The Response to Those Who Made the Fitnah of Imam Ahmad a Political Matter
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Question:
The Honorable Shaykh says: One of the da'iyah (preachers) claims that the fitnah (trial) of Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal regarding the statement on the createdness of the Qur'an was merely a political matter, a political dispute orchestrated by al-Ma'mun when he saw the large number of followers Imam Ahmad had, and feared for the authority of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah. He claims it was a political matter, not because of his fatwa forbidding traveling specifically to the grave of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), nor because of the issue of divorce. He claims the matter was political.
Answer:
This is a false statement. What is found and recorded in the reliable books is that this was done because of the Shaykh's creed, and that he refused to affirm the createdness of the Qur'an. He refused to affirm the createdness of the Qur'an, and so what happened to him happened. It was not merely a political view. Imam Ahmad did not engage in politics, nor did he speak about the rulers, even when they were oppressing, exiling, and beating people. He did not speak about them, nor did he curse them. Rather, it is narrated from him that he said, "If I had a supplication that would be answered, I would direct it away from the ruler."
Imam Ahmad did not engage in politics. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah did not engage in politics, nor did he engage with the rulers. Rather, they defended the truth. Whoever says this is either a Jahmi or a Mu'tazili who wants to support the views of the Mu'tazilah and the Jahmiyyah, or he is a compound ignoramus who does not know and interprets history in a way other than its true interpretation. This is the affliction of people today: it appears in the disbeliever, either from the misguided sects who want to cover up for the people of falsehood, or they are compound ignoramuses who distort history with their simplicity and their limited ideas.
The Honorable Shaykh says: One of the da'iyah (preachers) claims that the fitnah (trial) of Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal regarding the statement on the createdness of the Qur'an was merely a political matter, a political dispute orchestrated by al-Ma'mun when he saw the large number of followers Imam Ahmad had, and feared for the authority of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah. He claims it was a political matter, not because of his fatwa forbidding traveling specifically to the grave of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), nor because of the issue of divorce. He claims the matter was political.
Answer:
This is a false statement. What is found and recorded in the reliable books is that this was done because of the Shaykh's creed, and that he refused to affirm the createdness of the Qur'an. He refused to affirm the createdness of the Qur'an, and so what happened to him happened. It was not merely a political view. Imam Ahmad did not engage in politics, nor did he speak about the rulers, even when they were oppressing, exiling, and beating people. He did not speak about them, nor did he curse them. Rather, it is narrated from him that he said, "If I had a supplication that would be answered, I would direct it away from the ruler."
Imam Ahmad did not engage in politics. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah did not engage in politics, nor did he engage with the rulers. Rather, they defended the truth. Whoever says this is either a Jahmi or a Mu'tazili who wants to support the views of the Mu'tazilah and the Jahmiyyah, or he is a compound ignoramus who does not know and interprets history in a way other than its true interpretation. This is the affliction of people today: it appears in the disbeliever, either from the misguided sects who want to cover up for the people of falsehood, or they are compound ignoramuses who distort history with their simplicity and their limited ideas.
Source
شرح نونية ابن القيم [52] — alfawzan.live (1:23:58)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.