regularly, and he would often remark:
“Ṣalāḥ al-Dīn Yūsuf conquered the coastline and made Islam prevail, whereas you, Yūsuf,(1) have revived the Sunnah(2) in Syria.”

Abu Shāmah(3) comments: “Abu al-Muẓaffar is indicating that al-ʿImād, in his sermons, frequently quoted the words of his grandfather(4) and excerpts from his grandfather’s sermons that called for passing the Qur’anic verses on the divine attributes—and every sound hadith—just as they have come, without inclination toward figurative interpretation, anthropomorphism, or denial. This is the course preferred by the learned Hanbali shaykhs, and it is sound. I myself saw al-ʿImād praying in the Hanbalis’ study circle many times; he would lengthen every pillar of the prayer—standing, bowing, and prostrating. He used to pray facing two millstones(5) until he built the mihrab in 617 AH.”

Al-Ḍiyāʾ said: “Al-ʿImād—may Allah have mercy on him—died on the night of Thursday, 17 Dhu al-Qiʿdah 614 AH, after the ʿIshāʾ prayer, suddenly. He had led the Maghrib prayer in the congregational mosque while fasting, then went home and broke his fast with a small amount. When his bier was carried out, an immense crowd gathered; I never saw the mosque look anything other than a Friday in the size of the assembly. The governor tried to drive the people back, but they pressed forward until some were nearly crushed, and I have never seen a funeral with more people than his.”

It is related that when death came to him he kept saying: “O Ever-Living, O Self-Sustaining, there is no god but You; by Your mercy I seek relief,” then he turned to face the qiblah and pronounced the shahādah.