![\"He](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.the-faith.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/damascus-umayyad-mosque-3.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nSahih Al-Bukhari is considered the most authentic book next to the Qur\u2019an.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
By Editorial Staff<\/span><\/strong><\/pre>\nHe is Abu `Abdullah Muhammad ibn Abu Al-Hasan Isma`il ibn Ibrahim ibn Al-Mughirah Al-Ga`fi Al-Muhkari, known as Al Bukhari<\/a>[1],\u00a0the ever\u00a0well-known\u00a0scholar of hadith<\/a>. His collection of Hadith “Sahih Al-Bukhari” is considered the most authentic book in Islam next to the Glorious Quran<\/a>.<\/p>\nThis article sheds light on some of the sides of Imam Muhammad ibn Isma`il Al-Bukhari; his biography, works, sheikhs and students.<\/p>\n
Al-Bukhari’s\u00a0birth and early life<\/span><\/h2>\nAbu `Abdullah Al Bukhari was born on Friday 13 Shawwal, 194 A.H. in the city of Bukhara <\/a>in Khorasan[2] (Uzbekistan<\/a>) in a family renowned for their uprightness and righteousness. His father Isma`il was a practicing scholar and noble man, but he did not remain long and passed away while his children were too young.[3] His son Muhammad showed significant love of seeking Islamic knowledge. Therefore, his mother sent him to the circles of the Qur\u2019an<\/a> and Hadith to learn in them.[4]<\/p>\nImam Al-Bukhari showed peerless learning capacities and excelled all his classmates. He was once asked, \u201cWhen\u00a0did you start seeking Hadith knowledge?\u201d He said, \u201cI was bestowed the talent of memorizing Hadith while I was in the kuttab<\/em> (small school). He was asked, \u201cHow old were you at that time?\u201d He answered, \u201c10 years or less.\u201d[5]<\/p>\nHe was exceptionally talented in memorization which helped him memorizing thousands of hadiths in a very early age.<\/p>\n
Once, his classmates censured him for not writing hadiths like them. He told them that he committed all the hadiths they learned to memory. They tested his memory which proved perfect.<\/p>\n
One of the stories circulated about this unique talent is that of Salim ibn Mujahid who said, \u201cI was with Muhammad ibn Salam Al-Baikandari who said to me, \u201cIf you came a little while ago, you would saw a young boy memorizing 70000 hadiths.\u201d Salim said, \u2018I went out searching for this boy until I met him.” Salim said, “I told him, \u2018You allege that you memorize 70000 hadiths?\u2019 The young Al-Bukhari replied in the affirmative and said, “I will not mention a hadith from the Sahabah or their followers but I have knowledge about their birth, death and residence. [6] Actually, Al-Bukhari was a nonpareil seeker of knowledge.<\/p>\n
Al-Bukhari’s\u00a0pursuit of knowledge<\/span><\/h2>\nAl-Bukhari started knowledge seeking in the kuttab.<\/em> He memorized the whole Quran at the age of 10 years then he moved to Hadith learning. When he reached 16, he has memorized the entire hadiths <\/a>narrated by Ibn Al-Mubarak and Waki`.[7]<\/p>\nHe traveled for narrating hadiths to Balkh and Nishapur. Then, he went to Makkah and remained in it for a while, then traveled to Baghdad, the Levant and Egypt. He got a lot of knowledge and narrated many hadiths. It is reported that his sheikhs is counted as more than 1000 scholars.[8]<\/p>\n
