Mentions about Deen

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

Introduction

I recalled some memory while I was in the musalla in USM just after some bayan sessions by Tabligh movement students on Thursday. One of an undergraduate student there, by the name H was quarreling with a guy who happened to be a neighbor at my living section up there at 10th floor. His name is Raof and a Phd student at our School of Social Science from Sri Lanka. Well, I like that Sri Lankan guy and I respect him. However, I did not mingle so much with him because I was in vow period. Actually I tend to have a gap with people around me. Does not matter from whatever movement they are or what kind of person they are. I do not like to be known to people, listening to people proclaiming that solely their movement is the righteous one and I am constantly in vow to be consecrated only for Him.  The vow is not easy ones. Some people taking oath before their teachers. I took vow before the God at the Grand Mosque in holy Mecca and testifying again the "portal of religion".

I heard that, H said something with a stressing tone and it ends with "it is deeeennnnn!" just after Raof teased him. From what I observed, Raof does not feeling well with the Tabligh members because one of his supervisor was a Tabligh and he left him alone with his thesis unfinished while the supervisor went away for his "Tablighi" mission. He mentioned something that he favors the Salaf movement more than Tabligh movement. I am not here to judge people or talking about movements. But one has to know his or her responsibility in the first place. I am performing the da'awa too. We do not have to be classified as a Tabligh member, a mawlana, a shaikh, a mureed of a tariqa movement, a salafi movement or etc as to take pride of. Just enough that we are Muslims and the nations sanctified under the mercy toward the universe, Muhammad s.a.w. As for da'awa, I am acting according to the situation and the da'awa toward our own self is more difficult than persuading others to something which we are not practicing. Now, I have a paralyzed father who needs full attention so I am here while others are laughing happily and enjoying their life. I am sacrificing myself for my father, my mother and to some extent for sisters. So, is this less noble than "performing da'awa" by movements' pride besides capturing pictures with friends wearing white robe or getting the "good feeling" when people look at us with respect and veneration? : ) 

Just after I heard that H stressing about the deen. I wonder on how does everyone understood the deen? What exactly is deen? I think I had put this forth before. Deen is a corresponding word that exist not only Quranic Arabic, but also in Aramaic and Hebrew. I simply wanted to consider myself as a civilian but I cannot because I was trained in Islamic stream as a Muslim missionary. I just ran away and learning (practicing) Indian gnosticism namely Buddhism because people could not accept different responsibility and tendency of human-being. Deen literally means the law in both Aramaic and Hebrew.

Definition

The deen is a singular for Adyaan.

By literal meaning in our Arabic language, "It means the obedience and following".

By general terminological meaning, "Whatsoever is embraced by the human-being and believed by him related to the invisible matters and whatever can be seen".

Islamic technical meaning for this word, "Submitting in peace to the God the Highest, and following Him. And the deen is the path of Islam and the monotheism creed where it is the religion of all messengers of the God since the first sage, Adam a.s. and Noah a.s. to the seal of prophethood in earthly realm, Muhammad s.a.w". 

The evidences that the revelation of the God to Muhammad s.a.w, has eliminated the previous paths are mentioned in the Glorious Quran.

Says the God the Highest which means, "Indeed, the closest religion to the God is Islam. And those who were given the revelation did not differ except the knowledge had come to them - out of jealousy and animosity between themselves. And whoever disbelieves in the verses of the God the Highest, the indeed, the God is swift in taking account!" - Surat Ali-Imran vs. 19

"And whoever desires other than Islam as religion - never will it be accepted from him, and he, in the Hereafter, will be among the losers". - Surat Ali-Imram vs. 85

