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1. Name
Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn Ismail ibn
Ebrahim ibn Mugira ibn Bardizba Al Ju’fi Al Bukhari.
2. Birth and Lineage
Born on Friday (after Jumuah) 13 Shawwal
194 A.H. Passed away on Friday 1 Shawwal 256 A.H. (the night
before Eid-ul-Fitr) (Hadyus Saari - pg.477).
Bardizba was a fire
worshipper. His son Mugira accepted Islam on the hands of Ju’fi
the governor of Bukhara. That is why the name Ju’fi appears
at the end of his name. There is not much mention about Imam
Bukhari’s grandfather, Ebrahim. However his father, Ismail,
was a muhaddith and Ibn Hibban has rated him in the 4th
category of reliable muhadditheen. He has narrated from Hammad
ibn Zaid and Imam Malik. Abu Hafs Kabir says that he was
present at the time of Ismails death when he heard him say:
“I do not have a single dirham of doubt in my earnings.”
3. Abilities (Remarkable Memory)
When Imam Saheb was 11 years old, he was
once at the lesson of Imaam Daakli and Imaam Daakhli narrated
the following sanad: Sufyan from Abu Zubair from Ebrahim.
Imaam Saheb said that this sanad is incorrect because Abu
Zubair did not narrate from Ebrahim. When it was checked up,
Imaam saheb was correct. (Hadyus Saari pg.478).
Hashid bin Ismail mentions
that Imam Bukhari (R.A.) in his youth use to come to the
Mashaaikh of Basra but he never used to write. After 16 days,
we rebuked him for not writing down the notes (Ahadith). After
a while he said: “You have rebuked me enough - bring your
kitaabs.” Haashid says: “We brought our kitaabs and Imam
Saheb mentioned each and every hadith with their sanads and
also corrected our kitaabs and said: “You think I’m
wasting my time!” (At that time there were over 15 000
Ahadith taken from those Mashaaikh of Basra) (Hadyus Saari
pg.478).
Once Ishaaq bin Raah-weih
mentioned that I know the 70 000 Ahadith mentioned in my book
like I’m looking at them. When this was mentioned to Imam
Bukhari (R.A.), he replied: “You are astonished at that,
perhaps in this time and age, there are such people who know
200 000 Ahadith as mentioned in the kitaab (by this Imam Saheb
was referring to himself) (Hadyus Saari pg.487).
Once when Imam Bukhari went
to Baghdad, the muhadditheen got together and took 100 Ahadith
and mixed up their sanads (chain of narrators) and matan
(text). Thereafter 10 muhadditheen were appointed to present
ten of these Ahadith each to him incorrectly. When each Hadith
was presented, he replied each time with these words: “I don’t
know this Hadith.” After all the Ahadith were presented to
him, he mentioned each Hadith as it was narrated by those ten
muhadditheen and then mentioned the correct version of each
one (Hadyus Saari pg.486).
Abu Azhar (R.A.) says; “Once
when Imam Bukhari (R.A.) came to Samarkand, 400 muhadditheen
got together and mixed up the sanads of Iraq with Yemeni
sanads and the sanads of the Haram with the Yemeni sanads in
trying to make Imam Saheb commit a mistake, but not one
mistake was taken out by anyone of the 400 muhadditheen.
4. Ustaads
Imam Bukhari (R.A.) said he has more than
1000 Ustaads. He knows the chain of narrators of every Hadith
from every Ustaad. Ibn Hajar has categorized Bukhari’s
Ustaads into 5 groups:
1. Tabi'een
2. Contemporaries of Tabi'een but did not narrate.
3. Heard from elderly Tabi'een.
4. Narrates from his colleagues who were his seniors.
5. Narrates from his juniors.
5. Students
90 000 people have heard the Bukhari
Shareef directly from Imam Bukhari (Hadyus Saari pg.491).
6. Sacrifices
Imam Bukhari (rahmatullahi alaih) invested
his money of inheritance from his fathers estate and he should
receive 500 dirhams monthly. All this used to be spent in
attaining knowledge.
