This treatise is mentioned in Tabaqaatul-Hanaabilah, 1/294- 295, in the biography of Muhammad ibn Habeeb al-Indiraanee. It is also mentioned, in a similar fashion, in another place (in the Tabaqaat), 1/329-330, in the biography of Muhammad ibn Yoonus as-Sarkhasee with another chain of narration:
‘Ahmad Ibn ‘Ubaidullaah al-’Akbaree narrated to us, saying: Abul-Hasan ‘Alee ibn Mahmood az-Zawzanee informed us, saying: Abul-Qaasim Ibraaheem ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Alee ibn ash-Shaah, atTameemee, al-Marawradhee narrated to us, saying: Aboo Mu’aadh ibn Abee Ismah narrated to us from ‘Askar as-Sawaaf az-Zanjaanee al-Harwee, saying: Aboo Mas’ood Sa’eed ibn Khashnaam ibn Muhammad as-Samarqandee, the mawlaa of Banee Haashim, narrated to us, saying: Muhammad ibn Yoonus as-Sarkhasee informed us, saying: I heard Aboo ‘Abdullaah Ahmad ibn Hanbal say …‘ and then he mentioned it.
THE TEXT
Muhammad ibn Habeeb al-Andaraanee said, “I heard Ahmad ibn Hanbal saying: “The description of the Believer from Ahlus- Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah [is]:
1. Whoever testifies that there is none that has the right to be worshipped except Allaah, alone, without any partners and that Muhammad (swallallahu alaihi wasallam) is His servant and Messenger.
2. That he confirms everything that the Prophets and Messengers came with and that he believes in it resolutely, according to the apparent and manifest [meaning].
3. That he never [has] doubts in his faith, (Allaah, the Exalted, said: “Indeed, the Believers are those who have believed in Allaah and in His Messenger and afterward doubt not.” Soorah al-Hujuraat 49:15) and he never declares any of the people of tawheed to be a disbeliever on account of a sin.
4. That he consigns whatever is hidden from him from among the affairs to Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, and submits his affair to Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, and that he does not cut off Allaah’s protection [of him] by sins.
5. That he knows everything is by Allaah’s ordainment and preestimation, the good and the bad, all of it.
6. He has hope for the doer of good from the Ummah of Muhammad (swallallahu alaihi wasallam) and he fears for the doers of evil amongst them.
7. That he does not place anyone from the Ummah of Muhammad (swallallahu alaihi wasallam) in Paradise or Hell- Fire on account of a good that he earned or a sin that he earned until and unless Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, He is the one who places His creation wherever He wills [i.e. Paradise or Hell-Fire].
8. That he knows the truth regarding the [position of the] Salaf whom Allaah chose to accompany His Prophet, and that he puts at the forefront [of them]: Aboo Bakr, ‘Umar and ‘Uthmaan. And that he knows the truth regarding [the position of] ‘Alee ibn Abee Taalib, Talhah, az-Zubair, ‘Abdur-Rahmaan ibn ‘Awf, Sa’d ibn Abee Waqqaas, Sa’eed ibn Zaid ibn ‘Amr ibn Nufail over all the other Companions. Since these nine are the ones who were with the Prophet (swallallahu alaihi wasallam) on the Mount of Hira, when the Prophet (swallallahu alaihi wasallam)
said, “Be tranquil 0 Hira, there is upon you but a Prophet, a truthful one and a martyr.” (Reported by Aboo Daawood, no. 4648, at-Tirmidhee, no. 3757, an– Nasaa’ee in his Fadaa’ilus-Sahaabah nos, 53, 101 and 102, Ibn Maajah, no- 134, Ibn Abee ‘Aasim in As-Sunnah, no. 1425, 1426 and 1427, Ahmad in his Musnad, 1/187-189, al-Haakim in his Mustadrak, 3/450
from the hadeeth of Sa’eed ibn Zaid and its chain of narration is authentic due to support. It has also been reported from ‘Uthmaan ibn Affaan, Anas (ibn Maalik), Buraidah, and Aboo Hurairah (radhiyallahu anhu) and our Shaikh alAlbaanee has mentioned all the various routes for this narration in his AsSaheehah, 2/558-562.) And the Prophet was the tenth of them.
9. That he asks for Allaah’s Mercy for all of the Companions of Muhammad (swallallahu alaihi wasallam), the young amongst them and the senior amongst them. That he talks about their virtues and their excellence and holds back from [talking about] that which occurred between them.
10. That [he holds] the two ‘Eed prayers, the Fear prayer, the Jumu’ah prayer and the five daily congregational prayers to be performed along with every leader, whether righteous or sinful.
11. That [he accepts] the [validity of] wiping over the khuffs (leather socks) during a journey and while present in ones residence.
12. That [he accepts] the [validity] of shortening the prayers during a journey.
13. That the Qur’aan is the Speech of Allaah and His Revelation and it is not created.
14. That faith consists of speech and action, it increases and decreases.
15. That Jihaad is always operative ever since Allaah sent Muhammad (swallallahu alaihi wasallam) till the last [small] group [of Muslims] fight the Dajjaal, the injustice and oppression of a tyrant will not harm them.
16. That selling and buying is lawful up until the Day of Judgement, in accordance with the judgement of the Book and the Sunnah.
17. That the takbeer during the Funeral prayer is pronounced four times.
18. That supplication is to be made for the Leaders of the Muslims, that they are corrected and reformed. That you do not take out your sword against them, that you do not fight in times of tribulations, but rather you stick to your home.
19. Having faith in the Punishment of the Grave.
20. Having faith in Munkar and Nakeer.
21. Having faith in the Hawd and the Intercession.
22. Having faith that the People of Paradise will see their Lord, the Blessed and Exalted.
23. Having faith that the Muwahhidoon (those testifying to the unity and uniqueness of Allaah in His Lordship, His right of worship and in His Names and Attributes, with their beliefs sayings and actions) will be brought out from the Fire after they have been turned to coal in the manner [described in] the ahaadeeth that have come from the Prophet (swallallahu alaihi wasallam) regarding these issues. We believe in attesting to the truthfulness of such ahaadeeth and we do not set examples for them.
This is what the Scholars in all the horizons have agreed and united upon.
End of the Treatise
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