“O you who have believed, let not a people ridicule other people; perhaps they may be better than them, nor let women ridicule other women; perhaps they may be better than them. And do not insult one another and do not call each other by offensive nicknames. Wretched is the name of disobedience after one’s faith. And whoever does not repent – then it is those who are the wrongdoers.” (Qur’an 49:11)
SUNNI HISTORICAL BOOKS MOCK ABU HANIFA AND IMAM AHMAD. (while pretending to mock the belief of others).
Demonstrative evidence of how Sunni historical books mock Imam Abu Hanifa, and Imam Ahmed (may Allah’s mercy be upon them both) when attempting to misrepresent the beliefs and views of others.
Recently a brother and friend on my Facebook page were asking about reliable information in regards to the historical accounts of Muslims.
I replied by saying,
” walakum salaam wr wb, “reliable and fair ” that will be a challenge because every side will allege that the other is not being truthful. What I can do is provide for you some sources and also suggest you read any sources that anyone suggests to you, and look for the inconsistencies, telltale signs of manipulation.”
I’m going to give here and now demonstrable evidence of exactly how the misrepresentation of one group by another is done and how often it backfires and makes a mockery of the group who thought they were being clever, to begin with.
The first example is of Imam Abu Hanifa (raheemullah). Here is how the story goes:
The Khawarij who based their thoughts on rebelling against the leader of the Muslims, accuse the sahaba -especially Abu Musa al-Ashari (ra) and Amr b As (ra)- with ‘committing kufr’ because they witnessed the hakam incident, they also oppressed the ulama among the tabi’in generation.
“When Dahhak b Kays who is among the khawarij, came to Kufa, he visited Abu Hanifa and asked him to repent. Abu Hanifa asked him what he was supposed to make tawbah from.
Dahhak said: ‘Make tawbah from your view which you permit the referring (appointing) the issue of Ali and Muawiyah to the arbitrators for the peace (agreement).’ Abu Hanifa said:
‘Are you going to kill me or, just discuss with me?’ Dahhak said:
‘I am going to discuss it with you.’ Abu Hanifa said:
‘Who is going to be the arbitrator between us –if we come to an opposition- regarding the matter we are going to discuss?’ Dahhak said:
‘Appoint someone as an arbitrator as you wish.’ Therefore Abu Hanifa asked one among the companions of Dahhak:
‘Have a seat. You are going to be the arbitrator between us –if we come to the opposition- regarding the matter we are going to discuss.’ Then he turned to Dahhak and said:
‘Do you accept him being an arbitrator between us?’ When Dahhak said: ‘Yes’ Abu Hanifah said:
‘So you also accept (the permissibility of) appointing an arbitrator.’
Dahhak, who could not find anything to reply with, left the gathering and went away.”
Source: [Takýyyuddin b. Abdilkadir at-Tamimi, Tabaqatu’s-Saniyye fi Tarajmi’l-Hanafiyya, I, 151-2.]
So here you are reading and quite impressed and saying, “Mash’Allah” Wow! Abu Hanifa was really a clever fellow, wasn’t he!
Actually whoever narrated this fable should be ashamed of themselves for mocking Abu Hanifa. If this was an example of his debating skills it is at best the utmost mockery of Imam Abu Hanifa (rahemullah).
Why do I say this?
“‘Do you accept him being an arbitrator between us?’ When Dahhak said: ‘Yes’ Abu Hanifah said:
‘So you also accept (the permissibility of) appointing an arbitrator.’ “
This makes Imam Abu Hanifa as someone who is ignorant of the beliefs of the people of Narhawan. It is not that the people of Narhawan didn’t accept arbitration. It’s that they didn’t accept arbitration in a matter where Allah (swt) has given a clear ruling.
It is obviously one of the teachings of the Qur’an.
“And if you fear dissension between the two, send an arbitrator from his people and an arbitrator from her people. If they both desire reconciliation, Allah will cause it between them. Indeed, Allah is ever Knowing and Acquainted [with all things].” (Qur’an 4:35).
