Mwezi wa Rabīʿ I 227 [Januari 842], Abū Jaʿfar Hārūn al-Wāthiq, mwana wa al-Muʿtaṣim, alirithi ukhalifa. Ingawa Ibn Abī Duʾād alimshawishi aendelee kuwajaribu watu kuhusu suala la Qur'ani kuwa imeumbwa, yeye aliepuka kuingia tena katika mapambano na Aḥmad, ama kwa sababu alitambua uwezo wake wa kustahimili shinikizo, au kwa sababu aliogopa yatakayotokea iwapo Aḥmad angeadhibiwa. Hata hivyo, alimwandikia akisema, "Jihadhari kwamba kamwe tusikutane mahali pamoja." Basi Aḥmad alijificha kwa muda uliobaki wa utawala wa al-Wāthiq.

In Rabīʿ I 227 [January 842], Abū Jaʿfar Hārūn al-Wāthiq, son of al-Muʿtaṣim, succeeded to the caliphate. Although Ibn Abī Duʾād persuaded him to continue putting people to the test over the createdness of the Qurʾan, he avoided another confrontation with Aḥmad, either because he was aware of his ability to withstand coercion or because he was afraid of what would happen if Aḥmad were punished. He did, however, write to him saying, “Take care that we never find each other in the same place.” Aḥmad accordingly went into hiding for the remainder of al-Wāthiq’s reign.

Baada ya miezi kadhaa ya kuhama kutoka sehemu moja hadi nyingine, Aḥmad alijifungia nyumbani kwake, ambako alibaki hadi al-Wāthiq alipofariki. 72.1

After several months spent moving from one place to another, Aḥmad disappeared into his house, where he remained until al-Wāthiq died. 72.1

[Aḥmad ibn ʿAlī:] Alipokuwa mkimbizi, Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal alikaa kwa Isḥāq ibn Ibrāhīm ibn Hāniʾ al-Naysābūrī. 72.2

[Aḥmad ibn ʿAlī:] When he was a fugitive, Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal stayed with Isḥāq ibn Ibrāhīm ibn Hāniʾ al-Naysābūrī. 72.2

[Mwandishi:] Baba yake Isḥaq, Ibrāhīm ibn Hāniʾ, wakati mwingine hutajwa badala yake, lakini nyumba ni moja na ile ile.

[The author:] Isḥaq’s father, Ibrāhīm ibn Hāniʾ, is sometimes named instead, but the house is one and the same.

[Al-Baghawī:] Mwanzoni mwa mwaka wa 28 [mwishoni mwa mwaka 842], nilimsikia Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal akisoma Hadithi aliyoipokea Muʿawiyah, ambapo Mtume ﷺ anasema: "Hakuna kinachobaki katika dunia hii ya sasa isipokuwa taabu na mitihani mizito, basi jiandaeni kuwa imara." 72.3

[Al-Baghawī:] At the beginning of ’28 [late in 842], I heard Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal recite the Hadith reported by Muʿawiyah where the Prophet, God bless and keep him, says, “Nothing remains in this present world but adversity and tribulation, so prepare yourselves to be steadfast.” 72.3

Baadaye alisema, "Mungu, nakubali amri Yako," mara kwa mara.

Afterward he said, “God, I accept Your charge,” over and over.

Ibrāhīm ibn Hāniʾ: Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal alijificha kwangu kwa siku tatu. Kisha akasema, "Nitafutie mahali pengine pa kwenda." 72.4

[Ibrāhīm ibn Hāniʾ:] Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal hid at my place for three days. Then he said, “Find me somewhere else to go.” 72.4

Nilimwambia haikuwa salama, lakini alisisitiza, na aliahidi kuniambia jambo lenye manufaa nikifanya alichoniomba. Kwa hiyo nilimtafutia mahali pa kwenda. Alipokuwa akiondoka, alisema, "Mjumbe wa Mungu ﷺ alijificha pangoni kwa siku tatu kisha akahamia mahali pengine, na si sahihi kufuata mfano wake wakati wa neema lakini kutofuata wakati wa shida."414

I told him it wasn’t safe, but he insisted, and promised to tell me something useful if I did as he asked. So I found a place for him to go. As he was leaving, he said, “The Emissary of God hid in a cave for three days and then moved elsewhere, and it’s wrong to follow his example in good times but not in bad.”414

Ibrāhīm ibn Hāniʾ: Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal alijificha kwangu kwa usiku tatu. Kisha akasema, "Nitafutie mahali pengine pa kwenda." 72.5

[Ibrāhīm ibn Hāniʾ:] Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal hid at my place for three nights. Then he said, “Find me somewhere else to go.” 72.5

Nilimwambia kwamba haikuwa salama. Yeye akajibu, "Nabii, Mwenyezi Mungu amsifu na amlinde, alijificha pangoni kwa siku tatu kisha akahamia mahali pengine, na si sahihi kufuata mwenendo wake katika nyakati nzuri lakini si katika nyakati mbaya." Fatḥ akaongeza: Nilisoma hadithi hii kwa Ṣāliḥ na ʿAbd Allāh, ambao walisema kwamba ilikuwa mara ya kwanza kuisikia. Pia niliisoma kwa Isḥāq, mwana wa Ibrāhīm, ambaye alisema kwamba baba yake hakuwahi kumwambia jambo kama hilo.

