Kulingana na wasifu wake, al-Maʾmūn alituma barua kutoka al-Raqqah 338 kwa mkuu wa polisi ya Baghdad, Isḥāq ibn Ibrāhīm, akimwagiza awajaribu watu wa jamaa, jambo ambalo alilifanya. 67.1

According to his biographers, al-Maʾmūn sent a letter from al-Raqqah 338 to the chief of the Baghdad police, Isḥāq ibn Ibrāhīm, telling him to put the community to the test, which he did. 67.1

[Ṣāliḥ:] Nilimsikia baba yangu akisema, "Walipotuingiza ili tuhojiwe mbele ya Isḥāq ibn Ibrāhīm, jambo la kwanza walilofanya ni kusoma kwa sauti barua iliyoandikwa na yule wa Tarsus"—yaani al-Maʾmūn.339 "Walitusomea baadhi ya aya, zikiwemo «Hakuna chochote kinachofanana Naye»340 na «Yeye ndiye Muumbaji wa kila kitu.»341 Nilipousikia «Hakuna chochote kinachofanana Naye,» nilisoma «Yeye ndiye Msikivu, Mwonaji.»342 67.2

[Ṣāliḥ:] I heard my father say, “When they took us in to be questioned by Isḥāq ibn Ibrāhīm, the first thing they did was to read aloud the letter written by the one in Tarsus”—that is, al-Maʾmūn.339 “They recited some verses to us, including «Nothing is like Him»340 and «He is the creator of everything.»341 When I heard ‘Nothing is like Him,’ I recited «He is the One who hears and sees.»342 67.2

Kisha wale waliokuwepo walijaribiwa. Wale waliokataa kutoa idhini yao walichukuliwa na kufungwa jela. Kati yao wote, ni wanne tu waliopinga. Majina yao ni Muḥammad ibn Nuḥ; ʿUbayd Allāh ibn ʿUmar al-Qawārīrī; al-Ḥasan ibn Ḥammād, aliyeitwa Sajjādah; na baba yangu. Baadaye ʿUbayd Allāh ibn ʿUmar na al-Ḥasan ibn Ḥammād nao walikubali, na kuwaacha Muḥammad ibn Nūḥ na baba yangu tu wakiwa kifungoni.

“Then those present were put to the test. Those who withheld their assent were taken away and locked up. Of them all, only four resisted. Their names are Muḥammad ibn Nuḥ; ʿUbayd Allāh ibn ʿUmar al-Qawārīrī; al-Ḥasan ibn Ḥammād, called Sajjādah; and my father. Later ʿUbayd Allāh ibn ʿUmar and al-Ḥasan ibn Ḥammād gave in too, leaving only Muḥammad ibn Nūḥ and my father in confinement.

Baada ya hapo walibaki huko kwa siku kadhaa, kisha ikafika barua kutoka Tarsus ikiwaamuru wawili hao wasafirishwe kwenda huko. Walipelekwa mara moja, wamefungwa minyororo mmoja na mwenzake. [Abū Maʿmar al-Qaṭīʿī:] Nilikuwepo wakati Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal alipopelekwa kwenye jumba la kifalme wakati wa Mahakama ya Mateso. Alikuwa mtu mpole daima, lakini alipoona wanajamii wakitoa kibali chao, mishipa yake ilivimba, macho yake yakawa mekundu, na upole wake wote ukatoweka. Nilipomwona, nakumbuka nilijiwazia, "Anasimama kwa ajili ya Mungu." 67.3

There they stayed until, several days later, a letter arrived from Tarsus ordering the two of them to be transported there. They were duly sent, shackled one to the other.” [Abū Maʿmar al-Qaṭīʿī:] I was there when Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal was brought to the palace during the Inquisition. He had always been a meek man, but when he saw the members of the community giving their assent, his veins swelled, his eyes went red, and all the meekness was gone. Seeing him, I remember thinking to myself, “He’s standing up for God.” 67.3

"Abū ʿAbd Allāh," nilimwambia, "hii ni habari njema! Je, hatujasikia kutoka kwa Muḥammad ibn Fuḍayl ibn Ghazwān, akinukuu kutoka kwa al-Walīd ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn Jumayʿ, akinukuu kutoka kwa Abū Salamah ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn ʿAwf, aliyesema: 'Miongoni mwa Masahaba wa Mtume ﷺ walikuwepo baadhi ambao, wakipingwa katika jambo lolote la dini, wangekunja nyuso na kuzungusha macho kama watu wenye wazimu'?" [Ibn Abī Usāmah:] Nakumbuka nikisikia kwamba wakati wa Mateso ya Mahakama ya Kidini, mtu mmoja alimwambia Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, "Unaona? Haki inashindwa na batili inashinda!" 67.4

