English translation of Musnad of Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (5 volumes)

These are the first five volumes of Musnad al-Imam Ahmad in Arabic, with an accompanying English translation and commentary on its authenticity. The complete collection, covering 27,000 hadiths, will be published in 18 volumes as soon as they are printed, God willing. More volumes will be available here as they become available.

Musnad al-Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal is one of the greatest works of Sunnah and Hadith. It is organized into collections of hadiths narrated by each Companion, beginning with the Ten Promised Paradise. This highlights their stature and efforts in preserving the hadiths of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Scholars and hadith scholars have praised Musnad al-Imam Ahmad. Hafiz Abu Musa al-Madini wrote a book highlighting the most important features of the Musnad, saying: "This book is an important and reliable reference for hadith scholars, as he selected from the many hadiths he had come across and the many reports he had heard. He exerted great effort to make it a prominent, leading, and reliable reference. It is a refuge and support in the face of disagreement."

From the publisher's note

One of the most important and noble objectives of Dar Al Salam is the publication of Hadith books. From the first day of its establishment, Dar Al Salam has sought to publish translations of Hadith books and the meanings of the Holy Quran in the major languages ​​of the world. By the grace of God, Dar Al Salam has completed twenty-five years, and during these long years, we have published, by the grace of God, nearly 1,400 books. We began with Riyad as-Salihin, which we translated into English and other languages, and then into Maram. Then, in rapid succession, we published English translations of the six Hadith books (Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawud, at-Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah, and an-Nasa'i) in 38 volumes—a great and pioneering achievement admired by Hadith lovers worldwide. This was a unique achievement in Islamic history, as it was the first time that the six Hadith books were published with their English translations. The four Sunan books (Abu Dawud, at-Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah, and an-Nasa'i) were also authenticated, numbered, references clarified, and footnotes (where necessary). Meanwhile, many of my friends asked me to publish the English translation of Musnad al-Imam Ahmad, the largest collection of hadiths. In fact, I had vowed to God that I would take on this work as soon as I had the opportunity, if I stayed in Saudi Arabia for a longer period. Musnad al-Imam Ahmad is a reliable source of knowledge, containing over 27,000 hadiths. Carrying out this project was not easy. In fact, it exceeded our resources, but we relied on God and set to work. The following are the distinguishing features of this great work: The sayings of the Prophet were highlighted in parentheses. Each hadith was accompanied by a commentary that determined its degree of authenticity, i.e., detailing whether it was authentic, weak, etc. We identified and referenced Musnad narrations also found in Bukhari and Muslim. Quranic verses that appear in hadith texts were enclosed in decorative parentheses and referenced. Each hadith is accompanied by the words wa-ra'ij (refer) and nazr (look), followed by hadith numbers that indicate where that particular hadith occurred and where it occurs again. Another distinguishing feature of the Darussalam edition that distinguishes it from other current editions is that we have identified additions (additional hadiths narrated by Imam Ahmad's son Abdullah from people other than his father) and finds (hadiths compiled and transcribed by Imam Ahmad from other sources) by means of special marks preceding the hadith number. Furthermore, we have also identified narrations shared between Imam Ahmad and his teacher or another narrator.

The English translation of this book of hadiths was undoubtedly a difficult and arduous task undertaken by Brother Nasser Khattat, a resident of Canada, who has been affiliated with the Darussalam Research Centre for the past eighteen years. Translating the hadiths of the Prophet is a highly sensitive and not an easy task, and Brother Nasser Khattab, with his extensive experience in this field and having already translated several books of hadiths into English, completed the task to the best of his ability. The editing was undertaken by Sister Huda Khattab, who carried out her task with great diligence and dedication. In the first phase of the project, we are currently publishing the first three volumes of Musnad Ahmad. We hope to complete the entire project within the next three or four years, bringing it to approximately eighteen volumes, God willing. We have done our best to translate the hadiths in a simple and easy-to-understand language, ensuring that they reach as many people as possible. We ask God to benefit from them and apply what they have learned. We ask Allah to make this collection of hadiths, the most comprehensive of its kind, a priceless treasure for the nation and a means of salvation for them in the afterlife. We may count it among our good deeds on the Day of Judgment. Amen. Abdul Malik Mujahid
Servant of the Qur’an and Sunnah
General Manager, Dar Al Salam, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia