Imam Abu Abdullah Ahmad bin Hanbal (164 AH - 241 AH) alizaliwa na kufariki huko Baghdad. Mama yake na mjomba wake walimlea kutokana na kifo cha baba yake alipokuwa mdogo sana.

Imam Abu Abdullah Ahmad bin Hanbal (164 AH - 241 AH) was born and passed away in Baghdad. His mother and his uncle took care of him due to the death of his father when he was very young.

Baghdad wakati huo ilikuwa ikishuhudia harakati kubwa sana ya kielimu, na ilikuwa mji mkuu wa Dola ya Kiislamu. Ilikuwa makazi ya wanachuoni na wasomi wengi. Ni katika mazingira haya ambapo Imam Ahmad alisoma Qur'an, lugha ya Kiarabu, Hadith, kauli za Maswahaba (ra), na Siyrah ya Mtume (ﷺ). Tangu akiwa mdogo ilidhihirika wazi kwamba Imam Ahmad alikuwa na uwezo mkali na wa kina wa kiakili.

Baghdad at that time was experiencing a very strong intellectual movement, and was the capital of the Islamic State. It was residence for many scholars and intellectuals. It was in this environment that Imam Ahmad studied the Qur‟an, Arabic language, Hadith, the sayings of the Sahabah (ra), and the Seerah of the Prophet (saw). At an early age it was quite evident that Imam Ahmad possessed a very sharp and keen intellectual ability.

Alijulikana kuwa alikuwa mzito sana katika ujana wake. Akiwa na umri wa takriban miaka 15, mwaka 179 AH, alianza kusoma na kuhifadhi Elimu ya Hadith, chini ya malezi ya Qadi Abu Yusuf. Mwaka 186 AH Imam Ahmad alianza kusafiri kwenda Basra, Hijaz na Yemen. Imepokewa kwamba alikwenda Hijaz angalau mara tano. Mwaka 187 AH alikutana na Imam Shafi‘i huko Makkah. Huko Yemen alipokea Hadith kutoka kwa Az-Zuhri na Ibn Musayeb.

He was known to be very serious in his youth. At about 15 years of age, in 179 AH, he began studying and taking care of the Science of Hadith, under the tutelage of Qadi Abu Yusuf. In 186 AH Imam Ahmad began travelling to Basra, Hijaz and Yemen. It is reported that he went to Hijaz at least five times. In 187 AH he met Imam Shafi‟i in Makkah. In Yemen he took Hadith from Az-Zuhri and Ibn Musayeb.

Mtu mmoja alimuuliza kuhusu ratiba yake yenye safari nyingi, naye akajibu: "Nitaweka kalamu yangu nami hadi kaburini." Alikutana tena na Imam Shafi'i mjini Baghdad na akasoma katika halaqa ya Imam Shafi'i. Imam Shafi'i alisema: "Nilipoondoka Baghdad, sikumwacha nyuma yangu mtu aliye na elimu zaidi na bora kuliko Ahmad."

A person once asked him about his busy travelling schedule and he replied; “I will keep my pen with me all the way to the grave.” He met Imam Shafi‟i again in Baghdad and studied in Imam Shafi‟i‟s Halaqah. Imam Shafi‟i said, “When I left Baghdad, I did not leave behind me a person more knowledgeable and better than Ahmad”.

Imam Ahmad alikuja katika wakati wa thamani sana, kwa kuwa alipata nafasi ya kusoma yale yaliyokwisha kuandikwa na wanazuoni wakubwa waliomtangulia, kama vile Al-Aathar ya Yusuf bin Qadi Abu Yusuf, kazi za Muhammad ibn Hasan, Imam Shafi‟i, na Al-Muwatta ya Imam Malik. Aliweza kujifunza Hadith, Sunnah na Fiqh zote pamoja. Alikusanya Hadith 40,000 katika kitabu chake maarufu kiitwacho Al Musnad. Katika kitabu hiki aliziweka Hadith kulingana na majina ya Sahaba (ra) waliozipokea, pamoja na Fiqh ya Sahaba (ra).

Imam Ahmad came up at a very opportune time, in that he got a chance to read what was already documented by the great scholars before him such as Al-Aathar by Yusuf bin Qadi Abu Yusuf, the works of Muhammad ibn Hasan, Imam Shafi‟i and Imam Malik‟s Al-Muwatta. He was able to study Hadith, Sunnah and Fiqh all together. He collected 40,000 Ahadith in his famous book called Al Musnad. In this book he classified the Hadith based on the names of the Sahabah (ra) who reported them, as well as the Fiqh of the Sahabah (ra).

