Life of Imam Bukhari
After the Sahabah, Imam al-Bukhari ranks as one of the most eminent of those pious people who have conferred endless bliss upon the Ummah of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). The greatest evidence of this is the book of “Ahadith an-Nabawi” he compiled, commonly known as Sahih al-Bukhari. It is the most authentic book after the Quran.
Imam Abu Abdullah Muhammad bin Ismaeel bin Ibraheem al-Bukhari was born on 13th of Shawwal 194 AH in Bukhara, which is a part of Uzbekistan now. There have been very few households in history in which the father and child were Scholars of hadith. His father was a businessman also. But he lost his father in childhood. His mother was also very pious. Imam Bukhari lost his eye sight in early childhood. No doctor was able to cure him. But his mother didn’t lose hope. She prayed and cried to Allah so much and miraculously Imam Bukhari regained his eyesight. And Prophet Ibraheem (pbuh) gave this message to her in a dream. (Asqalani)
Imam Bukhari first memorized the whole Quran before the age of ten. Then he started study on Arabic, Hadith and other Islamic knowledge. When Imam Bukhari was asked when he began seeking the knowledge of hadith he replied, "I was inspired to memorize the hadith at the age of ten." (al-Baghdadi)
After completing primary study in his home town, he went out of his town. First, with is mother and elder brother they went to Makkah. After Hajj, they returned but Imam Bukhari stayed there for further study. There he wrote his book “Qadayas Sahabah wat Tabe’en”. At the age of eighteen, he went Madinah for study and there he wrote At “Tarikh al Kabir” next to the Prophet's (pbuh) grave. (Ali)
Then he travelled as many cities as possible to collect hadiths. Imam Bukhari himself says, "I journeyed to Shaam, Egypt and Jazeerah twice, to Basra four times and resided in Hejaz Makkah and Madinah for six years and I do not know how many times I visited Kufa and Baghdad to visit the people of hadith.” (Asqalani) This was an important etiquette of muhadith. Yahya bin Ma'in would say, "There are four types of people who never become mature in their life, among them is he who writes down hadith in his town and never makes a journey for this purpose." (Sakhowi)
Incredible memory was a special gift to Imam Bukhari by Allah. It is reported that Imam Bukhari as a child would attend the hadith circles of the Masters of Basra with his companions. When the masters recited the hadith his companions would write them down but Imam Bukhari would just sit and listen attentively and didn't write a single word. This irritated his companions but they remained patient. After a few days of seeing that Imam Bukhari had a made a habit of it, they said, "Why do you attend the circles if you do not write the hadith?" Imam Bukhari remained quiet. There after his companions began to pester him every day. One day they exceeded the limit Imam Bukhari said, "Show me what you have written." They had written about 15,000 hadith. It is related that Imam Bukhari recited every single hadith from his memory to the extent that they began to rectify their books by his memory. (al-Baghdadi)
Imam Bukhari said, "I have memorized 100,000 Sahih hadith and 200,000 hadith that are not sahih and the hadith that I have recorded in my book I chose from 600,000 hadith." (al-Baghdadi)
Imam Bukhari learned hadith from five categories of teachers. al-Bukhari was applying the statement of Waki. “A person does not become a real scholar until he records from those older than him, those of the same age and those younger than him.” He himself said, "I wrote hadith from more than 1000 sheikhs." (al-Baghdadi)
Imam Bukhari sacrificed everything to acquire the knowledge of hadith. There were no working days and sleeping nights to him. He put all his time on study. In spite of inheriting a lot of money and being a very successful businessman he spent every penny on hadith to the extent that once he was forced to sell his clothes.
Imam Bukhari lived a very simple life. Abstinence from worldly thing was his very important character. He never took advantage from the generosity of any king or ruler, although many occasions arose. 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 curry for the last forty years.” (Asqalani)
Piety and asceticism is found all over Imam Bukhari’s biography. Imam Bukhari would say, "I have never Backbitten since I have known back biting is Haram." (Asqalani) Imam Bukhari relates, “I never spoke about the world or worldly things but began by praising Allah.” (Subki)
Imam Bukhari was very charitable. Muhammad relates, Imam Bukhari would hold the hands of the needy from amongst the students of hadith and give them between 20 to 30 dirhams without anybody knowing. Muhammad relates, I saw Imam Bukhari many a time give a man a bag containing 300 dirhams (I know this because the man himself informed me afterwards). The man wished to pray for him but Imam Bukhari told him to change the topic so that nobody knows that he has given him money. (Muhammad)
Steadiness on his decision was also in the character of Imam Bukhari. The Governor of Bukhara made a special request for Imam Bukhari to make daily visits to his home in order to teach his children. Imam Bukhari 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 answer and made a second request that Imam Bukhari make a special arrangement to teach his children alone without anyone else being present which was also refused by Imam Bukhari. Imam Bukhari refused, knowing that it would be difficult for a person to stay firm on the religion whilst associating with Kings or Governors. (al-Baghdadi)
Imam Bukhari died on 1 Shawwal 256 AH. at the age of 62 years in Khartang, a small town near Samarkand. May Allah Have Mercy on his Soul.