Al-Bukhari started teaching Hadith when he was 17 years old.[9] He used to say, \u201cI memorized one hundred thousand authentic hadiths, and I memorized two hundred inauthentic hadiths.\u201d[11]<\/p>\n
Among the Sheikhs of Al-Bukhari were: Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Hammad ibn Shakir, Makki ibn Ibrahim and Abu `Asim An-Nabil. Among those who narrated from Al-Bukhari were: Muslim ibn Al-Hajjaj, At-Tirmidhi, An-Nasa\u2019i, Muhammad ibn Nasr Al-Marwazi; and many others.[11]<\/p>\n
Al-Bukhari’s\u00a0writings<\/span><\/h2>\nImam Al-Bukhari compiled numerous books but the most widely known of them is \u201cAl-Jami` Al-Musnad As-Sahih Al-Mukhtasar min Umuri Rasullillah wa Sunanih wa Ayyamih<\/em>.\u201d It is\u00a0translated as \u201cThe Abridged Collection of Authentic Hadith with Connected Chains regarding Matters Pertaining to the Prophet, His practices and His Times.\u201d It is known as Sahih Al-Bukhari.<\/p>\nImam Muhammad ibn Isma`il compiled other books including, Al-Adab Al-Mufrad,<\/em> At-Tarikh Al-Kabir<\/em>, Khalq Af`al Al-`Ibad<\/em>, Raf` Al-Yadain fi As-Salah<\/em>, and Al-Kuna<\/em>.<\/p>\nAl-Bukhari’s devoutness<\/span><\/h2>\nImam Al-Bukhari was a pious, practicing and devout knowledgeable scholar. He was distinguished with his exact observance of the Sunnah<\/a> without any slackness or indolence. There is nothing more evidencing on his sincerity than the spread of his \u201cSahih Al-Bukhari\u201d that is considered as the most authentic book next to the book of Allah, the Qur\u2019an.<\/p>\nImam Al-Bukhari was a shining star in the space of piousness and fear of God. He used to say, \u201cI hope that I meet Allah and that He does not call me into account for backbiting anyone.\u201d[7] Yet, his absorption with Hadith <\/a>did not impede him from observing Jihad. It is reported that he would frequent places of archery to be prepared for Jihad. He was reported to go to borderline cities defending the Muslim state.<\/p>\nScholarly Praise of Al-Bukhari<\/span><\/h2>\n–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Raja\u2019 Al-Hafizh said, \u201cHe (Al-Bukhari) is one of Allah\u2019s signs walking on the Earth.\u201d[13]<\/p>\n
–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Al-Husain As-Samarqandi said, \u201cMuhammad ibn Isma`il is singled out with three characteristics in addition to his praised ones. He was a reserved man, unambitious about what people have and completely bent on seeking knowledge.\u201d[14]<\/p>\n
–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 An-Najm ibn Al-Fudayl said, \u201cI saw in a dream the Prophet was walking and Muhammad ibn Isma`il was walking behind him, wherever the Prophet place his foot Muhammad Ibn Isma`il would place his foot.\u201d[15]<\/p>\n
–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Yahya ibn Ja`far said, \u201cIf I was able to give to Muhammad ibn Isma`il from my lifetime, I would do that because my demise equals the death of one man while the demise of Al Bukhari means the demise of knowledge.\u201d[16]<\/p>\n
–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Na`im ibn Hammad said, \u201cMuhammad ibn Isma`il is the Faqih of this Ummah.\u201d[17]<\/p>\n
