"Two imams have been severely tried because of their followers although they are innocent of them: Ahmad ibn Hanbal was tried with the Mujassima (anthropomorphsits), and Ja'far al-Sadiq was tried with the rafida (rejectionists)." [Shaykh al-Hadith Ibn al-Salah(d.643H.) as quoted by Taj al-Din al-Subki in his Qa'ida fi al-jarhi wa al-ta'dil, p.43] We may add that in later times Islam itself was tried with Ibn Taymiyya and Ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab, who claimed to defend it and uphold its pure doctrine, when in fact they corrupted it and tore apart its community with their confusion. Just as Imam Ahmad is clear of them, Islam and Muslims as a whole are also clear of them. |
