103 - Abu Bakr al-Marrudhi informed us, saying: I saw Abu Abd Allah [Ahmad ibn Hanbal] in a dream during the time of the tribulation (fitna), and I said: 'O Abu Abd Allah, how much our companions are in need of knowing your position! What do you say regarding the tribulation?' He replied: 'Our position is [to follow] the Hadith of Abu Dharr.' I said: 'What if he enters my sanctuary?' He then said something I did not understand.
١٠٣ - وَأَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ الْمَرُّوذِيُّ، قَالَ: رَأَيْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ فِي النَّوْمِ فِي الْفِتْنَةِ، فَقُلْتُ: يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، مَا أَحْوَجَ أَصْحَابِنَا إِلَى أَنْ عَرَفُوا مَذْهَبَكَ، مَا تَقُولُ فِي الْفِتْنَةِ؟ قَالَ: " مَذْهَبُنَا حَدِيثُ أَبِي ذَرٍّ، قُلْتُ: فَإِنْ دَخَلَ عَلَيَّ الْحَرَمَ، فَتَكَلَّمَ بِشَيْءٍ لَمْ أَفْهَمْهُ "
