Chapter 66 of 984 min read

8. Al Mutawakil. He went back to the aqeedah of Ahlul Sunnah wal Jamah.

٨. المتوكل ورجوعه إلى عقيدة أهل السنة والجماعة

His Shuyookh Many of his shyookh are listed in his Musnad. He traveled extensively in the Muslim world because he was a muhaddith. He once traveled from Baghdad to Yemen just to meet Abdulrazaq al-san’aani but when he reached Makkah he heard that he had passed away. Imam AshShafi’ee: When he came to Iraq the second or third time, he met with Imam Ahmed. He said that ash-Shafi’ee was a great imam in fiqh even if he wasn’t known for his quest for hadith. Sufyan ibn ‘Uyayna Muhammad ibn Zaid His Students Mainly became scholars of hadith. Some of his students were related to him. His two children: Abdullah and Salih who were also narrators of his fiqh His wives, who were his students and also helped in passing on the knowledge after his demise. His Character His Ordeal Mu’tazilah were getting stronger and stronger. They brought with them Eastern philosophy and opened the state to free intellectual thinking. Khalifah Ma’mun started “Halaqat Tarjuma”, translation services, where everything including magic and witchcraft was translated. This had a negative influence on people. Harun ar-Rashid had chosen for his children, Al-Amin and Al-Mamun, the most prominent scholars of his time. He himself was from Ahlul Sunnah Wal Jama’. Al-amin became mu’tazilli, but he didn’t enforce alI’tizal, whereas it was his brother Mamun, who enforced Mu’tazilah as the state ideology. There was a great resistance by the ulema but no one could stand the power of the state. There was a great breakdown in the manhaj of ahlul sunnah, many of them were jailed, beaten, and tortured. Ma’moon was one of scholars of his time, but it did not prevent him from being a fanatic in aqeedah. Imam Ahmed was caught in the middle. Most of the fuqaha just gave in to avoid persecution from the state but Imam Ahmed was steadfast. He became very prominent for his stance against the state. During Mamun’s time, he was imprisoned for 28 months. He refused to accept the Mu’tazilah ideology. Mamun threatened to kill Imam Ahmad. During this time, he was bribed, treated kindly, threatened with the sword, etc. However, his popularity was so great, that he was not killed. If he had been killed, Mamun knew the people would revolt. Mamun, who was in ashSham at the time of Imam Ahmed’s imprisonment, called for Imam Ahmed to be brought in front of him. Imam Ahmed was carried on a camel in chains and shackles and on his way there news came that Al-mamun had died. AlMu’tasim, Mamun’s son, was a hardcore Mu’tazilah. Al-waafi’ee also followed the example of his father. However, he loved Imam Ahmed and his personality, hence Imam Ahmed was released from prison but put under house arrest where he was not allowed to give fatwas. It was Qabeelat Tayybah TCE Notes Revolution 78

Al Mu’tasim’s son, al Mutawakkil, who renounced the Mu’tazilah ideology and freed Imam Ahmed from house arrest. The damage and blow to Ahlul Sunnah wal Jama’ was so great that it was very hard and difficult to repair. Imam Ahmed said those who helped him during his ordeal were ordinary people. After the first imprisonment, he was shaken. A bedoiun stopped him and said “everyone’s watching what you are saying. So trust in Allah.” This shows the immense responsibility on Imam Ahmed’s head. He was imprisoned with people who had committed other crimes such as drinking, just to increase the mental pressure. He was so shaken before they were going to whip him that one of the drunkards told him, “don’t worry it’s just one or two whips and then you don’t feel anything.” When some people told him to give in to the Mu’tazilah just to save himself, he said there are so many students who are ready to write what he would say. He could not say something wrong that will spread. Hence, he did not collapse to the beliefs of the Mu’tazilah because of the effect his opinion would have on the ummah. His words carried weight! When Imam Ahmed was released from house arrest, the Khaleefah Mutawakil sent him many gifts. Imam Ahmed started crying and said “Inni akhafu min fitnatil ni’ma akthar min fitnatil Mihna,” meaning, “I’m fearful of this fitnah more than the fitnah of prison”. He did not want gifts because he wanted his reward to be from Allah and not from people. So in turn, he distributed his gifts. Imam Ahmed became the “star” of his time, “the celebrity.” He said that he wished he was not that popular and to just be a common person of his time. His Death He died in 241 H when he was 77 years old. It is said that all of Baghdad went to attend his funeral, 100,000 men and 60,000 women. They had never heard anything like that before. THE USOOL OF MADHAB AHMAD In general the principles of Madhab Ahmad are similar to the principles of Madhab his Shaykh AshShafi’ee.

