and he removed the garments that had been bestowed upon him, ordered them to be sold, and gave their price in charity.

Al-Muʿtaṣim had instructed Isḥāq ibn Ibrāhīm not to cease sending him news of Aḥmad, for—as we were told—Aḥmad had been left unattended when they had despaired of his survival.

We were informed that al-Muʿtaṣim later regretted this and was seized by remorse until Aḥmad recovered. The courier who reported to Isḥāq ibn Ibrāhīm would visit us every day to inquire about his condition until he became well. Even so, both of his thumbs remained dislocated; they would throb in the cold, so hot water was warmed for him.

When we sought medical treatment for him, we feared that Aḥmad ibn Abī Dāwūd might slip poison to the physician, so we prepared the medicine and the ointment in our own house.

I heard him say, “Everyone who has mentioned me I have pardoned—except an innovator. I have also pardoned Abū Isḥāq,” meaning al-Muʿtaṣim, “for I see that Allah says: ‘Let them pardon and overlook. Do you not love that Allah should forgive you?’ (Qur’an 24:22). And the Prophet ﷺ instructed Abu Bakr to pardon in the affair of Mistah (1).”

Abū ʿAbd Allāh added, “What benefit is there for you if Allah should punish your Muslim brother on your account?!”

Hanbal said: Abū ʿAbd Allāh related that Burghūth—meaning on the day of the ordeal—said, “O …”