BUKHARI, AL-

fullname is Abu `Abdullah Muhammad ibn Isma'il ibn Ibrahim ibn al-Mughira al-Ja'fai. Famous commentator and collector of hadiths of the 8th/9th century (194-256 A.H., i.e., 810-870 A.D.). He was born at Bukhara and died at the village of Khartang near Samarqand. His collection is known as Sahih (authentic) Bukhari, said to be a result of sixteen years of labor. al-Bukhari was one of the first also to compile traditions that stresses the marks of 'authentic' traditions, namely the long chains of narrators (isnad). Out of 600,000 hadiths that he examined, he accepted only 7,397 as authentic (some others say 2,602, 9,082 with repetition). It is said that he only wanted to record authentic traditions, that he performed prostration in worship before he recorded each tradition.

Online English translations of Sahih Bukhari can be found here.

In the controversy over the stoning of adulterers, ibn Hajar compared two versions of the hadith: the one by `Ali reads :

> `Umar declared, 'I fear that with the passage of time some will say, "We do not find stoning in the Book of God", and will neglect a divine injunction revealed by God. Stoning is a just claim against the non-virgin fornicator when valid proof is brought, or pregnancy occurs, or confession is made. We used to recite it, "the saikh and the saikha, when they fornicate, stone them outright." The Messenger of God stoned and we have stoned.'

Bukhari's version stops at confession is made', and ibn Hajar suggested that Buhkari deliberately ignored the remainder of the hadith. (John Burton, Collection of the Quran, 1977, p. 79, quoting Ahmad b. `Ali b. Muhammad al `Asqalani, ibn Hajar, "Fath al Bari", 13 vols, Cairo, 1939/1348, vol. 12, p. 119)

Go Back to Main Index