"Prohibited to you are dead animals, blood, the flesh of swine, and that which has been dedicated to other than the God, and those animals killed by strangling or by a violent blow or by a head-long fall or by the goring of horns, and those from which a wild animal has eaten, except what you are able to slaughter before its death, and those which are sacrificed on stone altars, and prohibited is that you seek decision through divining arrows. That is grave disobedience. This day those who disbelieve have despaired of defeating your religion; so fear them not, but fear Me. This day I have perfected for you, your religion and completed My favor upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion. But whoever is forced by severe hunger with no inclination to sin - then indeed, the God is Most Forgiving and Most Merciful". - Surat al-Maidah vs. 3

I am fasting today in the month of Rajab. So, getting ready with some preparation and I have to go for the mosque. I am just taking simple vegetarian food and I have no chance to have a well-build body like other men anymore, haha. I think I am older than my age now because of the environment makes me to be so. Feel like 40 years old by now. I do not feel interested at all when listening to people talking about developed countries, setting up business and being rich or etc. If all of the people are busy with those matters, who'll be His full-time servant? Many people also talk about doomsday, but what are their preparations other than pasting hadiths about black flags or panji hitam just to claim that their race will be the champion to conquer the world? Is that black flag is important or the resurrection matters more?

By the way, we take hadith as the second source of the jurisprudence but not to supersede the Glorious Quran. So, the weak hadith about Rajab month or the worship in specific month could still be taken as the encouragement without being associated to the noble prophet Muhammad s.a.w speeches because of the weak chain. I am still fasting but every Monday and Thursday. Sometimes, like David the prophet.

Try not be to extreme in opinion or even acts of worship. Just stay in the middle path. I am going to continue after the "Isha service, insha Allah.

Sealed with prayers for mercy, peace and love, amin!

Indian Muslim Scholar: Nuruddin Al-Raniri

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

 Introduction

This is a little bit history especially in the South East Asia because my father has a copy of his book and manuscript known as Bustan al-Salatin apart of his rivals poems and works in form of parchments. He is known as Nuruddin Muhammad Jailani bin 'Ali bin Hassan Ji bin Muhammad Hamid al-Qurashi. He is from the al-Rifa'i circle while his school of jurisprudence is of the Shafi'ie. He was born in Ranir port, Gujarat of a Yemeni-Hadrami father while his mother is a native Acheen lady. 

Education

He was believed to begin his early education in Ranir port in Gujarat. In 1030 H (1621), he went for Mecca and Medina to further his studies. In Mecca, he met teachers such as Sheikh Abu Hafs Umar Abdallah Bashayban al-Tarimi al-Hadrami who was also known as Sayyid Umar al-Aydrus. He studied under the supervision of this teacher and hold his loyalty with the Rifa'ie order. Other than that, he also had practiced the practices of the Qadiri order and learned other orders' such as Shadzili, Suhrwardi and Aydrusi. Though he learned many practices of the orders but he was only appointed with the leadership of the Rifa'ie by his teacher, Bashayban.  

Teachers

It is not known on how many teachers he has. He only mentions about his order teacher known as Sheikh Abu Hafs 'Umar who passed away in Gujarat around 1066 H (1656). His also had studied under the supervision of his uncle who had also once lived in Acheh before the arrival of Sheikh Muhammad Jailani bin Hassan bin Hamid who had passed him the usage of the title sheikh. Other than that, he also mentions that he studied under the guidance of Sheikh Muhammad Yamin of Mecca who were the adherents of orthodox teachings of Ahl al-Sunna. He taught the doctrine of wahdat al-shuhud which is the anti-thesis of wahdat al-wujud.   

Arrival in Acheh Sultanate

He arrived in the Acheh Sultanate of northern Sumatera in nowadays Indonesian territory in 6th Muharram 1047 H (31 May 1637) after a year of the reign of Sultan Iskandar Tani. He finished his studies in the holy Mecca and before sailing for the Sultanate of Acheh, he first went to Pahang which is now in the central of Malaysian Peninsula. Pahang at that time was a vassal state of Acheh Dar al-Salam. There were many scholars residing in Acheh such as Shamsuddin the Sumateranese, Abdul Ra'of al-Fansuri of Singkil and Hamza al-Fansur. They were prominent Muslim scholars in Acheh before the arrival of al-Raniri. Besides of academicians, Acheh of 17th century was also a popular center for trade, politics, Muslim culture and Islamic studies. 

