Sebagaimana yang tentunya anda ketahui, akhlak seseorang sudah nyata sejak masa muda; cara sesebuah kehidupan bermula memberi gambaran yang baik tentang bagaimana ia kemungkinan akan berakhir. Dalam kes Aḥmad, ketakwaan dan kecintaan terhadap ilmu telah jelas kelihatan pada dirinya sejak awal lagi. Akibatnya, guru-gurunya memujinya dan memberinya keutamaan. 10.1

As you doubtless know, a person’s character is manifest even in youth; the way a life begins gives a good idea of how it is likely to end. In Aḥmad’s case, piety and love of learning were evident in him from the beginning. As a result, his teachers praised him and granted him precedence. 10.1

[Al-Nasāʾī:] Apabila Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal mendekati seorang perawi hadis, beliau akan meminta izin daripada para ulama yang hadir untuk mengumpulkan hadis, kerana mereka akan mendengar riwayat-riwayat itu disebabkan beliau. 10.2

[Al-Nasāʾī:] When Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal would approach a Hadith transmitter, he would ask the men of learning who were present for their permission to gather Hadith, since they would be hearing the reports because of him. 10.2

Antara guru-guru yang memujinya ialah yang berikut.

Among the teachers who praised him are the following.

[Ibn Zanjuwayh:] Saya masih ingat melihat Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal datang menziarahi Yazīd ibn Hārūn yang sedang menunaikan solat. Setelah selesai solatnya, Yazīd menoleh kepada Aḥmad dan bertanya, "Apakah pendirian kamu tentang barang yang dipinjamkan untuk digunakan?" 10.3

[Ibn Zanjuwayh:] I remember seeing Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal come to visit Yazīd ibn Hārūn, who was performing the ritual prayer. After finishing his prayer, Yazīd turned to Aḥmad and asked, “What’s your position on things lent for use?” 10.3

"Peminjam bertanggungjawab ke atasnya." "Kami memetik Ḥajjāj," kata Yazīd, "dengan memetik al-Ḥakam: 'Tidak bertanggungjawab.'" Aḥmad membalas dengan membacakan: "Nabi ﷺ pernah meminjam beberapa baju besi daripada Ṣafwān ibn Umayyah. Ṣafwan bertanya, 'Adakah tuan bertanggungjawab ke atasnya?' Lalu Nabi ﷺ bersabda, 'Peminjam bertanggungjawab ke atas apa yang dipinjamnya.'"63

“The borrower is liable for them.” “We cite Ḥajjāj,” said Yazīd, “citing al-Ḥakam: ‘Not liable.’” Aḥmad replied by reciting: “The Prophet, God bless and keep him, borrowed some suits of armor from Ṣafwān ibn Umayyah. Ṣafwan asked, ‘Are you liable for them?’ and the Prophet, God bless and keep him, said, ‘The borrower is liable for what he borrows.’”63

Oleh kerana tidak mempunyai apa-apa untuk dijawab, Yazīd menerima pandangan Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal.

Having nothing to say in reply, Yazīd adopted Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal’s view.

[Ibn Sālim:] Kami sedang duduk dalam majlis hadis Yazīd ibn Hārūn, lalu Yazīd membuat gurauan kepada jurutulisnya. Dari arah Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal kedengaran bunyi berdeham, dan Yazīd menepuk dahinya sambil berkata, "Mengapa kamu tidak memberitahu aku bahawa Aḥmad ada di sini supaya aku tidak bergurau?" 10.4

[Ibn Sālim:] We were sitting in Yazīd ibn Hārūn’s Hadith-circle and Yazīd made a teasing remark to his amanuensis. From Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal came a clearing of the throat, and Yazīd, striking himself on the forehead, cried, “Why didn’t you tell me Aḥmad was here so I wouldn’t joke?” 10.4

[Ibn Sinān:] Saya tidak pernah melihat Yazīd ibn Hārūn menghormati seseorang dengan begitu besar penghormatan atau menunjukkan kemuliaan kepada seseorang sebanyak yang dia tunjukkan kepada Ibn Ḥanbal. Dia biasa mendudukkan Aḥmad di sisinya ketika kami berkumpul untuk Hadith. Dia menjaga sikap yang penuh martabat di hadapannya dan tidak akan mempermainkannya. Suatu ketika apabila Aḥmad jatuh sakit, Yazīd bahkan menunggang ke rumahnya untuk menziarahinya. 10.5