When he went to Aadam ibn
Abi Ayas there was a delay in receiving money - he ate grass,
after 3 days somebody gave a bag of coins.
He got sick, his container
of food was shown to doctors, they said this is like the
Raahibs. Imam Bukhaari did not eat curry for 40 years. When
people insisted, he accepted to have bread and sugar as curry.
7. Piety and Character
Imam Bukhari said: “From the time I knew
backbiting is haraam I never spoke ill about anyone.”
The need once arose for Imam
bukhari (R.A.) to travel by sea. He had with him 1000 ashrafis
(gold coins). While on the ship, he met a person who became
very close to Imam Saheb. One day (whhile on the ship) that
person began shouting, when asked the reason for the shouting
he mentioned that he had a thousand Ashrafis that were
missing. While every passenger on the ship was being searched,
Imam Bukhari (R.A.) threw his 1000 Ashrafis into the sea.
After all the passengers on board were searched and the money
not found, the people began rebuking that person. When the
journey ended that person came to Imam Bukhari (R.A.) and
enquired as to what he had done with the money. Imam Bukhari (R.A.)
replied that he had thrown it into the sea. That person asked
why he had borne such a huge loss. He replied: “Are you not
aware that my entire life has been devoted to the Ahadith of
Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) and my authenticity is
very renowned. I was not prepared to loose what I had earned
my entire life because of a few gold coins.” (Zafrul
Muhassileen - pg.103)
Whilst practicing archery,
the arrow hit a bridge and damaged it. He asked the owner for
forgiveness and offered to repair it.
Abu Hafs Kabir sent goods to
him which he promised to sell to somebody at a certain price.
Others offered a higher price. He refused.
Imam Bukhari (R.A.)
mentioned: “I did not write any Hadith in this book before
taking a bath and performing 2 rakaats and I deduced this
kitaab from 600 000 Ahadith in 16 years.
8. Imam Bukhari’s Mazhab
1. According to ibn Taimiyyah (R.A.), Imam
Bukhari was a mujtahid and an independent Imam.
2. Allama Taqi’uddeen
Subki has regarded him as a Shafi because he was the student
of Humaidi, who was a Shafi. This conclusion is not correct
because then Imam Bukhari should be regarded as a Hanafi in
view of Ishaaq ibn Raahwa - Imam Bukhari’s Ustaad being a
student of Abdullah ibn Mubarak and Abdullah ibn Mubarak was a
Hanafi.
3. Ibn Qayyim (R.A.) says
Imam Bukhari, Muslim and Abu Dawood were strong followers of
Imam Ahmad ibn Hambal.
After studying and closely
looking at Imam Bukhari one will realise that Imam Bukhari did
not follow any one Imam, he has his independant views on many
issues, therefore Allama Anwar Shah Kashmiri (R.A.) and Sheikh
Zakaria (R.A.) have the same view as that of Allama Taimiyya
that Imam Bukhari is a mujtahid.
Hadhrat Moulana Fazlur
Rahman is of the opinion that Imam Bukhari’s Usools
(fundamental principles) are not known, it is difficult to
regard him as an independant Imam and Mujtahid.
My humble view is that not
knowing the Usool of any Imam is not a criteria to disqualify
him from being a mujtahid, just as there were many other
mujtahids other than the famous and commonly known 4 Imams.
Their usools are not known, but they were mujtahids or else it
would mean that their were only 4 mujtahids in this Ummat.
Yes, one may say that since the usools of Imam Bukhari are not
known, he cannot be followed, just as we cannot follow for eg.
Sufyan Sawri, Sufyan Uyaina, etc. etc.
9. Demise
Imam Bukhari very frequently became a
victim of differences and disputes and he breathed his last in
that condition. He was expelled from Bukhara 4 times.
1st - When he issued a
ruling that foster relationships are effective even by
drinking goat and sheep milk. This was in his early days.
There is speculation whether this incident is true or not.