–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Ibn Khuzaymah said, \u201cI have never seen underneath the sky one who is more knowledgeable and memorizer of the hadith of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) than Muhammad ibn Isma`il.\u201d[18]<\/p>\n
–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Al-Hafiz Abu `Amr Al-Khaffaf said, \u201cMuhammad ibn Isma`il is more knowledgeable of hadith than Is-haq ibn Rahawayh, Ahmad ibn Hanbal and other scholars with 20 degrees. Whoever speaks badly about him, I curse him 1000 curses. Muhammad is the most pious and purest scholar and I have not seen anyone like him.[19]<\/p>\n
–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 `Abdullah ibn Hammad said, \u201cI hoped that I was a hair in the chest of Muhammad ibn Isma`il.\u201d[20]<\/p>\n
Al-Bukhari’s\u00a0words<\/span><\/h2>\n–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I know nothing that people may need but is found in the Quran and Sunnah.[21]<\/p>\n
–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I hope that I meet Allah and that He does not call me into account for backbiting anyone.<\/p>\n
– \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 I did not start teaching hadith until I became full-aware of the authentic and the inauthentic narrations, reviewed all the books of opinion and visited Basra 5 times or about that, and left no authentic hadith but I wrote it except what I deemed it not authentic. [22]<\/p>\n
–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I never willed to start any speech that included the worldly life but I will start with praising and commending Allah.[23]<\/p>\n
Al Bukahri’s trail and death<\/h3>\n
When Imam Al-Bukhari reached Nishapur <\/a>he was\u00a0majestically welcomed. The scholar of Nishapur at that time was a man called Muhammad ibn Yahya Adh-Dhahli. Shortly after Al-Bukhari\u2019s arrival, \u0650Adh-Dhahli’s hadith circle became empty. He got\u00a0furious and enraged against Al-Bukhari, and thus started spreading false rumors about Al-Bukhari. He disseminated that Imam Al-Bukhari believed that the Quran is created. Although Al-Bukhari never said so and he was completely innocent of this, Muhammad ibn Yahya continued his allegations and fight against Al-Bukhari until he compelled Al Bukhari to leave the whole city and return to his homeland Bukhara.<\/p>\nThen, Al-Bukhari\u00a0was subject to another ordeal by the ruler of Bukhara who asked Al-Bukhari to visit him and narrate Sahih Al-Bukhari to his children. Imam Al-Bukhari was a self-proud man, he refused saying, “Knowledge is to be sought,\u201d meaning that if anyone wanted to learn Sahih Al-Bukhari, he should come to the\u00a0circle of Hadith. This caused alienation between him and the ruler. In addition,\u00a0the former rumors reached that ruler who was already aggravated by Al Bukhari’s reaction. Thereupon, He expelled Imam Al-Bukhari out of Bukhara.[24]<\/p>\n
As he has grown old, the expulsion of Imam Al-Bukhari caused painful aches inside him. On 1 Shawwal 256 A.H.[25] Imam Al-Bukhari passed away at the age of 62 years in a small town near Samarkand called Khartank. May Allah confer His Mercy upon our greatest Imam!<\/p>\n
\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640\u0640<\/p>\n
