Biographies - Imam Bukhari

Who is not aware of HadhratImam Bukhari(R.A) and his kitaab 'Saheehul- Bukhari'?
However in this present day, the majority of Muslims use his kitaab to
refer to whenever in need of a supporting reference for their actions
or deeds without the knowledge of the lifeof the great author.
The famous and respected Muhaddith,Imam Bukhari's (R.A) genealogy is
as follows: Mohammed Ibn Ismail Ibn Ibrahim Ibn Mugheera Ibn
Bardizbah.
His father Ismail was a well-known and famous Muhaddith in his time
and had been blessed with the chance of being in the company of Imam
Malik, Hammad Ibn Zaid and also Abdullah Ibn Mubarak (R.A.).
Imam Bukhari(R.A) was born on the blessed day of Friday 13 Shawwaal
194 (A.H). He had lost the use of his eyes in the early stages of his
childhood. However, due to the pious and lengthy prayers of his mother
his eyesight was returned miraculously. The news had reached his
mother through a dream in which Hadhrat Ibrahim (A.S) had appeared and
said, "Due to your bountiful and sacred prayers Allah Ta'alaa has
returned the eyesight of your son."
The dream was proven tobe true in the morning.
Ismail the father of Imam Bukhari (R.A) had died in Imam Bukhari's
childhood, leaving him inthe care of his mother where he was nourished
with love and care. At theage of sixteen after having memorized the
compiled books of Imam Waki and Abdullah Ibn Mubarak, he performed Haj
with his elder brotherand mother. After the completion of Haj Imam
Bukhari remained in Makkahfor a further two years and upon reaching
the age of eighteen headed for Medinah, andspent his nights next to
the grave of the Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallamcompiling the books
of 'Qadhaayas-Sahaabah Wat-Taabi'een' and 'Taareekhul-Kabeer' withthe
moonlight as a meansof lighting.
Imam Bukhari (R.A) traveled a great deal in order to expand his
knowledge. He made twotrips to Syria and Egypt and stayed six years in
Arabia. He also happenedto return to Kufa, Baghdad and Basra four
times and at times remained there for a period of five years. Also at
Haj season he used to return to Makkah.
Imam Bukhari ( R.A) first started listening and learning ahaadeeth in
205 A.H., and after profiting from the Ulamaa of his town he started
his travels in 210 A.H. There are a great number of teachers from whom
Imam Bukhari (R.A) actually gained his much respected knowledge. It
has been known to be said by Imam Bukhari (R..A) himself that, "I have
written ahaadeeth from 1080 different people all of whom were
scholars." However, he profited most from Ishaq Ibn Rahway and Ali Ibn
Madeeni (R.A). Imam Bukhari (R.A) has narrated ahaadeeth fromUlamaa of
five different categories. He has also narrated ahaadeeth fromhis
students believing in the fact that no person shall be titled a
scholar ofahaadeeth until he has narrated from his elders, youngsters
and contemporaries.
Imam Bukhari (R.A) also had a vast amount of students. It has been
stated that approximately 9 000 people were privileged to sit in his
lessons wherehe taught his Kitab 'Sahih-Ul-Bukhari'. There were
travelers amongst these from all corners of the world in order to
jointhese pious sittings and to be honoured with a glimpse of the
knowledge that he held and which never failed toastonish anybody.
Memory
Imam Bukhari's (R.A) memory was considered to be inhuman, for as soon
as the praying of a hadith would finish Imam Bukhari (R.A) would
repeat it orally. It has been known that in his childhood he had
memorized 2 000 ahaadeeth.
There is one spectacular incident which took place in Baghdad when
Imam Bukhari (R.A) took up temporary residence there. The people
having heard of his many accomplishments, and the attributes which
were issued to him, decided to test him so as to make him prove
himself to them. In order to do that they chose onehundred different
ahaadeeth and changing the testimonials and the text of the ahaadeeth
they were then recited by ten people to Imam Bukhari (R.A).
There was a crowd of gathered people from within and outside the city
to witness the outcome of such a test. When the ahaadeeth were recited
Imam Bukhari (R.A) replied to all in one manner, "Not to my
knowledge." However, after the completion of all the ahaadeeth Imam
Bukhari(R.A) repeated each text and testimonial which had been changed
followed by the correct text and testimonial, suchwas the memory of
ImamBukhari (R.A).
Abstinence
His abstinence was also an attribute which was incomparable and
undauntless. He had beenleft a considerable amount of wealth by his
father however, due to his generosity he spent it all in the path of
Allah so that at the end he had been left with no money forcing him to
spend his day on one or two almonds.
