The ruling on publishing Imam Ahmad’s statements regarding Abu Hanifah
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The questioner:
Honorable Shaykh, what is your opinion regarding the statements of the revered Imam, the upholder of the Sunnah and the suppressor of innovation, Ahmad ibn Hanbal, concerning Abu Hanifah, which his son Abdullah mentioned in *al-Sunnah*, and which al-Khatib al-Baghdadi mentioned in his history? Are the statements of Imam Ahmad to be rejected? Please inform us of the correct ruling?
The Shaykh:
One should remain silent about them and not possess them, nor possess them even to the extent of... The obligation is that they be left alone and not possessed, nor even published. The obligation is that they not be published, because they are reports of the utmost severity, and Allah knows best. We have no benefit in publishing them or promoting them. They should remain in the books where they are, in their place, and we should not transmit them, read them in gatherings, or announce them to the people. They should remain in the books in which they are found, or be borne by those who write them.
The questioner:
Among the students of knowledge, there are those who are eager to cite them.
The Shaykh:
No, that is not appropriate. This matter is minor; leave it in the books where it is, do not promote it, do not publish it to the people, do not read it in gatherings, and let it be borne by those who write it.
The presenter:
May Allah reward you
Honorable Shaykh, what is your opinion regarding the statements of the revered Imam, the upholder of the Sunnah and the suppressor of innovation, Ahmad ibn Hanbal, concerning Abu Hanifah, which his son Abdullah mentioned in *al-Sunnah*, and which al-Khatib al-Baghdadi mentioned in his history? Are the statements of Imam Ahmad to be rejected? Please inform us of the correct ruling?
The Shaykh:
One should remain silent about them and not possess them, nor possess them even to the extent of... The obligation is that they be left alone and not possessed, nor even published. The obligation is that they not be published, because they are reports of the utmost severity, and Allah knows best. We have no benefit in publishing them or promoting them. They should remain in the books where they are, in their place, and we should not transmit them, read them in gatherings, or announce them to the people. They should remain in the books in which they are found, or be borne by those who write them.
The questioner:
Among the students of knowledge, there are those who are eager to cite them.
The Shaykh:
No, that is not appropriate. This matter is minor; leave it in the books where it is, do not promote it, do not publish it to the people, do not read it in gatherings, and let it be borne by those who write it.
The presenter:
May Allah reward you
Source
شرح نونية ابن القيم [48] — alfawzan.live (1:07:05)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.