الرحلةThe Journey

محمد بن إسماعيل البخاري

Imam al-Bukhari (RH)

Muhammad ibn Isma'il al-Bukhari

Also known as: Bukhari

194–256 AH · 810–870 CE

Hadith

Compiler of Sahih al-Bukhari, regarded as the most authentic book after the Quran.

Orphaned young, al-Bukhari showed an extraordinary memory for hadith as a boy in Bukhara. After performing Hajj at about sixteen he remained in Makkah, then spent years travelling to the hadith masters of the Muslim world.

He spent about sixteen years compiling al-Jami' al-Sahih. By his own account he selected its contents from some 600,000 narrations, accepting only those whose chains met his strict conditions. The Sunni scholarly tradition regards it, alongside Sahih Muslim, as the most authentic book after the Quran. He also wrote al-Adab al-Mufrad and al-Tarikh al-Kabir. He died in the village of Khartank near Samarkand.

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Life journey

  1. 810 CE Bukhara بخارى
  2. 826 CE Makkah مكة
    Went on Hajj at about sixteen and stayed to study. He then travelled for many years through the Hijaz, Iraq, Syria and Egypt.
  3. 864 CE Nishapur نيسابور
  4. 866 CE Bukhara بخارى
  5. 869 CE Khartank (near Samarkand) خرتنك
    Died 870 CE · 256 AH
    Left Bukhara after a dispute with its governor.

Teachers

  • Imam Ahmad (RH) 780–855 CE
    Al-Bukhari met Ahmad in Baghdad and narrated from him.

Students

  • Imam Muslim (RH) c. 821–875 CE
    Muslim kept close to al-Bukhari when he came to Nishapur, learned from him and defended him.
  • al-Tirmidhi (RH) c. 824–892 CE
    Al-Tirmidhi studied with al-Bukhari and often quotes his judgements on hadith in his Jami'.

Key works

  • al-Jami' al-Sahih الجامع الصحيح
    The Authentic Collection
    Hadith selected under strict conditions, arranged in chapters with legal headings.
  • al-Adab al-Mufrad الأدب المفرد
    The Book of Manners
    Hadith on character, manners and family life.

Places in their life

The Kalyan mosque and minaret, Bukhara
The Kalyan mosque and minaret, Bukhara
Photo: Bgag, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Ka'bah in al-Masjid al-Haram, Makkah
The Ka'bah in al-Masjid al-Haram, Makkah
Photo: Adli Wahid (minor modifications by Basile Morin), CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The memorial complex of Imam al-Bukhari near Samarkand
The memorial complex of Imam al-Bukhari near Samarkand
Photo: Alaexis, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Sources

  • al-Dhahabi, Siyar A'lam al-Nubala'
  • Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalani, Hady al-Sari (introduction to Fath al-Bari)
  • al-Khatib al-Baghdadi, Tarikh Baghdad
Draft, awaiting scholarly review.
Years for the Makkah, Nishapur and return to Bukhara are approximate.