1107 - Abu Bakr al-Marrudhi informed us, saying: Abu 'Abd Allah [Ahmad ibn Hanbal] said to me regarding Ibn Abi Rizmah al-Marrudhi: 'It has reached me that they asked him in Mecca about faith, and he refused to say: Faith is speech and action. Had I known this about him, I would not have permitted him to enter upon me.' Two or three days later, he asked me: 'What is the situation regarding Ibn Abi Rizmah?' I replied: 'I do not have any news about him.' You said to me: 'I do not like for anyone from my circle to visit him.' So, I did not go to him. Later, when we had finished the night prayer (al-'isha' al-akhirah), he said: 'Go to him, for there was a connection of mutual respect between us.' It was mentioned to him that Ibn al-Mubarak used to say: 'Faith varies in degrees.' So he [Ibn Abi Rizmah] went to him [Ahmad ibn Hanbal] and said: 'I have told them: When I arrive in Iraq, I will meet Abu 'Abd Allah, and whatever he commands me, I will comply with it.' Then he came and said to Abu 'Abd Allah: 'Give me an argument [or proof] that I may inform the people of Marw with when I arrive there.' Abu 'Abd Allah then marked these hadiths and said to me: 'Hand them over to him.'
١١٠٧ - أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ الْمَرُّوذِيُّ، قَالَ: قَالَ لِي أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ فِي ابْنِ أَبِي رِزْمَةَ الْمَرُّوذِيِّ: بَلَغَنِي أَنَّهُمْ سَأَلُوهُ بِمَكَّةَ عَنِ الْإِيمَانِ، فَأَبَى أَنْ يَقُولَ: الْأَيْمَانُ قَوْلٌ وَعَمَلٌ، وَلَوْ عَلِمْتُ هَذَا عَنْهُ مَا أَذِنْتُ لَهُ بِالدُّخُولِ عَلَيَّ. وَقَالَ لِي بَعْدَ يَوْمَيْنِ أَوْ ثَلَاثَةٍ: أَيُّ شَيْءٍ حَالُ ابْنِ أَبِي رِزْمَةَ؟ قُلْتُ: لَيْسَ عِنْدِي مِنْ خَبَرِهِ شَيْءٌ، قُلْتَ لِي: «لَا أُحِبُّ أَنْ يَذْهَبَ إِلَيْهِ أَحَدٌ مِنْ نَاحِيَتِي» ، فَلَمْ أَذْهَبْ إِلَيْهِ، فَلَمَّا كَانَ بَعْدُ ⦗٣٤⦘ وَصَلَّيْنَا عِشَاءَ الْآخِرَةِ، قَالَ: اذْهَبْ إِلَيْهِ، فَإِنَّهُ قَدْ كَانَ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَهُ حُرْمَةٌ. فَقِيلَ لَهُ: إِنَّ ابْنَ الْمُبَارَكِ كَانَ يَقُولُ: الْإِيمَانُ يَتَفَاضَلُ، فَذَهَبَ إِلَيْهِ، فَقَالَ: قَدْ قُلْتُ لَهُمْ: إِذَا قَدِمْتُ الْعِرَاقَ لَقِيتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، فَمَا أَمَرَنِي مِنْ شَيْءٍ صِرْتُ إِلَيْهِ، ثُمَّ جَاءَ فَقَالَ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ: أَعْطِنِي حُجَّةً إِذَا قَدِمْتُ عَلَى أَهْلِ مَرْوَ أَخْبَرْتُهُمْ. فَعَلَّمَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَلَى هَذِهِ الْأَحَادِيثِ، وَقَالَ لِيَ: ادْفَعْهَا إِلَيْهِ "
