[Al-Walīd al-Naḥwī:] Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal alikuwa mwanaume mzuri wa urefu wa wastani. Alijipaka nywele zake rangi nyepesi kwa hina, akiacha baadhi ya nywele nyeusi katika ndevu zake. Mavazi yake yalikuwa ya kawaida lakini meupe. Nilipomwona alikuwa amevaa kilemba na kitambaa cha kufunika kiuno. 35.1

[Al-Walīd al-Naḥwī:] Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal was a handsome man of medium height. He dyed his hair lightly with henna, leaving some black hairs in his beard. His clothing was coarse but white. When I saw him he was wearing a turban and a breechclout. 35.1

[ʿAbd Allāh:] Baba yangu alianza kupaka nywele na ndevu zake rangi ya hina alipokuwa na umri wa miaka sitini na mitatu. 35.2

[ʿAbd Allāh:] My father began dyeing his hair and beard with henna when he was sixty-three. 35.2

[Al-Sijistānī:] Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal kamwe hakushiriki katika mazungumzo ya mambo ambayo watu wengi wanayajali, lakini kila alipotajwa Hadith alizungumza. 35.3

[Al-Sijistānī:] Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal never joined people in talking about the things that most of them care about, but whenever Hadith was mentioned he would speak. 35.3