The Life of Ibn Ḥanbal is a translation of the biography of Ibn Hanbal by the Baghdad preacher, scholar, and storyteller Ibn al-Jawzī (d. 597/1200), newly abridged for a paperback readership by translator Michael Cooperson.
Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal (d. 241/855), renowned for his profound knowledge of hadiths—the reports of the Prophet’s sayings and deeds—is a major figure in the history of Islam. He was famous for living according to his own strict interpretation of the Prophetic model and for denying himself the most basic comforts, even though his family was prominent and his city, Baghdad, was then one of the wealthiest in the world. Ibn Ḥanbal’s piety and austerity made him a folk hero, especially after he resisted the attempts of two caliphs to force him to accept rationalist doctrine. His subsequent imprisonment and flogging is one of the most dramatic episodes of medieval Islamic history, and his principled resistance influenced the course of Islamic law, the rise of Sunnism, and the legislative authority of the caliphate.
Set against the background of fierce debates over the role of reason and the basis of legitimate government, The Life of Ibn Ḥanbal tells the formidable life tale of one of the most influential Muslims in history.
An English-only edition.
Reviews
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"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
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"Michael Cooperson's fluid translation is accompanied by substantial notes and a glossary of names and terms."
— Banipal Magazine
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"Gives readers a unique vantage point into the life and piety of the namesake of the Hanbali school of Sunni law...Ibn al-Jawzi, drawing on earlier reports, reconstructs the life and morality of his hero as a complex, earnest, and playful man; Coopersons dynamic and accessible translation brings this last quality to the surface to an extent that would surprise many modern readers with preconceptions about Hanbalism."
— Marginalia
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"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
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