[Al-Mukharrimī:] Ukisikia mtu akimtukana Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, jua kwamba ni mzushi wa bid'ah. 97.1

[Al-Mukharrimī:] If you hear a man slander Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, you know he’s an innovator. 97.1

[Nuʿaym ibn Ḥammād:] Ukisikia Mwairaki akimkosoa Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, akitilia shaka dini yake, basi fanya hivyo hivyo, na ukisikia Mkhurasani akimkosoa Isḥāq ibn Rāhāwayh. 97.2

[Nuʿaym ibn Ḥammād:] If you hear an Iraqi criticize Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, doubt his religion, and do the same if you hear a Khurasani criticize Isḥāq ibn Rāhāwayh. 97.2

[Abū Zurʿah:] Ukimsikia Mkufi akimshambulia Sufyān al-Thawrī au Zāʾidah, basi uwe na uhakika kwamba yeye ni Mrafidhi. Ukimsikia Mshami akimshambulia Makḥūl au al-Awzāʿī, basi uwe na uhakika kwamba yeye ni mchukia ʿAlī. Ukimsikia Mbasra akimshambulia Ayyūb al-Sakhtiyānī au Ibn ʿAwn, basi uwe na uhakika kwamba yeye ni mfuasi wa hiari huru. Ukimsikia Mkhurasani akimshambulia ʿAbd Allāh ibn al-Mubārak, basi uwe na uhakika kwamba yeye ni Mwakhirishaji. Na pia ujue kwamba madhehebu hayo yote yana jambo moja la pamoja: yanamchukia Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal kwa sababu amewapiga majeraha mabaya yote. 97.3

[Abū Zurʿah:] If you hear a Kufan attack Sufyān al-Thawrī or Zāʾidah, you can be sure he’s a Rejectionist. If you hear a Syrian attack Makḥūl or al-Awzāʿī, you can be sure he’s an ʿAlī-hater. If you hear a Basran attack Ayyūb al-Sakhtiyānī or Ibn ʿAwn, you can be sure he’s an advocate of free will. If you hear a Khurasani attack ʿAbd Allāh ibn al-Mubārak, you can be sure he’s a Postponer. And you should also know that all those sects have one thing in common: they hate Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal because he’s inflicted mortal wounds on them all. 97.3

[Al-Ṣāghānī:] Mara ya kwanza nilipogundua kwamba Mungu hakumpendelea tena Isḥāq ibn Abī Isrāʾīl ni nilipomsikia akitaja "baadhi ya watu wanaojidai kuwa maalum kwa sababu wamepokea hadithi kutoka kwa Ibrāhīm ibn Saʿd," akimlenga Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal. Sababu ya chuki yake ilikuwa kwamba Mungu alimwacha yeye katika kutojulikana huku akimfanya Ibn Ḥanbal kuwa maarufu. 97.4

[Al-Ṣāghānī:] The first time I realized that God no longer favored Isḥāq ibn Abī Isrāʾīl was when I heard him refer to “some people who claim to be special because they’ve heard reports from Ibrāhīm ibn Saʿd,” alluding to Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal. The reason for his resentment was that God had left him in obscurity while making Ibn Ḥanbal famous. 97.4

[Al-Dawraqī:] Ukisikia mtu yeyote akimsema vibaya Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, shuku Uislamu wake. 97.5

[Al-Dawraqī:] If you hear anyone speak ill of Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, doubt his Islam. 97.5

[Sufyān ibn Wakīʿ:] Sisi tunamwona Aḥmad kama kipimo: yeyote anayemkosoa, kwetu sisi ni mwenye dhambi. 97.6

[Sufyān ibn Wakīʿ:] We think of Aḥmad as the standard: anyone who finds fault with him is a sinner to us. 97.6

Al-Hamadhānī: Aḥmad ni mtihani unaotenganisha Waislamu na wazushi.7

[Al-Hamadhānī:] Aḥmad is the test that separates Muslims from heretics. 97.7

[Al-Ṣāʾigh:] Kila ninapokutana na mtu wa Hadith nisiyemjua, huhakikisha kuleta jina la Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal. Akizungumza juu yake kwa shauku, najua kwamba yuko sawa. Asipozungumza chochote, najua kwamba hafai. 97.8

[Al-Ṣāʾigh:] Whenever I meet a Hadith-man I don’t know I make sure to bring up Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal. If the man speaks of him with enthusiasm I know he’s all right. If he says nothing I know he’s no good. 97.8

[Abū Jaʿfar:] Ibn Aʿyan aliisoma mashairi haya kuhusu Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal: 97.9

[Abū Jaʿfar:] Ibn Aʿyan recited these verses about Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal: 97.9

Ili kujua nani anayeshikilia dini kwa uthabiti, kuna kipimo kimoja muhimu.

To know who holds religion firm One test is the key:

Mtu anayezungumza vibaya kuhusu Aḥmad anakubali kuwa mzushi.529

A man who speaks of Aḥmad ill Admits to heresy.529

[Al-Karābīsī:] Watu wanaomfuata Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal wangeweza pia kupanda Mlima Abū Qubays na kujaribu kuuangusha kwa viatu vyao. 97.10

[Al-Karābīsī:] People who go after Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal might as well go up to Mount Abū Qubays and try to knock it down with their sandals. 97.10