“O you who believe! Kill not game while in the sacred precincts or in pilgrim garb. If any of you does so intentionally, the compensation is an offering, brought to the Ka’ba, of a domestic animal equivalent to the one he killed, AS ADJUDGED BY TWO JUST MEN AMONG YOU; or by way of atonement, the feeding of the indigent; or its equivalent in fasts: that he may taste of the penalty of his deed. Allah forgives what is past: for repetition, Allah will exact from him the penalty. For Allah is Exalted, and Lord of Retribution.” (Qur’an 5:95)
So this is clearly what the people of Narhawan believed in. However, they did not believe in arbitration on a matter that is already decided by Allah! It’s not that they didn’t believe in arbitration at all. That’s a ridiculous misrepresentation and mockery of other people’s beliefs.
So what this narrative does is it makes Imam Abu Hanifa look ignorant of the beliefs of his opponents. It’s a classic example. Now I don’t expect you to embarrass the teachers at Sunniport, Ilmgate, Seekershub, Sunnipath, Eshaykh, or Livingislam or whomever else. However, you could ask them in private if they could refer you to material written by those who disagreed with Ali’s arbitration and show you where it clearly states that they don’t believe in arbitration at all.
May Allah (swt) guide us to a course that is truthful and just.
Or how about this juicy tale that totally misrepresents those of us who believe that the Qur’an is created.
Excerpt from “Foundations of the Sunnah“
Imam Ahmed Ibn Hanbal died 241H
pg. 93
When I arose (the next morning) I made my way to the door (of al-Mu’tasim) and the people were entering, so I entered along with them. Al Mu’tasim approached and sat on his chair and said, “Bring Ahmed ibn Hanbal”, and so he was brought. When he stood in front of him, Al Mu’tasim said to him, “How were you in your cell yesterday, O Ahmad?”.
Imam Ahmad said, “In goodness and alhamdulillah except that in my cell, O Ameerul Mumineen, I saw something amazing.” He said to him, “And what did you see?”. So he replied, “I arose in the middle of the night, performed ablution for the prayer, and prayed two rakah. In one rakah I recited Alhamdulillah….and Qul Authoo bi rabin naas, and in the second rakah I recited Alhamdulillah….and Qul authoo bi rabil Faalaq. Then I sat down, read the tashahud, and gave salutation (to my right and left)… and then I stood again, made the takbeer and recited Alhumdulillah …and then I desired to read: Qul huwallahu ahad, And I was not able to. I tried hard to read something else from the Quran and I was not able. Then I stretched my eyes to the corner of the prison and (behold) I saw the Quraan laid out on the floor, dead. So I washed it and shrouded it, then prayed over it and buried it.“
So Al Mu’tasim said, “Woe be to you, O Ahmed, and does the Quraan die!?”. So Ahmed said to him, “Well that is what you say – That is created. And everything created dies”. Al Mu’tasim said, “Ahmad has subdued us, Ahmad has subdued us”.
Now I don’t even know if this needs commenting because I can imagine that 99.9% of the readers understand how absolutely ridiculous this story makes Imam Ahmad (raheemullah) out to be. It is an absolute mockery of him.
As for that .1% who may not know-isn’t it obvious?
“So Ahmed said to him, “Well that is what you say – That is created. And everything created dies.”
Really?
Rocks die? Minerals, emeralds, rubies, sapphires, diamonds die? How many funeral prayers have Imam Ahmad (raheemullah) made over them? Obviously none.
So then you have Al Mu’tasim saying, “Al Mu’tasim said, “Ahmad has subdued us, Ahmad has subdued us”.
This is obviously a flat lie.
Are we expected that a great luminary of Islam subdued his opponent with such ridiculous antics?
Not only this but you are accusing Imam Ahmed of doing bid’ a!
Is there a single example from among the companions doing this? Do we have one example of the companions making the funeral prayer over minerals, emeralds, rubies, sapphires, diamonds, rocks, stones, etc?
So these are just two examples in relation to the esteemed Imam Abu Hanifa (raheemullah) and Imam Ahmad (raheemullah) in which they have these fabricated narratives that make it look like they are mocking other people’s beliefs when in reality it makes them both look either ignorant or downright foolish.
Certainly, Allah (swt) will deal justly with those who have redacted these statements, put them in the mouths of these noblemen; and willfully misrepresented the beliefs of others.
“And now they reject the truth when it reaches them: but soon shall they learn the reality of what they used to mock at.” (Qur’an 6:5)
Prima Quran 
Imām Ahmad’s “response” to the Mu`tazilah is a complete farce, and I felt that way even before I more or less became one.