Akiwa na umri wa miaka 40, alianza halaqah yake mwenyewe, ingawa imeripotiwa kwamba kabla ya hapo alikuwa tayari anatoa fatwa. Alikuwa akitoa halaqah mbili: moja ilikuwa ya wazi kwa umma, na nyingine ilikuwa kwa wanafunzi wake na watoto wake. Alikuwa akiwaagiza wanafunzi wake kuandika hadith, lakini hakuwahimiza kuandika fatwa zake.

At the age of 40, he began his own Halaqah, although it was reported that before this he had already been issuing Fatwa. He used to give two Halaqahs, one was public and the other was for his students and his children. He used to instruct his students to write down the Hadith and did not encourage them to write down his Fatawa.

Mtu mmoja alimwandikia Imam Ahmad barua akimwomba ajadiliane na mtu mmoja kutoka kwa Muttakillimeen (wale wanaofuata 'Ilm ul Kalaam). Imam Ahmad alijibu kwamba tayari alikuwa amepata nafasi ya kukutana na watu wa Muttakillimeen, lakini alichagua kutokaa nao chini kujadiliana na watu hao wapotovu. Maoni ya Imam Ahmad yalikuwa kwamba Kitabu cha Allah ni lazima kichukuliwe kama kilivyoteremshwa.

A man wrote a letter to Imam Ahmad asking him to debate with a person from the Muttakillimeen (one who practices „Ilm ul Kalaam). Imam Ahmad replied that he already had the chance to meet with those from the Muttakillimeen but he chose not to sit down with those deviant people. Imam Ahmad‟s opinion was that the Book of Allah had to be taken the way it was revealed.

Kwa sababu ya msimamo huo, mara nyingi alikuwa akikinzana na kupambana moja kwa moja na watu kama Mu‟tazilah, ambao wakati huo walikuwa wakiungwa mkono na Khalifa Ma'mun. Mu‟tazilah walikuwa wakisema kwamba Qur'an imeumbwa, na walitengeneza mtazamo huu kama jibu kwa msimamo uliokuwa ukishikiliwa na baadhi ya Wakristo wakati huo.

Because of such a position, he was usually at odds and in direct confrontation with people like Mu‟tazilah, who at that time were supported by the Khaleefah Mamun. The Mu‟tazilah used to say that the Qur‟an was created and developed this opinion as a reaction to a position held by some of the Christians at that time.

Mkristo mmoja wakati huo aliyeitwa Yuhannah Al-Damashqee alikuwa akiwafundisha wafuasi wake kwamba njia bora ya kujadiliana na Waislamu ilikuwa ni kuwauliza kuhusu usemi au neno la Allah, na kama lilikuwa la milele au la. Wakisema ni la milele, basi Yesu (Isa) pia angelazimika kuwa wa milele kwa kuwa Qur'an inasema Yesu ni Kalimat-ul-Allah, yaani neno la Allah. Wakisema kwamba usemi wa Allah si wa milele, hii ingemaanisha kwamba usemi wa Allah uliumbwa.

A Christian during that time called Yuhannah Al-Damashqee used to instruct his followers that the best way to debate with the Muslims was to ask them about Allah‟s speech or word, and whether it was eternal or not. If they say it is eternal, then Jesus (Isa) would also have to be eternal since the Qur‟an says Jesus is Kalimat-ul-Allah, or Allah‟s word. If they say that Allah‟s speech is not eternal, then this would mean that Allah‟s speech was created.

Kutokana na ushawishi huu, Mu'tazilah walianza kushikilia maoni kwamba Qur'ani imeumbwa, wakidhani kwamba hili lingekata njia yoyote inayoweza kupelekea hitimisho kwamba Yesu ni wa milele. Maoni haya yalikubaliwa na Khalifa Al Mamun mwaka wa 212 AH, na mwaka wa 218 AH Al Mamun alianza kuwalazimisha watu maoni haya, akiweka adhabu kwa wale ambao hawatakubali kwamba Qur'ani imeumbwa.

