n Abee Ya’laa reports in his Tabaqaatul-Hanaabilah 121, 1/163-167, from Sulaymaan ibn ‘Abdullaah as-Sijzee (who said), “I came to the door of al-Mu’tasim and saw that the people had crowded together at his door, as if it was the day of ‘Eed. I entered the place and saw a spread out carpet and a chair that had been thrown o*n the floor. I stood facing the chair and whilst I was standing, al-Mu’tasim approached and sat o*n the chair. He removed his shoes from his feet and placed o*ne foot o*n top of the other. Then he said, ‘Let Imaam Ahmad be present,’ so he was brought out in his presence. After Imaam Ahmad had stood in front of him and greeted him he (al- Mu’tasim) said, ‘0 Ahmad, speak and do not be afraid.’ So Imaam Ahmad said, “By Allaah, 0 Ameeru Mu’mineen, I have just entered upon you and there is not a seed’s weight of anxiety in my heart.”
Al-Mu’tasim said to him, ‘What do you say about the Qur’aan?’ He said, “The speech of Allaah, eternal, not created. Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, said: “And if anyone of the Mushrikeen seeks your protection, then grant him protection, so that he may hear the Word of Allaah (the Qur’aan).” 122 So he said, ‘Do you have a proof other than this?’ Imaam Ahmad replied, “Yes, 0 Ameerul-Mu’mineen, the saying of Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic: “Ar-Rahmaan. He taught you (mankind) the Qur’aan.” 123 And He did not say: ‘Ar-Rahmaan. He created the Qur’aan.’ And His saying, the Mighty and Majestic: “Yaa seen. By the Qur’aan, full of wisdom” 124 And He did not say: ‘Yaa Seen. By the Qur’aan (that is) created.’
So al-Mu’tasim said, ‘Imprison him.’ So he was imprisoned and the people dispersed. When I arose (the next morning) I made my way to the door (of al-Mu’tasim) and the people were entering, so I entered along with them. Al-Mu’tasim approached and sat o*n his chair and said, ‘Bring Ahmad ibn Hanbal,’ and so he was brought. When he stood in front of him, al-Mu’tasim said to him, ‘How were you in your cell yesterday, 0 Ahmad?’ Imaam Ahmad said, “In goodness, and all praises are due to Allaah, except that in my cell, 0 Ameerul-Mu’mineen, I saw something amazing.”
He said to him, ‘And what did you see?’ So he replied, “I arose in the middle of the night, performed ablution for the prayer and prayed two rak’ahs. In o*ne rak’ah I recited: ‘Al.Hamdulillaah ...‘ and ‘QulA’oodhu bi-Rabbin.Naas,’ and in the second rak’ah: ‘Alhamdulillaah ...‘ and ‘Qul.A’oodhu bi- Rabbil-Falaq.’ Then I sat down, read the tashahhud and gave salutation (to my right and left). Then I stood (again), made the takbeer and recited: ‘Alhamdulillaah ...‘ and then I desired to read: ‘Qul-Huwallaahu-Ahad,’ and I was not able. I tried hard to read something else from the Qur’aan and I was not able. . Then I stretched my eyes to the corner of the prison and (behold) I saw the Qur’aan laid out (on the floor), dead. So I washed it and shrouded it, then prayed over it and buried it.” So al-Mu’tasim said, ‘Woe be to you, 0 Ahmad, and does the Qur’aan die!?’ So Ahmad said to him, “Well, that is what you say — that it is created. And everything that is created dies.” Al-Mu’tasim said, ‘Ahmad has subdued us, Ahmad has subdued us.’
Then Ibn Abee Duwaad and Bishr al-Mareesee said, ‘Kill him, so that we can rest (in his absence).’ Al-Mu’tasim said, ‘I have pledged to Allaah that I will not kill him with a sword and that I will not order for him to be killed with a sword.’ Ibn Abee Duwaad said to him, ‘(Then) lash him with a whip.’ So al-- Mu’tasim said, ‘Yes,’ and then said, ‘Bring the executioners,’ and so they were brought.