Chapter 66 of 984 min read

8. Al Mutawakil. He went back to the aqeedah of Ahlul Sunnah wal Jamah.

٨. المتوكل ورجوعه إلى عقيدة أهل السنة والجماعة

His Shuyookh Many of his shyookh are listed in his Musnad. He traveled extensively in the Muslim world because he was a muhaddith. He once traveled from Baghdad to Yemen just to meet Abdulrazaq al-san’aani but when he reached Makkah he heard that he had passed away. Imam AshShafi’ee: When he came to Iraq the second or third time, he met with Imam Ahmed. He said that ash-Shafi’ee was a great imam in fiqh even if he wasn’t known for his quest for hadith. Sufyan ibn ‘Uyayna Muhammad ibn Zaid His Students Mainly became scholars of hadith. Some of his students were related to him. His two children: Abdullah and Salih who were also narrators of his fiqh His wives, who were his students and also helped in passing on the knowledge after his demise. His Character His Ordeal Mu’tazilah were getting stronger and stronger. They brought with them Eastern philosophy and opened the state to free intellectual thinking. Khalifah Ma’mun started “Halaqat Tarjuma”, translation services, where everything including magic and witchcraft was translated. This had a negative influence on people. Harun ar-Rashid had chosen for his children, Al-Amin and Al-Mamun, the most prominent scholars of his time. He himself was from Ahlul Sunnah Wal Jama’. Al-amin became mu’tazilli, but he didn’t enforce alI’tizal, whereas it was his brother Mamun, who enforced Mu’tazilah as the state ideology. There was a great resistance by the ulema but no one could stand the power of the state. There was a great breakdown in the manhaj of ahlul sunnah, many of them were jailed, beaten, and tortured. Ma’moon was one of scholars of his time, but it did not prevent him from being a fanatic in aqeedah. Imam Ahmed was caught in the middle. Most of the fuqaha just gave in to avoid persecution from the state but Imam Ahmed was steadfast. He became very prominent for his stance against the state. During Mamun’s time, he was imprisoned for 28 months. He refused to accept the Mu’tazilah ideology. Mamun threatened to kill Imam Ahmad. During this time, he was bribed, treated kindly, threatened with the sword, etc. However, his popularity was so great, that he was not killed. If he had been killed, Mamun knew the people would revolt. Mamun, who was in ashSham at the time of Imam Ahmed’s imprisonment, called for Imam Ahmed to be brought in front of him. Imam Ahmed was carried on a camel in chains and shackles and on his way there news came that Al-mamun had died. AlMu’tasim, Mamun’s son, was a hardcore Mu’tazilah. Al-waafi’ee also followed the example of his father. However, he loved Imam Ahmed and his personality, hence Imam Ahmed was released from prison but put under house arrest where he was not allowed to give fatwas. It was Qabeelat Tayybah TCE Notes Revolution 78

Al Mu’tasim’s son, al Mutawakkil, who renounced the Mu’tazilah ideology and freed Imam Ahmed from house arrest. The damage and blow to Ahlul Sunnah wal Jama’ was so great that it was very hard and difficult to repair. Imam Ahmed said those who helped him during his ordeal were ordinary people. After the first imprisonment, he was shaken. A bedoiun stopped him and said “everyone’s watching what you are saying. So trust in Allah.” This shows the immense responsibility on Imam Ahmed’s head. He was imprisoned with people who had committed other crimes such as drinking, just to increase the mental pressure. He was so shaken before they were going to whip him that one of the drunkards told him, “don’t worry it’s just one or two whips and then you don’t feel anything.” When some people told him to give in to the Mu’tazilah just to save himself, he said there are so many students who are ready to write what he would say. He could not say something wrong that will spread. Hence, he did not collapse to the beliefs of the Mu’tazilah because of the effect his opinion would have on the ummah. His words carried weight! When Imam Ahmed was released from house arrest, the Khaleefah Mutawakil sent him many gifts. Imam Ahmed started crying and said “Inni akhafu min fitnatil ni’ma akthar min fitnatil Mihna,” meaning, “I’m fearful of this fitnah more than the fitnah of prison”. He did not want gifts because he wanted his reward to be from Allah and not from people. So in turn, he distributed his gifts. Imam Ahmed became the “star” of his time, “the celebrity.” He said that he wished he was not that popular and to just be a common person of his time. His Death He died in 241 H when he was 77 years old. It is said that all of Baghdad went to attend his funeral, 100,000 men and 60,000 women. They had never heard anything like that before. THE USOOL OF MADHAB AHMAD In general the principles of Madhab Ahmad are similar to the principles of Madhab his Shaykh AshShafi’ee.