About Imam Ahmad's hardship, reported by his nephew Hanbal

This is an accurate account of a large part of Imam Ahmad's life, that of the ordeals he underwent because of his opposition to the Mu'tazilite creed and for which he debated and was imprisoned and tortured.

The accounts of these events are directly narrated by his nephew Hanbal ibn Ishaq, who reports either what he saw and knew himself, or what his father Ishaq ibn Hanbal told him.

This is a very good edition based on two complete manuscripts, as this account is mentioned in several sources in the writings of the people of Sunnah, but this is the most complete one we have.