230 years later, when a grave was dug next to the grave of Imam Ahmad Bin Hanbal رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْه, a part of his grave was opened. Not just the body, but even his shroud was safe and sound. (Tahzeeb-ul-Tahzeeb, Raqm 106, Ahmad Bin Muhammad Hanbal, vol. 1, pp. 100)

At the time of his funeral, 20,000 non-Muslims accepted Islam. (Siyar A’laam-un-Nubala, Raqm 1876, Ahmad Bin Hanbal, vol. 9, pp. 538)

He is the author of ‘Musnad-e-Imam Ahmad Bin Hanbal’, a compilation of 40,000 Ahadees. (Al-Bidayah Wan-Nihayah, vol. 7, pp. 340; summarised)

صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب                 صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلٰى مُحَمَّد

Dear Islamic sisters! One of the blessings that Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ grants His people with is ‘strong memory’ i.e. the ability to remember things, due to which, a person is able to preserve knowledge from all over the world in his brain easily and takes full benefit from it.

اَلْـحَمْـدُ لـِلّٰـه Imam Ahmad Bin Hanbal رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْه is also from those fortunate people whom Allah Almighty, alongside making him His Wali, blessed him with a strong memory as well. Through this magnificent blessing and unique memory granted to him by Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ, he رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْه memorised thousands of Ahadees and preserved them in his mind. The glorious proof of this is the compilation of thousands of Ahadees, Musnad-e-Imam Ahmad Bin Hanbal. Let’s hear some events in relation to the impressive strong memory of Imam Ahmad Bin Hanbal رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْه:

Preserved everything his teacher said in his mind

Sayyiduna Hushaym رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْه was Imam Ahmad Bin Hanbal’s رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْه first teacher. Imam Ahmad Bin Hanbal رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْه stayed in his blessed company for a long period and gained the knowledge of Islam. When Sayyiduna Hushaym
رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْه passed away, Imam Ahmad Bin Hanbal رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْه was 20 years old at that time, and whatever he had heard from his teacher, he had retained all of it in his mind.

He himself said: ‘When I was 20 years old, Sayyiduna Hushaym رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْه passed away. I retained everything I heard from him in my mind.’ (Siyar A’laam-un-Nubala, Raqm 1876, Ahmad Bin Hanbal, vol. 9, pp. 439)

He would memorise whatever he heard

Sayyiduna Sa’eed Bin ‘Amr رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْه asked Imam Abu Zur’ah رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْه: ‘O Abu Zur’ah! Is your memory stronger or Imam Ahmad Bin Hanbal’s رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْه?’

He replied: ‘Imam Ahmad Bin Hanbal’s رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْه memory is stronger than mine.’