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EPISODE 4️⃣: Protests Violate the Right of the Messenger (ﷺ) to be Obeyed (Cont’d)
Similarly, Imam Hanbal (رحمه الله) reported that during the caliphate of Waathiq, following his immediate predecessors—al-Ma’moon and al-Mu’tasim—he insisted that the Qur’an was Allāh’s creation rather than His Speech which is from His Attributes.
Many of the scholars were killed and many others banished, while some—including Imam Ahmad were chained, severely tortured publicly and repeatedly imprisoned by successive regimes.
His classes were stopped and he was confined to his house for years by way of compelling him and other scholars of the Sunnah to accept this deviant position.
So some of the people gathered in the house of Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal (رحمه الله) to confer with him.
He asked them, “So what do you want?”
They replied that, “We have come to consult you that we are not at all pleased with his leadership and authority.”
Then Imam Ahmad (رحمه الله) said to them, “You should be patient. Do not give yourself up to disobedience in any bit nor cause division among the Muslims. Do not spill your own blood and that of other Muslims with you. Consider the consequences of your action and be patient until the pious get succor or relief is gotten off the wicked.”
The conversation went in that line; with the Imam persuading and warning them against any public dissent against Waathiq.
One of the people then said, “We fear for our children; if this thing (i.e. the deviant creed) spreads they will not know any other than it, and Islam will be wiped out and eradicated!”
Imam Ahmad then replied, “No, never! Allāh is the Helper of His religion; this affair has a Lord Who will help it. Islam is indomitable and strong.” Thereupon, they left.
Hanbal (رحمه الله) said, “While leaving, one of them said to me: “Come along with us to the house of so-and-so—and he named the person—so that we could tell him what we want to do.”
So I mentioned that to my father who warned me, “Do not go; you should rather apologize to him! I cannot guarantee them not involving you, which would result in Abu Abdillah (i.e. Imam Ahmad) been mentioned in it.” So I begged him off and did not go with them.”
Subsequently, Hanbal went into the house of the Imam along with his father and the Imam said to them, “O Abu Yoosuf, I think those people are already decided about what they mentioned. We ask Allah for well-being! We must not have anything to do with this flaw, and I do not like that anyone does this!”
Hanbal said, “I asked the Imam, “O Abu Abdillah, is this (i.e. the gathering of the people to encourage you to publicly agitate for the removal of the caliph) correct?”
He retorted, “No! This contradicts the narrations in which we are ordered to be patient.”
Thereupon, Abu Abdillah said, “The Prophet (ﷺ) had said, If he beats you, be patient. If he deprives you, be patient…”
[Mihnat al-Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal li Hanbal bin Ishaq bin Hanbal (pg. 70-72) cited in Qaaidatun Mukhtasiratun fee Wujoobi Taa‟atillahi wa Rasoolihi wa Wulaat il-Umoor (pg. 16-18).]
To be continued… إِنْ شَاءَ ٱللّٰهُ
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