Abū Ḥafṣ ibn al-Qawwās informed us; al-Kindī narrated to us; ʿAbd al-Malik al-Karūkhī (1) related to us; Abū Ismāʿīl al-Anṣārī related to us; Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd al-Jalīl informed us; and Muḥammad ibn Aḥmad ibn Ibrāhīm transmitted to us (ḥ).

Abū Muḥammad al-Khallāl said: ʿUbayd Allāh ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān al-Zuhrī narrated to us; both of them said:

Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad ibn Miqsam told us; I heard ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz ibn Aḥmad al-Nahāwandī say; I heard ʿAbd Allāh ibn Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal say, ‘I heard my father say:

“I saw the Lord of Majesty in a dream. I asked, ‘My Lord, what is the best act by which those who seek closeness draw near to You?’ He replied, ‘By My Speech, O Aḥmad.’ I said, ‘My Lord, with understanding, or without understanding?’ He said, ‘With understanding—and without understanding.’”’

In al-Ḥilyah, through a chain leading to Ibrāhīm ibn Khurrāzād, it is reported:

“A neighbor of ours saw in a dream that an angel descended from heaven carrying seven crowns. The first person he crowned in this world was Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal.”

Abū ʿUmar ibn Ḥayyawah reported to us; ʿAlī ibn Ibrāhīm al-Shāfiʿī narrated to us; Abū Bakr Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥusayn narrated to us; ʿAzrah ibn ʿAbd Allāh and Ṭālūt ibn Luqmān both said:

“We heard Zakariyyā ibn Yaḥyā al-Simsār say: ‘I saw Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal in a dream with a crown studded with jewels upon his head, sandals on his feet, and he was walking with a graceful swagger. I asked, “What has Allah done with you?” He replied, “He forgave me, drew me near, and crowned me with His own hand with this crown, saying, ‘This is because of your statement: The Qur’an is the Speech of Allah, uncreated.’” I said, “What is this gait that I never observed from you in the worldly realm?” He answered, “This is the gait of the attendants in the Abode of Peace.”’”

Abū Ḥātim ibn Ḥibbān said: Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad ibn Saʿīd al-Marwazī narrated to us