Virtues of the Imam Ahmad ibn Ḥanbal

Virtues of the Imam Ahmad ibn Ḥanbal

Volume Two

  • by Ibn al-Jawzī
  • Edited and translated by Michael Cooperson

544 Pages

January 2015

ISBN: 9780814738948

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$40.00

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Authors

Ibn al-Jawzī (d. 597/1201) was a Baghdadi storyteller, preacher, and prolific Islamic scholar associated with the Hanbali school of jurisprudential thought. He is well known for his exegeses of the Qurʾan and Hadith, including his famous compendium, Al-Taḥqīq.

Michael Cooperson is Professor of Arabic in the Department of Near Eastern Languages & Cultures at UCLA. His translations include The Life of Ibn Ḥanbal by Ibn al-Jawzī for the Library of Arabic Literature, and The Author and His Doubles by the eminent Moroccan literary critic Abdelfattah Kilito.

Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal (d. 241/855), renowned for his profound knowledge of hadith—the reports of the Prophet’s sayings and deeds—is a major figure in the history of Islam. Ibn Ḥanbal’s piety and austerity made him a folk hero, especially after his principled resistance to the attempts of two Abbasid caliphs to force him to accept rationalist doctrine. His subsequent imprisonment and flogging became one of the most dramatic episodes of medieval Islamic history. Ibn Ḥanbal’s resistance influenced the course of Islamic law, the rise of Sunnism, and the legislative authority of the caliphate.

Virtues of the Imam Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal is a translation of the biography of Ibn Ḥanbal penned by the Baghdad preacher, scholar, and storyteller, Ibn al-Jawzī (d. 597/1201). It includes insights into Ibn Ḥanbal’s childhood, travels, and teachings, as well as descriptions of his way of life. This second and final volume gives a vivid account of Ibn Ḥanbal’s legendary confrontation with the caliphal Inquisition, including his imprisonment, trial, and flogging. Ultimately, it recounts how the people of Baghdad came to admire him as a symbol of Sunni Islam.

A bilingual Arabic-English edition.

Reviews

  • "Cooperson's translation is uncommonly deft...On the whole, this translation is a grand success. It will be valuable for teachers to illustrate early Islamic piety, early Islamic law, early Sunni theology, and everyday life in Baghdad."

    — Christopher Melchert, Journal of Islamic Studies

  • "Michael Cooperson's fluid translation is accompanied by substantial notes and a glossary of names and terms."

    — Banipal Magazine

  • "Highly recommended to anyone with an interest in ḥadīth, history, theology, and law, and to anyone who appreciates a good read."

    — Journal of the American Research Center in Egypt

  • "This second and final volume recounts Ibn Hanbal’s confrontation with the Abbasid caliphate as he refused to accept rationalist doctrine...Ibn al-Jawzi’s book gives a comprehensive account of Ibn Hanbal’s life and experiences."

    — Abdul Adil, The Muslim News