TheLifeofIbnḤanbalisatranslationofthebiographyofIbnHanbalbytheBaghdadpreacher,scholar,andstorytellerIbnal-Jawzī(d.597/1200),newlyabridgedforapaperbackreadershipbytranslatorMichaelCooperson.AḥmadibnḤanbal(d.241/855),renownedforhisprofoundknowledgeofhadiths--thereportsoftheProphet’ssayingsanddeeds--isamajorfigureinthehistoryofIslam.HewasfamousforlivingaccordingtohisownstrictinterpretationofthePropheticmodelandfordenyinghimselfthemostbasiccomforts,eventhoughhisfamilywasprominentandhiscity,Baghdad,wasthenoneofthewealthiestintheworld.IbnḤanbal’spietyandausteritymadehimafolkhero,especiallyafterheresistedtheattemptsoftwocaliphstoforcehimtoacceptrationalistdoctrine.HissubsequentimprisonmentandfloggingisoneofthemostdramaticepisodesofmedievalIslamichistory,andhisprincipledresistanceinfluencedthecourseofIslamiclaw,theriseofSunnism,andthelegislativeauthorityofthecaliphate.Setagainstthebackgroundoffiercedebatesovertheroleofreasonandthebasisoflegitimategovernment,TheLifeofIbnḤanbaltellstheformidablelifetaleofoneofthemostinfluentialMuslimsinhistory.AnEnglish-onlyedition.
