11. Ahmad ibn Hanbal 241H/855CE

He was born in the Khurasan region. Imam ath-Dhahabi described Ibn Hanbal as, "The true Shaikh of Islam and leader of the Muslims in his time, the hadith master and proof of the religion". Ali ibnul-Madini, the great Imam of hadith said: "Truly, Allah reinforced this religion with Abu Bakr asSiddiq the day of the great apostasy (ar-Riddah), and He reinforced it with Ahmad ibn Hanbal the day of the Inquisition (al-Mihnah)." Harmala said: "I heard ash-Shafi’ee say: ‘I left Baghdad and did not leave behind me anyone more virtuous, more learned, more knowledgeable than Ahmad ibn Hanbal.’"