] Saya bertanya kepada Zuhayr ibn Ṣāliḥ sama ada dia pernah melihat datuknya, Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal. 38.8

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

"Ya," katanya. "Saya berusia kira-kira lapan tahun kali pertama itu berlaku. Saya berusia sepuluh tahun ketika dia meninggal dunia."197

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

“Adakah awak ingat bagaimana rupanya dia?” “Saya dan adik-beradik perempuan saya biasa melawatnya setiap hari Jumaat. Pintu antara rumah kami dan rumahnya dibiarkan terbuka. Dia biasa menulis nota kepada seorang lelaki yang dia beli kacang dan buah kering daripadanya, dan menyuruhnya memberikan setiap daripada kami dua sen perak; lalu kami pergi dan mengambil kacang atau buah kering bernilai dua sen, dan membawa sesuatu untuk adik-beradik perempuan kami juga.”198

“Do you remember what he was like?” “My sisters and I used to visit him every Friday. The door between our house and his was left open. He used to write a note to a man he bought nuts and dried fruit from and tell him to give each of us two silver pennies’ worth, and we would go and take two pennies’ worth of nuts or fruit and bring something for our sisters too.198

Banyak kali saya melihatnya duduk di bawah panas matahari dengan punggungnya terdedah dan parut-parutnya kelihatan.

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

“Saya mempunyai seorang adik lelaki bernama ʿAlī, dengan gelaran Abū Ḥafs. Ayah saya ingin mengkhatankan adik saya itu. Beliau menyediakan banyak makanan dan menjemput orang ramai untuk datang ke rumah. Apabila tiba masanya, beliau menghantar seseorang untuk menjemput datuk saya juga. Kemudian ayah saya memberitahu saya apa yang beliau katakan: ‘Saya telah mendengar tentang perkara baharu yang kamu lakukan ini, dan saya telah mendengar bahawa kamu membazir dalam hal ini. Kamu sepatutnya bermula dengan orang miskin dan orang sakit, dan memberi mereka makan dahulu.’ 38.”9

“I had a younger brother named ʿAlī, with the nickname Abū Ḥafs. My father wanted to have him circumcised. He prepared a lot of food and invited people to come over. When the time came, he sent someone to invite my grandfather too. Later my father told me what he said: ‘I’ve heard about this new thing you’re doing, and I’ve heard that you’ve been wasteful about it. You should start with the poor and ill and feed them first.’ 38.9

"Keesokan harinya, apabila tukang bekam dan ahli keluarga telah tiba, ayah saya masuk untuk memberitahu datuk saya. Datuk saya keluar bersamanya, duduk di sebelah budak kecil itu, dan kekal di situ sementara upacara khatan dijalankan. Selepas itu dia mengeluarkan dua helai kain yang diikat simpul, lalu memberikan satu kepada tukang bekam dan satu lagi kepada budak itu."

“The next day, when the cupper and the family members had arrived, my father went in to tell my grandfather. My grandfather came out with him, sat down next to the little boy, and stayed there while the circumcision took place. Afterward he took out two knotted pieces of cloth and gave one to the cupper and the other to the boy.

Kemudian dia kembali ke dalam rumahnya. Tukang bekam itu melihat ke dalam beg kecil itu dan mendapati sekeping dirham sahaja. Kami melihat ke dalam beg budak itu dan mendapati perkara yang sama.

Then he went back into his house. The cupper looked into the little bag and found a single dirham. We looked into the boy’s bag and found the same.

"Kami telah mengalihkan kebanyakan barang yang telah kami hamparkan di atas lantai dan meletakkan budak itu di atas pentas kecil yang dialas dengan beberapa helai kain yang telah dicelup. Datuk saya tidak kelihatan tidak bersetuju."

“We had removed most of the things we had spread on the floor and put the boy on a little platform resting on some dyed garments. My grandfather didn’t seem to disapprove.