[Ibn Sinān:] I never saw Yazīd ibn Hārūn regard anyone with as much reverence or show anyone as much honor as he did Ibn Ḥanbal. He used to seat Aḥmad beside him when we gathered for Hadith. He maintained a dignified bearing in his presence and wouldn’t tease him. Once when Aḥmad fell ill Yazīd even rode to his house to visit him. 10.5

[Ibn Abī ʿAwn dan Ibn Hishām:] Sekali waktu ketika solat hendak dimulakan, kami mendengar Ibn ʿUlayyah berkata, "Adakah Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal di mana-mana sini? Beritahu dia supaya datang ke hadapan!" 10.7

[Ibn Abī ʿAwn and Ibn Hishām:] Once when the ritual prayer was starting we heard Ibn ʿUlayyah saying, “Is Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal here anywhere? Tell him to come forward!” 10.7

[Ibn al-Mubārak:] Suatu ketika saya berada di rumah Ismāʿīl ibn ʿUlayyah, lalu seseorang membuat suatu kenyataan yang menyebabkan sebahagian daripada kami ketawa. Ibn Ḥanbal juga berada di situ. Selepas itu kami pergi menemui Ismāʿīl dan mendapati beliau kelihatan marah. 10.8

[Ibn al-Mubārak:] Once when I was at Ismāʿīl ibn ʿUlayyah’s someone made a remark that made some of us laugh. Ibn Ḥanbal was there too. Later we went to Ismāʿīl and found him looking angry. 10.8

"Bagaimana kamu boleh ketawa," tanyanya, "dengan Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal di situ?"

“How could you laugh,” he asked, “with Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal there?”

[ʿAbd al-Razzāq:] Saya tidak pernah melihat seorang pun yang lebih cerdik atau lebih teliti dalam beragama daripada Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal. 10.9

[ʿAbd al-Razzāq:] I never saw anyone more astute or more scrupulous66 than Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal. 10.9

[Muḥammad ibn ʿAlī:] Abū Bakr Muḥammad ibn Abān berkata, "Aḥmad, Isḥāq, dan saya sendiri belajar bersama ʿAbd al-Razzāq. Jika ada orang lain yang bertanya kepadanya, dia akan berkata, 'Saya tidak meriwayatkan hadis untuk kamu. Saya hanya meriwayatkannya demi ketiga orang ini.'" 10.10

[Muḥammad ibn ʿAlī:] Abū Bakr Muḥammad ibn Abān said, “Aḥmad, Isḥāq, and I studied with ʿAbd al-Razzāq. If anyone else asked him a question, he would say, ‘I’m not reciting Hadith for you. I’m reciting only for the sake of these three.’” 10.10

Dengan "tiga orang ini" beliau memaksudkan Aḥmad, Isḥāq, dan Ibn Abān.

By “these three” he meant Aḥmad, Isḥāq, and Ibn Abān.

[ʿAbd al-Razzāq:] Saya tidak pernah mengajar sesiapa seperti Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal. 10.11

[ʿAbd al-Razzāq:] I have never taught anyone like Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal. 10.11

[ʿAbd al-Razzāq:] Saya tidak pernah mengajar seorang pun seperti Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal. 10.12

[ʿAbd al-Razzāq:] I never taught anyone the like of Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal. 10.12

[ʿAbd al-Razzāq:] Empat daripada ulama hadith yang agung datang kepada kami dari Iraq. Ada al-Shādhakūnī, yang mempunyai ingatan paling kuat terhadap hadith. Ada Ibn al-Madīnī, yang menguasai perbezaan antara riwayat-riwayat. Ada Yaḥyā ibn Maʿīn, yang mempunyai pengetahuan paling menyeluruh tentang para perawi. Dan ada Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, yang paling mahir menggabungkan ketiga-tiga jenis ilmu tersebut. 10.13

[ʿAbd al-Razzāq:] Four of the great scholars of Hadith came to us from Iraq. There was al-Shādhakūnī, who had the most tenacious memory for Hadith. There was Ibn al- Madīnī, who had mastered the differences between reports. There was Yaḥyā ibn Maʿīn, who had the most thorough knowledge of the transmitters. And then there was Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, who was the best at putting all three kinds of learning together. 10.13