Debates with Ismai'li Shi'a Teachers

Those scholars of Islam before the arrival of al-Raniri were the teachers of Ismai'li order of Shi'a Muslim lineage. They propagated the teachings of wahdat al-wujud but the teaching is not suitable and dangerous for mere lay men creed since it is confusing and controversial. The arrival of al-Raniri to Acheh with new opinions and ideas was not easy to be accepted by locals because they were long being taught with the belief which was more to philosophical rather than orthodox standard ones. Since al-Raniri was of a salaf jurisprudence school and a practitioner of the Abdul Qadir Jailani lineage teachings, he feels responsible to reject the doctrine taught by those existed teachers. The Sultan of Acheh agreed to organize an open debate in the court for al-Raniri to contest the teachers who taught the wahdat al-wujud teachings. Those teacher were not so concrete when they face al-Raniri thus they lost the words.

The result of their lost is quite extreme, many of those Isma'ili order teachers were sentenced to death as according to medieval period court rulings and he received the court patronage to propagate teachings. Many of the works by Hamza Fansuri and other teachers were also burn to ashes and it was also recorded in the literature of Nuruddin al-Raniri himself known as Fath al-Mubin.

Students

While in Pahang, he has many students from South East Asian islands but not all of them are known to people around since the system of education at that time has no complete record or proper classes. They just studied and propagated their lessons. One who was widely known, Yusuf Taj al-Khalwati (1629-1699) came from Makassar in Sulawesi island. Some people mentioned that Yusuf studied under al-Raniri in Acheh while other mentioned that he went to India for the teacher.    

The other is the royal member of Acheh court which was the queen herself, Taj al-'Alam Safiat al-Din who assumed the throne after the death of her husband. She assumed the throne from 1641-1679. She studied under al-Raniri supervision since she was seven years old. She is the one who uphold the dignity and the position of women in her kingdom. She urged and ordered her women citizen to acquire knowledge in order for them to succeed in their life and living with dignity. Many women were appointed by her to serve the kingdom in administration, government councils and also involved in military.     

His Return to India and Death

After seven years serving the Acheh court, writing academic literature and propagating the Ahl Sunna wal Jama'a doctrine, he suddenly tried to leave Acheh in 1644 and stayed in India for a while. He wrote two books while in Ranir. In some record, it was mentioned that al-Raniri encountered another Ismaili Shi'a teacher from southwest of Sumatera known as Sayf al-Rijal who had just returned from his studies in India. It was believed that it has something to do with patronage of the court and the Queen sided more to the teachings of previous teachers and the arguments of Sayf al-Rijal. So, Sayf al-Rijal was granted permission to propagate mission according to his lineage. Most of researchers agreed that al-Raniri died in 22nd of Zulhijja 1069 (21 Sept 1658) but many disagreements about where was the location of his death among historians. Some believed that he was kidnapped and murdered in the capital of Acheh which is Banda. Some believed that he passed away in India.      

Works

Many of his works were written in Malay language in Arabic script since it was like English today in the region of South East Asian islands. I found that most of classical literature and books in Malay usually have Arabic title. The reason these people use Malay was for da'awa purpose as it would easily reaching the educated natives who could also understand Malay. He also has references for his books. Some of his books:

1. هداية الحبيب في الترغيب or ترحيب الفوائد البهية في الحديث النبوية about hadiths which consists of 810 hadiths and this is the first hadith book in Malay and in South East Asia.

2. بستان السلاطين which is a book that we keep in our closet about the history of local sultanate in Acheh kingdom and some points of the history of Malayan Peninsula especially the Pahang state and its sultanate lineage. It has seven chapters and each chapter has few topics.  

