Written By Abul-Layth
Wa’el Hallaq, PHD, of the Institute of Islamic Studies at McGill University states about Imam Ahmad,
“Ibn Hanbal, for instance, can hardly be said to have developed the skills of a Mujtahid, let alone a first rate mujtahid. He was in the first place a traditionist and a sort of theologian, and his occupation with law as a technical discipline was rather minimal. This much fact about him was acknowledged by his followers and foes alike. Tabari refused to recognize him as a jurist, a perception that persisted among his followers for centuries. See Abu Jarir At Tabari, Ikhtilaaf Al Fuquhaa. Abdur-Rahmaan ibn Rajab, Adh-Dhayl ‘Alaa Tabaqaat Al Hanabilah 1:156-57 where he quotes Ibn ‘Aqil’s observation that some of the younger Hanbalite legal scholars thought Ibn Hanbal lacking in juristic skills. For a more detailed discussion of Ibn Hanbal’s lack of legal qualifications, see Hallaq, Continuity and Change in Islamic Law, Ch. 2 section 2.”
This quote was taken from Wa’el’s “Takhrij and the Construction of Juristic Authority” under footnote 3.
In response, we quote those most aquainted with the Imām of Islām. The reader will come to know that everyone from the his master, Imām Ash-Shāfi’ī, to his students, expressed the fact that Imām Ahmad was a faqīh.
Imām Qattān stated, “[He is a] Habr (scholar) from the scholars (ahbār) of this Ummah.” Imām ‘Abdur-Razzāq As-Sana’ni stated, “I have not seen anyone with more Fiqh or Wara` (piety) than him.”Abū ‘Aāsim stated, “We have not come upon anyone from afar better in Fiqh (understanding) than him.”
Yahyā ibn Aādam stated, “Ahmad is our Imām!”
Imām Ash-Shāfi’ī stated, “I left Baghdad, and I did not leave behind me anyone more Fiqh, Zuhd (asceticism), Piety, and knowledge than Ahmad ibn Hanbal.”
Al-’Abbās Al-’Anbari stated, “[He is a] Hujjah (proof and plea).”
Qutaybah stated, “Ahmad is an Imām of the entire Dunyaa (world)!”
Abū ‘Ubayd stated, “There is no one similar to him in knowledge about Islām!”
Imām Al-’Ijli stated, “Thiqah (trustworthy), Thabbit (established) in Hadīth, an Honest (or noble) Soul, Faqeeh (jurist) in Hadīth, follower of the narrations, companion of the Sunnah and good.”
Abu Thawr stated, “Ahmad is our Sheikh and our Imām!”
Nūh ibn Habīb stated, “I saw Ahmad in Masjid Khayf in the year 198, leaning upon a Minarah (minaret) and the companions of hadīth were coming and he was teaching them Fiqh and hadīth and giving legal verdicts to the people.”
Ibn Abi Hātim asked his father, Abu Hātim, regarding Ahmad and he said, “He is an Imām and He is a Hujjah (proof or plea).”
Imām An-Nasā’ī stated, “Ath-Thiqah (the Trustworthy) Al-Ma’mūn (the honest) one of the Imāms.”
Ibn Mākūlā stated, “He was the most knowledgeable of the people in the Madha-hab of the Sahābah and Tābi’īn.”
Ibn Hibbān states in his famous work “Ath-Thiqāt”, ‘He was a Hāfith (master of Hadīth), Faqīh (jurist)…”
Muhammad ibn Ibrāhīm Al Bawshanjiy stated, “I have not seen in all collectiveness anyone like Ahmad, similar in intellect, and he is to me more virtuous and having more fiqh (understanding in religion) than Ath-Thawri!”
Ibn Hajr stated in His Taqrīb At-Tahthīb after Imām Ahmad’s name, “Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Hanbal ibn Hilāl ibn Asad Ash-Shaybāni Al-Marwazi, he came from Baghdad, Abū Abdillah, one of the Imāms, Thiqah (trustworthy) Hāfith (master of Hadīth), Faqīh (jurist), Hujjah (proof or plea)…” [See number 96 in Taqrīb]
Imām Adh-Dhahabi stated in his masterpiece Tadhkiratul Huffāth, “Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Sheikhul-Islām, Sayyid Al Muslimīn (master of the Muslims) in his time, Al-Hāfith (master of hadīth), Al-Hujjah (plea or proof)…” [See volume 2 number 438 for more beautiful quotes regarding the Imām]
Ibn Dūrah stated, “Ahmad was a man of Fiqh, memorization, knowledge of hadīth and its understanding…”
What has preceded are simply a few statements testifying to the nobility, honour, intellectual greatness, virtuosness, piety and asceticism, and most of all juristic capability of Imām, Al-Hāfith, Ahmad Ibn Hanbal. We ask Allah to shower his blessings upon the great Imām in his grave, Aāmīn!
[Note: To reference all of these quotes see Tahtheeb At-Tahtheeb, Tahtheeb Al Kamāl of Al Mizzi, Siyar Al-'Alam an nubala', Tadhkiratul Huffāth, and the Sīrah of Ahmad ibn Hanbal.]