"Suatu ketika, sepupu sebelah ibu datuk saya, yang bergelar kunyah Abū Aḥmad, datang dari Khurasan dan menginap bersama ayah saya. Pada suatu hari selepas solat Maghrib, ayah saya menyuruh saya memegang tangan Abū Aḥmad dan membawanya masuk menemui datuk saya. Saya pun masuk ke rumah datuk saya dan mendapatinya sedang melakukan solat sunat, lalu saya duduk. Apabila dia selesai, dia bertanya kepada saya sama ada Abū Aḥmad sudah tiba. 38."10

“Once my grandfather’s maternal cousin, who had the kunyah Abū Aḥmad, came from Khurasan and stayed with my father. One day after sunset prayers, my father told me to take Abū Aḥmad by the hand and show him in to my grandfather. I went into my grandfather’s house and found him doing more prayers so I sat down. When he finished, he asked me if Abū Aḥmad had arrived. 38.10

“Ya.” “Suruh dia masuk.” Saya keluar, mencari Abū Aḥmad, dan membawanya masuk kembali. Dia duduk. Datuk saya memanggil seorang wanita tua—seorang penyewa miliknya199—yang pernah bekerja untuknya, dan dia membawa keluar roti, daun herba segar, cuka, dan garam di atas dulang anyaman rotan.

“‘Yes.’ “‘Tell him to come in.’ “I went out, found Abū Aḥmad, and brought him back in. He sat down. My grandfather called out to an elderly woman—a tenant of his199—who used to work for him, and she brought out some bread, fresh herbs, vinegar, and salt on a wicker tray.

Kemudian dia membawa keluar salah satu dulang besar dan meletakkannya di hadapan kami. Itu adalah sup daging kering (whey kering) dengan banyak daging dan sawi (chard). Kami mula makan, dan dia turut menyertai kami. Sambil kami makan, dia bertanya kepada Abū Aḥmad tentang ahli keluarga yang masih berada di Khurasan. Beberapa kali, Abū Aḥmad mengalami kesukaran memahami perkara dalam bahasa Arab, maka datuk saya akan bercakap dengannya dalam bahasa Parsi. Sepanjang masa itu, dia memilih ketulan daging dan menghidangkannya kepada Abū Aḥmad dan saya juga. Selepas itu dia sendiri mengangkat dulang tersebut dan mengetepikannya, kemudian membawa mendekat sebuah pinggan hidangan yang berisi kurma Barnī pilihan dan kacang walnut yang telah dikupas, lalu meletakkannya di hadapan kami di atas dulang. Dia makan dan kami juga makan, sambil dia menghidangkan kepada Abū Aḥmad. Kemudian kami membasuh tangan, dengan setiap daripada kami menguruskan diri masing-masing.” [Al-ʿAṭṭār:] Saya menghantar anak kecil saya, bersama seorang hamba perempuan, untuk menyampaikan salam saya kepada Aḥmad. Dia menyambut budak itu, memangkunya, dan bertanya kepadanya beberapa soalan. Dia juga menyuruh orang membeli puding, yang dibawanya masuk, diletakkan di hadapan budak itu, dan dipujuknya supaya makan, sambil mempelawa hamba perempuan itu makan sama. Kemudian dia keluar menemui seorang penjual buah-buahan, kacang, dan manisan, lalu kembali dengan beberapa biji badam dan gula yang dibungkus dalam jubahnya. Dia mengeluarkan semuanya, membungkusnya dalam sapu tangan, dan memberikannya kepada pembantu itu. Kemudian dia berkata kepada budak itu, “Sampaikan salam saya kepada Abū Muḥammad.” 38.11

Later she brought out one of those big platters and put it in front of us. It was a driedwhey stew200 with lots of meat and chard. We started eating and he joined us. As we ate, he asked Abū Aḥmad about the members of the family who were still in Khurasan. Several times, Abū Aḥmad had trouble understanding things in Arabic and so my grandfather would speak to him in Persian. All the while, he would choose pieces of meat and serve them to Abū Aḥmad and me too. Afterward he picked up the platter himself and put it aside, then brought over a serving dish containing premium Barnī dates and shelled walnuts and put it in front of us on the tray. He ate and we did too, with him serving Abū Aḥmad. Then we washed our hands, with each of us taking care of himself.” [Al-ʿAṭṭār:] I sent my young son, along with a slave woman, to give my regards to Aḥmad. He welcomed the boy, held him in his lap, and asked him questions. He also sent out for a pudding,201 which he brought in, put in front of the boy, and coaxed him to eat, inviting the woman to eat as well. Then he went out to a vendor of fruits, nuts, and sweets, and came back with some almonds and sugar wrapped up in his gown. He took everything out, wrapped it up in a handkerchief, and gave it to the servant. Then he said to the boy, “Tell Abū Muḥammad I said hello.” 38.11

[Al-Marrūdhī:] Saya pernah melihat Aḥmad melemparkan dua dirham ke dalam bekas tukang khatan. 38.12

