Author: Obaidullah Nimruzi
Who was Imam Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him)? 1st part
Abstract of the article
Imam Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on him, whose name is “Mohammad bin Ismail”, was one of the unique and first-class scholars of “Bukhara” and Samarkand and had special and unique qualities; But among all his qualities and characteristics, one was his intense love and attachment to the Holy Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and the other was his strong and brilliant memory, which made him very distinct. On the other hand, his very valuable and precious service, which is the compilation of the book “Jami Sahih Bukhari”, made him famous and special, to the point where his book was the most Sahih book, after the Great Qur’an.
Keywords: Imam Bukhari, Muhammad bin Ismail Bukhari, Bukhara and Samarkand and Sahih Bukhari.
One of Allah’s favors on his servants is that through the Prophets and the Holy Books, he has provided people with a basis for thinking and research.
Islam aroused different nations and gave them motivation and enthusiasm, so that in a short period of time, among the common people, the greatest researchers and scientists were aroused, and their tireless efforts among the masses of people during It has been and will remain stable for many years.
The efforts of Muslims in various scientific fields, which began with the sunrise of the Prophet Muhammad’s mission, came to fruition during the first, second, and third centuries of Hijri, and Islamic researchers in various fields of interpretation, hadith, jurisprudence, theology, etc. They left behind precious works and thus paved the way for excellence and dignity for humanity.
Hazrat Imam Mohammad bin Ismail Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on him, is one of the greatest scientific figures in the history of the world, who achieved this high scientific position in the light of the Qur’an and the Sunnah. Undoubtedly, he is one of the miracles of Islam that has appeared in the scene of social and scientific life.
He is “Abu Abdullah Muhammad bin Ismail bin Ibrahim bin Al-Mughaira bin Bardzabah al-Jafi al-Bukhari”.
Allameh Tajuddin Sabaki mentioned the name “Bardzbah” in Tabaqat Kubra in the lineage of Imam Bukhari; But other historians have mentioned Imam’s lineage up to “Bardzba”. Imam Bukhari’s ancestors from Bardzbah up were Magus and Persian in origin. But they have converted to Islam from Ibrahim downwards. History has not said anything about the conditions of his grandfather (Ibrahim). It was not Imam Jafi himself; However, the attribution of the Imam and his ancestors to Jaafi is due to the fact that Ibrahim converted to Islam at the hands of “Yaman bin Akhnas al-Jaafi” (the ruler of Bukhara). But the father of Imam Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him) (Ismail) was one of the hadith scholars of his time and he has works. Allamah Ibn Hibban in his book “Al-Thaqat” mentioned him as a student of Hammad bin Zayd and Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, and he also met Hazrat Abdullah bin Mubarak.
Imam Bukhari became such a great scholar because of using halal and pure wealth. It is known that the father of Imam Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him) was rich and when he died he said: «ترکت مالاً کثیراً لیس شبهة بدرهم»“I left behind a lot of money, not even a dirham.” This halal and pure money was spent for the imam’s education and had a positive effect on the imam’s existence.
Imam Bukhari was born on 13 Shawwal 194 AH after Friday prayer; This is a special feature of those who were born in Ashrah al-Hajj and between Ramadan and Zul-Qa’dah.
He lived 13 days less than 62 years and died in the year 256 AH on the night of Eid al-Fitr, and after noon prayer of Eid al-Fitr, they were buried in the village of “Khartang”.
He was still a child when his father died, and his mother raised him and worked hard for him. Imam Bukhari was blind when he was a child and his mother lamented and supplicated to the Almighty Allah. One night he saw Hazrat Ibrahim (peace be upon him) in a dream, and he said: “Allah has accepted your many prayers for your son and restored his sight.” When he woke up, he saw that the Imam’s eyes had become clairvoyant. The mother of Imam Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on him, was a pious and ascetic lady.
Once again, as an adult, the Imam lost his sight due to many trips in the heat to acquire knowledge; Until someone told him to apply marshmallows on his head and shave his hair before that. As a result, he was able to regain his sight.
Travels of Imam Bukhari may Allah have mercy on him, for the sake of acquiring knowledge
Scholars of hadith used to travel long distances to acquire hadith. Imam Bukhari was also 16 years old when he traveled to Hijaz with his mother and brother, Ahmad bin Ismail. His mother and brother returned to Bukhara after the Hajj rituals; But he stayed in Makkah for the sake of acquiring the knowledge of Hadith. He stayed in Makkah for 2 years and during this time, he was in the presence of famous hadith scholars who served the science of hadith in Makkah, such as: Abu Abdullah, Abdullah bin Zubair, Abdullah bin Yazid, Abu Walid Ahmad bin Muhammad Arzuqi, Hassan bin Hassan Basri, Khalid Ibn Yahya, Abu Abd al-Rahman Moqri, gained grace and learned the science of hadith. At the age of 18, he planned to travel to Madinah and acquired knowledge from famous muhaddiths.
At the age of 18, he wrote the book “Quzaya Sahaba and Taabi’in” and after that he went to Basra, where he also acquired knowledge from great masters and stayed for a long time. He stayed in Hijaz land for 6 years. He traveled too much to Kufa and Baghdad. In Herat, He heard Hadith from Abu Waleed Hanafi. He acquired knowledge from “1080” professors of hadith science. He was very poor, so they ate leaves of trees or grass, or sometimes he sold their clothes.
After traveling to Syria, Imam Bukhari left for Egypt, where at that time there were great hadith scholars such as: Yahya bin Abdullah, Ahmad bin Shoaib, Asgba bin Faraj, Uthman bin Saleh, Abdullah bin Yusuf, Saeed bin Abi Maryam, Saeed bin Kathy. And Ahmad bin Ashkab (the last hadith that the Imam brought in his book was narrated by this narrator) from whom the Imam gained grace and brings many hadiths from these noble people in his book. After Egypt, Imam Bukhari went to “Algeria” and there were famous teachers and hadith scholars such as: Ahmad bin Al-Walid Al-Wartanis al-Harrani, Ismail bin Abdullah bin Zararah al-Raqi, Amr bin Khalid, Ahmad bin Abdul Malik bin Waqid al-Harrani, and Imam was one of these nobles. He gave grace and learned hadith.
He also traveled to Balkh, where they heard hadith from Makki bin Ibrahim, Yahya bin Bishr, Muhammad bin Aban, Yahya bin Musa, and Qutiba, and they mentioned many of these elders in their documents in Bukhari’s book. Imam Bukhari also traveled to Herat, where great hadith scholars such as Ahmad bin Abi al-Walid were present at that time. He was Hanafi al-Maslik, from whom Imam Bukhari learned hadith, and he also traveled to Nishapur, where he learned from Yahya bin Yahya, Bishr bin Hakam, Ishaq bin Rahwayh, Muhammad bin Rafi and Muhammad bin Yahya al-Zahli, who are among the great scholars and teachers.
Imam Ahmed bin Hanbal says: “Khorasan has not seen anyone like Imam Bukhari.” And it is narrated that they say: Imam Muslim, who was a student of Imam Bukhari, kissed his forehead and said: “Allow me to kiss your feet, master!” You are a doctor of hadith.”
Imam Bukhari says: “Since I understood that backbite is forbidden, I have not backbitten.” They were very careful not to sin; Because sin causes the memory to become weak, and knowledge is a light from the Light of Allah (S.W.T) and this light is not given to sinners.
Imam Ahmed bin Hanbal was the teacher of Imam Bukhari and many elders said that Imam Bukhari is a better jurist than other teachers in the science of hadith.
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