Being influenced by this, the Mu‟tazilah began carrying the opinion that the Qur‟an was created, thinking that this would cut off any avenue that could lead to the conclusion that Jesus was eternal. This opinion was adopted by the Khaleefah Al Mamun in the year 212 AH, and in 218 AH Al Mamun began imposing this opinion on the people, enacting a punishment on those who would not say that the Qur‟an was created.

Wanazuoni mashuhuri wa madhehebu ya Hanbali:

Well-recognised Hanbali scholars:

Ibn Qudama al-Maqdisi.

 Ibn Qudama al-Maqdisi.

Al-Khiraqi.

 Al-Khiraqi.

Qadi Abu Ya‟la,.

 Qadi Abu Ya‟la,.

Ibn Taymiyyah.

 Ibn Taymiyyah.

Ibn al-Qayyim.

 Ibn al Qayyim.

Ibn Taymiyyah (661 AH - 728 AH) alizaliwa katika familia ambamo baba yake na babu yake wote walikuwa wanachuoni wa Madhehebu ya Hanbali. Chini ya usimamizi wa baba yake alihifadhi Qur'an, akasoma Hadith, na akajifunza Fiqh ya Hanbali. Baada ya uvamizi wa Baghdad mikononi mwa Watatari, alihamia Damascus ambako alijishughulisha na shughuli mbalimbali zilizolenga kupigana Jihadi dhidi ya Watatari waliovamia.

Ibn Taymiyyah (661 AH - 728 AH) was born in a family wherein both his father and grandfather were scholars of the Hanbali Madhab. Under the supervision of his father he memorised the Qur‟an, studied Hadith, and learned Hanbali Fiqh. After the invasion of Baghdad, at the hands of the Tartars, he moved to Damascus where he became engaged in various activities aimed at waging Jihad against the invading Tartars.

Anatambulika kama mtu aliyepinga taqlid au kuiga kwa upofu; hakufuata njia ya Usufi kamwe, na alikuwa akiita katika Jihadi. Pia alikuwa akiita kufuata fiqhi ya Hanbali, jambo ambalo mara nyingi lilimweka katika mgongano wa moja kwa moja na wale waliotumia fiqhi nyingine.

He is characterised as the one who rejected Taqleed or imitation; he never followed the Sufi approach and used to call for Jihad; and he used to call for Hanbali Fiqh, which often put him in direct confrontation with those who utilised other Fiqh.

Alitofautiana na maimamu wote wanne katika masuala mengi, na mara nyingi alikabiliwa na upinzani kwa sababu hiyo; hata hivyo, hakuwahi kuacha msimamo wake. Pia alivumilia maoni mengine mradi yalikuwa yamejengwa juu ya maandiko ya Kiislamu, hata yalipokinzana na maoni yake mwenyewe.

He disagreed with all four Imams on many issues and used to be confronted because of it; however, he never compromised his position. He also tolerated the other opinions as long as they were based on the Islamic texts, even though they conflicted with his own opinions.

Katika kitabu chake, Al Fatawa, aliandika kwamba Ahl as-Salaf walikuwa na maoni mengi, hata katika maeneo ya ʿAqeedah. Katika maisha yake yote, Ibn Taymiyyah hakuwahi kuvumilia dhulma kutoka kwa mtawala yeyote, na alifanya kazi bila kuchoka kwa ajili ya utekelezaji kamili na kamili wa Uislamu katika Dola ya Kiislamu.

In his book, Al Fatawa, he wrote that Ahl as-Salaf had many opinions, even in the areas of „Aqeedah. Throughout his life Ibn Taymiyyah never tolerated injustice from any ruler and worked tirelessly for the complete and comprehensive implementation of Islam in the Islamic State.

Ni jambo la kusikitisha kwamba baadhi ya Waislamu wanaoeneza mawazo na mitazamo ya Ibn Taymiyyah hutoa visingizio kwa watawala dhalimu na vyombo vyao, yaani maulamaa walioajiriwa. Wanafanya haya yote huku wakidai kwamba wanafuata mfano wa Ibn Taymiyyah. Ikiwa mtu anataka kumfuata kweli Ibn Taymiyyah, basi ni lazima afuate mtazamo wake wa kina kuhusu Uislamu. Kunukuu sentensi moja au maoni moja ya Ibn Taymiyyah na kuyatumia kama kanuni ya jumla kwa maisha yake yote kunamtendea vibaya katika kuwasilisha maisha ya msomi mkubwa wa Uislamu kama huyo.