Follow The Evidences

A man said to Imam Ahmad – رحمة الله عليه – [after he gave a ruling based on evidence]:

“But Ibn al-Mubarak says such and such!”

Imam Ahmad said:

“Ibn Mubarak did not descend from the sky!!”

وَقَدْ قيل لأحمد بْن حنبل رحمة اللَّه عَلَيْهِ : أن ابْن الْمُبَارَك يَقُول : كذا وكذا
فَقَالَ : إن ابْن الْمُبَارَك لم ينزل من السماء

[Ibn Al-Jawzi in “Tilbis Iblis”, 1/171].