Abū Yaʿqūb menambahkan: “Selepas Rasul, tiada seorang pun yang lebih ramai orang datang dari jauh untuk belajar daripadanya berbanding ʿAbd al-Razzāq.” [ʿAbd al-Razzāq:] Saya telah mengajar Hadis kepada tiga orang lelaki yang begitu mulia sehingga saya tidak peduli jika saya tidak akan mengajar sesiapa lagi. Ada Ibn al-Shādhakūnī, yang mempunyai ingatan yang begitu kuat; Yaḥyā ibn Maʿīn, yang begitu mengenali para perawi; dan Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, yang begitu banyak meninggalkan dunia. 10.14

[Wakīʿ:] Dari semua orang yang pernah datang ke Kufah, pemuda itu—maksudnya Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal—adalah yang terbaik. 10.19

[Wakīʿ:] Of all those who ever came to Kufa, that young man—meaning Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal—was the best. 10.19

[Ibn Shammās:] Saya meminta Wakīʿ untuk mengajarkan kepada kami hadis yang dia pelajari daripada Khārijah ibn Muṣʿab. 10.20

[Ibn Shammās:] I asked Wakīʿ to teach us the Hadith he had learned from Khārijah ibn Muṣʿab. 10.20

"Saya tidak akan," katanya. "Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal memberitahu saya supaya tidak." ḤAFṢ IBN GHIYĀTH AL-NAKHAʿĪ [Ibn Ghiyāth:] Daripada semua orang yang pernah datang ke Kufah, lelaki muda itu—maksudnya Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal—adalah yang terbaik. 10.21

“I won’t,” he said. “Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal told me not to.” ḤAFṢ IBN GHIYĀTH AL-NAKHAʿĪ [Ibn Ghiyāth:] Of all those who ever came to Kufa, that young man—meaning Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal—was the best. 10.21

[Al-Bukhārī:] Saya berada di Basrah ketika khabar sampai bahawa Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal telah disebat. Abū l-Walīd berseru, "Jika lelaki itu hidup pada zaman Bani Israil, mereka pasti akan menjadikannya sebagai legenda." 10.22

[Al-Bukhārī:] I was in Basra when the news came that Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal had been flogged. Abū l-Walīd exclaimed, “If that man had lived in the days of the Children of Israel, they would have made him a legend.” 10.22

[Ibn Makhlad:] Saya berada di rumah Abū l-Walīd al-Ṭayālisī ketika sepucuk surat tiba dari Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal. "Tiada seorang pun di dua kota itu" — maksudnya Basrah dan Kufah — "yang lebih aku sayangi daripada Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal," saya mendengarnya berkata, "atau yang lebih aku kagumi." 10.23

[Ibn Makhlad:] I was at Abū l-Walīd al-Ṭayālisī’s when a letter came from Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal. “There’s no one in the two towns”—meaning Basra and Kufa—“dearer to me than Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal,” I heard him say, “or anyone I admire more.” 10.23

[Ḥamdān ibn ʿAlī:] Abū l-ʿAwāmm al-Bazzāz (pedagang kain) memberitahu saya, "Pada suatu ketika kami berada di rumah Abū l-Walīd apabila kami mendengar mereka berkata, 'Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal ada di sini!' 10.24

[Ḥamdān ibn ʿAlī:] Abū l-ʿAwāmm al-Bazzāz (the draper) told me, “Once we were at Abū l-Walīd’s when we heard them saying, ‘Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal’s here!’ 10.24

“Abū l-Walīd, yang tadinya duduk bersantai, bangkit berdiri lalu tidak berkata apa-apa sehingga Aḥmad duduk. Aḥmad meminta beliau meriwayatkan beberapa Hadith, dan beliau pun melakukannya.” Saya rasa [al-Bazzāz] menambahkan bahawa Abū l-Walīd menghadap ke arah Aḥmad.

“Abū l-Walīd, who had been sitting at ease, sprang up and then said nothing at all until Aḥmad had sat down. Aḥmad asked him to recite some Hadith, and he did.” I think [al-Bazzāz] added that Abū l-Walīd turned to face Aḥmad.

