His son ‘Abdulla-h bin Ahmad relates...

His son ‘Abdulla-h bin Ahmad relates: Once, when I was sitting with my father, a group of the people of Karkh (a locality of Baghdad) came and started a discussion on the caliphate of Abu- Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthma-n and (Imam) ‘Ali- [(‘a)]. My father raised his head and facing them said: O people, you have said enough concerning (Imam) ‘Ali- [(‘a)] and the caliphate. Be informed that the caliphate did not embellish (Imam) ‘Ali- [(‘a)] but it was (Imam) ‘Ali- [(‘a)] who embellished the caliphate.

Ibn Abi- al-Hadi-d Mu‘tazili- (d. 655 AH), commenting on the above remarks of Ahmad bin Hanbal says: The meaning of this statement is that the other caliphs adorned themselves with the caliphate and the caliphate covered their flaws, but there was no shortcoming or deficiency in (Imam) ‘Ali- [(‘a)] to be made up by the caliphate.[^15] ‘Abdulla-h bin Ahmad bin Hanbal also quotes his father as saying: No narration with genuine isna-d (chain of authority) has been related on the merits of anyone else (of the companions), as in the case of (Imam) ‘Ali- [(‘a)].[^16] He further states: I asked my father what credence he had concerning the preferential merits of the companions?

He replied: In the matter of caliphate, Abu- Bakr, ‘Umar and ‘Uthma-n are superior to all others. I asked him what about (Imam) ‘Ali- [(‘a)]? He answered: O my son! (Imam) ‘Ali- bin Abi- Ta-lib [(‘a)] is from a family concerning whom (whose merits) no one can deliberate.[^17] One of the students of Ibn Hanbal narrates: We were in the presence of Ahmad bin Hanbal when a person asked: O Aba- ‘Abdilla-h!

What is your opinion about the hadi-th which says that (Imam) ‘Ali- (‘a) stated: “I am the distributor of hell?” Ibn Hanbal replied: From what aspect do you doubt its credence? Has it not been related that the Prophet told (Imam) ‘Ali- (‘a): “None will love you but the faithful believer and none will hate you but the hypocrite?” We said: Yes. He asked: Where is the place of the faithful believer? “In paradise”, we answered. He asked: Where is the place of the hypocrite? “In hell”, we replied.

He said: Ali is thus the distributor of hell.[^18] Ibn Hanbal’s belief thus bears close resemblance to that of his teacher, Sha-fi‘i-, who also recorded the merits and virtues of Imam ‘Ali- (‘a) and his descendants and considered himself their devotee.