He never took advantage from the generosity of any king or ruler,
although many occasionsarose. Once he fell ill and when his urine was
tested, the results showed that he had not consumed curry for a long
time. Upon questioning he said, "I have not consumed curryfor the last
forty years.
The Governor of Bukhara made a special request for Imam Bukhari (R.A)
tomake daily visits to his home in order to teach his children. Imam
Bukhari (R.A) declined stating that, "I give greater respect to
knowledge rather than to people, for it is they who are in need of the
knowledge and it is they who should seek it."
Upon hearing this the Governor was further annoyed by Imam Bukhari's
(R.A) answer and made a second request that Imam Bukhari (R.A) make a
special arrangement to teach his children alone without anyone else
being present which was also refused by Imam Bukhari (R.A). The
Governor was infuriated by the second refusal andordered Imam Bukhari
(R.A) out of Bukhara. The people of Samarqand hearing of this quickly
issued an invitation to Imam Bukhari (R.A) to come to their town.
However, there was also a difference of opinion within the people of
Samarqand which forced Imam Bukhari (R.A) to turn towards Khartang.
It was here that he spent the month of Ramadaan and in the month of
Shawwaal headed towards Samarqand, where death found him whilst he was
traveling. Imam Bukhari died in themonth of Shawwaal 256 A.H., at the
age of 62.
(To Allah we belong and to Him we shall return.)
Writings
There are a number of books compiled by Imam Bukhari (R.A) however,
Bukhari Shareef has gained great esteem and a high status in the
learning and praying of ahaadeeth.
A specific date has not been known as to when he had started the
writing of Bukhari Shareef, however, we do know that after he had
finished he had shown the manuscript to his teachers Imam Ahmad Ibn
Hanbal (R.A) for approval who died in 241A.H, along with Ibnul-Madeeni
who died in 234A.H, and lastly Ibn Maeen who passed away in 233 A.H.
It has also been recorded that it took the noble writer a period of 16
years to gather the ahaadeeth and to write Bukhari Shareef which sets
the date back to 217 A.H, as the year in which he started the
compilation; Imam Bukhari (R.A) being merely 23 years of age.
Before Imam Bukhari (R.A) had started to collect ahaadeeth there had
actually been quite afew published books of ahaadeeth in which Imam
Bukhari (R.A) foundahaadeeth of both weak and strong testimonials,
which gave him the idea to compile such a kitaab containing ahaadeeth
of only strong testimonials. Ishaaq Ibn Rahway (R.A) agreed to this
idea whichstrengthened Imam Bukhari's (R.A) decision.
Imam Bukhari (R.A) states, "There was once a time during one of our
sessions when my teacher Ishaaq Ibn Rahway remarked it would be
appreciated if someone could collect ahaadeeth which held strong and
reliable testimonials and write them in the form of a kitaab." This
inspired Imam Bukhari (R.A) which was later strengthened by a dreamin
which Imam Bukhari (R.A) was positioned in front of the Prophet
Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallamwith a fan in one hand toaid him in ridding
the Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam of all flies which would rest
upon him. Upon waking, Imam Bukhari (R.A) visited several interpreters
for an appropriate interpretation. They all answered that it meant he
would in future cleanse the Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallamof all
lies spoken by the people through narrating misunderstood ahaadeeth.
This gave Imam Bukhari (R.A) great comfort and strength once he
started the writing of his kitab Al-Jame-ul-Sahih. The complete name
of the kitaab is 'Al-Jame-ul-Sahih-al-Musnad-min-ahaadeethe-Rasulillah
Sallallahu AlaihiWasallam-wa-sunanihi-wa-Ayyaamihi,' which means a
collected versionof ahaadeeth in the form of a kitaab which relates to
us the sayings, actions and the life of the Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi
Wasallam.
Imam Bukhari (R.A) had taken great care in writing the ahaadeeth and
choosing those which met the standards and conditions which he set to
find ahaadeeth with only strong testimonials which included only
reliable and trustworthy testifiers. He spent 16 years in writing the
kitaab, altering it a total of three times. Allaamah Ayni (R.A.)
reports of Ibn Tahir's remark that Imam Bukhari had written
Sahih-ul-Bukhari in his hometown Bukhara. Ibn Bujair however, relates
that he had started his compiling in Makkah, and some have reported of
seeing him in Basra. There is still another differing remark made by
others who comment on seeing him in Madinahto write his kitaab.
However, we find Imam Bukhari (R.A) relating himself that he wrote
Sahih-ul-Bukhari in Masjid-e-Haraam.
