A Call for Coexistence

Episode 19

In the name of Allah[1], the All-Merciful, the Ever-Merciful.  Peace and blessings of Allah be upon Prophet Muhammad (SAWS[2]). 

Today we will continue with Imam[3] Ahmad Ibn-Hanbal.  In the last episode, we talked about how Imam Ahmad preserved the sunnah[4] by gathering all the ahadith[5] of the Prophet (SAWS) in one book, Musnad al-Imam Ahmad, from the age of 16 until 40.  In this episode, we will talk about Imam Ahmad's second achievement which is defending the simplicity of the Islamic aqeedah           (creed) and principles through his uncompromising stance during the trial of the creation of Qura'n.

The Trial:

Due to the vast Muslim expeditions, many people from various backgrounds embraced Islam bringing in their different cultures.  In addition, a new group emerged who adopted Islam out of fear following the decline of the Roman and Persian Empires.  Those harbored envy and hatred for Muslims and secretly wanted to fight Islam.  As they were unable to do so by traditional ways, they strove to corrupt the essence of the religion which is the simple Islamic creed.  Actually, what always inspired people to embrace Islam was its simple, clear-cut creed: to worship one god who sent His Messengers to guide us to His path.  It is very simple as Allah (SWT[6]) says in the Noble Qur’an what can be translated as, “And in no way were they commanded anything except to worship Allah, making the religion His faithfully (and) unswerving, and to keep up prayer, and bring the Zakat; (i.e., pay the poor-dues) and that is the Religion most upright” (TMQ[7], 98:5).  

Among those were al-Mu’tazilah, a group of extremists who lived in Iraq, and who forced foreign ideas into Islam making it seem like a complicated religion.  One of their most corrupt ideas is the idea of the ‘creation of the Qur’an’.  I really do not want to go into details about this, as it is a very obscure and complicated philosophy.  However, very briefly, it implies that the Qur’an is not simply just the words of Allah (SWT) as all Muslims believe, but they claimed that it is something new, which is a creation.  For if it was old, that meant that there were numerous ‘old ones’, which meant that there were many gods just like in the Greek and Roman traditions.  Do you understand anything?  Does it seem too complicated?  That is precisely what they strove to aspire, making Islam seem like a very complicated process!

They strived for 50-60 years to spread this sedition through debates and discussions but were faced by Imam Abu-Hanifa.  Therefore, they realized that the best way to spread their corrupt ideas was by being close to the Caliphate (the Muslim ruler) by becoming members in his parliament.  They had been trying to achieve this throughout the years but only succeeded during the rule of al-Ma’mun.  There was one particular man, Ibn-Abu-Dawud, who became the Caliph's consultant and who convinced him that they should spread the idea of the ‘creation of the Qur’an’ and let all the scholars approve it so that people would accept it.  Imam Ahmad did not approve such a thing and stood firm in fierce defense of the basic Islamic creed.  That is the reason why people still refer to someone who is headstrong as ‘Hanbali’.

Imam Ahmad is famous for his strict personality due to his straightforwardness and solid actions against those who wanted to distort Islam.  However, his personal traits and judgments proved that he had a very flexible and lenient nature, which helped him to coexist.  He regarded everything in life permissible unless the Qura'n or the Prophet's sunnah defined it as unlawful.  He described his life with his first wife, with whom he lived with about twenty or thirty years before she died, as free of disputes.  His fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) was the easiest in issues related to marriage and social life. This is why at the age of 55, he was eager to preserve the simple and easy style of Islam and refused to allow al-Mu'tazilah's conspiracy to take place.

Caliph al-Ma'mun adopted al- Mu'tazilah's ideas and began to spread them by force on the month of Rabi' al-Awwal in the year 218 A.H.[8]  He wrote to the police force commander Ishaq Ibn-Ibrahim and told him to inform 17 Islamic scholars, excluding Imam Ahmad yet including his best friend Yahya Ibn-Ma'in, that they should acknowledge the creation of Qura'n and publicize their acknowledgement to people, or else they shall be killed or detained.  Scholars were frightened and announced their approval on his request.

Imam Ahmad began raising a campaign during his lessons against those ideas contradictory to Islamic creed and principles.  Accordingly, al-Ma'mun sent to Ishaq telling him to threaten four scholars (Imam Ahmad, al-Qayrawany, Muhammad Ibn-Noah and a fourth scholar) that they should be either killed or imprisoned if they don't espouse the belief that Allah (SWT) created Qur'an as a distinct entity.  At first, all four declined his request and were imprisoned for several months.  Al-Qayrawany and a second scholar could not tolarate imprisonment any longer and announced their approval and were released.  Muhammad Ibn-Noah could not last longer and gave up too, and so he was released, leaving Imam Ahmad alone in his fight against evil and injustice.

