Worst kind of bullying against at-Tabari by Hanbalis.
Ibn Kathir said about at-Tabari.
وقد كانت وفاته وقت المغرب من عشية يوم الأحد ليومين بقيا من شوال من سنة عشر وثلاثمائة . وقد جاوز الثمانين بخمس أو ست سنين وفي شعر رأسه ولحيته سواد كثير ، ودفن في داره ؛ لأن بعض الرعاع من عوام الحنابلة منعوا من دفنه نهارا ونسبوه إلى الرفض ، ومن الجهلة من رماه بالإلحاد ، وحاشاه من هذا ومن ذاك أيضا . بل كان أحد أئمة الإسلام في العلم بكتاب الله وسنة رسوله ، وإنما تقلدوا ذلك عن أبي بكر محمد بن داود حيث كان يتكلم فيه ويرميه بالعظائم ويرميه بالرفض . ولما توفي اجتمع الناس من سائر البلد وصلوا عليه بداره ودفن بها ، ومكث الناس يترددون إلى قبره شهورا يصلون عليه ، رحمه الله .
He died in 310 h, 28th Shawwal, Sunday near Maghrib time at the age of approximately 85 or 86 years. Even at that time his hair of head and beard were more black. He was buried in his house because awam of Hanbalis and those who agreed with them were stopping to bury him in the day and attributed him to rafdh. And some ignorant even called him Mulhid. He was completely free from these faults, rather he was one of the great scholar of Islam who had knowledge of Quran and sunnah of Messenger (peace be upon him). They said these things against him due to doing taqleed of Abu Bakr Muhammad bin Dawud who used to speak about him and accused him of these great things and accused him of Rafdh. When he died, people gathered from all over the city and prayed (Janazah) at his house and buried him there. Rather people went there for months and prayed for him. May Allah have mercy on him.
(al Bidaya wall Nihaya, what happened in 310 h, death of Abu Jafar Ibn Jarir at-Tabari)
at-Tabari wanted to debate with Hanbalis who spoke against him but they didn’t even come to debate.
Ibn Kathir said about 309 h.
وفي ذي القعدة منها أحضر أبو جعفر محمد بن جرير الطبري – رحمه الله – إلى دار الوزير عيسى بن علي لمناظرة الحنابلة في أشياء نقموها عليه فلم يحضروا ولا واحد منهم .
This (year) in the month of Dhul Qada Abu Jafar Muhammad bin Jareer at-Tabari may Allah have mercy upon him went to the house of al Wazir Eesa bin Ali to debate with Hanbalis on the issues which they raised on him, but no one from them came to the debate.
(al Bidaya wal Nihaya under what happened in 309 h)
Ibn Kathir said about at-Tabari:
وقد روي عنه أنه مكث أربعين سنة يكتب في كل يوم أربعين ورقة .
It is narrated regarding him that he wrote books for constantly 40 years, everyday he wrote approx 40 pages.
(al Bidaya wall Nihaya under the year 310 h, the death of Abu Jafar bin Jarit at-Tabari)
at Tabari was bullied by Hanbalis of his area, he couldn’t come out of his house because of extreme bullying. And they used to stop people to visit him. He used to busy himself in writing master pieces. That is why Ibn Khuzaima said: “Hanbalis did dhulm on him.”