Ahmad ibn Abi Du'ad

Ahmad ibn Abi Du'ad, judge to the caliph al-Mu'tasim, and one of the men of the Mihna over the createdness of the Qur'an. The sources differ on his story, and each is given here in its own words.

Ibn al-Nadim says he was of the descendants of Iyad ibn Nizar ibn Ma'add, that he was born in Basra in 160 AH and died in 240 AH, in the caliphate of al-Mutawakkil. He counts him among the excellent Mu'tazilis who devoted themselves to showing the school and defending its people. He says he was a client of Yahya ibn Khalid, and through him he came to al-Ma'mun and then al-Mu'tasim. ²

Al-Suyuti relates that al-Mu'tasim would put out his arm for him and ask him to bite it, and that no spear-point could affect his arm, let alone teeth. ¹

He says that Ibn Abi Du'ad took control of al-Wathiq and drove him to rigour in the Mihna, and called people to say the Qur'an was created. It is said he retracted before his death. Al-Suyuti then says that al-Wathiq came to hate him on the day the shaykh al-Azdi made the argument against him. ³

He says that paralysis struck him in 232 AH. ⁴

Al-Mas'udi relates a report about a stew that al-Mu'tasim's boon companions cooked. He ate all of it and described it in terms that pleased those who had made it, and afterwards asked for requests, none of which he was refused. ⁵

What scholars say about his role in the Mihna is not set out here and needs an additional source.