2nd - Many Ulama of Bukhara
held the opinion that Iman is not makhlook, because of that
those Ulama had to leave Bukhara. Imam Bukhari was also
amongst them.
3rd - After his experience
with Imam Zuhli in Nishapur, Zuhli wrote to the Ameer of
Bukhara complaining about Imaam Bukhari which resulted in his
expulsion.
Concerning the dispute with
Imam Zuhli in Nishapur - When Imam Bukhari came to Nishapur he
was very warmly welcomed and Imam zuhli, who was also the
Ustaad of Imam Bukhari, encouraged the people to benefit and
listen to ahadith from Imam Bukhari. Once someody asked the
question whether Qalamullah is makhlook or not. Imam tried to
evade the question but upon insisting he answered that
Qalamullah is not makhlook but our reciting the kalamullah is
maqluk. People did not fully understand this and made an issue
that Imam Bukhari says that “lafzi bilquran maklook.” Imam
Zuhli said, He (Imam Bukhari) is a bid’ati and no one should
go to him. People left Imam Bukhari (R.A.) except Imam Muslim
and Ahmad ibn Salama. Zuhli did not allow any person who
subscribe to Imam Bukhari’s view or associated with him to
sit in his lesson. Imam Muslim and Ahmad ibn Salama chose to
be with Imam Bukhari. A few days later Imam Bukhari left
Nishapur and went to Bukhara and was expelled from there. This
was the third time he was expelled from Bukhara. There is some
speculation that when Imam Bukhari began having discourses in
Nishapur, Zuhli’s discourses were not largely attended hence
Zuhli initiated Imam Bukhari’s removal from Bukhara. And
Allah Ta’ala knows best
4th - Imam Bukhari was
called to Bukhara and he received a very large reception.
Ameer of Bukhara, Khalid Zuhli asked him to come to his place
and teach his children Bukhari Shareef. Imam Bukhari refused
and Khalid then used people to make objections on Imam Bukhari’s
beliefs and thus he was finally expelled from Bukhara. Imam
Bukhari cursed Khalid and within a month Khalid was dismissed
and imprisoned.
After Imam Bukhari was
removed for the fourth time by Khalid. He went to Khatang
(today Khaja Abad) by his relatives. Abdul Quddus (R.A.) says
that I heard Imam Bukhari making dua in tahajjud: “O Allah,
the earth has become narrow for me despite its spaciousness,
therefore call me to you.”
Gaalib ibn Jibraeel says - I
was in Khartang when people of Samarqand sent a messenger to
propose and invite Imam Bukhari to Samarqand. Imam Bukhari got
ready to go and after walking about 20 steps he felt weak and
lied down and breathed his last. This was on the night of Eid
- 256 A.H. After his death, musk scent emitted from his grave.
His opponents came to the grave to make tawba. Upon his death,
2 persons saw a dream in which he made ziyarah of Rasulullah (sallallahu
alaihi wasallam) and the Sahaba (radhiallahu anhum) and they
were waiting for somebody. Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi
wasallam) said that they are waiting for Imam Bukhari.
10. Imam Bukhari and The Ahnaaf
Imam Bukhari’s family and
friendly ties with Abu Hafs Kabir’s family.
Imam Bukhari was a student of Abu
Hafs Kabir, he made sima of Jami Sufyan from him. Even after
that Imam Bukhari and Abu Hafs Sagheer (Kabirs son) were
contempories and colleagues in studying. It is obvious that
because of Imam Bukhari and his family being close to Abu Haf’s
family (Abu Hafs used to render financial help to Imam Bukhari)
he was aware of the fiqh of the Ahnaaf.
Infact he first studied all
the books of Abdulla ibn Mubarak who was a student of Abu
Hanifa and member of the fiqh shura committee of the Ahnaaf.
However later in life when
Imam Bukhari came into contact with Imam Humaidi and Nuaim
Khuzaaie, who were very strongly opposed to the Ahnaaf - he
too was influenced by their anti-Ahnaaf attitude.