“Saya masih ingat,” sambung al-Bazzāz, “dengan berkata”—iaitu kepada dirinya sendiri—“bahawa kita semua ialah ulama senior, tetapi satu-satunya orang yang Abū l-Walīd layan dengan penuh hormat ialah Aḥmad!”

“I remember,” continued al-Bazzāz, “saying”—to himself, that is—“that all of us are senior men of learning, but the only one that Abū l-Walīd treats with deference is Aḥmad!”

[Ibn Samāʿah:] Kami berada di rumah Ibn Abī ʿUmar al-ʿAdanī di Makkah. Kami semua, kecuali dia, sedang membicarakan Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal. Setelah kami berbual agak lama, dia memecahkan kesunyiannya dan berkata, "Mereka yang mampu memberikan Aḥmad haknya sudah tidak lagi bersama kita."

[Ibn Samāʿah:] We were at Ibn Abī ʿUmar al-ʿAdanī’s in Mecca. All of us except for him were talking about Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal. After we had gone on for a while he broke his silence and said, “Those who could give Aḥmad his due are no longer with us.

Apabila dia pergi untuk mempelajari Hadis bersama Ḥusayn al-Juʿfī, dia membawa sepucuk surat"—iaitu surat pengesyoran. "Tetapi al-Juʿfī berkata, 'Aḥmad, tidak perlu ada pelindung di antara kita. Kamu boleh merayu kepada saya dengan nama apa sahaja yang kamu mahu, tetapi kamu adalah seorang yang lebih baik daripada sesiapa yang kamu sebutkan.'" 10.25

When he went to study Hadith with Ḥusayn al-Juʿfī, he brought a letter”—that is, a letter of recommendation. “But al-Juʿfī said, ‘Aḥmad, there’s no need to put a patron between us. You can appeal to me using whatever name you want, but you’re a better man than anyone you name.’” 10.25

[Ibn Abī Ḥātim:] Saya mendengar Aḥmad ibn Sinān al-Qaṭṭān (pedagang kapas) meriwayatkan bahawa beliau melihat Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal menghampiri ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Mahdī—atau mungkin ketika Aḥmad telah bangun dan meninggalkan majlis—lalu beliau mendengar Ibn Mahdī berkata, “Tiada seorang pun yang lebih mengetahui hadith yang diriwayatkan oleh Sufyān al-Thawrī daripada lelaki itu.” 10.26

[Ibn Abī Ḥātim:] I heard Aḥmad ibn Sinān al-Qaṭṭān (the cotton merchant) report that he saw Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal approaching ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Mahdī—or perhaps it was when Aḥmad had gotten up and left the circle—and heard Ibn Mahdī say, “No one knows the Hadith transmitted by Sufyān al-Thawrī better than that man there.” 10.26

[Ibn Mahdī:] Setiap kali saya memandang Ibn Ḥanbal, saya tidak dapat tidak teringat kepada Sufyān al-Thawrī. 10.27

[Ibn Mahdī:] Every time I look at Ibn Ḥanbal I can’t help thinking of Sufyān al- Thawrī. 10.27

[Ibn Shammās:] Kami berada di rumah ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Mahdī ketika Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal baru sahaja keluar—atau sedang menghampiri—lalu ʿAbd al-Raḥmān berkata, "Sesiapa yang ingin tahu apa yang al-Thawrī simpan dalam ingatannya hendaklah bertanya kepada lelaki itu." 10.28

[Ibn Shammās:] We were at ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Mahdī’s when Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal had just left—or was approaching—and ʿAbd al-Raḥmān said, “Anyone who wants to know what al-Thawrī carried in his head should ask that man there.” 10.28

[Ibn Mahdī:] "Budak itu" — yakni Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal — "hampir menjadi teladan ketika masih berada dalam kandungan ibunya." 10.29

[Ibn Mahdī:] “That boy”—meaning Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal—“was almost an exemplar while still in his mother’s womb.” 10.29

[Al-Qaṭṭān:] "Saya tidak pernah mempunyai murid lain sebaik Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal." 10.30

[Al-Qaṭṭān:] “I never had another student as good as Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal.” 10.30

[Al-Qaṭṭān:] Dua murid terbaik saya ialah Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal dan Yaḥyā ibn Maʿīn. 10.31

[Al-Qaṭṭān:] My two best students were Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal and Yaḥyā ibn Maʿīn. 10.31

