Imaam Ahmad's hikma of reasoning... and his suffering on speaking the Haqq !

Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal died 241H.

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 on 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, O Ahmad?"

Imam Ahmad said. ”In goodness and alhumdulillah except that in my cell, O Ameerul Mumineen, 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 rakah. In one rakah I recited Alhumdulillah and Qul Authoo bi rabin naas, and in the second rakah I recited Alhumdulillah and Qul authoo bi rabil Faalaq. Then I sat down, read the tashahud and gave salutation (to my right and left)… and then I stood again, made the takbeer and recited Alhumdulillah… and then I desired to read: Qul huwallahu ahad, And I was not able to. I tried hard to read something else from the Quran and I was not able. Then I stretched my eyes to the corner of the prison and (behold) I saw the Quraan 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, O Ahmad, and does the Quraan die!?" So Ahmad said to him “Well that is what you say – That its created. And everything 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 Allah 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 Dawud 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 one of them ”With how many lashes will you kill him?" He said ”With Ten, O Ammerul Mumineen.“ Then he replied ”Take him to yourself (beat 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 O Ameerul Mumineen?”

Al Mu’tasim said ”Strike him“, and he struck him with one lash. Imam Ahmad said ”Alhumdulillah.“ The he lashed him a second time and Imam Ahmad said ”Whatever Allah wills occurs.“ Then he struck him a third time and Imaam Ahmad said ”There is no movement nor power save that Allah, 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 could 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, the Majestic.

When Al Mu’tasim saw this he said ”Leave him.“ Then Ibn Abee Duwaad came to him and said ”O Ahmad, say in my ear The Quran is created so that I may save you from the hand of the khaleefah.” So Imam Ahmad said to him ”O Abee Duwaad, say in my ear The Quran is the Speech of Allah, it is not created, so that I may save you from the punishment of Allah, the Mighty, and Majestic.” Al Mu’tasim then said ”Place him in the prison.“

Sulaymaan said He was then carried to the prison and the people 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 in 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, O son of Hanbal?”

He said "in goodness and all praises are due to Allah.“ Al Mu’tasim said ”O Ahmad, I saw a dream yesterday.” He said ”And what did you see O Ameerul Mumineen?” 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 book and said to me ”This written is the dream that Ahmad ibn Hanbal saw in his cell. So what is it that you saw, O son of Hanbal?"

So Imaam Ahmad said to him ”O Ameerul Mumineen, I saw as if the Day of Judgement had been established, and as if Allah had gathered the first and the last 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 Allah, The Mighty, the Majestic, and He said to me… O Ahmad, for what were you beaten? I said ”On account of the Quraan.“ I said Your words Allah, belonging to you." He said from where do you (derive and) say this? I said "O my Lord, Abdur Razzaq narrated to me." So Abdur Razzaq was called for and he was brought, until he was made to stand in front of Allah. He said to him “What do you say about the Quran O Abdur Razzaaq?”

He said ”your words O Allah, belonging to you.” So Allah 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 Allah, the Mighty and the Magnificent, and He said to him ”What do you say about the Quran O Mamar?”

He said ”Your words, O Allah, belonging to you” So Allah said from where do you (derive and) say this? He said Az-Zuhree narrated to me." So Az-Zuhree was brought and made to stand in front of Allah the Mighty the Magnificent and He said to him "What do you say about the Quran O Zuhree?”

He said ”your words, belonging to you.“ So Allah said from where do you (derive and) say this?’ He said ”Urwah narrated to me.“ So Urwah was brought and made to stand in front of Allah the Mighty and the Magnificent and He said to him “O Urwah What do you say about the Quran?” He said ”Your words O Allah, belonging to you“. So Allah said from where do you (derive and) say this?” He said, ”Aaishah, the daughter of Abu Bakr as Siddeeq, narrated to me.“

So Aaishah was called for and she was brought until she was made to stand in front of Allah, the Mighty, the Magnificent, and He said to her ”What do you say about the Quran, O Aaisha?” She said ”Your words, belonging to you O Allah.“ So Allah said "from where do you (derive and) say this?” She said ”Your Prophet Muhammad (saws) narrated to me.“

He said so Muhammad was called for and he was brought, until he was made to stand in front of Allah, The Mighty and the Magnificent, and He said to him ”What do you say about the Quran O Muhammad?” He said ”Your words, O Allah, belonging to you.“ So Allah said from where do you (derive and) say this?” So The Prophet (saws) said ”Jibreel narrated to me“.

So Jibreel was called for and he was brought, until he was made to stand in front of Allah, The Mighty, The Magnificent, and He said to him ”What do you say about the Quraan, O Jibreel?” He said ”Your words, O Allah belonging to you.’ So Allah 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 Allah, the Mighty and Magnificent, and Allah, the Sublime, said to him, ”What did you say about the Quraan, O Israafeel?” He said ”Your words, O Allah belonging to you." So Allah said ”From where has this come to you?” He said "I saw that in the Lawhul Mahfooz”.

So the Preserved Tablet was brought and stood in front of Allah, the Mighty and Magnificent, and He said ”O Lawh, what do you say about the Quraan?” And it said ”Your words, O Allah, belonging to You." Then Allah the Exalted said ”From where has this come to you?” And the Lawh said ”Such did the Qalam inscribe upon me.”

Then the Pen was brought until it stood in front of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, so Allah, the Mighty and Majestic said to it, O Qalam, what do you say about the Quraan?” The Qalam said, ”Your words, O Allah, Belonging to you.” So Allah said, ”From where has this come to you?”

The Qalam said - ”You dictated and I wrote.“

Then Allah 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. Aaishah has spoken the truth. Urwah has spoken the truth. Az-Zuhree has spoken the truth. Ma’mar has spoken the truth. Abdur Razzaq has spoken the truth. Ahmad ibn hanbal has spoken the truth. The Quraan is my speech, it is not created.“

Sulayman as-Sijzee said Al Mu‘tasim cried upon hearing that and said ”You have spoken the truth, O son of Hanbal.” Then al Mu‘tasim repented, ordered the necks of Bishr al Mareesee and Ibn Abee Duwaad to be beaten and revered Ahmad ibn Hanbal and bestowed upon him, But Ahmad refrained from that. He was then ordered to be taken to his house and he was taken.

[Excerpt from ”Foundations of the Sunnah“ pg 93]