Virtues of the Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal: Volume Two (Library of

Virtues of the Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal: Volume Two (Library of Arabic Literature)

Ahmad ibn Hanbal (d. 241 H/855 AD), renowned for his profound knowledge of hadithâ€”the reports of the Prophetâ€™s sayings and deedsâ€”is a major figure in the history of Islam. Ibn Hanbalâ€™s piety and austerity made him a folk hero, especially after his principled resistance to the attempts of two Abbasid caliphs to force him to accept rationalist doctrine. His subsequent imprisonment and flogging became one of the most dramatic episodes of medieval Islamic history. Ibn Hanbalâ€™s resistance influenced the course of Islamic law, the rise of Sunnism, and the legislative authority of the caliphate.Â
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Virtues of the Imam Ahmad ibn HanbalÂ is a translation of the biography of Ibn Hanbal penned by the Baghdad preacher, scholar, and storyteller, Ibn al-Jawzi (d. 597 H/1201 AD). It includes insights into Ibn Hanbalâ€™s childhood, travels, and teachings, as well as descriptions of his way of life.Â This second and final volumeÂ gives a vivid account ofÂ Ibn Hanbalâ€™sÂ legendary confrontation with the caliphal Inquisition, including his imprisonment, trial, and flogging. Ultimately, it recounts how the people of Baghdad came to admire him as a symbol of Sunni Islam.

Virtues of the Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal: Volume Two (Library of Arabic Literature)