Testimonies of scholars about the author of Musnad e Ahmed

Imam ash-Shafi'i said, "I left Baghdad and did not leave behind me anyone more virtuous, more learned, more knowledgeable than Ahmad ibn Hanbal.” While compiling Musnad, Imam Ahmed ran short of money so he stitched caps and sold them to meet his expenses.

Ibn al-Jawzi relates that Imam Ahmed was the foremost in collecting the Prophetic way and adhering to it.

Imam Dhahabi says, "The true shaykh of Islam and imam of the Muslims in his time; the traditionalist and proof of the religion.”

Is Musnad Ahmad, an authentic hadith book with Sahih Hadith?

Musnad e Ahmed may not be counted among the seven books of Hadith known as Siha Sitta, but it is a treasure of authentic Hadith.

Are there any Fabricated Hadith in the Musnad of Ahmed?

There are differences of opinion among the scholars as to whether the Musnad of Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal contains fabricated hadiths. Some scholars affirmed that and others denied it, but in reality, the difference between the two views has to do with the definition of what a mawdoo‘ or fabricated hadith is.

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said: Those narrators who may make mistakes in hadith but do not deliberately tell lies about the Prophet ﷺ are the ones from whom you will find reports narrated in the Sunans, the Musnad of Imam Ahmad. This is in contrast to those who deliberately tell lies.

Ahmad did not narrate from any deliberate liar in his entire Musnad.
(Majmu-Al-Fatawa, 1/248)

Imam Ahmed was Fondly Known as  ‘Ameerul Mu’minun of Hadith-

Imam Dhahabi, one of the most major Islamic biographers, notes in his masterpiece Siyar A'lam Nubala that Ibn Hanbal's status in jurisprudence is alike Al-Layth ibn Sa'd, Malik ibn Anas, Al-Shafi'i, and Abu Yusuf.

Imam Ahmed ibn Hanbal passed away in Hijri 214.