The ninth-century juror Ahmad Ibn Hanbal was a central figure in early Islam whose influence on succeeding generations is widely recognized. Drawing on historical anthropology and micro-history, this study moves beyond conventional biography to integrate the story of Ibn Hanbal's life with the main events during a crucial formative period in Islamic history. The main theme of this study is ibn Hanbal's prestige, the disciples he drew to his study circle and the political power that evolved from it. It proposes new approaches and novel interpretations that call into question prevalent views...