Aḥmad bin Muḥammad bin Ḥanbal Abū ʿAbd Allāh al-Shaybānī (780–855
CE / 164–241
AH) was an important
Muslim scholar and
theologian. He is considered the founder of the
Hanbali school of
Islamic jurisprudence. Ibn Hanbal is one of the most celebrated
Sunni theologians, often referred to as "
Sheikh al-Islam," honorifics given to the most esteemed doctrinal authorities in the Sunni tradition. Ibn Hanbal personified the theological views of the early orthodox scholars, including the founders of the other extant schools of Sunni fiqh. Hanbal was a strong spokesman for the usage of hadiths.