There are
numerous stories related concerning Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal's piety, which confirm each other. He
would not accept money from governor or ruler due to his piety and when
Al-Mutawakkil sent him ten thousand dirhams with one of his chamberlains, the
chamberlain said to him: " He send salutations of peace to you and he says
to you spend this." But he refused to accept it. The chamberlain said to
him: "Oh, Abu 'Abdullah! I fear that your refusal will cause enmity
between you and him, so it is in your interest to accept it." And he left
it with him and departed.
Then at the
end of the night, Imam Ahmad called his family, his nephews and his dependents
and said: "I have not slept this night because of this money." So
they sat with him and they wrote the names of those in need among the followers
of Hadeeth and others among the inhabitants of Baghdad and Al-Bashrah, then in
the morning, he distributed it among the people in fifty, a hundred, and two
hundred, leaving not even a dirham. Among those to whom he gave were Abu Kuraib
and Abu Sa'red Al-Ashajj. He gave away the bag in which it came and did not
give anything of it to his family even though they were in direst o straits and
the most urged need. Then his son, Salih came and took a piece of it for his
son, and Imam Ahmad- may Allah have mercy on him- said nothing.
The Caliph was informed that he had given the
whole of this gift in charity, until nothing remained of it and that he had
given the bag in charity. 'Ali bin Jhm said: "Oh, Commander of the
faithful! He accepted it from you and gave it in charity on your behalf. What
does Ahmad want with money? A loaf of bread is sufficient for him." Upon
which, the Caliph replied: "That is true."
Source: The biography of Imam Ahmed bin Hanbal by Salahuddin Ali Abdul Mawjood
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