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

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

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

[Al-Marrūdhī:] Aḥmad tidak pernah mencela. Jika ada orang yang mencacinya, dia akan bersabar menanggungnya. Daripada marah, dia akan berkata, "Cukuplah God bagiku!"202 38.14

[Al-Marrūdhī:] Aḥmad was never abusive. If anyone was abusive to him, he would bear it patiently. Instead of getting angry, he would say, “May God suffice!”202 38.14

Dia tidak menyimpan dendam dan tidak bercakap secara lancang. Pernah pakciknya bertengkar dengan jiran-jirannya. Apabila mereka datang menemui Aḥmad, dia tetap menerima mereka dengan penuh sopan seperti biasa, tanpa memihak atau membela pakciknya.

He didn’t bear grudges or speak rashly. His uncle once quarreled with the neighbors. When they would come to see Aḥmad, he would receive them as courteously as he always had, without taking sides or arguing his uncle’s part.

Beliau sangat merendah diri dan menyayangi golongan miskin. Saya tidak pernah melihat orang miskin dilayan sebaik mereka apabila duduk bersama beliau. Beliau akan memberi perhatian istimewa kepada mereka sambil tidak menghiraukan golongan kaya. Beliau dikurniakan kewibawaan yang tenang. Setiap kali pada waktu petang, apabila beliau duduk di tempat biasanya dan memberi fatwa, beliau tidak akan bersuara sehingga ada orang yang bertanya kepadanya. Apabila beliau keluar ke masjidnya, beliau tidak duduk di tengah-tengah majlis; sebaliknya beliau duduk di mana sahaja yang ada ruang. Apabila duduk, beliau tidak pernah menjulurkan kakinya, kerana bimbang dianggap tidak menghormati orang lain.

He was very humble and loved the poor. I never saw poor men treated as well as they were when sitting in his company. He would treat them with special consideration while disregarding the affluent. He was graced with a quiet dignity. Whenever, in the late afternoon, he would sit in his usual place and give legal opinions, he would not speak until someone asked him a question. If he went out to his mosque, he didn’t go sit in the center of the gathering; instead, he sat wherever there was room. When he sat, he would never extend his leg, for fear of seeming disrespectful of others.

Beliau bersifat lembut, ceria dan mudah menyesuaikan diri, dan tidak pernah kasar atau berkata keji. Apa yang beliau cintai, beliau cintai kerana Allah, dan begitu juga dengan perkara-perkara yang beliau benci. Apabila beliau menyukai seseorang, beliau akan menunjukkan perhatian terhadap kesejahteraannya sama seperti perhatiannya terhadap diri sendiri, tanpa membezakan antara kehendak dan kebenciannya sendiri dengan kehendak dan kebencian sahabatnya. Namun begitu, persahabatan tidak pernah menghalangnya daripada campur tangan apabila seseorang yang beliau sayangi berkelakuan buruk atau menzalimi orang lain. Setiap kali beliau mendapat tahu bahawa seseorang itu soleh, atau zuhud, atau telah membela keadilan, atau telah memajukan perjuangan, beliau akan bertanya tentangnya, bercakap tentang keinginannya untuk bertemu dengannya, dan menyatakan rasa ingin tahu tentang keadaannya.

He was kind, cheerful, and accommodating, and never vulgar or coarse. What he loved, he loved for the sake of God, and likewise for the things he hated. When he liked someone, he would show as much regard for his well-being as he would for his own, making no distinction between his own wishes and aversions and those of his friend. Even so, friendship never prevented him from intervening when someone he cared for behaved badly or wronged anyone else. Whenever he learned that someone was righteous, or self-denying, or had stood up for justice, or furthered the cause, he would inquire about him, talk about wanting to meet him, and express curiosity about his circumstances.

Dia seorang yang peka: jika dia tidak menyukai sesuatu, dia akan menunjukkannya. Dia akan menjadi marah, namun hanya demi Tuhan; dia tidak pernah marah untuk kepentingan dirinya sendiri atau melakukan apa pun untuk memperjuangkan kepentingannya. Di mana pun perkara agama dipertaruhkan, dia menjadi begitu berang sehingga dia seolah-olah menjadi orang yang sama sekali berbeda:

He was a sensitive man: if he didn’t like something, he showed it. He would become indignant, though only on behalf of God; he would never get angry on his own behalf or do anything to promote his own interests. Wherever a matter of religion was at stake, he would become so incensed that he seemed a different person altogether:

Seorang yang tidak peduli dengan celaan atau cacian. Walaupun begitu, dia mudah hidup bersamanya kerana dia akan menderita tanpa mengeluh. Salah seorang jirannya—seorang lelaki yang berkongsi dinding dengannya—yang menceritakan kisah ini kepada saya.

one heedless of blame or reproach. All the same he was easy to live with because he would suffer without complaint. One of his neighbors—a man who shared a wall with him—told me this story.

