Life of " Imam Bukhari":
Imam Al Bukhari was a renowned Islamic scholar born in 810 CE in Bukhara ( modern day Uzbekistan) who dedicated his life to collecting and verifying Hadith ( sayings and actions of the Prophet Muhammad SAW). Orphaned at a young age, he was raised by his mother and began his education early, developing a remarkable memory that enables him to memorize thousands of Hadith. He travelled extensively across the Islamic world to learn from scholars and eventually compiled the collection Sahih Al Bukhari considered one of the most authentic collections of Hadith.
Early life and education:
- Born Muhammad ibn Ismail Al Bukhari in 194 AH(810 CE).
- Orphaned after his father's death and raised by his mother.
- Lost his eyesight due to an illness as a child, but it was miraculously restored after his mother's prayers.
- Memorized the Quran Kareem by age six and began his formal study of Hadith age ten.
Travels and complication of Sahih al- Bukhari:
- Embarking on extensive travels in his youth, he visited numerous cities across the Abbasid caliphate, including Makkah, Madina ,Syria, Egypt , Kufa and Baghdad.
- His travels allowed him to study under hundreds of scholars and gather vast knowledge of Hadith.
- He developed a strict and systematic method for verifying Hadith, meticulously checking the chains of narration to ensure the reliability of each narrator.
- He began compiling Sahih Al Bukhari around 846 CE, a collection of thousands of Hadith that passed his rigorous criteria.
Later life and legacy:
- After completing his magnum opus, he spent the rest of his life teaching the Hadith he had collected.
- Towards the end of his life, he was exiled from Nishapur due to a dispute over a controversial theological topic and the jealousy of local scholars.
- He settled in Khartank, a village near Samarkand, where he died in 870 CE at the age of 62.
- Sahih Al Bukhari became one of the most important sources of Islamic law and practice, second only to the Quran Kareem.
Life of Imam Bukhari:
Born in Bukhara in present day Uzbekistan, Al - Bukhari began learning Hadith at a young age. He travelled across the Abbasid caliphate and learned under several influential contemporary scholars. Bukhari memorized thousands of Hadith narrations, compiling the Sahih al-Bukhari .
Qualities of Imam Bukhari:
Born in 810 CE in Bukhara ( present day Uzbekistan), Imam Bukhari was known from a young age for his piety, discipline, and eagerness to learn. Hua early education was marked by dedication, humility and respect for hua teachers.
Here are some of the well-known qualities and virtues of Imam al-Bukhari (rahimahullah), the great hadith scholar and author of Sahih al-Bukhari:
1. Extraordinary Memory
Imam Bukhari was famous for having one of the strongest memories in Islamic history. Scholars narrated that he could recall thousands of hadith with full chains effortlessly.
Some said: “He never forgot what he memorized.”
2. Deep Knowledge of Hadith
He mastered:
Isnad (chains of narration)
Rijāl al-Hadith (biographies and reliability of narrators)
Fiqh of Hadith (understanding and deriving rulings)
His level of expertise was unmatched in his time.
3. Strong Taqwa (Piety)
Imam Bukhari was known for:
Constant worship
Strict avoidance of doubtful matters
Sincerity in preserving the words of the Prophet ﷺ
He once said he never wrote a hadith in his book except after performing ghusl and praying two rak‘ahs.
4. Honesty and Integrity
He was extremely cautious in accepting narrators.
Even for worldly matters, his honesty was well known. Scholars said:
He avoided taking favors from rulers.
He refused to speak behind people’s backs.
5. Patience and Perseverance
Imam Bukhari faced many hardships:
Poverty in his childhood
Traveling across regions (Hijaz, Iraq, Syria, Egypt, Khurasan) to collect hadith
Opposition from some contemporaries
Yet he remained steadfast and continued his work.
6. Humility
Despite his vast knowledge and fame, he remained humble.
He never claimed superiority and always credited earlier scholars.
7. Dedication to Authenticity
His Sahih al-Bukhari is the most authentic book after the Qur’an because of:
Rigorous criteria
Deep scrutiny of narrators
Avoidance of weak narrators
Precise arrangement of chapters to derive fiqh rulings
8. Sharp Intelligence and Analytical Mind
He could analyze complex chains, detect hidden defects (ʿilal), and identify contradictions between narrators—skills only the greatest hadith critics possessed.
9. Excellent Manners and Character
He was soft-spoken, respectful, and compassionate. Students and scholars admired his noble character.
10. Love for Knowledge
From childhood, he had an intense passion for seeking knowledge.
He traveled thousands of miles and spent his entire life collecting, verifying, and teaching hadith.
When did Imam Al Bukhari live:
Al- Bukhari( born July 19, 810, Bukhara central Asia ( now in Uzbekistan) died August 31, 870), Khartank near Samarkand) was one of the greatest Muslim compliers and scholars of Hadith ( the recorded corpus) of the sayings and acts of the Prophet Muhammad SAW).