“Abū ʿAbd Allāh,” I told him, “this is good news! Haven’t we heard Muḥammad ibn Fuḍayl ibn Ghazwān report, citing al-Walīd ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn Jumayʿ, citing Abū Salamah ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn ʿAwf, who said, ‘Among the Prophet’s Companions were some who, if challenged on any matter of religion, would glower and roll their eyes like madmen’?” [Ibn Abī Usāmah:] I remember hearing that during the Inquisition, someone said to Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, “See? Right loses and wrong wins!” 67.4

"Hapana kamwe!" alijibu. "Batili hushinda tu iwapo mioyo ya watu itapotoka na kupotea njia, lakini mioyo yetu bado haijafanya hivyo." [Ṣāliḥ:] Baba yangu na Muḥammad ibn Nūḥ walichukuliwa wakiwa wamefungwa minyororo, nasi tukaenda pamoja nao hadi al-Anbār. Huko Abū Bakr al-Aḥwal alimuuliza baba yangu, "Abū ʿAbd Allāh, wakikutishia kwa upanga, utakubali?" 67.5

“Never!” he retorted. “Wrong wins only if people’s hearts wander off and lose their way, but ours haven’t done that yet.” [Ṣāliḥ:] My father and Muḥammad ibn Nūḥ were carried off in chains and we went with them as far as al-Anbār. There Abū Bakr al-Aḥwal asked my father, “Abū ʿAbd Allāh, if they threaten you with a sword, will you give in?” 67.5

"Hapana," alijibu. Kisha yeye na Muḥammad ibn Nūḥ walichukuliwa.

“No,” he answered. Then he and Muḥammad ibn Nūḥ were taken away.

Baadaye baba yangu aliniambia:

Later my father told me:

"Tulipofika al-Raḥbah ilikuwa katikati ya usiku. Tulipokuwa tukiondoka, mtu mmoja alitujia na kusema, ‘Ni nani kati yenu anayeitwa Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal?’ Mtu mmoja alinionyesha. ‘Punguza mwendo,’ alimwambia dereva wa ngamia. Kisha akaniambia: ‘Sikiliza wewe! Kuna tofauti gani wakikuua hapa hapa sasa hivi? Utaingia Peponi hapa hapa sasa hivi.’ Kisha akasema, ‘Nakuweka mikononi mwa Mungu,’ kisha akaondoka."

“When we got to al-Raḥbah343 it was the middle of the night. As we were leaving, a man came up to us and said, ‘Which of you is Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal?’ “Someone pointed me out. ‘Slow down,’ said the man to the camel-driver. Then to me: ‘Listen, you! What does it matter if they kill you right here and now? You’ll enter the Garden, here and now.’ Then he said, ‘I leave you in the care of God,’ and left.

“Nilipouliza yeye ni nani, nao wakaniambia: ‘Ni Mwarabu wa Rabīʿah aitwaye Jābir ibn ʿĀmir, anayetunga mashairi jangwani. Watu wanamsifu sana.’” [Ibrāhīm ibn ʿAbd Allāh:] Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal alisema, “Neno lenye nguvu zaidi kuwahi kunifikia wakati wa mateso yangu lilikuwa lile aliloniambia Mwarabu wa jangwani huko Raḥbat Ṭawq: ‘Aḥmad, ukifa kwa ajili ya haki utakuwa shahidi, na ukiishi utakuwa shujaa.’” 67.7

“I asked who he was and they told me: ‘He’s an Arab of Rabīʿah named Jābir ibn ʿĀmir who composes poetry in the wilderness. People speak highly of him.’” [Ibrāhīm ibn ʿAbd Allāh:] Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal said, “The most powerful thing anyone said to me during my ordeal was what a desert Arab said to me at Raḥbat Ṭawq: ‘Aḥmad, if you die for the truth you die a martyr, and if you live you live a hero.’” 67.7

Kwa hayo, alinipa nguvu zaidi ya kuazimia kwangu.

With that he strengthened my resolve.