Al-Mu’tasim said to o*ne of them, ‘With how many lashes will you kill him?’ He said, ‘With ten, 0 Ameerul-Mu‘mineen.’ Then he replied, ‘Take him to yourself (heat him).’ Sulaymaan as-Sijzee continued, ‘So Imaam Ahmad was undressed and made to wear a garment of wool around his waist. Two new ropes were drawn tight around his hands. The man took the whip in his hand and said, ‘Shall I strike him, 0 Ameerul-Mu’mineen?’’ Al-Mu’tasim said, ‘Strike him,’ and he struck him with o*ne lash. Imaam Ahmad said, “All praise is due to Allaah” Then he lashed him a second time and Imaam Ahmad said, “Whatever Allaah will occurs.” Then he struck him a third time and lmaam Ahmad said, “There is no movement nor power save that of Allaah, the Most High, the Mighty.”
When the man desired to strike him a fourth time I looked at the garment around his waist and it had become loose. He wished that he should fall to the ground, so he raised his head towards the sky and moved his lips — and suddenly the earth shook and two hands came out of it, and supported his weight, by the power of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic. When al-Mu’tasim saw that he said, ‘Leave him,’ then Ibn Abee Duwaad came to him and said, ‘0 Ahmad, say in my ear: ‘The Qur’aan is created,’ So that I may save you from the hand of the khaleefah.’ So Imaam Ahmad said to him, “0 Ibn Abee Duwaad, say in my ear: ‘The Qur’aan is the Speech of Allah, it is not created,’ so that I save you from the punishment of Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic.” Al-Mu’tasim then said, ‘Place him into the prison.’
Sulaymaan said, ‘He was then carried to the prison and the people departed, so I departed with them. Then when the next day arrived the people came (to the door of al-Mu’tasim) so I came with them and stood in front of the chair. Then al- Mu’tasim appeared and sat o*n the chair and said, ‘Bring Ahmad ibn Hanbal.’ So he was brought and when he stood in front of him al-Mu’tasim said to him, ‘How were you in your cell during the night, 0 son of Hanbal?’
He said, “In goodness, and all praises are due to Allaah.” Al- Mu‘tasim said, ‘0 Ahmad, I saw a dream yesterday.’ He said, “And what did you see, 0 Ameerul-Mu’mineen?” He said, ‘I saw in my dream as if there were two lions approaching me and they desired to tear me apart. And then two angels appeared and repelled them from me. They gave me a hook and said to me, ‘This written (piece) is the dream that Ahmad ibn Hanbal saw in his cell.’ So what is it that you saw, 0 son of Hanbal?’ So Ahmad faced al-Mu’tasim and said, “0 Ameerul-Mu’mineen,
is the book with you?” He said, ‘Yes, and when I awoke, I read what was in it.
So Ahmad said to him, “0 Ameerul-Mu’mineen, I saw as if the Day of Judgement had been established, and as if Allaah had gathered the first and the last (of people) in a single plain and He was calling them to account. Whilst I was standing, I was called for, so I proceeded until I stood in front of Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, and He said to me, ‘0 Ahmad, for what were you beaten?’ I said, “On account of the Qur’aan.” He said, “And what is the Qur’aan?” I said, “Your words, 0 Allaah, belonging to You.” He said, ‘From where do you (derive and) say this?’ I said, “0 Lord, ‘Abdur-Razzaaq narrated to me.” So ‘AbdurRazzaaq was called for and he was brought, until he was made to stand in front of Allaah, the Mighty and Magnificent, and He said to him, ‘What do you say about the Qur’aan, 0 ‘Abdur-Razzaaq?’