Real name of 4 Imam:
Imam Abu Hanifa, Imam Malik, Imam Shafi and Imam Ahmad ibn Hambal were all great Muslims and very important figures in the history of Islam. Their teaching laid the foundations of Islamic jurisprudence.
Introduction of Bukhari:
Sahih al-Bukhari is a collection of sayings and deeds of Prophet Muhammad SAW, also known as the Sunnah. The reports of the Prophet's Muhammad SAW sayings and deeds are called ahadith. Bukhari lives a couple of centuries after the Prophet's death and worked extremely hard to collect his ahadith.
Imam Muhammad ibn Ismail al-Bukhari (810–870 CE) was one of the greatest scholars of hadith in Islamic history. Born in Bukhara (present-day Uzbekistan), he devoted his life to collecting, verifying, and preserving the sayings and actions of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. He traveled extensively to regions like Hijaz, Iraq, Syria, and Egypt to meet scholars and gather authentic narrations. His most famous work, Sahih al-Bukhari, is considered the most authentic book after the Qur’an, due to his strict criteria and deep knowledge of narrators. Imam Bukhari was known for his extraordinary memory, piety, and dedication to truth. He passed away in Khartank near Samarkand, leaving behind a legacy that continues to shape Islamic scholarship worldwide.
Characteristics of an Imam:
An Imam must possess deep knowledge of the Quran Kareem, Hadith ( sayings of the Prophet Muhammad SAW) and Islamic jurisprudence ( fiqh). They must also exhibit strong moral character and embody the values of Islam to serve as role model for the community.
Here are some key characteristics of an Imam—focusing on the qualities expected of a good religious leader in Islam.
1. Strong Faith (Iman)
An Imam must have deep belief in Allah, firm understanding of Islamic teachings, and commitment to practicing them.
2. Knowledgeable in Islam
They must have sound knowledge of:
Qur’an
Hadith
Fiqh (Islamic law)
Islamic ethics
3. Good Character (Akhlaq)
An Imam should be a role model in:
Honesty
Kindness
Modesty
Patience
Respect
4. Piety and Taqwa
An Imam is expected to fear Allah, avoid sins, and maintain sincerity in worship and leadership.
5. Leadership Skills
They should be able to guide the community, lead prayers, teach, and solve disputes with wisdom.
6. Good Communication
An Imam must speak clearly, advise gently, and deliver khutbahs (sermons) that inspire and educate.
7. Integrity
Trustworthiness is essential. People should feel confident in the Imam’s fairness, reliability, and justice.
8. Compassion
An Imam should care about the needs, struggles, and well-being of the community.
9. Wisdom and Sound Judgment
They need the ability to make balanced decisions and provide wise guidance based on Islamic principles.
10. Patience and Perseverance
An Imam faces many responsibilities and challenges, so patience is crucial.
Story of Bukhari:
He dedicated his life to collecting Hadith, the saying of the Prophet Muhammad SAW. Bukhari wa born in the golden age of Hadith sciences during the Abbasid caliphate in the 8th century and authored the most authentic collection of Hadith in a book entitled Sahih al- Bukhari, for what he is most famously.
Shower biography of Imam Bukhari:
Imam Bukhari is a famous Hadith expert together with Imam Ahmad, Imam Muslim, Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, An- Nasai anftibn Mahsh. It has been unanimously agreed that Imam Bukhari's work is the most authentic of all the other works in Hadith literature put together. As agreed by all the scholars , Sahih Al Bukhari is the most authentic book after the Quran Kareem.
His lineage:
The full name if Iman Bukhari is Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn Ibrahim ibn Al mughirah ibn Barduzyah, al- Mughirah settled in Bukhari after grandfather. Al- Mughirah, settled in Bukhari after accepting Islam. He was born on Friday 13 Shawwal 194 AH in the city of Bukhara ( a city in present day Uzbekistan). His father was an Alim ( Islamic scholars) and learned from number of famous scholars including Imam Malik Ibn Anas. His father died when he was infant and his mother took on the entire responsibility of bringing him up.
His pursuit of knowledge:
Imam Bukhari began studying Hadiths while he was still young. He completed his initial studies, especially of Hadith, in Bukhari. At this age of 16, he had memorized many books, of famous scholars including Abdullah ibn Al - Mubarak's book Al- Waki besides memorizing the Hadith and the book of early scholars, he also started studying,he also started studying biography, of all the narrators who take part in a transmission of Hadith, the date is their birth and death, their place of birth and etc.
At the age of eighteen, Imam Bukhari visited Makkah accompanied by his mother and brother. After performing the Hajj, his brother and mother returned to Bukhara but Imam Bukhari stayed there for further education. He spent two years in Makkah and learned Hadith and other religious studies from Islamic scholars of Makkah. After that ye went to madina and get further education in the filed of Hadith, Fiqh and Islamic jurisprudence for four years. After spending six years in Makkah and Madina, he left Basra, kufa and Baghdad and visited Egypt and sham. He said himself:
" To seek knowledge, I travelled to Egypt and Syria twice, Basra four times, spent six years at the Hijaz( Makkah and Madina) and left for Kufa and Baghdad on so many occasions accompanied by Muhaddithin".