"Kami mempunyai reban merpati, dengan burung-burung merpati di dalamnya, yang menghadap ke rumah Aḥmad. Semasa kecil, saya akan memanjat ke sana dan memandang ke bawah kepadanya. Dia bersabar dan tidak pernah menyuruh saya berhenti. Kemudian pada suatu hari, bapa saudara saya naik ke sana dan melihat bahawa reban merpati itu menghadap ke rumah Aḥmad."

“We had a dovecote, with pigeons in it, overlooking Aḥmad’s house. As a boy, I would climb up there and look down at him. He put up with it and never told me to stop. Then one day my uncle went up there and saw that the dovecote overlooked Aḥmad’s house.

“‘Memalukan!’ katanya kepada saya. ‘Tidakkah kamu nampak bahawa kamu sedang mengganggu Aḥmad?’ “‘Tetapi dia tidak pernah berkata apa-apa kepada saya!’ “‘Lebih baik kamu serahkan burung-burung itu kepada saya, atau kamu akan menyesal!’ “Dia terus mendesak saya sehingga saya menyerahkan burung-burung itu kepadanya. Kemudian dia menyembelihnya dan merobohkan reban merpati itu.” [Hārūn ibn Sufyān:] Apabila Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal memutuskan untuk menderma wang yang telah diberikan oleh al-Mutawakkil kepadanya, saya pergi menemuinya dan dia memberikan saya dua ratus dirham. 38.15

“‘Shame on you!’ he said to me. ‘Can’t you see that you’re disturbing Aḥmad?’ “‘But he never said anything to me!’ “‘You’d better give me those birds, or else!’ “He kept after me until I gave him the birds. Then he slaughtered them and tore down the dovecote.” [Hārūn ibn Sufyān:] When Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal decided to give away the money that al-Mutawakkil had given him, I went to see him and he gave me two hundred dirhams. 38.15

"Saya perlukan lebih lagi," kataku kepadanya.

“I need more,” I told him.

“Itu sahaja yang ada,” katanya, “tetapi begini, saya akan beri awak tiga ratus, dan awak boleh sedekahkannya.” Selepas saya mengambil wang itu saya berkata, “Aḥmad, saya tidak akan memberikan satu dirham pun kepada sesiapa.” Dia hanya tersenyum.

“That’s all there is,” he said, “but I tell you what I’ll do. I’ll give you three hundred and you can give it away.” After I took the money I said, “Aḥmad, I’m not giving a single dirham away to anyone.” All he did was smile.

[Al-Anmāṭī:] Suatu ketika saya berada di rumah Aḥmad dan dia menyebut sebuah Hadith yang ingin saya catat. Dia mempunyai bekas dakwat di hadapannya, lalu saya bertanya sama ada saya boleh menggunakannya. 38.16

[Al-Anmāṭī:] Once I was at Aḥmad’s and he mentioned a Hadith I wanted to write down. He had his inkwell in front of him, and I asked if I could use it. 38.16

"Sudah tentu," katanya dengan nada kasar. "Tidak perlu berbasa-basi!"203

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

[ʿAbd Allāh:] Seseorang bertanya kepada ayah saya mengapa dia tidak meluangkan lebih banyak masa bersama orang ramai. 38.17

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

"Kerana saya benci mengucapkan selamat tinggal," katanya.