[Aḥmad:] “Hakuna kitu chochote kilichowahi kuniathiri zaidi ya maneno ya Mwarabu wa jangwani kutoka Raḥbat Ṭawq: ‘Aḥmad, ukifa kwa ajili ya ukweli, utakufa shahidi, na ukiishi, utaishi shujaa.’” 67.8

[Aḥmad:] “Nothing has ever made more of an impression on me than the words of a desert Arab from Raḥbat Ṭawq: ‘Aḥmad, if you die for the truth you die a martyr, and if you live you live a hero.’” 67.8

Ibn Abī Ḥātim alinukuu kutoka kwa baba yake akisema, "Mwishowe alikuwa yuko sahihi. Kufikia wakati Mateso ya Mahakama ya Kuhoji (Inquisition) yalipomalizika, Mwenyezi Mungu alikuwa amemfanya Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal kuwa jina la kuzingatiwa." [Mwandishi:] Pia tumesikia kwamba al-Shāfiʿī, Mwenyezi Mungu amridhie, aliwahi kuota ndoto ambamo Mtume ﷺ alimwomba amwonye Aḥmad kwamba atajaribiwa kuhusu suala la uumbaji wa Qur'ani. Simulizi hii itatolewa pamoja na mnyororo wake wa wasimulizi katika sura kuhusu ndoto. 67.9

Ibn Abī Ḥātim quoted his father as saying, “In the end he was right. By the time the Inquisition was over, God had made Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal a name to be reckoned with.” [The author:] We have also heard that al-Shāfiʿī, may God be pleased with him, had a dream where the Prophet asked him to warn Aḥmad that he would be tried regarding the creation of the Qurʾan. This report will be given along with its chain of transmitters in the chapter on dreams. 67.9

[Al-Anbārī:] Nilipopata habari kwamba Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal alikuwa akipelekwa kumwona al-Maʾmūn, nilivuka Frati na kumkuta Aḥmad amekaa katika nyumba ya wageni ya misafara. Nilipomsalimia alisema, "Abū Jaʿfar, hukupaswa kujisumbua!" 67.10

[Al-Anbārī:] When I found out that Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal was being taken to see al- Maʾmūn, I crossed the Euphrates and found Aḥmad sitting in a caravanserai. When I greeted him he said, “Abū Jaʿfar, you shouldn’t have troubled yourself!” 67.10

“Haikuwa shida yoyote,” nilimwambia. Kisha nikasema, “Sikiliza hapa! Kuanzia leo, una watu walio tayari kufuata mfano wako. Ukisema Qur'ani imeumbwa, wengi wao watasema vivyo hivyo. Ukipinga, wengi nao watapinga. Fikiria: hata kama yule mtu hatakuua, bado utakufa mapema au baadaye. Kwa hiyo mche Mungu, wala usikubali!” “Mapenzi ya Mungu yatimie!” alisema Aḥmad, akilia. “Mapenzi ya Mungu yatimie!” Kisha akasema, “Abū Jaʿfar, rudia uliyosema kwa ajili yangu.” Basi nikarudia, naye tena akasema “Mapenzi ya Mungu yatimie! Mapenzi ya Mungu yatimie!” [Ṣāliḥ:] Baba yangu aliniambia: “Tulikuwa tunaondoka Adana tu, lango la mji likafunguka nyuma yetu, na mtu akapaza sauti: ‘Habari njema! Yule mtu amekufa!’344 67.11

“It was no trouble,” I told him. Then I said, “Listen here! As of today, you have people prepared to follow your example. If you say the Qurʾan is created, many of them will say the same. If you resist, many of them will too. Think about it: even if that man doesn’t kill you, you’re going to die sooner or later anyway. So fear God and don’t give in!” “God’s will be done!” said Aḥmad, weeping. “God’s will be done!” Then he said, “Abū Jaʿfar, repeat what you said for me.” So I repeated it, and again he said “God’s will be done! God’s will be done!” [Ṣāliḥ:] My father told me: “We were just leaving Adana when the city gate opened behind us and someone called out: ‘Good news! That man is dead!’344 67.11

"Nilikuwa nikimwomba Mungu kwamba nisiwahi kukutana naye kamwe." [Al-Būshanjī:] Nilimsikia Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal akisema: "Mara tatu nimemwomba Mungu jambo, na mara mbili nimeona ombi langu likitimizwa. Nilimwomba anizuie kumwona al-Maʾmūn, nikamwambia sitaki kumwona al-Mutawakkil. Basi, sikuwahi kumwona al-Maʾmūn."345 67.12

