صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب                 صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلٰى مُحَمَّد

Dear Islamic sisters! Sacrificing life, wealth, family, etc. and facing difficulties for the sake of Islam has been an old practice. Therefore, when the Prophets عَـلَـيْهِمُ السَّلَام, noble companions عَلَیْھِمُ الرِّضْوَان, pious predecessors رَحِمَهُمُ الـلّٰـه and scholars of Islam started the work of propagating Islam according to their status, then they were not greeted with flowers or garlands; rather, in return of this favour, they were subject to cruelty and tyranny, they were severed by saws, they were imprisoned and locked up, their skins were even peeled off from their bodies, their bare backs were whipped, they were made fun of, they were exiled from their own cities, they were thrown into boiling oil, they were dragged on scorching sand, their bodies were riddled with arrows, swords and spears, and some even attained martyrdom in this path.

In short, these pious people bore so many difficulties for the sake of Islam that when we hear about them, our bodies begin to tremble, every strand of our hair stands on end, our heart becomes saddened and tears begin to flow from our eyes.

The leader of millions of Hanbalis, Imam Ahmad Bin Hanbal رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْه is also included in the list of those noble Awliya رَحِمَهُمُ الـلّٰـه who gave so many sacrifices for the sake of Islam and also had to endure different types of severe difficulties in the way of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ.

Announcement of forgiveness upon every lash of whip

Once, upon the order of the Abbasid caliph, Mu’tasim Billah, the executioners started to whip the back of Imam Ahmad Bin Hanbal رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْهturn by turn. Due to this, his back was covered in blood and his blessed skin came off. In the meanwhile, his trouser started to fall, so he made Du’a in the court of Allah Almighty: ‘O Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ! You know I am right. Save me from unveiling.’ اَلْـحَمْـدُ لـِلّٰـه the trouser did not fall any further and then he fainted.

As long as he remained conscious, he would say on every lash of whip: ‘I forgive the crime of Mu’tasim Billah.’ Later on, when people asked him the reason for this, he replied: ‘Mu’tasim Billah is a descendant of Sayyiduna ‘Abbas رَضِىَ اللهُ عَـنْهُ, the uncle of the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. I feel ashamed in case it is announced on the day of judgement that ‘Ahmad Bin Hanbal did not forgive the descendant of the uncle of the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم’.’

Sayyiduna Fudayl Bin ‘Iyaad رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْه has stated: ‘Imam Ahmad Bin Hanbal رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْه was imprisoned for a consecutive 28 months. During this period, he used to be lashed every night until he fainted. He was wounded with swords and