Many stories have been told about Imam Bukhari's struggle, in collecting Hadiths. He travelled to many different place just yo gather the precious gems that fell from the lips of Messenger of Allah SWT.
His memory and intellect:
Imam Bukhari had an extremely strong memory from an early and his memory was considered to be inhuman. In his early period of acquiring knowledge, he memorized seventy thousand Hadiths and later in hua life , this figure reaches three hundred thousand. His brother Rashid bin Ismail states in hi childhood.
" Imam Bukhari used to go with us to the scholars of Basra to listen to Hadiths. All of us used to while Hadiths down except Imam Bukhari. After some days, we condemned Imam Bukhari saying that, you had wasted so many days work by not writing down Hadith. Imam Bukhari asked us to bring our notes to him. So we all brought our notes, upon which Imam Bukhari began to read Hadiths by one from the top of his head until he narrated to us more than fifteen thousand Hadiths. Hearing these Hadiths, it seemed that Imam Bukhari was re- teaching us all of the Hadiths we had noted".
He did not depend on pen paper as much he recited in hua sharp memory which was a result of Allah's gift of intelligence and superb memory to him.
Mohammad ibn Azhar Sajidistani said:
" I used to go to Sulaiman ibn Harab accompanied by Imam Bukhari for listening to Hadiths. I used to write the Hadiths but Imam Bukhari would not. Someone said to me, why does not Iman Bukhari note the Hadiths down? I told him, if you missed any Hadith in writing, you could obtain it from the memory of Imam Bukhari".
There is one remarkable incident took place in Baghdad when Imam Bukhari visited the place. The people heard of his many accomplishments, and th attributes which. We're issued to him, decides to test him so as to make him prove himself to them. In order to do that they chose one hundred different Hadiths and changing the testimonials and the text of the Hadiths. The Hadiths were recited by ten people to Imam Bukhari. When the Hadiths were recited , Imam Bukhari replied to all in one manner. " Not to my knowledge". However, after the completion of all the Hadiths, he repeated each text and testimonial which. Had been changed followed by the correct text and testimonial.such was the amazing memory of this great Hadith scholars.
His attributes and qualities:
- Amazing memory: As mentioned in above point, Imam Bukhari had an amazing memory.
- Assistance/ Generous: Imam was left with a considerable amount of wealth by his father. However, Due to his generosity, he spent it all in the path of Allah SWT. At the end, he had been left with no money forcing him to spend his day on one or two almonds.
- Simple and humble: He was a simple person. He used to look his own needs. Despite being oj honorable man, he always kept a little number of servants fie himself.
- Fear of Allah SWT: He was blesses with the highest rank of piety and righteousness. He feared Allah SWT in everything he did as he was blessed with highest rank of piety and righteousness. He kept himself away from backbiting and suspicion and always respected people's rights. He was very polite, tolerant and gentle and never got angry when mistreated by others. He always prayed forgiveness for those who attributed evil to him. If he needs to correct any person he would never embarrass him in public.
His teachers:
In this various county trips, Imam Bukhari met with reputable teachers who can be trusted. He himself said that he has written Hadiths, from 1080 teachers and all of them were experts in Hadith. Anong hi teacher were:
- Ali Ibn al- Madani.
- Imam Ahmed bin Hanbal.
- Yahya ibn Maeen.
- Mohammad ibn Yusuf Al - Baykandi.
- Ishfaq ibn Rahwayh.
And many others:
His students:
Number of people who had narrated the Hadith from Imam Bukhari is unknown. However as per some sources, around 90,000 people had heard habits directly from Imam Bukhari. Among the students of Imam Bukhari are:
- Muslim bin Hajjaj known as Imam Muslim.
- Abu Isa Muhammad Al- Tirmidhi known as Imam al- Tirmidhi.
- Abu Abd- ur Rehman Ahmed ibn Shuaub Al - Nasai famously known as Imam al- Nasai
- Abdullah ibn Abd -ur- Rehman Al - Darimi.
- Muhammad bin Nashr Al - Marwazi.
- Abu Hatim Ar- Razi.
- Abu Bakar bin ishfaq bin Khuzaimah
And many others.
His writing/ books:
Imam Bukhari has written many books during his life. His work is not only in the discipline of the Hadith , but also other sciences such as Tafsir, fiqh, and Tarikh.
- Al- Tarikh Al- Kabir
- Al- Tarikh Al- Saghir.
- Al- Tarikh Al- Awsat.
- Khalqu Afalad ibad.
- Abd- Dhuafa Ash- Shagir.
- Al- Adab Al - Mufradlullah Al - Jailani.
And many more.
We will discuss in detail about the most famous book of Iman Bukhari which is the collection of Sahih Hadith entitled Al- Jami As- Shahih, popularly known as Sahih al- Bukhari.