[Al-Qaṭṭān:] “Saya tidak pernah mempunyai murid lain yang sebaik Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal dan Yaḥyā ibn Maʿīn.” 10.32

[Al-Qaṭṭān:] “I never had another student as good as Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal and Yaḥyā ibn Maʿīn.” 10.32

[Al-Karābīsī:] Apabila Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal pergi ke Basrah, Ibn al-Shādhakūnī mula tidak menyukainya, lalu dia membuat sesuatu kenyataan tentang beliau kepada Yaḥyā ibn Saʿīd al-Qaṭṭān, yang berkata, "Biarlah aku melihatnya." 10.33

[Al-Karābīsī:] When Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal went to Basra, Ibn al-Shādhakūnī came to resent him, and made some remark about him to Yaḥyā ibn Saʿīd al-Qaṭṭān, who said, “Let me have a look at him.” 10.33

Selepas beliau melihatnya, al-Qaṭṭān berkata kepada Ibn al-Shādhakūnī, "Celaka engkau, Sulaymān! Tidakkah engkau takut kepada Tuhan? Itu yang engkau bicarakan ialah salah seorang ulama kami." [Al-Qaṭṭān:] Dari kalangan mereka yang datang dari Baghdad, tiada seorang pun yang lebih saya kasihi daripada Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal. 10.34

After he had seen him, al-Qaṭṭān said to Ibn al-Shādhakūnī, “Shame on you, Sulaymān! Have you no fear of God? That’s one of our sages you’re talking about.” [Al-Qaṭṭān:] Of the ones who came from Baghdad, no one was dearer to me than Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal. 10.34

[Ibn al-Madīnī:] Yaḥyā, Aḥmad, dan Khalaf datang untuk belajar bersama Ibn Saʿīd al-Qaṭṭān. Dia bertanya kepada saya siapakah Yaḥyā itu. 10.35

[Ibn al-Madīnī:] Yaḥyā, Aḥmad, and Khalaf came to study with Ibn Saʿīd al- Qaṭṭān. He asked me who Yaḥyā was. 10.35

"Itu Yahya bin Ma'in," kata saya kepadanya.

“That’s Yaḥyā ibn Maʿīn,” I told him.

"Yang itu bagaimana?" "Itu Khalaf." "Yang itu bagaimana?" "Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal." "Jika salah seorang daripada mereka itu, maka dialah orangnya," katanya. [Aḥmad:] Saya tidak pernah bertemu dengan sesiapa pun yang seperti Yaḥyā ibn Saʿīd. 10.36

“What about that one?” “That’s Khalaf.” “What about that one?” “Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal.” “If any of them is the one,” he said, “it’s him.” [Aḥmad:] I never met anyone else like Yaḥyā ibn Saʿīd. 10.36

[ʿAbd Allāh:] Sekumpulan ahli hadis pernah berkumpul di majlis Abū ʿĀṣim al-Daḥḥāk ibn Makhlad. 10.37

[ʿAbd Allāh:] A group of Hadith-men once gathered at the circle of Abū ʿĀṣim al- Daḥḥāk ibn Makhlad. 10.37

“Kamu semua mengaku memiliki pemahaman agama,” katanya, “tetapi adakah antara kamu yang benar-benar memilikinya?” Lalu dia mulai menegur mereka.

“All of you claim to have religious understanding,” he said, “but do any of you have it?” With that he began to rebuke them.

"Salah seorang daripada kami memang begitu," kata mereka.

“One of us does,” they said.

"Siapa?" "Dia sedang dalam perjalanan." Apabila ayah saya tiba, mereka berkata, "Itu dia!" Abū ʿĀṣim memandangnya dan berkata, "Mari ke depan." "Saya tidak suka melangkahi orang," katanya.

“Who?” “He’s on his way.” When my father arrived, they said, “That’s him!” Abū ʿĀṣim looked at him and said, “Come up front.” “I don’t like to step over people,” he said.

"Itu dia seorang lelaki yang faham!" kata Abū ʿĀṣim. "Beri ruang kepadanya!" Mereka pun berganjak ke tepi dan dia pun masuk. Abū ʿĀṣim meminta dia duduk di hadapannya.

“Now there’s a man who understands!” said Abū ʿĀṣim. “Make room for him!” They moved aside and he came in. Abū ʿĀṣim asked him to sit in front of him.

