—have never heard anything of the sort. If you simply must lie, then do so about someone other than us.”

The man retorted, “So you are Yahya ibn Maʿin?”

“Yes,” he answered.

The storyteller said, “I have always heard that Yahya ibn Maʿin is a fool, and I have just discovered that it is true! As though there were no one in the world named Yahya ibn Maʿin and Ahmad ibn Hanbal except you two! I have written from seventeen different transmitters called Ahmad ibn Hanbal, and from others named Yahya ibn Maʿin besides you.”

Ahmad covered his face with his sleeve and said, “Leave him; let him go.” The man walked away, mocking them as he went.

This tale has become popular on people’s tongues, but it is unfounded. I suspect that al-Baladi coined it; he was known as al-Maʿsūb.

It was also transmitted from him by Abu Hatim ibn Hibban (1), whereby his anonymity was removed.

Al-Marwadhi related from Ahmad that he remained in Samarra for eight days, drinking nothing but less than a quarter-measure of sawiq (roasted-grain gruel).

Ahmad ibn Bundar al-Shaʿʿar reported: Abu Yahya ibn al-Razi narrated to us; I heard ‘Ali ibn Saʿid al-Razi say, “We accompanied Ahmad ibn Hanbal to the gate of al-Mutawakkil. When they led him through the private gate, he said, ‘Go back, may Allah grant you well-being.’ None of us fell ill after that day.”

Al-Kudaymi narrated: ‘Ali ibn al-Madini related to us that Ahmad ibn Hanbal said to me, “I long to travel with you to Mecca, but what prevents me is the fear that I might bore you or you might bore me.”

When I took my leave of him I said, “Give me some advice.” He replied, “Let piety be your provision, and keep the Hereafter ever before your eyes.”

Abu Hatim said: The first time I met Ahmad was in the year 213 AH. When he went out to the prayer he carried with him the Book of Drinks (al-Ashriba) (2) and the Book of Faith (al-Iman); he prayed, and he did not—