The story of Imam Ahmad and Istighfar a baker
Imam Ahmad Rahimahullah is one of the 4 madhhab scholars whose names are famous until now.
In his day, he was hailed by many people. In a story written by Imam al-Jauzirahimahullah in the book about Imam Ahmad, it is narrated that when the Imam entered his old age he really wanted to go to the land of Sham.
But strangely, Imam Ahmad did not have a clear purpose at all why he wanted to go to that place. Though he had to travel far from his residence in Baghdad to Sham. Arriving in Sham, Imam Ahmad stopped to perform the midday prayer. No one recognizes it, considering that in ancient times the technology was not as advanced as it is today.
He waited in the mosque until the Asr prayer. After Asr, the Imam reads the Koran to wait for Maghrib and Isha. After the night ended, Imam Ahmad then wanted to sleep and rest in the mosque.
But the mosque guard did not allow him to sleep there.
“O Sheikh, you can’t sleep here, it’s a rule please leave,” said the guard.
But Imam Ahmad refused, “I am a traveler, I want to rest here,” replied the Imam.
But the guard still refused and asked him to come out and then locked the door of the mosque. After the guard left, Imam Ahmad returned to rest in the courtyard of the mosque.
However, the guard came back and again chased him away, pushing him into the street. Then a baker whose house is not far from the mosque saw this condition. The baker called him
“O sheikh, come rest in my shop.”
Then Iman Ahmad entered the bakery.
“My house is not far from here, this is my bakery, back there, there is a room to rest. Rest tonight and tomorrow morning you can continue your journey again,” said the baker.
After entering the shop, Imam Ahmad then noticed the activities of the baker. And there is one thing that attracts him the most from this man. Namely the words of dhikr and prayers of istighfar that continued to slide from his mouth without breaking from the start he started working on his bread dough.
Imam Ahmad was amazed then asked “Since when have you always been doing istighfar non-stop like this?”
He replied, “It’s been a long time. This has become a regular habit of mine, in almost all conditions.”
Then Imam Ahmad asked again “So what are the results”
“Yes, Allah granted all my requests,” he answered.
“Then what is your request that Allah has not granted?” asked the Priest.
This pious man continued his answer and said, “For a long time I have always prayed to Allah to be met with a great scholar whom I love and admire very much. He is Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal!”
“Allah is the Greatest! Because of your istighfar, Allah SWT brought me to your city for no apparent reason, because of your istighfar, Marbot Masjid forbade me to sleep in the mosque, because of your istighfar you offered me rest at your place. I am Ahmad bin Hanbal!”
Masha Allah, Allah SWT brought Imam Ahmad to his house because of his istighfar.