Kemudian dia bertanya kepadanya satu soalan, dan dia menjawabnya. Dia bertanya lagi satu soalan, dan dia menjawab soalan itu juga, kemudian yang ketiga, dan kemudian banyak lagi, dan dia menjawab semuanya.

Then he asked him a question, which he answered. He asked him another question, and he answered that one too, and then a third, and then many, and he answered them all.

"Ini adalah makhluk laut," kata Abū ʿĀṣim, "bukan haiwan darat!" Atau beliau mungkin berkata, "Ini adalah makhluk laut yang berjalan di darat!"68

“This is a sea creature,” said Abū ʿĀṣim, “not a land animal!” Or he may have said, “This is a sea creature that walks on land!”68

[Abū ʿĀṣim:] Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal datang menemui saya. Saya mendengar orang berkata, "Ibn Ḥanbal ada di sini! Ibn Ḥanbal ada di sini!" 10.38

[Abū ʿĀṣim:] Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal came to see me. I heard people saying “Ibn Ḥanbal’s here! Ibn Ḥanbal’s here!” 10.38

Abū l-Yamān: Saya dahulu menyangka Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal menyerupai Arṭaʾah ibn al-Mundhir.69 10.41

[Abū l-Yamān:] I used to think Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal resembled Arṭaʾah ibn al- Mundhir.69 10.41

Yahya ibn Adam: Ahmad ibn Hanbal ialah teladan kami. 10.42

[Yaḥyā ibn Ādam:] Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal is our exemplar. 10.42

[Seorang lelaki:] Sulaymān ibn Ḥarb pernah berkata kepadaku, "Tanyakanlah kepada Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal apa pendapatnya mengenai masalah ini, kerana dia adalah teladan kita." 10.43

[A man:] Sulaymān ibn Ḥarb once said to me, “Ask Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal what he says about this problem, because he’s our exemplar.” 10.43

[Al-Mukharrimī:] Aku mendengar ʿĪsā ibn ʿAffān berkata: "Yaḥyā ibn Maʿīn dan Abū Khaythamah" — dan lain-lain yang beliau sebutkan — "semuanya biasa datang dan mendengar Hadith daripada ayahku. Kemudian Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal datang dan mendengar Hadith daripadanya. Selepas dia pergi, ayahku berkata kepadaku, 'Dia bernilai sebanyak mereka semua,' merujuk kepada betapa banyaknya ilmu Aḥmad." 10.44

[Al-Mukharrimī:] I heard ʿĪsā ibn ʿAffān say: “Yaḥyā ibn Maʿīn and Abū Khaythamah”—and others he mentioned—“all used to come and hear Hadith from my father. Then Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal came and heard Hadith from him. After he left, my father said to me, ‘He was worth the lot of them,’ referring to how much Aḥmad knew.” 10.44

[Abū ʿUthmān:] Saya mendengar al-Haytham ibn Jamīl berkata: "Jika pemuda itu"—yakni Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal—"panjang umurnya, dia akan menjadi hujah Tuhan untuk Islam bagi satu generasi." 10.45

[Abū ʿUthmān:] I heard al-Haytham ibn Jamīl say: “If that young man”—meaning Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal—“lives long enough, he’ll be God’s proof of Islam for a whole generation.” 10.45

[Ibn Abī l-Ḥawārī:] Aku mendengar al-Haytham ibn Jamīl berkata, "Setiap zaman ada seorang lelaki yang menjadi hujah bagi Islam untuk kaumnya. Fuḍayl ibn ʿIyāḍ ialah hujah bagi zamannya, dan aku rasa jika pemuda itu" — maksudnya Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal — "panjang umurnya, dia akan menjadi hujah bagi zamannya." 10.46

[Ibn Abī l-Ḥawārī:] I heard al-Haytham ibn Jamīl say, “Every age has a man who serves as a proof of Islam to his generation. Fuḍayl ibn ʿIyāḍ is the proof for his time, and I think that if that young man”—meaning Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal—“lives long enough, he’ll be the proof for his.” 10.46

Yūsuf ibn Muslim: Haytham ibn Jamīl pernah membuat kesilapan semasa meriwayatkan sebuah Hadith dengan menyebut Hushaym. 10.47

[Yūsuf ibn Muslim:] Haytham ibn Jamīl once made an error while reciting a Hadith citing Hushaym. 10.47

"Sebahagian orang membacakan riwayat itu secara berbeza," kata beliau kepadanya.

