Virtues of the Imam Ahmad Ibn Ḥanbal

Ibn al-Jawzī (Author) 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 (Edited and Translated by) 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.

• Table of Contents Chapter 51: His Love of Poverty and His Affection for the Poor 2 Chapter 52: His Humility 4 Chapter 53: His Accepting Invitations and His Withdrawal upon Seeing Things He Disapproved Of 12 Chapter 54: His Preference for Solitude 14 Chapter 55: His Wish to Live in Obscurity and His Efforts to Remain Unnoticed 20 Chapter 56: His Fear of God 22 Chapter 57: His Preoccupation and Absentmindedness 26 Chapter 58: His Devotions 28 Chapter 59: His Performances of the Pilgrimage 36 Chapter 60: His Extemporaneous Prayers and Supplications 40 Chapter 61: His Manifestations of Grace and the Effectiveness of His Prayers 46 Chapter 62: The Number of Wives He Had 52 Chapter 63: His Concubines 58 Chapter 64: The Number of His Children 62 Chapter 65: The Lives of His Children and Descendants 64 Chapter 66: How and Why the Inquisition Began 72 Chapter 67: His Experience with al-Ma ?mun 76 Chapter 68: What Happened after the Death of al-Ma ?mun 86

"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)