There is a unique story about compilation of this book. It is said that one night, Imam Bukhari messenger of Allah SWT in his dream. He was standing in fron of Prophet Muhammad SAW having a fan in his hand and driving away the flies from the messenger of Allah SWT. Imam Bukhari then asked the meaning of the dream from interpreters of dream. They interpreted the dream that he ( Iman Bukhari) will destroy and erode the lies that are included in a number of Hadiths of the Messenger of Allah SWT. This dream encouraged him to write the book Al- Jami As- Sahih. Imam Bukhari was very careful in compiling the Hadith. According to Al- Firbari one of his students, he heard Imam Bukhari said:
" I compile the book Al- Jami As- Sahih in the grand mosque. Makkah and I did not include a Hadith except after Istikharah prayer ( guidance prayer) of two rakahs, ask Allah paak fir help, and after believing that the Hadith is truly authentic."
Imam Bukhari studied, in details the lives of narrators, to make sure they were trustworthy and would not fabricate or change the wording of a Hadith..if he discovered that someone in a chain openly sinned or was not considered trustworthy, that Hadith was immediately discarded and not included in his book unless a stronger chain for it existed.
The process of compiling this book was carried out by Imam Bukhari in the two Holy cities i.e Makkah and Madina and it took him 16 years to compile this book. Although he had memorized a large number of Hadiths, he only chooses 7275 Hadiths for this book and there is no doubt about the authenticity of these Hadiths.
His Banishment from Bukhara:
After many years, Imam Bukhari returned to his hometown Bukhara. People of the city were extremely happy and greeted him with great zest and zeal. Imam Bukhari established a Madarassah in the city where he spent a great deal of time teaching with satisfaction. Owing to his honesty, kindness ana fact that he was trustworthy Imam Bukhari used to keep away from the rulers of that time due to the reason that he may incline to say things to please them.
Once the governor of Bukhara, khalid bin Ahmed, called Imam Bukhari to his house and asked Imam to teach his son Imam Bukhari in response to the offer, replied:
" I give greater respect to knowledge rather than to people, for it is they who are in news of the knowledge and it is they who should seek it."
The governor said:
" If my son was to attend your Madarassah ( school),he should not sit with ordinary people's children. You( Imam Bukhari) would have to teach him separately ".
Imam Bukhari answered:
" I cannot stop any person from hearing Hadiths ".
Upon hearing this the governor got angry at him and ordered Imam Bukhari out of Bukhara, however he then settled in Khartang village which is about 30 km from samarkand, Uzbekistan. After the incident and due to some other reasons, Caliph of Baghdad dismissed the governor of Bukhara. Khalid bin Ahmed. He was expelled from his palace in extreme disgrace and dishonor and then was thrown into prison, where he died after few days.
His death:
Explosion of Imam Bukhari from his homeland caused painful aches inside him. He spent rest of his days in Khartang. Samarkand, on 1 Shawwal 256 AH. Imam Al Bukhari passed away at the age of 62 years in a Khartang, samarkand. The grave of Imam Bukhari is in Khartang samarkand.
Scholars praising Imam Bukhari:
Al- Hafiz ibn Rajah al- Hanbali said about Imam Bukhari:
" He is one of Allah's signs walking on the earth".
Abu Abdullah bin Hammad Al - Marwazi said :
" Muhammad ibn Ismail is the Faqih ( Islamic jurist expert in Islamic jurisprudence and Islamic law) of this Ummah ".
Abu Bakar Muhammad ibn ishfaq ibn Khuzaimah said:
" I have never seen underneath the sky one who is more knowledgeable and memorizer of the Hadith of the Messenger of Allah SWT than Muhammad ibn Ismail".
The land of Bukhara located at the estuary of Jihun river at the north of Afghanistan and the south of Ukraine, is the land of many Imams in the discipline of Hadith and fiqh. It enshrines the histories of struggle of the Imam of the Muslims in various branches of Quran Kareem and Hadith sciences. Among them who were born and raised in the land of Bukhara are: Al- Imam Abdullah ibn Muhammad Abu Jafar Al-Musnadi Al - Bukhari, who passed away also in it, on Thursday month of Dzulqa dah' year 220H. Also born in 194 H, and died in year 256 H, in a village named Khartnak, in the direction of Samarkand. Also born in Bukhara, Abu Abdullah Muhammad bin Al - Husain Al - Kalabadzi Al Bukhari who was born in year 323 H and died in year 398 H. There are many other great Imam's in Hadith who were born in it, that adorned the beauty of the history of the land of Bukhara.
However, the only who comes to every Muslim mind today whenever the name " Imam al-Bukhari" is mentioned is the Imam of ahlul Hadith from Bukhara, named Muhammad bin Ismail bin Ibrahim bin Bardizbah Al Bukhari whose book, "Al- Jami'ush Shahih Al - Musnad min Hadisti Rasulillah or later known with " Shahih Al Bukhari" is very famous among Muslims around the world. The word ". Bukhari" itself means " people of Bukhara". Thus, if it is said " Imam Bukhari " it means a prominent figure from the land of Bukhara.