3. تبيان في المعرفات الأديان which means the Explanation on the Knowledge of Religions. This book is a comparative religion themed book written in Malay. It is the first book written in Malay about comparative religion in South East Asia. It has two chapters. The first talks about the religion of the world since Adam a.s down to Jesus a.s. The second talks about developments of groups and movements in Islam. Generally this book discussed the conflicts or debates between the doctrine which is embraced by al-Raniri and those of Isma'ili Shi'a who propagated the philosophical wahdat al-wujud ideology during the reign of Iskandar II.

4. Jurisprudence

i. السراط المستقيم written in Malay about worship such as salat services, fasting, tithe, pilgrimage, rulings on sacrificial ritual, hunting and rulings for legal and illegal foods and beverages. It was written beginning 1044 H (1634) and finished in 1054 H (1644). This classical work could be found printed at the side of the book known as سبيل المهتدين written by Muhammad Arshad of Banjar.

ii. كيفية الصلاة on the method of performing salat. This book discussed in how to perform the salat according to the manhaj of sunna according to imam al-Shafi'ie with the conditions of complete acts of salat. This book was actually quoted from the السراط المستقيم highlighting the salat rituals.    

iii. تنبيه العوام في تحقيق الكلام والنوافل talks about the optional salats for public and recitations in the services. 

5. Tawheed Creed and Tasawwuf

i. درة الفرائد بشرح العقائد which means Precious Jewel in Expounding the Creed. It was adapted from Arabic book شرح العقائد النسفية known as written by Imam Sa'duddin al-Taftanzani written around 1045 H (1635). 

ii. نبضة في الدعوات الظل مع صاحبه or Short Explanations on The Claimants of Shadow and Its Possessor. This book is written in Arabic in form of question and answers about the errors of the wahdat al-wujud teachings propagated by his rivals according to orthodox standards.  

iii. أسرار ألأنسان في معرفة الروح والرحمان or Secrets of Human in Understanding the Soul and the God. This is translated from Arabic into Malay by al-Raniri. It talks about human especially on the characteristics and the knowledge of the soul. It has two chapters. First chapter is divided into six portions and second is with five portions.

iv. لطائف الأسرار or Discreetness of Secrets.

v. أخبار الأخرة في أحوال القيمة News of the Hereafter about the Situations during the Resurrection.

vi. حل الظل Explaining the Term Shadow.

vii. ماء الحية لأهل الممات which means the Water of Life for the Death.

xiii. جواهر العلوم في كشف المعلوم or the Jewels of Sciences in Exposing Its Targets.

ix. اين العالم قبل أن يخلق Where was the Universe before It was Created.

x. شفاء القلوب Medicine for the Heart.

xi. حجة الصديق لدفع الزنديق Arguments of the Righteous Rejecting the Creed of the Atheists. 

xii. فتح المبين على الملحدين Clear Victory on the Atheists.

xiii. اللمعان في تكفيرمن قال بخلق القرآن Shining Light on Excommunicating People who Claimed that the Quran is a Creature.

xiv. صوارم الصديق لقطع الزنديق Blade for the Righteous to Cut the Atheists.

xv. رحيق محمدية في طريق الصفية The Drinks for Nations of Muhammad in the Way of the Sufis.

xvi. هداية الأيمان في فضل المنان Guidance of the Faith Granted by the God.

xvii. علقة الله بالعالم The Relationship of the God with the Universe.

xviii. عقائد الصفية الموحدين The Creed of Monotheist Sufis.

xix. اين الوجود في بيان وحدة الوجود Where is the Existence in Explanations of Panentheism.

xx. بدء خلق السماوات والأرض Beginning of Creation of Heavens and Earth.

xxi. فتح الودود في بيان وحدة الوجود Victory of Conveying the Virtue in Explanation of the Panentheism.