“Some people recite that report differently,” he was told.

“Seperti siapa?” “Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal.” “Saya harap hidup saya dipendekkan,” kata al-Haytham, “dan hidupnya dipanjangkan.” [Asad al-Khashshāb:] Saya mendengar al-Haytham ibn Jamīl berkata, “Saya harap Tuhan memanjangkan umur Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal dan memendekkan umur saya.” 10.48

“Like who?” “Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal.” “I wish my life could be shorter,” said al-Haytham, “and his longer.” [Asad al-Khashshāb:] I heard al-Haytham ibn Jamīl say, “I wish God would make Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal’s life longer and mine shorter.” 10.48

Kemudian dia menoleh kepada seorang lelaki yang hadir dan berkata, "Beritahu aku: Mengapa engkau mengatakan bahawa aku mempunyai sesuatu yang berguna untuk disampaikan kepada kaum Muslimin?"

Then he turned to a man who was present and said, “Tell me: Why did you say that I had anything useful to impart to Muslims?”

[Al-Ramādī:] Saya masih ingat satu peristiwa ketika kami berada di majlis Abū Nuʿaym, mempelajari hadis bersama Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal dan Yaḥyā ibn Maʿīn. Pada masa itu, ketika Abū Nuʿaym mengadakan majlis hadis, Aḥmad biasa duduk di sebelah kanannya dan Yaḥyā di sebelah kirinya. Pada suatu hari, Yaḥyā datang kepada saya membawa sehelai kertas yang di atasnya dia telah menulis sebahagian riwayat Abū Nuʿaym, kemudian pada ruang-ruang di antara riwayat-riwayat tersebut dia menyalin riwayat-riwayat yang dinukilkan oleh orang lain.

[Al-Ramādī:] I remember one occasion when we were at Abū Nuʿaym’s studying with Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal and Yaḥyā ibn Maʿīn. In those days, when Abū Nuʿaym held Hadith sessions, Aḥmad used to sit on his right and Yaḥyā on his left. One day Yaḥyā came to me with a piece of paper on which he had written some of Abū Nuʿaym’s reports and then, in the spaces between them, copied out reports transmitted by others.

"Apabila tiba giliran kita di sana," katanya, "Berikan kertas itu kepada Abū Nuʿaym dan suruh dia membacanya." 10.49

“When it’s us there,” he said, “Give Abū Nuʿaym the paper and have him read it.” 10.49

Apabila majlis tamat dan orang ramai mula beredar, dia menyerahkan kertas itu kepadanya.70 Abū Nuʿaym membaca keseluruhan kandungannya, kemudian merenung saya agak lama, dan akhirnya memandang Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal dan Yaḥyā ibn Maʿīn.

When the session ended and people were leaving, he handed him the paper.70 Abū Nuʿaym read the whole thing, then stared at me for a while, and finally looked at Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal and Yaḥyā ibn Maʿīn.

"Orang ini," katanya sambil memberi isyarat ke arah Aḥmad, "terlalu bersungguh-sungguh dengan agamanya untuk melakukan perbuatan seperti ini. Adapun kamu," katanya sambil memandang saya, "kamu tidak melakukan perkara seperti ini. Orang yang melakukannya," lanjutnya, "pastilah orang ini," lalu dia menendang Yaḥyā sehingga jatuh dari anak tangga. "Siapa yang kamu cuba tipu?" jeritnya.

“This fellow here,” he said, gesturing toward Aḥmad, “takes his religion too seriously to do something like this. As for you,” he said, looking at me, “you don’t do this sort of thing. The one who did it,” he continued, “must be this one,” and gave Yaḥyā a kick that knocked him off the stoop. “Who are you trying to fool?” he cried.

