The incident of Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal (may Allah have mercy on him) being flogged during the trial of the "Creation of the Quran" (Khalq-e-Quran) is among the most famous events in Islamic history. When the Imam emerged successful from this trial, he would afterwards occasionally say, "May Allah have mercy on Abu al-Haytham, may Allah forgive him, may Allah overlook his faults." One day, his son asked him, "Who is Abu al-Haytham for whom you keep praying?" He replied, "Do you not know him?" The son said, "No." Imam Ahmad said, "On the day I was taken out to be flogged, I saw a man pulling my clothes from behind. I turned around and looked, and he asked, 'Do you know me?' I said, 'No.' He said, 'I am Abu al-Haytham, the notorious pickpocket and bandit. It is preserved in the official records that I have been flogged eighteen thousand times at different occasions, yet I demonstrated absolute steadfastness in obeying Satan for the sake of this worthless world. You, on the other hand, have been imprisoned for the highest purpose of faith; therefore, while enduring the floggings, observe patience and steadfastness in obeying the Most Merciful (Rahman) for the sake of religion.'" Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal's morale was further strengthened by his words. It is not known whether Abu al-Haytham remembered his own sentence later or not, but Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal remembered every bit of it—how someone's words had uplifted his courage at a difficult stage of life. This is indeed the grandeur of a true believer (Mardin-e-Mumin): he never forgets a good deed, and always remembers favors and kindness. Whenever the Imam recalled those moments of the past throughout his life, he would shower the shrine of those memories with the flowers of prayers. Verse: The wounds of the heart never allowed me to rest in peace, Whenever the cold wind blew, I remembered you.
