86 - Abu Bakr al-Marwudhi informed us that Abu 'Abd Allah [Ahmad ibn Hanbal] said: "I have said to Ibn al-Kalbi, the companion of the Caliph: 'From the time I was a young man until this very hour, I have not known myself to do anything but perform the prayer behind them [the leaders/imams], I count their leadership as valid, and I do not hold the view of rebelling against them.'"
٨٦ - أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ الْمَرُّوذِيُّ أَنَّ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ: " قَدْ قُلْتُ لِابْنِ الْكَلْبِيِّ صَاحِبِ الْخَلِيفَةِ: «مَا أَعْرِفُ نَفْسِي مُذْ كُنْتُ حَدَثًا إِلَى سَاعَتِي هَذِهِ إِلَّا أَدَّى الصَّلَاةَ خَلْفَهُمْ، وَأَعْتَدُّ إِمَامَتَهُ، وَلَا أَرَى الْخُرُوجَ عَلَيْهِ»
