The Exchange
The prison guard approached Imam Ahmad in his cell and asked:
Guard: “O Abu ‘Abdillah! Is the Hadith that is narrated regarding the oppressors and those who aid them authentic?”
Imam Ahmad: “Yes.”
Guard: “So, am I considered to be an aide of the oppressors?”
Imam Ahmad: “No. The aides of the oppressors are those who comb your hair, wash your clothes, prepare your meals, and buy and sell from you. As for you—you are one of the oppressors themselves!”