Almost all of these books were written in Classical Malay of 16th century. If brothers and sisters are reading them perhaps it would be like reading some kind of Indian lingo style of Malay because this ulama is an Indian national. He is ethnically an Arab but he lived in India and later in South East Asia. I refer him as Indian because he was born in India. Regarding the doctrine or the understanding of al-Raniri about the particular philosophy, there are many discussions, criticisms and thesis about this by scholars for example by Syed Naguib al-Attas and I am not going to put it here. What I could say, al-Raniri, Fansuri or Sumatrani are just human-being no matter how knowledgeable they are. They are not angels.

Close

This is just an introduction about a Muslim scholar of Classical South East Asian period. Internet is not the "real" source of knowledge. Bring the kitabs in front of teachers and learn from them step by step from the basis. The reason why I hate kids in Tekun musalla talked about tasawwuf with me because I could smell that they thought it has something to do with magic flying on the wind, exorcism halau setan or mysticism bercakap dengan jin like Tamar Jalis novels. What is the need to talk about those things if they were not educated with basic kitabs? As far as I know they were students of science streams and not of shari'a streams. I don't receive revelation but I am quite sensitive with language style, tone and the way people write things (because writing comes from the head). I am a translation and interpretation student and apart of that I had started doing contemplation since I can't remember so I could basically detect the mood of people around which is retaliated with their "heart and intention". I prefer not to talk so much especially if it is related to religion but I just practice on what I had learned. Kita sembang tinggi-tinggi mawlana sana sini pun tiada guna jika kita tidak ikhlas untuk Allah sesungguh hatinya. Cuma nya mahu tunjuk kita tinggi daripada orang lain sahaja katanya kita merangkumi dunia mau pun akhirat walaupun kita tiada asas untuk yang satu itu. 

I am sorry if people are afraid of me because their feeling might be flawed and I actually never look down on others. I just would never keep my silence if I see or listen things which sounds wrong to what I believe. Most of all, I actually feel low-self esteem to Science stream students because of that Ibnu Sina kind of stuffs, lol. Just start study from the basic and everyone could afford that. No need to be in circles' lineage but being an ordinary guy is much better than we feel that Allah loves us until we forgot that we're falling into the trap of "satan". That feel means what? Perasaan or perasan?        

There are many kind of Shi'a Muslims too. It is not only those that we see in Iran or Syria who were known as the factions of Twelver Imami and Nusayri Alawites groups. Many of the Mu'tazilite groups could be founded in Shi'a Muslim lineage for example Ibnu Sina who is an Ismai'li-Nizari Shi'a Muslim. They were free thinkers among Muslims and their lineage has no established chain of creed like the Ahl Sunna wal Jama'a who accepted the narration of traditions from all righteous prophet companions. That is among the reasons why they relied on philosophies to explain their creed.   

Sealed with prayers of mercy, peace and love, amin!      

Come Join the Qaria

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

Just helping friends there spreading message and for the convenience of expats and foreigners to be informed about masjid activities. Anyone living close to Putrajaya Federal Territory and Cyberjaya are welcomed to join the qaria (parish) of Masjid Sultan Mizan Zainalabiddin. By the way, Malaysia is a country with majority Muslim population which adheres to the Ahl Sunna wal Jama'a doctrine and following the jurisprudence method of the salaf teacher, Imam Abu Idris al-Shafi'ie so Muslim foreigners or foreign transnational Islamic movements please be informed to respect the local national religious authority if reaching Malaysian territory. It is practically just the same when we arrived in Saudi Arabia where we should not bring our religious ritual kitabs or spreading them in Saudi Arabia territory. So, I guess it is not so difficult to be understood. Each state possess their own religious department and the federal ones is supervised by the federal religious authority known as Islamic Development Department of Malaysia (JAKIM). The information form is as below:  

Or maybe right away email to the administrator of the masjid at admin@masjidtuankumizan.gov.my or text a message :at PRO MTMZA to the number 00-6-019-6539925 stating the name, address, email and phone number. This is for our own convenience because the masjid could also provide guidelines for matters such as proper funeral ceremony, marriage, religious activities, classes and rituals while we are abroad maybe studying or working so better to stay connected with local religious community right? I think masjid with the assistant of religious department in certain area should also provide Malay language classes for foreigners such as expats, students and migrant workers who are interested because they would have to deal with people around and maybe this is an opening opportunity for our religious department to propagate da'awa widely or conducting researches, muzakarat and mushawarat with foreign religious communities.     