Yahya bangkit dan mencium Abu Nu'aym. "Semoga Tuhan membalas budi baikmu bagi pihak Islam!" katanya. "Engkau memang orang yang sepatutnya mengajarkan Hadis. Aku hanya menguji engkau." [Ibn Manṣūr:] Ketika Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal dan Yaḥyā ibn Ma'īn pergi belajar dengan 'Abd al-Razzāq, aku ikut bersama mereka sebagai pembantu mereka. Setelah kami kembali ke Kufah, Yaḥyā berkata kepada Aḥmad, "Aku ingin menguji Abu Nu'aym." 10.50

[Al-Marwazī:] Saya mendengar Qutaybah ibn Saʿīd berkata, “Di zaman kami, orang-orang terbaik ialah Ibn al-Mubārak dan pemuda itu.” 10.51

[Al-Marwazī:] I heard Qutaybah ibn Saʿīd say, “In our generation the best men are Ibn al-Mubārak and that young fellow.” 10.51

"Pemuda yang mana?" tanya Abū Bakr al-Rāzī.

“Which young fellow?” asked Abū Bakr al-Rāzī.

"Ibn Ḥanbal." "Dia adalah tokoh ilmu yang paling senior di Iraq, dan kamu memanggilnya seorang anak muda?" "Dia masih muda ketika saya berjumpa dengannya," kata Qutaybah.

“Ibn Ḥanbal.” “He’s the senior man of learning in Iraq, and you’re calling him a young fellow?” “He was young when I met him,” said Qutaybah.

Qutaybah: Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal dan Isḥāq ibn Rāhawayh adalah dua contoh teladan sahaja di dunia. 10.52

[Qutaybah:] Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal and Isḥāq ibn Rāhawayh are the only two exemplars in the world. 10.52

53

53

[Qutaybah:] Jika engkau mendapati seseorang mengagumi Ibn Ḥanbal, maka engkau boleh yakin bahawa dia berpegang teguh kepada sunnah. 10.53

[Qutaybah:] If you find that someone admires Ibn Ḥanbal, you can be sure that he upholds the sunnah. 10.53

[Qutaybah:] Jika engkau mendapati seseorang yang mengagumi Ibn Ḥanbal, maka engkau boleh yakin bahawa dia berpegang teguh kepada sunnah dan berdiri bersama jemaah.72 10.54

[Qutaybah:] If you find that someone admires Ibn Ḥanbal, you can be sure that he upholds the sunnah and stands with the community.72 10.54

[Qutaybah:] Jika engkau mendapati seseorang yang mengagumi Ibn Ḥanbal, maka yakinlah bahawa dia berada di atas jalan (yang benar). 10.55

[Qutaybah:] If you find that someone admires Ibn Ḥanbal, you can be sure that he’s on the path. 10.55

[Qutaybah:] Jika Aḥmad hidup pada zaman al-Thawrī, Mālik, al-Awzāʿī, dan al-Layth ibn Saʿd, dia pasti menjadi yang terkemuka di antara mereka. 10.56

[Qutaybah:] If Aḥmad had lived in the time of al-Thawrī, Mālik, al-Awzāʿī, and al-Layth ibn Saʿd, he would have been the foremost among them. 10.56

[Ibn Shabbuwayh:] Saya mendengar Qutaybah berkata, "Jika Aḥmad hidup pada zaman al-Thawrī, Mālik, al-Awzāʿī, dan al-Layth ibn Saʿd, nescaya dia akan menjadi yang terkemuka di antara mereka." 10.57

Ahmad bin Hanbal juga dipuji oleh ramai ulama yang setaraf kedudukannya dengan guru-gurunya, yang dengan mereka beliau tidak pernah belajar. Salah seorang daripada mereka ialah Abu Mushir al-Dimashqi. 10.62

Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal was also praised by many men of learning, equal in rank to his teachers, with whom he did not study. One was Abū Mushir al-Dimashqī. 10.62

[Ibn al-ʿAbbās:] Saya bertanya kepada Abū Mushir sama ada dia mengetahui sesiapa yang boleh memelihara agama masyarakat kami.

[Ibn al-ʿAbbās:] I asked Abū Mushir if he knew anyone who could keep our community’s religion safe.

"Saya tidak dapat memikirkan sesiapa," jawabnya, "kecuali seorang pemuda di timur," maksudnya Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal.

“I can’t think of anyone,” he replied, “except one young man out east,” meaning Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal.

Banyak lagi laporan seperti ini akan muncul—insya-Allah—dalam perjalanan buku ini.

[The author:] A good many more reports like this will appear—God willing—in the course of this book.