11. Writings and Other Compilations
Imam Bukhari wrote many kitaabs besides
Bukhari Shareef (Al Jamius Sahih). Hereunder are some books
written by Imam Bukhari
1. Al Aadaabul Mufrad
2. Juz - Raf-e-Yadain
3. Juz - Qiraat-Kalful-Imam
4. At-Taareekh-Al Kabeer - Al Awsat-As Sageer
5. Kitabul Ashribah
6. Kitabul Hibah
7. Mabsoot
8. Kitabul Ilal
9. Kitabul Wuhdaan
10. Af’aalul Ibaad
11. Al-Aadabul-Mufrad
12. About his book Al-Jamius Sahih
Motivating factors of
compiling Bukhari Shareef
There were many books written on
hadith but there were mixtures of Sahih and Daeef ahadith.
Imam Bukhari felt that there should be a compilation of only
Sahih ahadith. Once while sitting in the gathering of Ishaaq
ibn Raahwai he (Ishaq) expressed his wish that a book of Sahih
ahadith be compiled, when he heard this, his feeling of
compiling such a book was strengthened and this was later
consolidated with a dream wherein he (Imam Bukhari) saw a
dream that he was waving away flies from Rasulullah (sallallahu
alaihi wasallam) with a fan. The dream was interpretated as
Imam Bukhari will sift out the fabricated Ahadith form the
authentic Ahadith.
The dominant purpose of
compiling Bukhari Shareef from the motivating factors was to
compile and gather only Sahih ahadith. Apart from that, Imam
Bukhari designed and brightened his book with other aspects as
well, for eg., he would deduce fiqhi aspects from the hadith,
he would express the authenticity of the hadith by presenting
another sanad (chain of narrators). He also explains the
meaning of many ahadith etc. It is due to the above factors
that the hadith in Bukhari Shareef are not in a subject or
topic sequence. However, Imam Muslim has arranged and compiled
his book according to a topic sequence.
13. Specialities of Bukhari Shareef
1. It is the first book compiled only on
sahih ahadith.
2. It took the author 16
years to compile his book. The tarajims (topics) were prepared
at the rowda mubarak.
3. Abu Zaid Mirwazi Shafi,
who was a very fond shafi was sleeping in the mataaf area when
he made ziyarat of Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi waallam) who
asked him, why do you not make research and read my book. Abu
Zaid asked: “Oh prophet of Allah which is your book?”
Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) replied the book of
Muhammad ibn Ismail ie. Bukhari Shareef.
4. When read at the time of
difficulties and hardships, matters are made easy. When read
in a boat it does not sink.
5. There are 22 Sulusiyyaats
in Bukhari Shareef. However Darami has more sulusiyyaats than
Bukhari Shareef.
14. Conditions of Choosing a Hadith
Muhammad Maqdasi says that the conditions
of choosing a hadith in Bukhari Shareef are not mentioned by
the author himself. The muhadditheen have pondered and studied
the book and deduced these conditions, presuming they were the
criteria set out by the author. Tahir Maqdasi says that the
conditions of choosing a hadith in Bukhari Shareef are:
1. The narrator is
unanimously realiable. Here a question may arise as to why is
there discussions on the reliability and authenticity of many
narrators in Bukhari Shareef. Ibn Humam has answered this that
certifying a narrator as reliable or unreliable is not
absolute (qat’ie). A muhaddith certifies according to his
understanding and research.
2. The chain of narrators
must be an unbroken one (itti’saal - see page five).
3. If two narrators narrate
from every narrator it is better but not a condition.
4. Haakim, author of
Mustadrak says it is a condition of Bukhari Shareef that there
always be two narrators from a narrator. This is not correct.
The first and last hadith indicates that even narrations with
one narrator is accepted. In fact, there are about 200 such
ahadith in Bukhari Shareef. Ziya Maqdasi has prepared a book
Galaaibus Sahihain on this matter.
Hereunder is a more clear
explanation as to what type of narrators are chosen by Imam
Bukhari.