The childhood of Bukhari:
The complete pedigree of this biography is as follows: Muhammad bin Ismail bin Ibrahim bin Al - Mughirah bin Bardizbah. His grandfather was a Zoroastrian, an indigenous religion of the Persians that worshipped fire. His grandfather died still a Zoroastrian. The son of Bardizbah, Al - Mughirah, then became a Muslim under the guidance of the governor of Bukhara, Yaman al- Ju'fi thus he ( Al- mughirah) and all his children and grandchildren is related to the tribe of Al- Ju'fi and in fact, one of hua grandchildren of Al-mughirah later carved his name in the history as a great Imam among the scholar of Hadith.
Al- Imam Al Bukhari was born on Friday 13th of Shawwal, 194 H, in the land of Bukhara, in the middle of a family who loves the science of Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad SAW, because his father, Ismail bin Ibrahim bin Al- mughirah, was a scholar of Hadith who narrated the Hadith of the Prophet from Imam Malik Ibn Anas, Hammad ibn Zaid, and once also learned from Abdullah ibn Mubarak. The Hadith that are narrated by Ismail bin Ibrahim are widely known among the people of Iraq.
Al- Bukhari's father passed away when he was still a kid. Near his death, Ismail bin Ibrahim cheered his son up who wa still very young at that time, while saying, " I do not obtain even one dirham from my wealth that comes from unlawful source. " A child who is raised with wealth that is pure from any unlawful or dubious sources will be battle and easier to educate and guide to the right path. After the passing of his father, Al- Bukhari lived as an orphan, nurtured by the love to this mother.
Muhammad ibn Ismail received full attention from.his mother. He has completed his Quran Kareem memorization ever since he was young, as well as his ability to read and write. In the age of ten, little Muhammad earnestly began to attend lectures about Hadith science, which were dispersed throughout the land of Bukhara. On the age of eleven, he was already able to reprove a teacher of Hadith science whi was wrong in recounting the order of narration of certain Hadith.
His childhood was spent in memorizing and understanding various knowledge's, thus when he grew into teenager of sixteen years old, and understanding various knowledges, thus when he grew into teenager of sixteen years old ,he had fully memorized the books written by some Imam's of Hadith science, from the third generation of Islam Suxh as the book written by Abdullah ibn Al - Mubarak, and Waqi , ibn Jarrah and had thoroughly discerned it.
Muhammad ibn Ismail went through his childhood occupied by a very hectic learning Schedule. His diligence during hua childhood in memorizing and understanding sciences had come into fruition, as he became a very bright a teenager who was highly regarded who was highly by the pupils of any lecture, he attended since at that young age , he had perfectly memorized seventy thousands Hadith, complete with it's " Sanad" beside the thirty chapters of the Quran Kareem.
Embark on journeys to learn knowledge:
At the age of eighteen, Al Bukhari together with his brother Ahmed bin Ismail, was taken by his mother his mother to the land of Makkah to perform Hajj. They travelled the long journey between the land of Bukhara ana Makkah riding on the back of camels, donkeys and horses , a new experience for him hence he was subsequently got used to many advertises of long journey, through the desert, mountains and valleys that were not lacking of the wilderness of the nature. During those harsh conditions, he felt closer to Allah SWT, and he immensely enjoyed the journey that took months to end.
When he arrived at Makkah, Al Bukhari found that city was filled with experts in Hadith, who opened lectures at various places; a reality that made him rejoice. Therefore, after finishing his Hajj, he stayed in Makkah while brother and mother returned to Bukhara. He went back and forth between Makkah thus the started to write biographies of the great figures, until he was able to pile it up in his first work in the discipline of Hadith science, a book titled " Kitabut Tarikh". When this boom began to spread around the Islamic world, people began to talk about him and everyone was so in awe of him and his broad knowledge in Hadith. It was even said that an Imam of Hadith at that time, named ishaq ibn Rauuyah brought this book, kitabut Tarikh by Al Bukhari, before the governor of Khurasan, Abdullah bin Thahir Al - Khuzai saying, " O governor, would like to behold a trick of wizardry?, then he showed him the book. The governor then read the book, and he was so amazed by it, thus he said, " I can't fathom how he could write such book".
Eventually, Al - Imam Al - Bukhari became very famous in various Islamic counties. When he travelled around those countries, he witnessed how the scholars of Hadith from every country deeply respected him. He travelled around various countries which were the centers of the Hadith science, such as Egypt, ancient Palestine, Baghdad, Kufa, Basrah, and some more.
During his time travelling to those countries, one day, he attended the lecture of ishaq bin Rahuyah. Then it was suggested by one of the attendees there that there should be effort to collect all of the Hadith of the Prophet Muhammad SAW in one book. With this suggestion in mind al- Imam al-Bukhari began to write his book, a compilation of valid Hadith, which he finished sixteen years later. In it write a number of Hadith that he believed are valid ones, after researching and selecting it among six hundred thousands Hadith. He chose among that many, seven thousand who hundred and seventy five valid Hadith, and compiled it all in one book, titled Al - Jami us Shahih Al - Musnad min Haditsi Rasoolullah later it better known as Shahih Al Bukhari. This book received praises and flatterings from all over the world of Islam, by that his expertise in Hadith received a wider acknowledgedment from the Islamic world. Other Imam's of Hadith highly praised and exulted him, such as Imam Ahmed bin Hanbal, Ali bin Al madni etc.
