Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal - Biography

Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal (164 AH - 241 AH)

Name and Lineage

His name was Ahmad, and his kunya (patronymic) was Abu Abdullah. His father's name was Muhammad. His lineage is as follows:
Abu Abdullah Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Hanbal bin Hilal bin Asad bin Idris bin Abdullah Al-Zuhli Al-Shaybani, Al-Marwazi, Al-Baghdadi.

Birth and Education

His father, Muhammad binHanbal, came to Baghdad from Merv and settled there. Imam Ahmad was born in the month of Rabi’ al-Awwal in the year 164 AH in Baghdad.

After completing his primary education, he first studied under Imam Abu Yusuf, but later focused on Hadith. At the age of fifteen, in 179 AH, he attended the sessions of the famous Sheikh Hashim of Baghdad to listen to Hadith.

That same year, Imam Abdullah bin Mubarak visited Baghdad. When Imam Ahmad heard about him, he wanted to attend his gatherings, but by the time he arrived, Abdullah bin Mubarak had already left for Tartus and never returned to Baghdad. He passed away two years later.

After the death of his teacher, Imam Hashim, he traveled to various cities outside Baghdad, including Makkah, Madinah, Kufa, Basra, Syria, Yemen, and Jazira, to learn Hadith from various scholars.

Teachers

Imam Ahmad had numerous teachers from whom he gained knowledge in Fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) and Hadith. Among them were eminent scholars like Qadi Abu Yusuf, Imam Shafi’i, Sufyan bin Uyaynah, Yahya bin Sa’id al-Qattan, AbdurRahman bin Mahdi, Ismail, Abu Dawood al-Tayalisi, and Waki bin al-Jarrah.

These scholars were not only at the forefront in the field of Hadith transmission and scholarship, but they also reached the level of Ijtihad (independent legal reasoning) in jurisprudence.

Through extensive memorization and compilation of Hadith, Imam Ahmad became one of the leading scholars of Hadith and a mujtahid (independent jurist) of his time. Imam Ibrahim al-Harbi said, “I saw Imam Ahmad, and it seemed as if Allah had gathered in him the knowledge of the early and later generations.”

Imam Shafi’i said:
"When I left Baghdad, I left behind no one more pious or knowledgeable in Fiqh than Ahmad bin Hanbal."

Students

Many scholars studied under Imam Ahmad. More than 120 jurists learned Fiqh and Ijtihad from him, and they spread his legal opinions and methodology throughout the world.

Some of his notable students included:

• Salih bin Ahmad (his eldest son), who gained knowledge of Fiqh and Hadith from his father and other scholars. He passed away in 266 AH.
• Abu Bakr Ahmad bin Muhammad al-Khurasani, also known as Al-Asram, who transmitted many Hadith and legal opinions from Imam Ahmad. He passed away in 273 AH.
• Abdul Malik bin Abdul Hamid bin Mehran al-Maimooni, who remained in Imam Ahmad’s company for over twenty years. He was considered one of the most esteemed students and passed away in 274 AH.
• Imam Bukhari, Imam Muslim, and Imam Abu Dawood, who took great pride in being his students.

Imam Ahmad and Teaching

At the age of forty, Imam Ahmad established his own teaching circle. This happened after 204 AH, following the death of his teacher, Imam Shafi’i. His Hadith school became widely known, not only because of his deep knowledge of Hadith but also due to his piety and devotion.

Many students gathered in his circle, and hundreds of scribes were always ready to write down his teachings.

He lived on a modest income from renting out a part of his house, which some sources say was around seventeen dirhams per month. He also engaged in manual labor, such as collecting fallen grains after harvest, but he never accepted financial gifts from caliphs or the wealthy.

Imam Ahmad was against writing down legal opinions and fatwas, and he did not permit anyone to do so. However, despite his reluctance, his students documented his legal opinions, which were later compiled into multiple volumes.

Piety (Taqwa)

Imam al-Bayhaqi wrote that Imam Ahmad refused to pray behind his uncle and son or eat in their houses because they had accepted government positions. Wealthy merchants would offer him money, but he always declined.

During his studies in Yemen, he faced financial difficulties. His teacher, Imam Abdul Razzaq, secretly offered him money, but he refused, saying, “Allah will take care of my needs.”

His company reminded people of the Hereafter, and he had no interest in worldly affairs. When asked about a true trustee, he replied, “One who severs all expectations from others except Allah.”

The Trial of the ‘Created Quran’ Doctrine

During the rule of Caliph Al-Ma’mun, the Mu’tazilites (a theological sect) influenced the government to declare that the Quran was created. Scholars who refused to accept this doctrine faced severe consequences. Many scholars submitted, but Imam Ahmad and Muhammad bin Nuh al-Nisaburi refused.

As a result, both were arrested and taken to Caliph Al-Ma’mun. Along the way, a Bedouin advised Imam Ahmad, “You represent the Muslims. All eyes are on you. Do not let them down.”

This strengthened Imam Ahmad’s resolve. When they reached Al-Ma’mun’s court, the caliph swore that if Imam Ahmad did not accept his view, he would kill him with his own sword. However, before he could act, Al-Ma’mun died suddenly.

His successor, Al-Mu’tasim, continued the persecution. Imam Ahmad was imprisoned, chained, and tortured for thirty months. Despite severe beatings and near-death experiences, he refused to accept that the Quran was created. Eventually, he was released.

Faith and Beliefs

Imam Ahmad firmly adhered to Islamic beliefs. He considered the Quran to be the eternal, uncreated speech of Allah. He accepted Hadith and the sayings of the Companions and their followers. He believed in Divine Decree (Qadar), the balance between fear and hope, and the resurrection.

He held that Jesus (Isa bin Maryam) would return to Earth and defeat the Antichrist (Dajjal).

Musnad Imam Ahmad

Imam Ahmad’s most famous work in Hadith is Al-Musnad, a collection of around 30,000 to 40,000 Hadith, arranged according to the Companions who narrated them. This book served as a foundation for later Hadith scholars like Imam Bukhari and Imam Muslim.

Although some Hadith in Musnad are weak, scholars agree that it contains no fabricated (mawdu’) narrations. Imam Ahmad believed that all Hadith—whether strong, weak, or transmitted indirectly—were part of Islamic law.

Spread of the Hanbali School

Imam Ahmad’s students played a crucial role in spreading his teachings. His son Abdullah compiled and presented Al-Musnad. Other notable students like Abu Bakr Al-Asram, Abdul Malik Al-Maimooni, Abu Bakr Al-Marroozi, and Abu Bakr Al-Khallal dedicated themselves to preserving and disseminating his jurisprudence.

Today, the Hanbalischool remains one of the four major Sunni legal schools, known for its strong adherence to Hadith and traditional scholarship.