Imam Zuhri has five
categories of students:
1. Very realiable in memory
and authenticity and always or for a very long time stayed in
the company of Imam Zuhri.
2. Also very realiable but
stayed lesser than the first group.
3. Stayed with Zuhri but
were criticized by some.
4. Did not stay with Zuhri
and were criticized by some.
5. Weak and unknown
narrators.
Imam Bukhari took narrators
of the first category, seldom would he take from the second
category. Imam Muslim would take from the third cateory as
well.
Abu Dawood and Nasai would
take from the third category.
Tirmizi from the fourth
category, Tirmizi is more superior to Abu Dawood because he
discusses the reason a hadith is weak, etc.
Imam Abu Dawood uses the
fifth category to support and consolidate. (Read after the
section on itti’saal.)
A question arises that if
according to Imam Bukhari, the chain of narrators must be an
unbroken one, why are there ahadith-e-muanan (hadith with
an-an).
According to Imam Bukhari
for a hadith muanan to be under the category of unbroken chain
of narrators, the narrator and from whom he is narrating must
be contemporaries and must meet at least once.
In order to clearly
understand the above, the following must be understood:
The narrator and from whom
he is narrating, if they are not contemporaries, such a
narration is named as Irsaale Jali.
If they are contemporaries
but they did not meet, this is called Irsaale Khafi.
If they are contemporaries,
met but narrates something he did not hear, this is Tadlees.
According to Imam Bukhari,
the two must meet at least once. According to Muslim, merely
being contemporaries is sufficient. Imam Bukhari views this as
a possibility of being Irsaal, hence the narration will not be
of an unbroken chain (muttasal).
One may raise an objection
that according to Imam Bukhari, meeting once is sufficient,
but still there is a possibility of non-narration. The answer
is that we are discussing about a narrator who does not
practice Tadlees. A mudallis’s narration is not muttasil,
hence disqualifies from being accepted.
In the light of the above
discussion, it is clear that Bukhari shareef is more superior
to Muslim or any other book on hadith. Dare Qutni says:
The statement of Abu Ali
Nishapuri: “There is no other kitaab on the surface of this
earth more sahih than Muslim Shareef,” is opposed by
Nishapuri’s Ustaad, Imam Nasai, who said there is no better
book than Bukhari Shareef.
However, it must be noted
that the superiority of Bukhari Shareef over Muslim Shareef
and other books of ahadith is on a general basis, not that
every hadith of Bukhari Shareef is more superior to any hadith
in any other book of hadith.
15. The Topics (Taraajim) of Bukhari
Shareef
1. Sometimes the purpose of Imam Bukhari is
not literal. He says something and means isharatun-nas or
dalatun-nas.
2. Imam Bukhari does not
repeat a topic, if so the purpose is different.
3. Generally the topic is
like a claim and the ahadith follow it as proof, but in many
instances, he means to explain the meaning of the following
hadith.
4. A tarjuma sometimes has
two meanings, clear and unclear. People think and assume the
clear meaning, hence they experience difficulty in reconciling
the topic with the hadith, whereas the unclear meaning is the
purpose of Imam Bukhari.
5. Sometimes there is no
link between the topic and hadith quoted under it, but the
hadith with that link is nearby, if not further in the kitaab,
or maybe it is not in Bukhari Shareef, because it does not
conform with the conditions of Bukhari Shareef.
6. Sometimes with the topic,
Imam Bukhari quotes sayings of sahaba and tabi’een (radhiallahu
anhum), but those sayings have no direct relevance.
7. Sometimes there is a baab
but no hadith under the baab. The reason for this is that the
hadith is somewhat related to the previous baab, just like the
fasal of the fuqaha. Imam Bukhari’s purpose is also probably
to sharpen the brain, that one ponders in the hadith and
deduce some valid point.
8. Sometimes there is a
tarjama but no hadith under it. This is of different types:
Either there are verses of
quran after the topic, or the verses are part of the topic. In
the above two the verses are sufficient substantiations.
