11. Ahmad ibn Hanbal 241AH/855AC
He was born in the Khurasan region. Imam ath-Dhahabi described Ibn Hanbal as, “The true Shaikh of Islam
and leader of the Muslims in his time, the hadith master and proof of the religion”.
Ali ibnul-Madini, the great Imam of Hadeeth said: “Truly, Allah reinforced this religion with Abu Bakr as-
Siddiq the day of the great apostasy (ar-Riddah), and He reinforced it with Ahmad ibn Hanbal the day of the
Inquisition (al-Mihnah).”
Harmala said: “I heard ash-Shafi’ee say: ‘I left Baghdad and did not leave behind me anyone more virtuous,
more learned, more knowledgeable than Ahmad ibn Hanbal.’”
12. Dawood Ad-Dhahiri 270AH/877AC
He was born in Baghdad. He was the founder of the literalist school of thought.
13. Ibn Jareer At-Tabari 310AH/917AC
He stayed in Tabaristan but reached up to Baghdad. He is considered one of the great Imams of all time and
left the largest written history compilation but most of it was wiped out by the sacking of Baghdad by the
Mongols. He was the first one to write about Ikhtilaaf al fuqaaha.