Before he actually placed a hadith in his compilation he used to
perform ghusl and prayed to Allah through two rakah nafl prayers
asking for guidance. Imam Bukhari ( R.A) worked such that only after
being completely satisfied with the hadith in question did he give it
a place in his kitaab. Due to this great care which was taken, the
people were heard to say that the ahaadeeth which Imam Bukhari (R.A)
has narrated have been so carefully phrased and with such precision
that it is felt Imam Bukhari (R.A) had heard the ahaadeeth directly
through the Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam.
Abu Zaid Marwazi reportsthat I was once asleep in between the 'Black
stone'and 'Maqaam-e-Ibrahim' when the Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi
Wasallamappeared in my dream he stated, "O Abu Zaid! For how long
shall you teach Imam Shafi's (R.A) kitaab ? When shall you start the
teaching of my kitaab ?"
I questioned, "O Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam! Which kitaab is
yours?" He replied, "Mohammed Ibn Ismail's Al-Jame-ul-Sahih."
Hafiz Ibn Hajar (R.A) reports that Imam Bukhari (R.A) has kept it of
utmost importance to only narrate ahaadeeth of a strong testimonial
which can be proven by the name of the kitaab. However, along with
this Imam Bukhari (R.A) also made an effort to explainall points which
are difficult to understand, which is the reason why he has given a
plentiful host of meanings for one sentence which may include a word
that is in reality difficult to understand. Imam Bukhari (R.A) has
included within his kitaab the art of narrating ahaadeeth which have
been dividedinto eight different chapters. These chapters contain
subjects which have been sub-titled and are famous for the ingenious
way in which they have been phrased.
Imam Bukhari (R.A) has imposed conditions which all narrators and
testifiers must meet before the hadith can be selected. One condition
requires that all testifiers must have a strong memory.
There are also restrictions made upon this condition :
1. All the Muhadditheen who possess great knowledge of ahaadeethmust
agree upon the testifiers' in question ability to learn and memorize,
along with hisreporting techniques.
2. The testimonial must be complete without any missing testifiers.
3. If there are two different narrators of a hadith related to them
bya Sahaabi then the hadith shall be given a high stage in rank.
However, if only one narrator can be found and the testimonial proves
to be a strong onethen this shall be accepted without any doubts.
Allaamah Nawawi (R.A) relates that all scholars inIslam have agreed
that Sahih-ul-Bukhari has earnestly gained the reward of being the
mostauthentic after the Holy Qur'an.
Sahih-ul-Bukhari consists of 7 275 ahaadeeth including those ahaadeeth
which have been repeated. However,should the repeated ahaadeeth be
excluded then the total number of ahaadeeth will be 4,000.
Hafiz Ibn Hajar counted the ahaadeeth and concluded that there was7
397 where the ahaadeeth have been passed down from the Prophet
Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam directly and with the narrations of Sahabah
or Tabi'een etc.; procuring a total of 9 407ahaadeeth in all. Although
after excluding the repetitions he found 2 353 narrations of the
Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam and 160 sayings of the respected
Sahabah totaling to 2 513narrations in all.
Bukhari Shareef has beenset apart from other compilations, gaining a
distinctive honour due tothe following reasons :
1. Whilst Imam Bukhari (R.A) was engaged in the writing of Bukhari
Shareef, if the need aroseto stop work for a periodof time, then he
would continue his work only after writing 'Bismillah' which is the
reason why 'Bismillah' has been foundto be written in between in many
places.
2. At the end of all chapters Imam Bukhari (R.A) has concluded by use
of a word within the sentence so as to give one a point to ponder upon
and hopefully so that one becomes more aware of the primary objective
of life. e.g. afterthe first chapter he has included a word which
brings one to think of their short life in this world and of their
death.His intention is that one reads Kitaabe-Bukhari with death in
mind.
3. Imam Bukhari (R.A) haspaid great attention towards the beginning
and ending his kitaab with an appropriate hadith. For the first hadith
narrated within the kitaab is based upon intention which gives one the
opportunity to be sincere with himself as to what he intends to gain
from studying the words of the Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallamwhich
have been narrated throughout the kitaab. Also the last chapter which
Imam Bukhari (R.A) has chosen to end his kitaab with is
'Kitaab-ul-Tauheed' which gives one a whole host of words which may be
said in order to praise the oneness of Allah; for it is this which is
believedto be the sole aid for all humans when they shall find
themselves in the unbearable position of being reckoned for their sins
on the Day of Judgment.
Hadhrat Shaikh Moulana MuhammadZakariyya (R.A) has summed up the above
in these words," Imam Bukhari (R.A) has commenced his kitaab with the
hadeeth ' Innamal Aamaal….' and concluded it with 'Kalimataan.