However if there is a topic
and no verse or hadith, the reason is either that the hadith
is not in conformity with the conditions set out by Imam
Bukhari or the hadith is mentioned elsewhere and to avoid
exact repetition, he did not mention it or for sharpening the
brains, that one ponders over a hadith to substantiate.
9. Sometimes a topic is
mentioned twice, the purpose of the second is to elaborate on
the first one.
10. Sometimes such a topic
is mentioned that does not need any explanation but he brings
it to refute an opinion of some muhaddith. This is common in
Bukhari Shareef against Musannaf Abdur Razzaak and Ibn Abi
Shaiba.
16. Repetitions in Bukhari Shareef
Generally Imam Bukhari repeats a hadith but
with a different chain of narrators or different words.
However there are about 21 or 22 places in Bukhari Shareef
wherein there are exact (sanad or words) repeated. This is
indeed a very negligent number in comparison to the vast
number of ahadith in Bukhari Shareef. However, where a hadith
is repeated but with a different chain of narrators or
different words, the benefits of reporting them are:
1. When one sahabi narrates
a hadith, that same hadith is narrated by another sahabi, the
purpose of quoting the other sahabi’s narration is to remove
the misconception of non-familiarity (garaabat).
2. One narrator quotes the
hadith short, the other complete, Imam Bukhari quotes both as
narrated by the narrators.
3. A hadith is narrated with
different words, for every change of word he brings a
different topic and repeats it.
4. If there are two
posibilities in one narration, of broken and unbroken chain of
narrators (muttasil and ghair muttasil) Imam Bukhari quotes
the both possibilities to indicate that the irsaal does not
prevent the itti’saal’s acceptance.
5. Similarly if there are
two possibilities, of dependant (mawkuuf) and complete (marfu)
narrations.
6. In some chain of
narrators, if there is an addition, Imam Bukhari brings both
versions to show that both are correct.
7. One narration is muanan,
the other chain expresses meeting, Imam Bukhari brings both to
remove doubt.
17. Important Books related to Bukhari
Shareef
1. Aini (762-855 A.H.) - He wrote his
sharah (commentary) over a period of 27 years. This sharah
consists of 25 volumes. In this meanings of the words in the
hadith are given and the link between the topic (baab) and
hadith and many other aspects.
2. Fathul Baari (Ibn Hajar
Asqalani 773 - 852 A.H.) - This sharah was written over a
period of 25 years. It consists of 13 volumes. Before this
sharah, Ibn Hajar wrote (Alhadyus Saari) an introduction to
Bukhari Shareef and Taghleequt-Taaleeq. After Aini wrote his
sharah, Ibn Hajar wrote Intiqaasul I’tiraaz to answer Ainis
objections. In Aini and Fathul Baari, there are answers of the
same objections by one another. This was also due to some
students eg. Burhaan ibn Khizar attending both discourses and
informing both of them accordingly. However both the sharah
have their own beauties and positive features, but Aini is
easier to refer to and understood quickly, due to its concise
and orderly fashion.
3. Irshaadus Saari (851- 923
A.H. Qastalani) - This sharah is also known as Sharah
Qastalani. This sharah is a synopsis of the above two sharahs.
4. Alkawaakibud-daraari (Allama
Kirmaani 717-786 A.H.) - The author was sleeping by the kaba
and there he was inspired to keep this name for his sharah.
5. Faizul Baari (Allama
Badre Aalam) - Has written the main points from Allama Anwar
Shah Kashmiris lessons in Bukhari Shareef.
6. Alabwaab Wat-taraajim (Hazrath
Sheikh Zakariyya) - This is a must reference for Abwaab as
well as other important discussions.
7. Laamiud Daraari - (Moulana
Yahya Saheb) noted the points from Hazrath Moulana Rashid
Ahmed Gangohi’s discourses of Bukhari Shareef.
AND ALLAH KNOWS BEST
Ebrahim Desai (Mufti)
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