[Al-Muzanī:] Al-Shafiʿī disse que foi ver Hārūn al-Rashīd e, depois de cumprimentá-lo, disse que acabara de chegar do Iêmen, que precisava muito de uma mão firme. Al-Rashīd disse: "Escolha um dos seus alunos e o nomearemos juiz lá." 50.1

[Al-Muzanī:] Al-Shafiʿī said that he went to see Hārūn al-Rashīd and, after greeting him, said that he had just come from Yemen, which badly needed a strong hand. Al- Rashīd said, “Choose one of your students and we’ll appoint him judge there.” 50.1

Ao retornar à sua sessão de estudo, e ao ver que Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal estava entre os melhores dos presentes, al-Shāfiʿī aproximou-se dele e disse: "Eu estava falando com o Comandante dos Crentes sobre nomear um juiz no Iêmen, e ele me pediu que escolhesse alguém que estuda comigo. Escolhi você, então prepare-se: vou levá-lo para encontrá-lo e ele o nomeará juiz." Ibn Ḥanbal voltou-se contra ele e disse: "A única razão pela qual vim até você foi para aprender algo, e você quer que eu me una a eles como juiz?" al-Shāfiʿī ficou envergonhado com esta repreensão.281

Returning to his study session, and seeing that Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal was among the best of those present, al-Shāfiʿī approached him and said, “I was talking with the Commander of Believers about appointing a judge in Yemen and he asked me to choose someone who studies with me. I’ve chosen you, so get ready: I’ll take you in to meet him and he’ll appoint you judge.” Ibn Ḥanbal turned on him and said, “The only reason I came to you was to learn something, and you want me to join them as a judge?” Al-Shāfiʿī was shamed by this rebuke.281

[O autor:] Também se relata que este episódio ocorreu durante o reinado de al-Amīn.

[The author:] It is also reported that this incident took place during the reign of al- Amīn.

[Al-Athram:] Foi-me dito que al-Shāfiʿī disse a Aḥmad: “O Comandante dos Fiéis” — isto é, al-Amīn — “pediu-me que procurasse alguém para lhe servir de juiz no Iêmen. Sei que queres ir ver ʿAbd al-Razzāq, e agora podes fazê-lo. Julga com equidade e obtém dele todo o conhecimento que desejares.” 50.2

[Al-Athram:] I was told that al-Shāfiʿī said to Aḥmad, “The Commander of the Faithful”—meaning al-Amīn—“asked me to look for someone to serve him as judge in Yemen. I know you want to go see ʿAbd al-Razzāq, and now you can. Rule fairly, and get all the learning you want from him.” 50.2

“Se você mencionar isso de novo”, disse Aḥmad, “essa será a última vez que você me verá.” Naquela época, acho que Aḥmad tinha trinta — ou talvez vinte e sete — anos.282

“If you ever mention this again,” said Aḥmad, “that’s the last you’ll see of me.” At the time, I think Aḥmad was thirty—or maybe twenty-seven—years old.282

[Al-Balkhī:] Al-Shāfiʿī, que Deus tenha misericórdia dele, tinha muita influência junto de Muḥammad ibn Zubaydah.283 Certo dia, Muḥammad mencionou que estava muito preocupado por não encontrar um homem bom e confiável, modelo da sunnah, para servir como juiz. Al-Shāfiʿī disse-lhe que havia encontrado justamente esse homem: um modelo da sunnah, dotado de compreensão religiosa e bem versado em Hadith. 50.3

[Al-Balkhī:] Al-Shāfiʿī, God have mercy on him, had a lot of pull with Muḥammad ibn Zubaydah.283 One day Muḥammad mentioned that he was very concerned about not finding a good, trustworthy man who was an exemplar of the sunnah to serve as a judge. Al-Shāfiʿī told him that he had found just such a man: an exemplar of the sunnah who was gifted with religious understanding and well learned in Hadith. 50.3

“Quem é?” perguntou Muḥammad.

“Who’s that?” asked Muḥammad.

Ele lhe disse que era Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal.

He told him it was Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal.

Algum tempo depois, al-Shāfiʿī encontrou Aḥmad e lhe contou o que ele havia dito.

Some time later, al-Shāfiʿī ran into Aḥmad and told him what he had said.

“Tire isso da sua cabeça e me deixe fora disso”, respondeu ele. “Caso contrário, deixarei este lugar e partirei.” [Ṣāliḥ:] Isḥāq ibn Rāhawayh escreveu-me dizendo: 50.4

“Put that right out of your mind, and leave me out of it,” he replied. “Otherwise I’ll leave this place and go.” [Ṣāliḥ:] Isḥāq ibn Rāhawayh wrote to me saying: 50.4

O emir ʿAbd Allāh ibn Ṭāhir mandou chamar-me e, quando entrei, eu trazia na mão uma carta do seu pai. Quando o emir a viu, perguntou o que era, e eu lhe contei. Ele pegou-a, leu-a e disse: “Tenho muita estima por ele e por Ḥamzah ibn al-Hayḍam al-Būshanjī, porque nenhum dos dois jamais se envolveu com pessoas no poder.” Quando soube que Isḥāq ibn Rāhawayh havia levado a sua carta ao conhecimento de ʿAbd Allāh ibn Ṭāhir, o meu pai deixou de se corresponder com ele.

Emir ʿAbd Allāh ibn Ṭāhir sent for me and, when I went in, I was carrying a letter from your father in my hand. When the emir saw it, he asked what it was, and I told him. He took it and read it and said, “I have a lot of regard for him and for Ḥamzah ibn al-Hayḍam al-Būshanjī because neither of them ever got mixed up with people in power.” When he learned that Isḥāq ibn Rāhawayh had brought his letter to the attention of ʿAbd Allāh ibn Ṭāhir, my father stopped corresponding with him.

[Al-Ribāṭī:] Fui visitar Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, mas ele não quis olhar para mim. Disse-lhe que eu ditava Hadith em Khurasan e que, se as pessoas de lá soubessem como ele me tratava, jogariam fora os relatos que eu lhes havia ensinado. 50.5

[Al-Ribāṭī:] I went to see Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, but he wouldn’t look at me. I told him that I dictated Hadith in Khurasan and that if people there knew how he was treating me they would toss away the reports I had taught them. 50.5

— No Dia da Ressurreição — respondeu ele —, quando chamarem ʿAbd Allāh ibn Ṭāhir e o seu séquito, acha que terá onde se esconder? Certifique-se de que não estará de pé ali com ele quando isso acontecer.284

“On the Day of Resurrection,” he replied, “when they call forth ʿAbd Allāh ibn Ṭāhir and his entourage, do you think you’ll have anywhere to run? Make sure you won’t be standing there with him when that happens.”284