“I had been praying I would never meet him.” [Al-Būshanjī:] I heard Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal say, “Three times I’ve asked God for something and twice seen my request granted. I asked Him to keep me away from al- Maʾmūn, and I told Him I didn’t want to see al-Mutawakkil. Well, I never saw al- Maʾmūn.”345 67.12

Mamaʾmūn alifariki dunia katika Badhandūn—mto katika eneo la Byzantine—wakati Aḥmad alikuwa amefungwa jela huko al-Raqqah. Al-Muʿtaṣim alipokea kiapo cha utii huko Anatolia kisha akarudi Iraq. Aḥmad alirudishwa Baghdad mwaka 218 [833], na ni al-Muʿtaṣim aliyemhukumu. Kuhusu al-Mutawakkil, alipomleta Aḥmad ikulu ili awafundishe watoto wake Hadith, alimtazama kupitia sehemu ya siri, yaani aliona Aḥmad lakini Aḥmad hakumwona kamwe.

Al-Maʾmūn died at the Badhandūn—a river in Byzantine territory—while Aḥmad was locked up in al-Raqqah. Al-Muʿtaṣim received the oath of allegiance in Anatolia and returned to Iraq. Aḥmad was brought back to Baghdad in 218 [833], and it was al- Muʿtaṣim who tried him. As for al-Mutawakkil, when he brought Aḥmad to the palace to instruct his children in Hadith, he observed him from a secret compartment, meaning that he saw Aḥmad but Aḥmad never saw him.

[Ṣāliḥ:] Baba yangu na Muḥammad ibn Nūḥ walirudishwa kutoka Tarsus bado wamefungwa minyororo. Walipofika al-Raqqah, waliwekwa kwenye mashua. Huko ʿĀnāt,346

[Ṣāliḥ:] My father and Muḥammad ibn Nūḥ were sent back from Tarsus still in irons. When they reached al-Raqqah, they were put onto a boat. At ʿĀnāt,346

Muḥammad ibn Nūḥ alifariki dunia na minyororo yake ikaondolewa. Baba yangu aliswali juu ya mwili wake. 67.13

Muḥammad ibn Nūḥ died and his chains were removed. My father prayed over his body. 67.13

[Ḥanbal:] Nilimsikia Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal akisema: “Sijawahi kumwona mtu mdogo kiumri wala asiye na elimu aliyesimama kumtetea Mwenyezi Mungu kwa ujasiri zaidi ya Muḥammad ibn Nūḥ. Natumai Mwenyezi Mungu alimwokoa alipofariki! 67.14

[Ḥanbal:] I heard Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal say: “I never saw anyone so young or so unlearned stand up for God more bravely than Muḥammad ibn Nūḥ. I hope God saved him when he died! 67.14

"Siku moja, tulipokuwa wawili peke yetu, aliniambia, 'Aḥmad, mche Mungu! Mche Mungu! Wewe na mimi hatufanani. Wewe ni mtu ambaye watu wanamfuata, na kila mtu anakutazama na kusubiri ataona nini utafanya. Mche Mungu, na simama imara!'—au maneno yenye maana hiyo. Fikiria akijaribu kunitia nguvu na kunionya nifanye lililo sahihi! Na angalia kilichomtokea: aliugua na mwishowe akafa kando ya barabara fulani. Niliswali juu yake na kumzika." Huenda pia aliongeza: "Hilo lilitokea huko ʿĀnāh." Aḥmad ibn ʿAlī ibn Thābit alisimulia kwamba Muḥammad ibn Nūḥ alifariki mwaka 218 [833].

“One day, when the two of us were alone, he said to me, ‘Aḥmad, fear God! Fear God! We’re nothing alike, you and I. You’re a man people follow and everyone is watching and waiting to see what you’ll do. Fear God, and stand firm!’—or words to that effect. Imagine him trying to keep me strong and warn me to do the right thing! And look what happened to him: he fell sick and ended up dying by the side of a road somewhere. I prayed over him and buried him.” He may have added: “That was in ʿĀnāh.” Aḥmad ibn ʿAlī ibn Thābit reported that Muḥammad ibn Nūḥ died in 218 [833].