Imam Ahmad's solid position made people more curious to hear his opinion in such matters.  He became more famous and a leader to Muslims in his quest to prevail the rightful thoughts about Islam.  He was being tortured in prison and yet would never give up, no matter what happened.  Al-Ma'mun sent him people to convince him to give up for the sake of his wife and children or for the sake of fearing the Caliph's anger, but he continued to resist all those attempts for him to abandon his beliefs.

The Caliph gave his orders to bring Imam Ahmad before him.  On his way to meet the Caliph, tied with chains, he met a man who told him to keep his courage and strong will and never to let go of his creed.  That man told Imam Ahmad that he was the leader of Muslims and giving up would mislead the whole Muslim nation.

Imam Ahmad met al-Ma'mun for the first and last time in his life.  The Caliph was very clear in his threat to Imam Ahmad that if he would not announce his approval in that day, he should be beheaded.  Imam Ahmad replied with what the Prophet (SAWS) was heard to have said seeking refuge in Allah (SWT) from all misfortune.  That night, Imam Ahmad was not killed because Caliph al-Ma'mun had died in that same night.

Caliph al-Mu'tasim succeeded al-Ma'mun and although he was known for his honesty and good will, Ibn-Abu-Dawud was able to convince him, too, that his power would be shattered if Imam Ahmad won his battle.  Therefore, the Caliph brought Imam Ahmad before him and gave him one day to think, threatening him of being whipped in case of his disobedience.

Imam Ahmad did not fear death because he knew that then he would be a martyr, yet like any human, he panicked from the thought of pain.  While he was being dragged to stand before the Caliph, he met a pick pocket called Abu-Haytham al-Tayar.  This man sensed the fear of Imam Ahmad in his eyes.  He told Imam Ahmad that he had been whipped 18,000 times during his lifetime, working for the cursed Satan, so how could a man striving in the cause of Allah (SWT) ever fear.  Those words strengthened and empowered Imam Ahmad.

Al-Mu'tasim expressed his sympathy to Imam Ahmad and that he was not willing to see the Imam tortured.  Imam Ahmad replied asking him and Ibn-Abu-Dawud, "If those ideas were true, why hadn’t the Holy Qur'an, the Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) or his companions mentioned them?"  Ibn- Abu-Dawud was so angry that he motivated al-Mu'tasim to order his men to whip the Imam or else his power would soon be shattered.  Despite the logic in the Imam's words, al-Mu'tasim could not jeopardize his power and commanded his men to be fierce with Imam Ahmad or else he would cut off their hands.

Imam Ahmad tolerated what an elephant would not, as narrated by one of the guards who were whipping him.  He fainted and then he was awakened many times by splashing his face with water to continue being whipped, but every time he refused to give up.  He could not sleep on his back for a month after this incident due to his wounds.  The scars were visible on his back until he died. 

His students asked him to give them the permission to make a revolution against the Caliph, but he refused to do that in order to avoid any and all disputes among Muslims.  He rejected violence and avenging himself on the account of the unity of the Muslim nation.

Al-Mu'tasim died and al-Wathiq assumed power for five years before his death.  He also kept Imam Ahmad in prison during his period.  Then during the era of al-Mutawakkil, a poor old man was heard to repeat Imam Ahmad's fiqh, so he was arrested and brought before the Caliph.  Al-Mutawakil put him in a debate with Ibn-Abu-Dawud, and he succeeded to prove the innocence of Imam Ahmad.  Accordingly, the Caliph disposed Ibn-Abu-Dawud, the main instigator of the inquisition, of his position, released Imam Ahmad, prohibited the spreading of seditions and banned al-Mu'tazilah from occupying high official positions of influence.

Imam Ahmad was struck with severe illness after the age of 77, and he became very weak.  In spite of his debilitation, he would ask his son, Salih Ibn-Ahmad, to help him stand up for prayer.

During his illness, a man who partook in beating Imam Ahmad came to Salih Ibn-Ahmad and begged him to seek permission from his father to allow him enter because he felt guilty for his involvement in the suffering of the Imam.  When he was given permission to see Imam Ahmad, he wept begging for forgiveness.  Imam Ahmad forgave him on the condition that he would never repeat that with anyone else.

On Friday Rabi' al-Awwal, 214 A.H., Imam Ahmad died after a life fully devoted to the cause of Allah (SWT) and Islam.  When people heard the news, masses flooded the streets to attend Imam Ahmad's funeral. His sons, many members of the ruling family and the multitudes came to pray over him.  The funeral was marked by openly cursing the heretics who were behind the persecution of Imam Ahmad.

He was the Imam who could mix between two contradictory traits: the clarity and pureness of his school of jurisprudence and the strictness in his position that Islam should remain uncomplicated.  He was able to prove that coexistence means living among others, but not dissolving in them.

In the coming episode, we shall have a specialized Islamic scholar to talk about Fiqh-al Hanbali.

Peace and Allah's mercy and blessings be upon you.