值得注意的是,艾哈迈德——愿真主喜悦他——即使在年少时也会给出教法裁决,被问及时便会背诵圣训,并不在意自己的年龄,这一点可从下面这则记载中得知。25.1

It is noteworthy that Aḥmad—God be pleased with him—would sometimes give legal opinions even in his youth and would recite Hadith if asked, without being concerned about his age, as we learn from the following report. 25.1

[Al-Qūmisī:] 在198年[814年]，我看见艾哈迈德·伊本·罕百勒靠在哈伊夫清真寺的宣礼塔旁。圣训学者们到来时，他开始给他们讲授圣训及其法律含义，并回答他们关于朝觐仪式的提问。

[Al-Qūmisī:] In 198 [814], I saw Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal leaning against the minaret at the mosque of al-Khayf.153 When the Hadith scholars arrived, he began teaching them Hadith and legal implications and answering their questions about the pilgrimage rites.

[Al-Qūmisī:] 在198年[814年]，伊本·欧耶奈还在世时，我在海夫清真寺见到了艾哈迈德·本·罕百勒，他正在就各种问题发表教法意见。我以前从未见过他，于是加入了围绕在他身边的人群，并问旁人他是谁。25.2

[Al-Qūmisī:] In 198 [814], when Ibn ʿUyaynah was still alive, I saw Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal at the mosque of al-Khayf, delivering legal opinions on all kinds of subjects. I had never seen him before, so I joined the group around him and asked someone who he was. 25.2

“你不是本地人，对吧？” “不是。” “那位是艾哈迈德·本·罕百勒。” 等众人散去，我才上前握住他的手，向他问好。从那时起，我们便相识至今。

“You’re not from here, are you?” “No.” “That’s Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal.” I waited until the group had broken up, then took his hand and greeted him. We’ve known each other ever since then.

[作者:] 然而需要指出的是，我们的楷模艾哈迈德——愿真主喜悦他——直到四十岁才开始主动教授圣训并给出教法见解。253

[The author:] It should nevertheless be noted that our exemplar Aḥmad—God be pleased with him—did not put himself forward to teach Hadith and give legal opinions until he was forty years old. 25.3

[伊本·沙尔：] 公元203年（818–819年），我去拜见艾哈迈德·伊本·罕百勒，请求他教我圣训，但他拒绝了，于是我外出随阿卜杜·拉扎格学习。然后在204年，我回来时发现艾哈迈德已年满四十，开始讲学，人们也都接受他作为权威。154

[Ibn al-Shāʿir:] I went to Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal in 203 [818–19] and asked him to teach me Hadith, but he refused so I went out to study with ʿAbd al-Razzāq. Then, in ’04, I came back and found that Aḥmad had turned forty and begun teaching, and people had accepted him as an authority.154

[Al-Ṣayrafī:] 我在艾哈迈德·本·罕百勒的门前，他提到了一段由阿卜杜·拉孜格传述的圣训。我请他为我口述此段。254

[Al-Ṣayrafī:] I was at Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal’s door and he mentioned a Hadith transmitted by ʿAbd al-Razzāq. I asked him to dictate it to me. 25.4

“那你拿它怎么办呢？这可是从我这里来的。”他问道。“ʿAbd al-Razzāq 还活着呢！”“我能跟你说件事吗？”“说吧。”“我发誓，即便你教给我，然后我离开你的门，却在你巷口的门前遇见了 ʿAbd al-Razzāq 本人，我也不会向他去问这件事。”[作者：] 即便是在讲授圣训时，Aḥmad 也会督促人们，去请教那些仍然在世的资深传述人。例如：25。5

“What would you do with it, coming from me?” he asked. “ʿAbd al-Razzāq is still alive!” “Can I tell you something?” “Go ahead.” “I swear that if you taught it to me and then I left your door and found ʿAbd al- Razzāq himself at the gate of your alley, I wouldn’t ask him about it.” [The author:] Even when he was teaching Hadith, Aḥmad would urge people to consult those senior transmitters who were still alive. For example: 25.5

[伊本·阿里·尔-瓦拉克：] 在公元828至829年（回历213年）时，我们去拜见艾哈迈德·伊本·罕百勒，我请他为我们讲授圣训。

[Ibn ʿAlī l-Warrāq:] In ’13 [828–9] we went to see Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal and I asked him to teach us Hadith.

“你以为我会先从别人那里听到吗？”他说，“在阿布·阿辛这样的人还活着的时候？去找他！”

“You’d hear it from me,” he said, “when men like Abū ʿĀṣim are still alive? Go to him!”