Sealed with prayers for mercy, peace and love, amin!

Imam Ahmad Bin Hanbal

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah!

 The Musnad by Imam Ahmad

I would like to introduce an Imam of the four salaafus-saaleh and he is the imam which I put on my naqal on most of my method of religious practices. He is the honorable Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal bin Helal bin Asad al-Marwazi of Baghdad whose idea founded the Hanbali school of jurisprudence and one of sunnah ulama. Hanbali school of jurisprudence is a school which influenced the fiqh of people in Hejaz such as in Saudi Arabia. He had also influenced Ibnu Taimiyyah and Ibnu Qayyim. My mum kept a book about all of these honorable imams, and I read some but this article is based from online articles. 

Try to get more books about these imams dear brethren. We must know our imams and teachers. We do not want to be just mere followers who only know how to nod and to shake head, to say this is right or wrong only because our syeikh says so. That makes us regarding our syeikhs a level the same as the God, and in the same time we without any shame accuse people like Christians and Jews for taking their priests and cohens as the God, na'udzubillah.

Family Background

He was originally an Arab of banu Shayban tribe. His family hometown is in Basra, Iraq. His father served as an officer in the Abbasid army based in Khurasan before settled with his family in Baghdad. Baghdad is the place where imam Ahmad was born. Imam Ahmad father died when he was three years old and his mother is a patient mother. I think I must mention about his mother too. Never look down on our mothers, they are teachers although they might not have degree or master or phd. 

His eldest son, became a judge in Isfahan. Imam Ahmad was very close to his sons, especially his eldest son, Saaleh. According to some report, Imam Ahmad always recite surah al-Kahfi. He used to recite the surah over a bowl of water and ordered his son to drink from it whenever his son felt ill. Another son of him, who is 'Abdullah also reported many things about this honorable imam. By the way, he married at the age of 40 years old. So, I wonder why so many people asking me about marriage and suggesting me to get marry now? Even the Arab guy I dunno of which country who read Syeikh Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab book on the Three Principles asked me the same boring question.

Study Life

Imam Ahmad moved to Iraq and study a lot in the city of Baghdad. He completed his Quranic memorization while he was 15 years of age. After that he concentrates on hadith and prophetic tradition especially of prophet Muhammad s.a.w. Later, he always travel to further his study in other area. 

He was interested in the knowledge of hadith and traveled a lot through Iraq, Syria, and Arabian Peninsula to get the knowledge of religion and collecting sunnah of the prophet Muhammad s.a.w. He travels for several years and while returning home, he studied under honorable Imam Syafi'ie on jurisprudence and Imam Syafi'ie also learned from him. According to Abu Zur'ah, Imam Ahmad memorized a million hadith.

Due to that he was a scholar of hadith and sunnah, so he focused more on textual views on religion, and he oppose any kind of bida'ah or innovation. Imam Syafi'ie may Allah be merciful to him, who was also a great scholar in his own right, mentioned:

"I left Baghdad, and I didn't leave behind me a man better, having more knowledge, or greater fiqh (understanding), nor having greater taqwa (piety) than Ahmad bin Hanbal."

Ahmad bin Hanbal spent 40 years of his life in acquiring knowledge about religion, and only thereafter he assume the position of a mufti (guide). How about us? Be shameful, please :'( By this time, he had mastered six or seven Islamic disciplines. This is according to the report by Imam Syafi'ie, one of his own teacher. He became a leading authority in hadith and left an extensive hadith encyclopedia called al-Musnad. This is a living proof of his proficiency and devotion to his discipline and science of religion.