Imam Abu Abdullah Muhammad bin Ismaeel bin Ibraheem al-Bukhari was born on 13th of Shawwal 194 AH in Bukhara, which is a part of Uzbekistan now. There have been very few households in history in which the father and child were Scholars of hadith. His father was a businessman also. But he lost his father in childhood. His mother was also very pious. Imam Bukhari lost his eye sight in early childhood. No doctor was able to cure him. But his mother didn’t lose hope. She prayed and cried to Allah so much and miraculously Imam Bukhari regained his eyesight. And Prophet Ibraheem (pbuh) gave this message to her in a dream. (Asqalani)
Imam Bukhari first memorized the whole Quran before the age of ten. Then he started study on Arabic, Hadith and other Islamic knowledge. When Imam Bukhari was asked when he began seeking the knowledge of hadith he replied, "I was inspired to memorize the hadith at the age of ten." (al-Baghdadi)
After completing primary study in his home town, he went out of his town. First, with is mother and elder brother they went to Makkah. After Hajj, they returned but Imam Bukhari stayed there for further study. There he wrote his book “Qadayas Sahabah wat Tabe’en”. At the age of eighteen, he went Madinah for study and there he wrote At “Tarikh al Kabir” next to the Prophet's (pbuh) grave. (Ali)
Then he travelled as many cities as possible to collect hadiths. Imam Bukhari himself says, "I journeyed to Shaam, Egypt and Jazeerah twice, to Basra four times and resided in Hejaz Makkah and Madinah for six years and I do not know how many times I visited Kufa and Baghdad to visit the people of hadith.” (Asqalani) This was an important etiquette of muhadith. Yahya bin Ma'in would say, "There are four types of people who never become mature in their life, among them is he who writes down hadith in his town and never makes a journey for this purpose." (Sakhowi)
Incredible memory was a special gift to Imam Bukhari by Allah. It is reported that Imam Bukhari as a child would attend the hadith circles of the Masters of Basra with his companions. When the masters recited the hadith his companions would write them down but Imam Bukhari would just sit and listen attentively and didn't write a single word. This irritated his companions but they remained patient. After a few days of seeing that Imam Bukhari had a made a habit of it, they said, "Why do you attend the circles if you do not write the hadith?" Imam Bukhari remained quiet. There after his companions began to pester him every day. One day they exceeded the limit Imam Bukhari said, "Show me what you have written." They had written about 15,000 hadith. It is related that Imam Bukhari recited every single hadith from his memory to the extent that they began to rectify their books by his memory. (al-Baghdadi)
Imam Bukhari said, "I have memorized 100,000 Sahih hadith and 200,000 hadith that are not sahih and the hadith that I have recorded in my book I chose from 600,000 hadith." (al-Baghdadi)
Imam Bukhari learned hadith from five categories of teachers. al-Bukhari was applying the statement of Waki. “A person does not become a real scholar until he records from those older than him, those of the same age and those younger than him.” He himself said, "I wrote hadith from more than 1000 sheikhs." (al-Baghdadi)
Imam Bukhari sacrificed everything to acquire the knowledge of hadith. There were no working days and sleeping nights to him. He put all his time on study. In spite of inheriting a lot of money and being a very successful businessman he spent every penny on hadith to the extent that once he was forced to sell his clothes.
Imam Bukhari lived a very simple life. Abstinence from worldly thing was his very important character. He never took advantage from the generosity of any king or ruler, although many occasions arose. 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 curry for the last forty years.” (Asqalani)
Piety and asceticism is found all over Imam Bukhari’s biography. Imam Bukhari would say, "I have never Backbitten since I have known back biting is Haram." (Asqalani) Imam Bukhari relates, “I never spoke about the world or worldly things but began by praising Allah.” (Subki)
Imam Bukhari was very charitable. Muhammad relates, Imam Bukhari would hold the hands of the needy from amongst the students of hadith and give them between 20 to 30 dirhams without anybody knowing. Muhammad relates, I saw Imam Bukhari many a time give a man a bag containing 300 dirhams (I know this because the man himself informed me afterwards). The man wished to pray for him but Imam Bukhari told him to change the topic so that nobody knows that he has given him money. (Muhammad)
Steadiness on his decision was also in the character of Imam Bukhari. The Governor of Bukhara made a special request for Imam Bukhari to make daily visits to his home in order to teach his children. Imam Bukhari 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 answer and made a second request that Imam Bukhari make a special arrangement to teach his children alone without anyone else being present which was also refused by Imam Bukhari. Imam Bukhari refused, knowing that it would be difficult for a person to stay firm on the religion whilst associating with Kings or Governors. (al-Baghdadi)
Imam Bukhari died on 1 Shawwal 256 AH. at the age of 62 years in Khartang, a small town near Samarkand. May Allah Have Mercy on his Soul.
Bibliography
Al-Baghdadi, al-Khatib. "Tarikh Baghdad." n.d.
Ali, Maulana Ahmad. "Imam Bukhari: His Life and Works." n.d.
Asqalani, Ibn Hajr. "Mukaddama Fathul Bari." n.d.
Muhammad, Sheikh Kamil. "Imam Bukhari." n.d.
Sakhowi, Shaykh Muhammad Bin Abdurrahman As. "Fathul Mugeeth." n.d.
Subki, Imam. "Tabakatus Subki." n.d.
Ali, Maulana Ahmad. "Imam Bukhari: His Life and Works." n.d.
Asqalani, Ibn Hajr. "Mukaddama Fathul Bari." n.d.
Muhammad, Sheikh Kamil. "Imam Bukhari." n.d.
Sakhowi, Shaykh Muhammad Bin Abdurrahman As. "Fathul Mugeeth." n.d.
Subki, Imam. "Tabakatus Subki." n.d.
© 2014 by Tauhid Ahmed.