Musnad Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq (Radiyallahu 'Anhu) (in Arabic)

"Musnad Ahmad bin Hanbal" is the compilation the book of Ahadith by Ahmad bin (Muhammad bin) Hanbal bin Hilal bin Asad bin Idris bin 'Abdullah bin Hayyan bin 'Abdullah bin Anas bin 'Auf bin Qasit bin Mazin bin Shayban bin Zuhal bin Tha'labah bin 'Ukabah bin Sa'b bin 'Ali bin Bakr bin Wa’il Zahli Shaybani Muruzi Baghdadi. He was born in 164 Ah and died in 241 AH (رحمۃ اللہ علیہ). The importance of Ahadith lies in it that it tells as to how the holy Qur'an was interpreted, explained and practiced by the Last Prophet and Messenger of Allah (صَلَّی اللہُ عَلہِ وَ آ لِہٖ وَسَلَّم) on whose sacred heart it was revealed as Divine Word through the Arch Angel Jibra'il (علیہ السلام). The Ahadith of the Messenger of Allah (صَلَّی اللہُ عَلہِ وَ آ لِہٖ وَسَلَّم) that are his sayings are termed as Ahadith Qauli, and those that are his practices are termed as Ahadith Fi'li and those which record his silence seeing the action of a Companion and observing silence amounting to his tacit approval are called Ahadith Taqriri. The hadith literary means the saying and the Sunnah literary means the conduct but technically Sunnah contains both sayings, practices and tacit approvals of the Messenger of Allah (صَلَّی اللہُ عَلہِ وَ آ لِہٖ وَسَلَّم). The Holy Qur'an and Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (صَلَّی اللہُ عَلہِ وَ آ لِہٖ وَسَلَّم) are thus the two primary sources of the Islamic law. Where any problem arose and direct evidence was not available the light of the Holy Qur'an and Sunnah was taken by the Sahabah and developed a consensus called Ijma'. Where there was no direct evidence in the Holy Qur'an and Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (صَلَّی اللہُ عَلہِ وَ آ لِہٖ وَسَلَّم) and even in the Ijma' the competent jurists exercised Ijtihad and used the principal of Qiyas/قیاس to find out the solution in the light of the three. This was not making of a new Shari'at. Shari'at shall remain the same which is in the Holy Qur’an and Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (صَلّ اللہُ عَلہِ وَ آ لِہٖ وَسَلَّم) it is only extension of its principles to the cases not exactly mentioned in those sources but their light was there to show the way to solve the problem. The authority behind every thing is first to be seen in the Holy Qur’an and then in the Sunnah and then in the Ijma' and then in the Qiyas/قیاس . Words of human beings who are mortal require explanation. Divine words which are full of meanings to cover the problems to arise till the Last Day are more so. Hence the usefulness of Tafsir as an instrument is logical, to the point, relevant, reasonable and scientific by all standards of finding the true intention of the Divine Word. Men of knowledge have spent their lives in this field and their efforts are to be appreciated. Actions are to be adjudged according as to the motives and the Creator of all is knowing the sincerity of his servants in all affairs of their life and conduct. To know the Tafsir the Ahadith are needed and the net work of Ahadith is the basis of all genuineness of what has come down from the Messenger of Allah (صَلَّی اللہُ عَلہِ وَ آ لِہٖ وَسَلَّم) safely and securely to the Ummah via the Muhaddithin. May Allah's mercy be on all of them. Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal's contribution is unique being "Musnad". Each transmitter at the top has been dealt with individually and all transmission via him have been kept in the sandbox allotted to him by him name. This makes two things important. One the topics dealt with by such transmitter's transmissions and secondly, the value and importance of the topic itself due to he being the transmitter.