He has a significant contribution in the most balanced critic of hadith in his time. He established himself as the imam in the sciences of the Quran, authoring works in exegesis, and nasikh wal mansukh (science of abrogation). He also knows different modes of Quranic recitations where he prefers some modes and he expressed his disliking for the recitation of Hamza for the exaggerated elongation of vowels. I love simple recitation but accurate pronunciation too :) 

Imam Ahmad became a principal specialist in jurisprudence as he had the advantage of benefiting from some of the famous early jurists and their heritage such as Imam Abu Hanifah, Imam Malik bin Anas, Imam Syafi'ie and many others.

His learning, piety, and faithfulness to sunnah gathered a host of disciples and admirers around him. He further improvised and developed upon previous schools, and becoming the founder of the Hanbali school of jurisprudence. He was also an expert in Arabic language, poetry, and grammar. I read something in the book about this honorable imam that he had also corrected his daughter speech when she talked in colloquial manner. Some scholars for example Qutaiba bin Sa'id trying to compare him to scholars of tabi'in period like Sufyan ath-Thauri, Malik, al-Awza'i and Laith bin Sa'ad. I think all of scholars have their own special traits. We do not have to compare them if they possess knowledge and efforts but we try to emulate good traits that they have. It's better than being a fanatic out of no reason.

Among of His Teachers

1) Honorable Isma'il bin Ja'afar as-Sadiq

2) Abbad bin Abbad al-'Ataky

3) 'Umari bin 'Abdullah bin Khalid

4) Hushaim bin Bashir bin Qasim bin Dinar as-Sulami

5) Honorable Imam Syafi'ie

6) Waki' bin Jarrah

7) Isma'il bin Ulaiyah

8) Sufyan bin 'Uyainah

9) Ibrahim bin Ma'qil

Among His Students

Most of Ahlil Hadith or Sunnah adherents studied under his supervision, his teachers also learned from him. Unlike today, teachers do not learn from students, because of ego. Among Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal students are:

1) Imam Bukhari

2) Muslim

3) An-Nasa'i

4) Abu Dawud

5) Tirmidzi

6) Ibnu Majah

7) Honorable Imam Syafi'ie

8) His sons, Saaleh and Abdullah

9) His nephew, Hanbal bin Ishaq

Mihneh Event

It means inquisition or ordeal, a political attempt of the Abbasid caliph, al-Ma'mun around 883 C to impose his theological views on his subjects. It's including the inquisition on scholars including imam Ahmad bin Hanbal whether Quran is created or not. If we learn STPM (A-Level) Islamic History, we perhaps might a little bit come across this topic.  

All of parties agreed that the Quran is unadulterated Speech of the God. However the issue was whether the Quran is the created or uncreated speech of the God, actually raised by the Jahmites. The position of the al-Ma'mun is that the Quran is created speech of the God. This issue to appear as almost similar to the issue of Christians philosophical and doctrinal arguments regarding the Word or Logos which refers to Jesus Christ and Ewungel (Gospel) around 4th-5th C. The response of those who were inquired is with consequence. Those who reject the doctrine of the Quran is created will be dismissed from public office, will be imprisoned, and flogged. This event lasted for about 15 years, even the successors of al-Ma'amun who were al-Mu'tasim and al-Wathiq. It ends around 861 under al-Mutawakkil, the nephew of al-Ma'amun.

Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal was firm with his position that the Quran is not a created speech but the literal words of the God. No more no less from what is described by the God Himself. It means that we should not go beyond the limit and speculate out of the description given to the us by the God. He was imprisoned and severely tortured until the succession of al-Mutawakkil. Many other fellow ulamas at that time had advised him to just show his agreement with the ruler although they too did not agree with the ruler but Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal responded with a hadith narration that people before him had died with their head being cut with the saw but never give up faith in every aspect. The hadith is recorded in Bukhari 12/281.   