Imam Al Bukhari was lauded everywhere:
Al Bukhari works in the discipline if Hadith kept on coming and spreading around the world of Islam. His skills in delivering explanations concerning some delicate issues in Hadith science, in various forums of lectures shone brightly this he was lauded and hua expertise was acknowledged by the teachers and the scholars who were at the same level with him, moreover by hua pupils. He studied knowledges From more than a thousand of scholars, and they all had good impression of him, or even fascinated by him.
Al- Imam al- Hafidh abil Hajjaj Yusuf bin Al - mizzi narrated in his book, titled Tahdzibul kamal fi asma ir Rajal some praises and adulations from the experts in Hadith towards Muhammad bin Islamic Al Bukhari. Among those praises is a statement of Al - Imam Mahmud bin ab- Nadhir Abu Sahi asy Syafi which said, " I have visited various countries, i.e Basrah , Syam, Hijaz and Kufah. I saw in those countries a fact that when the scholars mentioned Muhammad bin Ismail Al Bukhari they would always put them above themselves.
Therefore, the lectures of Al Iman Al Bukhari were always full by thousand of pupil. And when arrived in a country, tens of thousands even hundred thousands Muslims would welcome him at the city border, because since a few days before his arrival, the news of an Imam of Hadith coming had travelled through the city. Thus, the Muslims were standing up in crowd in the roadside that he passed by just to see his face, or if they were lucky to shake hands with him.
Al Imam Muhammad ibn abi hatim recounted that Hasyid bin Ismail and another man reveled that, " the experts of Hadith from bashra at the time when al- Bukhari wa alive felt inferior in their know of Hadith compares to Al Imam Al Bukhari even though he wa still very young. It is said that once when. He was walked through the city of Basrah, he was flanked by the pupils. Finally, he was forced to sit at the sidewalk and a crowd of a thousand surrounded him and asked him about many things regarding their religion. That, while he was a youth whose face was still bare of beard and mustache ".
And the storm came:
Muhammad ibn Ismail was lauded and widely praised by everyone everywhere he went. He received praises laces with awe came from every corner of the country and was appointed as the reference among the scholars since a very young age. Amidst that golde time his life, of which he occupied with worshipping and pursuing and teaching knowledge, some people began to feel envious and jealous of many splendour that Allah SWT bestowed upon him.
The storm began with his arrival in tha land of Naisabur one day, in order to pursue knowledge from the Imam's of Hadith in there. His arrival was not for the first time, rather, he had visited Naisabur repeatedly since it was one of the center of rightful knowledge. Moreover, it was the home of one of his teacher, an expert in Hadith named Muhammad bin yahya Adz- Dzulhi. One day, a joyful news was spread out throughout Naisabur, that Muhammad bin Ismail Al Bukhari will come to visit the community and will stay there for some times. Ao Imam Muhammad bin yahya Adz- Dzulhi himself even specially announced that news in his lecture, saying that , " whosoever wishes to welcome, Muhammad bin Ismail tomorrow please do, because I myself will welcome him, " hence a large number of people began to prepare for welcoming the great Imam of Hadith in their town.
On the day of his arrival, thousands of citizens of Naisabur gathered at the city outskirt to welcome him. Among the awaiting crowd was al- Imam Muhammad bin yahya Adz- Dzulhi and some other scholars. Muhammad bin Yaqub Al Akhram said that when al- Bukhari reached tha gate of Naisabur there were four thousands people on horse waiting for him, in addition to those who rode in donkeys and mules, as well as thousands other who walked on there feet.".
Imam Muslim ibn al- Hajjaj recounted, "when Muhammad bin Ismail came to Naisabur, all of the government officials and all scholars were welcoming him at the country border ".
When al- Imam Muhammad bin Ismail came to Naisabur, it's citizen welcomed him grandly and greatly. Thousands of people crowded at his settlement every day to question him various problems pertaining to religion, particularly delicate matters in Hadith science. As a result, many lectures of other scholars were empty from pupils. This probably was the biggest cause of uneasiness among said scholars towards Al- Bukhari.
On the third day of his visitation to Naisabur, the most lamented incident happened. Ahmed ibn adi remounted it as follow, " A number of scholar told me that when Muhammad bin Ismail arrived at Naisabur, and people gathered around him in flocks, some scholars At that time began to envy him. Therefore a news was spread among the scholars of Hadith that Muhammad bin Ismail stated that hua saying upon reciting the Quran Kareem is creature?
Upon hearing the question, he turned away since he did not want to answer, it . However the inquirer kept repeating his question until three times, while pleading for him to answer it. Eventually Al Bukhari answered it by saying " The Quran Kareem is Allah's words, and not a creation, whereas the deed of his slaves is creations and testing people regarding this matter is a heresy ".