Sources:<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n1- Adh-Dhahabi Shams Ad-Din Muhammad ibn Qaymaz (d 748), Tadhkirat Al-Huffaz<\/em>, 1st edition, Dar Al-Kutub Al-`Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, 1998. vol. 2, p. 104.<\/p>\n2- Ibid p 104<\/p>\n
3- Ibn Kathir, Al-Bidayah wa An-Nihayah<\/em>, Dar Al-Fikr, 1986, vol. 11, p. 25.<\/p>\n4- Ibid<\/p>\n
5- Al-Khatib Al-Baghdadi Abu Bakr Ahmad ibn `Ali (d 463 AH), Tarikh Baghdad<\/em>, Dar Al-Gharb Al-Islami, Beirut, Lebanon, 1st edition, 2002, vol.2, p. 324.<\/p>\n6- Ibn `Asakir Abul-Qasim `Ali Ibn Al-Hasan (d 571 AH), Tarikh Dimashq<\/em>, Dar Al-Fikr, 1995, vol. 52, p. 63.<\/p>\n7- Adh-Dhahabi Shams Ad-Din Muhammad ibn Qaymaz (d 748), Siyar A`lam An-Nubalaa’<\/em>, Ar-Risalah Institution, 3rd edition, vol. 12, p. 393.<\/p>\n8-\u00a0Ibn `Asakir Abul-Qasim `Ali Ibn Al-Hasan (d 571 AH), Tarikh Dimash<\/em>q, Dar Al-Fikr, 1995, vol. 52, p. 58.<\/p>\n9- Ibn Hajar Al-`Asqalani Ahmad ibn `Ali, Tahdhib At-Tahdhib<\/em>, Da’irat Al-Ma`arif An-Nizamiyyah, India, 1st edition, 1326 AH, vol. 9, p. 50.<\/p>\n10-\u00a0Adh-Dhahabi Shams Ad-Din Muhammad ibn Qaymaz (d 748), Tadhkirat Al-Huffazh<\/em>, 1st edition, Dar Al-Kutub Al-`Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, 1998. vol. 2, p. 105.<\/p>\n11-\u00a0Adh-Dhahabi Shams Ad-Din Muhammad ibn Qaymaz (d 748), Siyar A`lam An-Nubalaa<\/em>‘, Ar-Risalah Institution, 3rd edition, vol. 12, p. 439.<\/p>\n12- Adh-Dhahabi Shams Ad-Din Muhammad ibn Qaymaz (d 748), Siyar A`lam An-Nubalaa’<\/em>, Ar-Risalah Institution, 3rd edition, vol. 12, p. 439.<\/p>\n13-\u00a0Al-Khatib Al-Baghdadi Abu Bakr Ahmad ibn `Ali (d 463 AH), Tarikh Baghdad<\/em>, Dar Al-Gharb Al-Islami, Beirut, Lebanon, 1st edition, 2002, vol. 2, p. 340.<\/p>\n14-\u00a0Adh-Dhahabi Shams Ad-Din Muhammad ibn Qaymaz (d 748), Siyar A`lam An-Nubalaa’, Ar-Risalah Institution, 3rd edition, vol. 12, p. 448.<\/em><\/p>\n15-\u00a0Ibn Hajar Al-`Asqalani Ahmad ibn `Ali, Fat-h Al-Bari Sharh Sahih Al-Bukhari<\/em>, Dar Al-Ma`rifah, Beirut, 1379, vol. 1, p. 7.<\/p>\n16- Ibid p.\u00a0484.<\/p>\n
17- Ibn `Asakir Abul-Qasim `Ali Ibn Al-Hasan (d 571 AH), Tarikh Dimashq<\/em>, Dar Al-Fikr, 1995, vol. 52, p. 87.<\/p>\n18-\u00a0Ibn Hajar Al-`Asqalani Ahmad ibn `Ali, , Dar Al-Ma`rifah, Beirut, 1379, vol. 1, p. 485.Fat-h Al-Bari Sharh Sahih Al-Bukhari<\/em><\/p>\n19-\u00a0Al-Khatib Al-Baghdadi Abu Bakr Ahmad ibn `Ali (d 463 AH), Tarikh Baghdad, Dar Al-Gharb Al-Islami, Beirut, Lebanon, 1st edition, 2002, vol.2, p. 340.<\/p>\n
20- Ibid<\/p>\n
21-\u00a0Ibn Hajar Al-`Asqalani Ahmad ibn `Ali, Fat-h Al-Bari Sharh Sahih Al-Bukhari<\/em>, Dar Al-Ma`rifah, Beirut, 1379, vol. 1, p. 488.<\/p>\n22-\u00a0Adh-Dhahabi Shams Ad-Din Muhammad ibn Qaymaz (d 748), Siyar A`lam An-Nubalaa’<\/em>, Ar-Risalah Institution, 3rd edition, vol. 12, p. 416.<\/p>\n23- Ibid 445.<\/p>\n
24- Ibid 465<\/p>\n
25-\u00a0Al-Khatib Al-Baghdadi Abu Bakr Ahmad ibn `Ali (d 463 AH), Tarikh Baghdad<\/em>, Dar Al-Gharb Al-Islami, Beirut, Lebanon, 1st edition, 2002, vol.2, p. 340.<\/p>\nSee also:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\nMuslim: The Leading Scholar of Hadith<\/a><\/p>\nAbu Dawud: The Faqih and Scholar of Hadith<\/a><\/p>\nAt-Tirmidhi: Imam of Hadith and Fiqh<\/a><\/p>\nImam An-Nasa\u2019i: The Great Authority of Hadith<\/a><\/p>\n