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

Ibrāhīm al-Ḥarbī: Aḥmad akan menghadiri majlis perkahwinan, walimah dan khatan jika dijemput, dan memakan apa yang dihidangkan di sana. 38.18

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

Suatu ketika saya mendengar beliau berkata kepada Aḥmad ibn Ḥafṣ al-Wakīʿī, "Saya sangat menyayangimu, wahai Abū ʿAbd al-Raḥmān." Kemudian beliau membacakan, "Kami mendengar Yaḥyā meriwayatkan, dengan sanad dari Thawr, dengan sanad dari Ḥabīb ibn ʿUbayd, dengan sanad dari al-Miqdām, bahawa Nabi ﷺ bersabda, 'Apabila salah seorang daripada kamu merasa kasih kepada saudaranya, hendaklah dia memberitahunya.'" [Hārūn:] Pada suatu malam Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal datang mengetuk pintu rumah saya. 38.19

I once heard him say to Aḥmad ibn Ḥafṣ al-Wakīʿī, “I’m very fond of you, Abū ʿAbd al-Raḥmān.” Then he recited, “We heard Yaḥyā report, cit ing Thawr, citing Ḥabīb ibn ʿUbayd, citing al-Miqdām, that the Prophet—God bless and keep him— said, ‘When one of you feels affection for another, he should tell him.’” [Hārūn:] One night Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal came knocking on my door. 38.19

"Siapa itu?" tanya saya.

“Who is it?” I asked.

"Ia Aḥmad," katanya.

“It’s Aḥmad,” he said.

Saya bergegas ke pintu. Dia mengucapkan selamat petang kepada saya dan saya membalasnya dengan cara yang sama. Kemudian saya bertanya kepadanya sama ada ada sesuatu yang tidak kena.

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

"Ya," katanya. "Saya risau tentang awak." "Kenapa?" "Hari ini, ketika saya lalu di tempat awak, awak sedang membaca Hadis sambil duduk di ttempat teduh, manakala orang yang memegang pen dan buku nota duduk di bawah panas matahari. Jangan buat begitu lagi! Apabila awak mengajar, pastikan awak duduk bersama orang yang sedang mendengar awak." [Al-Maṣṣīṣī:] Pada suatu ketika saya pernah berada di tempat Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal ketika mereka sedang membaca Hadis.

“Yes,” he said. “I’ve been worried about you.” “Why?” “Today, when I walked by you, you were reciting Hadith sitting in the shade while the people holding the pens and notebooks were sitting in the sun. Don’t do that again! When you teach, make sure to sit with the people who are listening to you.” [Al-Maṣṣīṣī:] I was once at Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal’s when they were reciting Hadith.

Muḥammad ibn Yaḥyā l-Naysābūrī meriwayatkan sebuah hadis yang lemah, lalu Aḥmad berkata, "Jangan meriwayatkan hadis seperti itu." 38.20

Muḥammad ibn Yaḥyā l-Naysābūrī recited a weak report, and Aḥmad said, “Don’t cite reports like that.” 38.20

Muḥammad ibn Yaḥyā kelihatan malu, tetapi kemudian Aḥmad berkata, "Saya berkata begitu hanya kerana hormat kepada kamu." [Aḥmad ibn al-Ḥakam:] Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal datang ke Kufah untuk mempelajari Hadith. Beliau datang secara tetap untuk mendengar Wakīʿ ibn al-Jarrāḥ dan mendengar sebilangan besar riwayat daripadanya. 38.21

Muḥammad ibn Yaḥyā looked abashed, but then Aḥmad said, “I said that only out of respect for you.” [Aḥmad ibn al-Ḥakam:] Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal came to Kufa to study Hadith. He came regularly to hear Wakīʿ ibn al-Jarrāḥ and heard a great many reports from him. 38.21

[Isḥāq ibn Hāniʾ:] Kami pernah berada di rumah Aḥmad bersama al-Marrūdhī dan Muhannaʾ ibn Yaḥyā l-Shāmī. Kedengaran ketukan di pintu dan seseorang memanggil, "Adakah al-Marrūdhī ada di sini?" 38.22

[Isḥāq ibn Hāniʾ:] We were once at Aḥmad’s house with al-Marrūdhī and Muhannaʾ ibn Yaḥyā l-Shāmī. There was a knock on the door and someone called out, “Is al-Marrūdhī here?” 38.22

Oleh kerana al-Marrūdhī tidak mahu sesiapa tahu di mana dia berada, Muhannaʾ ibn Yaḥyā meletakkan jarinya di atas telapak tangannya204 lalu memanggil balas, "Al-Marrūdhī tidak ada di sini."

Since al-Marrūdhī didn’t want anyone to know where he was, Muhannaʾ ibn Yaḥyā put his finger on the palm of his hand204 and called back, “Al-Marrūdhī’s not here.

"Apa yang sedang dia lakukan di sini, agaknya?" Aḥmad ketawa dan nampaknya tidak membantah.

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