Was Ahmad b. Hanbal only a Muhaddith?

The truth in this matter is that Ahmad was a hadith scholar and jurist, whose inclination towards hadith dominated him, even though he did not leave a book on jurisprudence. He poured his jurisprudential knowledge into the hearts of his students who took care to collect his views, fatwas, and so on. 

This was only because of his intense dislike of authoring anything other than hadith works. He was similar in this regard to Malik b. Anas, who only left “al-Muwatta” which is in its essence a hadith book more so than it is a book of jurisprudence, whilst “al-Mudawwanah” was compiled after him. No one denied Malik’s jurisprudence or his precedence in ijtihad. More Fiqh issues were narrated from Ahmad than from Malik.

This view – I mean: that Imam Ahmad was not a jurist – is a view held due to sectarian bias on the part of those who propagate it. They transmitted it from Ibn Jarir al Tabari as if it were an undisputed fact.

Below are testimonies from the great Imams of jurisprudence who lived and interacted with Ahmad b. Hanbal:

“Al-Rabee’ ibn Sulayman said: Al-Shafi’i said to us: Ahmad is an imam in eight qualities: An imam in hadith, an imam in jurisprudence, an imam in language, an imam in Quran, an imam in poverty, an imam in asceticism, an imam in piety, an imam in the Sunnah.”

“Harmalah bin Yahya said: I heard Al-Shafi’i saying: I left Baghdad and did not leave behind anyone more pious, more God-fearing, more knowledgeable in jurisprudence – and I think he said: or more knowledgeable overall – than Ahmad ibn Hanbal.”

Note: Ahmad was only a young man during this time.

“Muhammad bin Uthman bin Salm said: I heard Abu Abdullah Muhammad bin Nasr al-Marwazi, and I said to him: Did you meet Abu Abdullah Ahmad ibn Hanbal? He said: I went to his house several times, met with him, and asked him about issues.

He was asked: Was Ahmad more knowledgeable in hadith or Ishaq ibn Rahawayh? He said: Ahmad. So I said to him: Was Ahmad more precise in hadith or Ishaq? He said: Ahmad. I said: Was Ahmad more knowledgeable in jurisprudence or Ishaq? He said: Ahmad.

He was asked: Was Ahmad more pious or Ishaq? He said: What are you saying! Ahmad surpassed the people of his time.”

“Ibn Abi Hatim said: I heard Abu Zur’ah saying: I kept hearing people mentioning Ahmad ibn Hanbal positively and preferring him over Yahya ibn Ma’een and Abu Khaithamah, except that the mentioning of him did not become what it later became after he was tested (under persecution). So when he was tested, his renown spread throughout the lands.

And I heard Abu Zur’ah saying: I have not seen anyone more excellent overall than Ahmad ibn Hanbal. He was told: “Ishaq ibn Rahawayh.” So he said: “Ahmad ibn Hanbal is greater than Ishaq ibn Rahawayh and more knowledgeable in jurisprudence. And I have seen the scholars yet have not seen anyone more perfect than him – asceticism, virtue, jurisprudence and many other qualities combined in him.””

“Abdul-Wahhab al-Warraq said: I have not seen the like of Ahmad ibn Hanbal. They said to him:  And what appeared to you of his virtue and knowledge over all others you have seen?

He said: A man was asked about sixty thousand issues so he answered regarding them by saying: “We were narrated and we were informed.””

“Abdullah said: A group of hadith scholars attended the gathering of Abu Asim ad-Dahhak bin Makhlad. He said: Why don’t you study jurisprudence? There is no jurist among you!” And he began criticizing them.

They said: “Among us there is a man.” He said: “Who is he?”

They said: “He will come shortly.” So when my father (i.e., Ahmad bin Hanbal) came, they said: “Here he is.” So Abu Asim looked at him and said to him: “Come forward.” Ahmad replied: “I dislike stepping ahead of people.”

Abu Asim said: “This is from his jurisprudence. Make way for him!” So they made way and he entered. Abu Asim seated him in front of him. Then he posed an issue before him and Ahmad answered. He posed a second and third issue and Ahmad answered them. And (he posed) more issues and Ahmad answered them.

Abu Asim then said: “This is a beast of the ocean, not a beast of the land” – or – “This is a beast of the land, not a beast of the ocean.””

“And Ibn Makula said: He was the most knowledgeable of people regarding the doctrines (madhahib) of the Companions and the Tabi’een.”

– Taken from Al Jaami’ Fi Uloom Al Imaam Ahmad 2/197-200.