He said, ‘Your words, 0 Allaah, belonging to You,’ so Allaah said, ‘From where do you (derive and) say this?’ He said, ‘Ma’mar narrated to me.’ So Ma’mar was called for and he was brought, until he was made to stand in front of Allaah, the Mighty and Magnificent, and He said to him, ‘What do you say about the Qur’aan, 0 Ma’mar?’ He said, ‘Your words, 0 Allaah, belonging to You,’ so Allaah said, ‘From where do you (derive and) say this?’ He said, ‘Az-- Zuhree narrated to me.’ So az-Zuhree was called for and he was Brought, until he was made to stand in front of Allaah, the Mighty and Magnificent, and He said to him, ‘What do you say about the Qur’aan, 0 Zuhree?’He said, ‘Your words, 0 Allaah, belonging to You,’ So Allaah said, ‘From where do you (derive and) say this?’ He said, “Urwah narrated to me.’ So ‘Urwah was brought, and He said to him, ‘What do you say about the Qur’aan?’ He said, ‘Your Words, 0 AIIaah, belonging to You,’ so Allaah said, ‘0 ‘Urwah, from where do you (derive and) say this?’ He said, “Aa’ishah, the daughter of Aboo Bakr as-Siddeeq, narrated to me.’ So ‘Aa’ishah was called for and she was brought, until she was made to stand in front of Allaah, the Mighty and Magnificent, and He said to her, ‘What do you say about the Qur’aan, 0 ‘Aa’ishah?’ She said, ‘Your words, 0 Allaah, belonging to You,’ so Allaah said, ‘From where do you (derive and) say this?’ She said, ‘Your Prophet Muhammad (swallallahu alaihi wasallam) narrated to me.’ He said, ‘So Muhammad (swallallahu alaihi wasallam) was called for and he was brought, until he was made to stand in front of Allaah, the Mighty and Magnificent, and He said to him, ‘What do you say about the Qur’aan, 0 Muhammad?’ He said, ‘Your words, 0 Allaah, belonging to You,’ so Allaah said, ‘From where has this come to you?’ So the Prophet (swallallahu alaihi wasallam) said, ‘Jibreel narrated to me.’
So Jibreel was called for and he was brought, until he was made to stand in front of Allaah, the Mighty and Magnificent, and He said to him, ‘What do you say about the Qur’aan, 0 Jibreel?’ He said, ‘Your words, 0 Allaah belonging to You,’ so Allaah said, ‘From where has this come to you?’ He said, ‘Such did Israafeel narrate to me. So Israafeel was called for and he was brought, until he was made to stand in front of Allaah, the Mighty and Magnificent, and Allaah, the Sublime, said to him, ‘What do you say about the Qur’aan, 0 Israafeel?’ He said, ‘Your words, 0 Allaah, belonging to You,’ so Allaah said, ‘From where has this come to you?’ He said, ‘I saw that in the Lawhul-Mahfooz (the Preserved Tablet).’
So the Preserved Tablet was brought and stood in front of Allaah, the Mighty and Magnificent, and He said, ‘0 Lawh, what do you say about the Qur’aan?’ And it said, ‘Your words, 0 Allaah, belonging to You.’ Then Allaah, the Exalted said, ‘From where has this come to you?’ And the Lawh said, ‘Such did the Qalam (the Pen) inscribe upon me.’ Then the Pen was brought until it stood in front of Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, so Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, said to it, ‘0 Qalam, what do you say about the Qur’aan?’ The Qalam said, ‘Your words, 0 Allaah, belonging to You.’ So Allaah said, ‘From where has this come to you?’ The Qalam said — ‘You dictated and I wrote.’ Then Allaah, the Mighty and Magnificent, said, ‘The Qalam has spoken the truth. The Lawh has spoken the truth. Israafeel has spoken the truth. Jibreel has spoken the truth. Muhammad has spoken the truth. ‘Aa’ishah has spoken the truth. ‘Urwah has spoken the truth. Az-Zuhree has spoken the truth. Ma’mar has spoken the truth. ‘Abdur-Razzaaq has spoken the truth. Ahmad ibn Hanbal has spoken the truth. The Qur’aan is My Speech, it is not created.’
Sulaymaan as-Sijzee said, ‘Al-Mu’tasim leapt upon hearing that and said, ‘You have spoken the truth, 0 son of Hanbal.’ Then al- Mu’tasim repented, ordered the necks of Bishr al-Mareesee and Ibn Abee Duwaad to be beaten and revered Ahmadl ibn Hanbal and bestowed upon him, but (Ahmad) refrained from that. He was then ordered to be taken to his house and was taken.’
dear brother in Islam,
