Blessings from Imam Ahmad bin Hambal

 

Blessings from Imam Ahmad bin Hambal

Ibn Jawzi relates a story: "that one night, Imam Shafi'i dreamed of meeting the Messenger of Allah. and ordered him to convey his greetings to Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal.

The next day, Imam Shafi'i ordered Rabbi' - his student - to bring a letter to Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal. Rabî' rushed to the city of Baghdad and handed over the letter, after reading it, Ahmad had tears in his eyes.

The Rabbi' asked him, 'What is in it O Abu Abdillah?'

Ahmad replied 'He mentioned that he saw the prophet in a dream and said to him, 'Write a letter to Abu Abdillah Ahmad ibn Hanbal and convey my greetings to him! And say, 'You will be tested and forced to say that the Qur'an is a creature, so don't obey their request, Allah will raise you up as a role model in every era until the Day of Resurrection.

The Rabbi said, “I said, 'This is good news.'

Then Ahmad took off his underwear that touched his body and handed it to me, I took it and I went back to Egypt with Ahmad's answer letter.

After I handed it over to Imam Shafi'i, he asked, 'What did he give you?'

I replied, 'a robe that directly touched his body'

Imam Shafi'i said to me, 'I don't want to take her away from you, but wet her and leave the rest of her washing water to me so that I too may be blessed like you.

So, said the rabbi', 'I washed him, and I brought the rest of his washing water to him I put in a bottle, I watched him every day take some water from him and rub it on his face, to take the blessings of Ahmad ibn Hanbal.