Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal

Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal was born in the city of Baghdad during the month
of Rabi-ul Awwal 164 A.H. His father passed away either before he was
born or shortly afterwards, and itwas his mother who diligently
brought up theImam.
Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal's Education
He acquired his childhood education through the Maktab but even there
his piety and scholarly character were recognised. Abu Afeef (r.a)
has reported, AhmadIbn Hanbal (r.a) was within our learning group at
the Maktab. At that time he was very young, and we, as students were
aware of his piety. Having completed his basic education at the age
of 16, the Imam went on to study ahadith by attending the study
circles of Qazi Imam Abu Yusuf (r.a).
Having acquired knowledge from the scholars of Baghdad, his zeal for
learning took him to different parts of the world including
Kufa,Basra, Yemen, Makkah , Madinah and Syria, to benefit from their
great scholars. Sometimes, during long and difficult journies to
acquire ahadith, the Imam had toresort to manual work in order to
cover his expenses.
Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal's Teachers
Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal had many teachers, amongst the most prominent
was Imam Shafiee (r.a) whom he met on several separate occasions and
each time he took full benefit of the opportunity. Imam Ahmad ibn
Hanbal commented, 'Only after sitting in the Majlis of Imam Shafiee
(r.a) did I understand and comprehend nasikh and mansukh hadith.' One
should remember , the Imam was an accomplished scholar even before he
met Imam Shafiee.
It was only at the age of forty, in 204 A.H., the Imam began formally
teaching hadith. Whilst his teachers were still alive he refused to
teach and narrate hadith out ofhumility and respect for them. Imam
Ahmad was acknowledged by the Ulama of his time as the Imam ul Hadith.
Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal's books
Amongst his publications,the more famous are Kitab ul Musnad (based
upon 30,000 ahadith), Kitab ul Tafseer, Kitab us Salaah, Kitab us
Sunnah, Kitab un Nasikh and Mansukh and others.
The Imam dressed very simply and disliked clothes which created a
false awe. He wore a turban, white clothes and a shawl. He never
accepted gifts offered by rulers and the affluent out of caution.
Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal died on the blessed day of Friday in Rabi ul
Awwal 241 A.H at the age77, after a period of illness which lasted
nine days. The news of the Imams death soon spreadand after Jumuah
more than 850,000 people performed his janazah prayer with the rows
formed in the city, streets, bazaars and evenon boats on the river
Tigris. Even the non-Muslims mourned the passing away of Imam Ahmad
ibn Hanbal.