So, this event is a point that makes us the adherents of Hanbali madzhab so strict with sunnah and innovations. But I would like to urge myself, and later brothers and sisters to study first before simply accusing others. Be extremely polite unless we see that something really is wrong like what happened to our honorable imam, Ahmad bin Hanbal. We are not even close to these salaf period imams (Abu Hanifah, Malik bin Anas, Syafi'ie and Hanbali) in term of religious science.     

Death

Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal was struck with severe illness and fever and became very very weak. He never complain about his infirmity and pain until he died. I read in the book, it said that Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal urged people to take care of their own health and pray to the God for health. It is very important. He still asked his son, Saaleh to help him to stand up for prayer service though he was sick. He would pray in sitting posture or lying on his side if he was unable to stand up. 

People flocked to his house upon hearing about his illness. Ruling family also showed their desire to visit this imam and trying to get his permission. Since, he does not want to have any relation with any authority, he denied them access. This imam position is also my position and his personality that I read so much influenced me. I guess that's why those Tabligh kids saw me look like their people that make them decided to 'convert' me into their organization but I don't tie myself to anyone except to the God the Most Highest.

On Friday, the 12th of Rabi'ul Awwal 241 H, this imam passed away after 9 days struck by illness. His age at that time was 77 years old. His death news spread far and wide in the city, many people flooded the streets to attend his funeral. Before he passed away, he seems to be talking to someone. His son asked him and he told his son that satan came to deflect his creed before he passed away. Around 800,000 to 1,300000 or around 2 million people as was estimated by scholars attending his funeral. In the mass, there were about 60000 respectable women attending the funeral of this imam.  

Works

Here are some of honorable imam Ahmad bin Hanbal works found by Ibnu an-Nadim Fihrist. I hope to read and study them all if I have the chance:

1. Kitab al-'Ilal wa Ma'rifah ar-Rijal - The Book of Narrations Containing Hidden Flaws and of Knowledge of the Men (of Hadith), Riyadh: al-Maktabah al-Islamiyah.

2. Kitab al-Manasik - The Book on Pilgrimage Rites.

3. Kitab az-Zuhud - The Book of Abstinence. Edited by Muhammad Zaghlul. Beirut: Darul Kitab al-'Arabi (1994).

4. Kitab al-Iman - The Book of Faith.

5. Kitab al-Masail - Issues in Fiqh.

6. Kitab al-Ashribah - The Book of Drinks.

7. Kitab al-Fadha'il Sahabah - Virtues of the Companions of Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.

8. Kitab Thaa'ah ar-Rasul - The Book of Obedience to the Messenger of the God.

9. Kitab Mansukh - The Book of Abrogation.

10. Kitab al-Fara'id - The Book of Obligatory Duties.

11. Kitab ar-Radd 'ala az-Zindiqah wal-Jahmiyyah - Refutations of the Heretics and the Jahmites. Cairo (1973).

He also wrote exegesis which is said by adz-Dzhahabi as lost and another book called the Musnad which is a compilation of 27 000 checked hadiths. Other is Fadha'il Ahlul Bayt or the Virtues of the Ahlul Bayt. 

Some scholars like Abu Dawud also quoted as saying that he never saw Imam Ahmad mentions anything about the world when sitting with him. He never boast to people with anything good characterized with him. Syeikh Abdul Qadir Jailani, may Allah be merciful to him also mentioned that there is no saint who has the creed as firm as imam Ahmad bin Hanbal. What I read from my mum's book, it says that Imam Ahmad never tie the world to his heart that makes demons or evil genies who possessed a person and making the person insane ran away. They only come back to the city of Basrah after the honorable imam passed away. Other than that, he had asked his son to give back bread given by a baker because he only takes whatever he pays. It is something like that, I would check the book again because all of these scholars have beautiful characteristics which could be emulated by commoners like us. So many things about this scholar, may we learn something beneficial from him, insyaallah.

Sealed with salawat and prayers for mercy, peace, and love, amin!