Upon acquiring his answer, the inquirer created ruckus in that lecture as he said that my sayinh upon reciting the Quran Kareem us creation. As a result, there was an outcry inside the lecture, and people dispersed in haste, leaving Al Bukhari alone. Even since that incident, Al Bukhari sat at Gus residence and people refused to pay him a visit anymore."
Al- Khatib Al Baghdadi narrated that Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Ghalib complete with the sanad, from Muhammad bin Khasynam, recounted that, " After people abandoned Al Bukhari they once visited him, stating, would you take back what you have said, so that we will return to your lecture, he replied, "I won't take back my words, except if those have left me are able to present a stronger argument that is stronger than mine".
Muhammad ibn Khasynam said, " indeed, I was so amazed by his steadfastness and how he was unwavering in holding in his conviction ".
The Muslim in Naisabur were in uproar as a result of the incident, and finally the waves of trial involving al- Imam Muhammad bin yahya Adz- Dzulhi. Hence he declared in his lecture, which was now has become crowded again after people leaving Al Bukhari lecture, let me inform you what whoever continues to attend the lecture of al Bukhari is prohibited to come to our lecture, for the people of Baghdad has revealed to ya through their letter that this man said that my saying upon reciting the Quran Kareem is creation. Those who live in Baghdad said that they have advised him to utter such statement, but he keeps saying so. therefore, nobody should come approach him, and whoever does approach him, should not approach us."
By the involvement of Iman adz Dzulhi inevitably, the false accusation kept on spreading, since Adz- Dzulhi was a highly influential in all of Khurasan regions, of which Naisabur, was the capital. Al- Imam adz Dzulhi even pronounced further that, " the Quran Kareem is the words of Allah and not a creation, from whichever of Kya sides and all conditions. Whosoever holds firm to this principle, will have no need to utter such words regarding the Quran Kareem. Whoever claims that the Quran Kareem is a creation, indeed, he has committed infidelity and stepped out of the righteous belief, he has to be sperated from his wife, and should be forced to repent from saying such words. If he repents, then this repentance is accepted. But if he refused to repent, he has to be decapitated his possession becomes bounty of the Muslims, and hw should not be buried at the Muslim cemetery. And whosoever is abstained from saying whether the Quran Kareem is a creation, or not, indeed a heresayer . It is not allowed to sit and chat with him, and he is not talk to. Therefore, whoever still comer to the lecture of al Bukhari after this explanation, should be suspected because no one would stay at his lecture except he is aligned with him in hua digression.
Upon hearing that statement from adz Dzulhi Imam Muslim ibn hajjaj and Ahmed ibn salma stood and left his lecture. Imam Muslim even went further by sending back to Imam adz Dzulhi all of the narrational chain of Hadith that he received from him, this there is no narration from adz Dzulhi recorded in Shahih Muslim Among all the chain of narrations that he received and compiled.
Inevitably, this attitude of Imam Muslim bin Hajjaj and Ahmed bin salma enraged adz Dzulhi hence he declared that, " this person stay in the same country as I."
The declaration upset Ahmed ibn salma one of the staunch supporter of Al Bukhari. He immediately went to visit Al Bukhari and said".
" O Aba Abdullah this man is very influential in Khurasan. He has had overstepped hua boundary in speaking about this matter hence none of us would advise him regarding it. Then what do you think"?
Al Imam Al Bukhari deeply understood the exasperation of this pupil. He gently and affectionately held the beard of Ahmed ibn salma, while reciting chapter Ghafir which meaning is , " and I resign all my affairs to Allah SWT. Indeed, Allah's overseeing all of his slaves " then he bowed his head, saying, " Allah SWT you know that I did not live in Naisabur with evil intentions, not with bad intention. You also know, o Allah's SWT, that I don't have any ambition to rule..it's just that I'm am forced to return to my country, fir my defiers has taken control of the situation. And indeed, this man has made me hua target merely Due to being envious of the knowledge that Allah SWT bestows upon me.".
Defending Al Bukhari:
Here is a concise, well-structured note about defending Imām al-Bukhārī that you can use for study, speeches, or writing:
---
A Note on Defending Imām al-Bukhārī (رحمه الله)
Imām Muḥammad ibn Ismāʿīl al-Bukhārī (d. 256 AH) stands as one of the greatest scholars in Islamic history, renowned for his extraordinary precision, piety, and service to the Sunnah. Defending his legacy is not a matter of blind loyalty, but of recognizing objective scholarship, rigorous methodology, and the preservation of authentic knowledge.
1. His Dedication and Methodology
Al-Bukhārī devoted his life to collecting, verifying, and preserving the sayings of the Prophet ﷺ.
He traveled widely, studying with more than a thousand scholars.
He applied one of the most stringent criteria in hadith authentication, requiring uninterrupted, reliable transmission and proven integrity of narrators.
Before writing any hadith in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, he performed ghusl and prayed istikhārah, showing his immense reverence for the task.
2. The Scholarly Consensus
Classical scholars across centuries unanimously praised his accuracy and reliability:
Imām Muslim called him “the master of the hadith scholars.”
Ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī confirmed that the ummah had accepted Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī as the most authentic book after the Qur’an.
This consensus is itself a defense, showing that criticism of him does not stand alongside the judgment of generations of qualified scholars.
3. Responding to Modern Criticisms
Some contemporary objections come from misunderstanding:
Critics often overlook the rigorous conditions al-Bukhārī applied.
Many objections arise from mistranslations or lack of context.
Others stem from disbelief in the reliability of hadith in general, not from credible scholarly analysis.
Defending al-Bukhārī means clarifying these points thoughtfully, not emotionally.
4. The Importance of Upholding His Work
To safeguard al-Bukhārī’s legacy is to safeguard the integrity of the Sunnah.
His book provides the most reliable source for understanding the Prophet’s teachings, and undermining it without knowledge risks undermining Islam’s foundational texts.
5. Our Duty
Approach the subject with knowledge, fairness, and respect.
Recognize the difference between scholarly critique and baseless attacks.
Uphold the contributions of scholars who devoted their lives to preserving the religion.
Significance about Al Bukhari:
Here is a clear and well-organized explanation of the significance of Imām al-Bukhārī in Islam:
1. Preserver of the Sunnah
Imām al-Bukhārī (رحمه الله) is one of the most important figures in Islamic history because he dedicated his life to preserving the authentic sayings and actions of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
His work ensured that future generations could access the Sunnah in its purest form.
2. Compiler of the Most Authentic Hadith Collection
His masterpiece, Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, is universally regarded by scholars as:
“The most authentic book after the Qur’an.”
This status gives his collection unparalleled significance in Islamic law, theology, and daily practice.
3. Unmatched Methodology and Rigor
Al-Bukhārī applied extremely strict criteria for accepting hadith:
Verifying the complete chain of narrators (isnād)
Ensuring the narrators’ reliability, memory, and upright character
Ensuring the hadith was free of contradictions or hidden flaws
His scientific approach helped establish high standards for hadith verification in Islamic scholarship.
4. Teacher of the Scholars
He taught and influenced many of the greatest hadith scholars, including Imām Muslim (compiler of Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim).
His contributions shaped the entire field of hadith science and set the foundation for generations of scholars.
5. Defender of Islamic Creed
Al-Bukhārī also contributed to protecting orthodox Islamic belief (‘aqīdah).
By distinguishing authentic hadith from weak or fabricated reports, he helped preserve the true teachings of the Prophet ﷺ and safeguarded the ummah from distortion.
6. A Model of Piety and Integrity
His character is a major reason Muslims hold him in high regard:
He was known for humility, patience, fairness, and devotion to worship.
He refused to compromise his principles even in the face of pressure or hardship.
His personal integrity strengthened trust in his scholarly work.
7. Lasting Impact on Islamic Civilization
The significance of al-Bukhārī extends far beyond his era:
His work shapes Islamic law (fiqh), ethics, spirituality, and education.
His narrations are used in sermons, legal rulings, teaching, and daily worship.
His methodology remains foundational for academic study of hadith.
Importance of Al Bukhari in Islam:
Here is a clear, concise explanation of the importance of Imām al-Bukhārī in Islam:
1. Preserver of the Prophet’s Sunnah
Imām al-Bukhārī devoted his life to collecting and verifying the sayings and actions of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. By applying strict criteria and traveling extensively to meet reliable narrators, he ensured that the authentic Sunnah was preserved for future generations.
2. Compiler of the Most Authentic Hadith Book
His masterpiece, Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, is regarded by Muslim scholars as the most authentic book after the Qur’an. This makes his compilation a primary reference for Islamic belief, law, ethics, and daily practice.
3. Establishing High Standards of Hadith Science
Al-Bukhārī introduced an extremely rigorous methodology for evaluating narrators and chains of transmission. His precision set a benchmark in hadith scholarship that continues to influence Islamic studies and academic research to this day.
4. Guiding Islamic Law and Practice
Thousands of rulings in Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh) are supported by hadith recorded in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī. His work helps Muslims understand how to worship, interact, and live according to the example of the Prophet ﷺ.
5. Protecting Islamic Creed
By distinguishing authentic narrations from weak or fabricated ones, Imām al-Bukhārī helped safeguard Islamic belief (‘aqīdah) from distortion. His collection preserves essential teachings on faith, character, and spirituality.
6. A Model of Integrity and Piety
Al-Bukhārī was known for his exceptional honesty, memory, humility, and devotion to worship. His character increased the trust placed in his scholarship and made him an example for students of knowledge.
Imām al-Bukhārī is important in Islam because he preserved the authentic teachings of the Prophet ﷺ with unmatched accuracy, compiled the most reliable hadith collection, and set a standard of scholarship and integrity that continues to guide the Muslim world.
Conclusion:
Imām al-Bukhārī holds a place of great honor in Islam for preserving the authentic teachings of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ with unmatched precision. His masterpiece, Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, remains the most reliable hadith collection and a cornerstone of Islamic knowledge, reflecting his deep piety, integrity, and lifelong dedication to the Sunnah.