I told him it wasn’t safe. He replied, “The Prophet, God bless and keep him, hid in a cave for three days and then moved elsewhere, and it’s wrong to follow his example in good times but not in bad.” Fatḥ added: I recited this report for Ṣāliḥ and ʿAbd Allāh, who said it was the first they had heard of it. I also recited it for Ibrāhīm’s son Isḥāq, who said that his father had never said any such thing to him.

[Abū Zur'ah:] Nilimuuliza Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal jinsi alivyoepuka upanga wa al-Mu'taṣim na mjeledi wa al-Wāthiq. Alisema, "Tumia ukweli kwenye jeraha lolote, nalo litapona."415 72.6

[Abū Zurʿah:] I asked Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal how he had escaped al-Muʿtaṣim’s sword and al-Wāthiq’s lash. He said, “Apply truthfulness to any wound, and it heals.”415 72.6

Imepokewa kwamba al-Wāthiq alikomesha Mateso ya Mahakama ya Kiislamu (Inquisition) baada ya kutazama mjadala uliomshawishi kuhusu njia iliyo bora zaidi.416 72.7

It is reported that al-Wāthiq put an end to the Inquisition after watching a debate that persuaded him of the better course.416 72.7

[Al-Muhtadī:] Kila mara baba yangu al-Wāthiq alipokuwa karibu kumuua mtu yeyote, sisi tulikuwa tukihudhuria kikao hicho. Siku moja mzee mmoja mwenye ndevu zilizopakwa rangi aliletwa akiwa amefungwa minyororo mizito. Baba yangu aliwaita Ibn Abī Duʾād na wenzake, kisha akamleta mtu huyo mbele. 72.8

[Al-Muhtadī:] Whenever my father al-Wāthiq was going to execute anyone, we would attend the session. One day an elderly man with a dyed beard was brought in, weighed down with fetters. My father summoned Ibn Abī Duʾād and his associates, then had the man brought forward. 72.8

"Amani iwe juu yenu," alisema mzee.

“Peace be upon you,” said the elder.

"Mungu asikupe amani!" alijibu baba yangu.

“May God not grant you peace!” retorted my father.

"Ee Amīr wa Waumini," alisema yule mzee, "umelelewa vibaya. Mungu anasema «Mtakapoamkiwa na yeyote, jibuni kwa salamu iliyo bora zaidi au mrudishe tu.»417 Lakini wewe hukurudisha salamu yangu wala hukutoa salamu iliyo bora zaidi." "Inaonekana tumemkuta mjadili," alisema Ibn Abī Duʾād.

“Commander of the Faithful,” said the elder, “you’ve been poorly raised. God says «When you are greeted by anyone, respond with a better greeting or at least return it.»417 But you neither returned my greeting nor offered a better one.” “It seems we have a debater on our hands,” said Ibn Abī Duʾād.

“Basi mjadili,” alisema baba yangu.

“Debate him, then,” said my father.

"Mzee! Unasemaje kuhusu Qur'ani?" 72.9

“Old man! What do you say regarding the Qurʾan?” 72.9

"Hiyo haitafaa." "Endelea." "Unasemaje kuhusu Qur'an?" "Ni kitu kilichoumbwa." "Je, Mtume, Abū Bakr, ʿUmar, ʿUthmān, ʿAlī, na Makhalifa Waongofu walilijua hilo, au hawakulijua?" "Hawakulijua." Mzee huyo alipiga kelele, "Mwenyezi Mungu atulinde!" "Mtume ﷺ hakulijua, wala Abū Bakr, wala ʿUmar, wala ʿUthmān, wala ʿAlī, wala Makhalifa Waongofu, lakini wewe unalijua!" Ibn Abī Duʾād alichanganyikiwa na kuaibika. "Nipe muda kidogo," alisema.

“That won’t do. Let me ask first.” “Go ahead.” “What do you say regarding the Qurʾan?” “It’s a created thing.” “Is that something that the Prophet, Abū Bakr, ʿUmar, ʿUthmān, ʿAlī, and the Righteous Caliphs were aware of, or not?” “They weren’t aware of it.” “God preserve us!” cried the elder. “The Prophet didn’t know about it, and neither did Abū Bakr, or ʿUmar, or ʿUthmān, or ʿAlī, or the Righteous Caliphs, but you do!” Ibn Abī Duʾād was stymied and abashed. “Give me a moment,” he said.