Descriptions of Imam Ahmed bin Hanbal

Al-Hasan ibn Ahmad -the governor of Al-Jisr- said: "I entered the presence of Ishaq bin Ibrahim and so-and-so and so-and-so (and he mentioned some of the rulers), but I have not seen anyone more awe-inspiring than Ahmed bin Hanbal; but I was overcome with shivering when I saw him, due to the awe which he inspired."

Abu Ja'far bin Zareeh Al-'Ukbari said: "I sought out Ahmed bin Hanbal to ask him about a certain matter and I sat at the door of the house until he came. Then I stood up and greeted him with salutation of peace and I (saw that) he was a tall, old man with dyed hair and a very brown complexion."

'Abdoos said: "Abu 'Abdullah (Ahmed bin Hanbal)saw me one day and I was laughing; and now to this day I feel embarrassed in front of him."

Abu 'Ubaid Al-Qasim bin Salam said: I have sat with Abu Yoosuf, Muhammad bin Al-Hasan, Yahya bin Sa'eed and Abdu-Rahman bin Mahdi but I was not awed by any of them as I was by Ahmed bin Hanbal. I visited him when he was in prison, in order to give salutations of peace to him and a man asked me about a matter, but I was so awed by him (i.e imam ahmed) that i did not answer."

Ahmed bin Sinan Al-Wasiti said: "I did not see Yazeed bin Haroon honoring anyone the way he honored Ahmed bin Hanbal, and he used to treat him with respect and dignity and he would not joke with him."

Yahya bin Ma'een -in spite of his own elevated status and great knowledge- used to say : "The people wished that I should be like Ahmed bin Hanbal. No, by Allah! I will never be like Ahmed."

Ibraheem bin Ash-Shammas said: "I knew Ahmed bin Hanbal when he was a young boy and he used to spend the nights in prayer."

Nasr bin 'Ali said : The position of Ahmed bin Hanbal in the hear after would be better, because the life of this world came to him and he rejected it."

Hajjah bin ash-Sha'ir said: "My eyes have not seen a soul in a body better than Ahmed bin Hanbal."

'Abdu-Rahman bin al-Mahdi said of him: "I have never look at this man without thinking of Sufyan ath-Thawri."

Ibraheem bin hani' said of the time when Imam Ahmed bin Hanbal hid from the sultan and hid in his house, "I have not seen anyone more abstemious, more devout in worship , nor anyone who exerted himself more(in Allah's cause) than Ahmed bin Hanbal. He would fast during the day and he would hasten to break his fast, then he would perform a number of rak'ahs after 'Isha', then he would have a light sleep, after which he would get up and purify himself and he would continue praying until fajr time. Then he would offer a Witr prayer of one Ra'kah. This was his custom throughout the time he remained with me.I did not keep up with him in worship; and I did not see him fail to fast except on one day, when he did not fast in order to have Hijamah(cupping) performed on him."


Source: The biography of Imam Ahmed bin Hanbal by Salahuddin Ali Abdul Mawjood