Preface

Life and work of IMAM bukhari (Rahmatullaih Alihi)

Few persons in the world have even been endowed with a proverbial memory. One of them is Bukhari, the greatest compiler of Hadith (narratives pertaining to the Prophet s life and his sayings! that "slam has produced. He is said to have retained in his memory one million #hadith with full details of all the different sources and reporters of each Hadith which came down to him. His $ahih Bukhari (collection of Hadith! is universally recognised as the most authentic collection of #hadith of the Holy Prophet of "slam ($allau alihi %a sallam!

Whenever we heard about hadith the first name come to our mind to refer the book is named Sahih al-Bukhari (#rabic& '()*+,- ./01!, as it is commonly referred to, is one of the si2 canonical hadith collections of $unni "slam. 3hese prophetic traditions, or hadith, were collected by the Persian 4uslim scholar 4uhammad ibn "smail al5Bukhari (67896:8 #;! 7<=9>?@ H (about >88 years after Prophet 4uhammad ($allau alihi %a sallam! died and compiled during his lifetime. 4uslims view this as their most trusted collection of hadith and it is considered the most authentic book after the AurBan. 3he #rabic word sahih translates as authentic or correct. #buCabd #llah 4uhammad ibn "smaCil, later known as "mam Bukhari, was born in Bukhara on 7D $hawwal, 7<= #.H. (Euly >7 678 #.F!. 3he newly5born child had scarcely opened his eyes in the world when he lost his eyesight. His father was immensely grieved at it. His pious mother wept and prayed to God to restore the eyesight of her newly5born child. #nd by the Grace of God, the eyesight of the newly5born child was fully restored. He lost his father when he was still a child. He was brought up by his illustrious and virtuous mother. He began his study of the Hadith at the early age of eleven. "n his 7@th year, he made pilgrimage of the Holy places along with his mother and elder brother. 3here he attended the lectures of the great teachers of Hadith in 4akkah and 4adinah. He was still 76 years old, when he wrote a book on the decisions made by the Fompanions of the Prophet 4uhammed ($allau alihi %a sallam! and their followers. 3he actual title of the book commonly referred to as $ahih al5Bukhari, according to "bn al5$alah, is& al5Eaami al5$ahih al54usnad al54ukhtasar min Hmur Iasool #llah wa sunanihi wa #yyamihi. which means a collected version of ahadith in the form of a book which relates to us the sayings, actions and the life of the Prophet $allallahu #laihi %asallam ($allau alihi %a sallam! #l5Bukhari traveled widely throughout the #bbasid empire since he was si2teen years, collecting those traditions he thought trustworthy. "t is said that al5Bukhari collected over D88,888 hadith and included only >,@8> (%ithout repetation! traditions in his $ahih. 3his aroused his interest in compiling hadith whose authenticity was beyond doubt. %hat further strengthened his resolve was something his teacher, "shaJ ibn "brahim al5Hanthalee 9 better 7

known as "bn Iahoyah 9 had said. 4uhammad ibn "smaa eel al5Bukhari said, K%e were with "shaJ ibn Iahoyah who said, C"f only you would compile a book of only authentic narrations of the Prophet. 3his suggestion remained in my heart so " began compiling the $ahih.L Bukhari also said, K" saw the Prophet in a dream and it was as if " was standing in front of him. "n my hand was a fan with which " was protecting him. " asked some dream interpreters, who said to me, CMou will protect him from lies. 3his is what compelled me to produce the $ahih.L "bn al5$alah also said& N3he number of hadith in his book, the $ahih, is :>:? hadith including hadith occurring repeatedly. "t has been said that this number e2cluding repeated hadith is four thousand.N 3his is referring to those hadith which are musnad, those from the Fompanions originating from the Prophet with what is apparently a connected chain. Bukhari had taken great care in writing the ahadith and choosing those which met the standards and conditions which he set to find ahadith with only strong testimonials which included only reliable and trustworthy testifiers. He spent 7@ years in writing the book, altering it a total of three times. #llaamah #yni reports of "bn 3ahirOPQs remark that Bukhari had written $ahih Bukhari in his hometown Bukhara. "bn BuRair however, relates that he had started his compiling in 4akkah, and some have reported of seeing him in Basra. 3here is still another differing remark made by others who comment on seeing him in 4adinah to write his book. However, we find Bukhari relating himself that he wrote $ahih Bukhari in 4asRid5e5Haraam. Before he actually placed a hadith in his compilation he used to perform ghusl and prayed to #llah($#S#3! through two rakah nafl prayers asking for guidance. Bukhari worked such that only after being completely satisfied with the hadith in Juestion did he give it a place in his book. ;ue to this great care which was taken, the people were heard to say that the ahadith which Bukhari has narrated have been so carefully phrased and with such precision that it is felt that Bukhari had heard the ahadith directly through the Prophet 4uhammed ($allau alihi %a sallam! S ecialities of Bukhari Shareef 7. "t is the first book compiled only on sahih ahadith. >. "t took the author 7@ years to compile his book. 3he taraRims (topics! were prepared at the rowda mubarak. Of prophet 4uhammed (sallallahu alaihi wasallam! D. #bu Taid 4irwaUi $hafi, who was a very fond shafi was sleeping in the mataaf area when he made Uiyarat of Iasulullah (sallallahu alaihi waallam! who asked him, why do you not make research and read my book. #bu Taid asked& NOh prophet of #llah which is your bookVN Iasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam! replied the book of 4uhammad ibn "smail ie. Bukhari $hareef. =. %hen read at the time of difficulties and hardships, matters are made easy.%hen read in a boat it does not sink. #t the last stage of his life He was asked by the Iuler of Bukhara to teach him and his children the #hadith of the Prophet at his Palace. 3his he declined and migrated to a town near

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$amarkand HUbekistan Here he breathed his last on D8 Iamadan, >?@ #.H. (D7 #ugust 6:8 #.F.! 3he entire populace of the town and the vicinity came out to pay their last homage to one of the greatest sons of "slam. His grave is still a favourite place of 4uslim pilgrimage. His monumental work, $ahih Bukhari established his reputation as one of the greatest compilers of #hadith in "slam. 3he total 4uslim Hmmah refers himself as #4"IHS 4H4"WW of Hadith for his great effort in Hadith. 3his is the very first time Barkati Publications is started to publish their book into Xnglish version. By this we are trying to devote ourselves in the way "slam the only and true way to guidance. 3his great effort has been possible only and only by the kindness of #lmighty #SS#H. %e are also thankful to $ayed 4uhammed $afwan nomani the editor of this book who himself is a 4umtaRul 4uhaddis in Hadith and try to make this work more appreciable with his son $ayed 4uhammed #minul Xhasan.4y father $ayed 4uhammed Maman also try his best to help this book by the necessary printing staff. #s all of this staff has been done in limited time frame so there may be some unwanted errors in this translations. 3o all the readers please inform us if you find any mismatch in this book and we will try to make it immediate corrections. 4ay #SS#H grant our effort and forgive our sins and bless Barkati Publications to devote themselves more and more of this type of holy work. (#min! Barkati !ublications

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