Imam Bukhārī (194 H / 810 CE — 256 H / 870 CE) is one of the most eminent hadith scholars in Islamic history, the author of the Sahih al-Bukhārī. This essay follows his life from a Bukharan childhood through years of study and travel to his death near Samarkand, with sections on his expertise in hadith, his character, his intentions, his sensitivity in choosing narrators, and his final years.
Imam Bukhārī was born on Friday, the 13th of Shawwal in the year 194 H (20 July 810) in Bukhara. His great-great-grandfather, Bardizbah, was a Zoroastrian; however, his son Mughirah embraced Islam through the influence of the governor of Bukhara, Yaman al-Ju’fī. Consequently, Imam Bukhari was also known as “al-Ju’fī.”
There is limited information about his grandfather, Ibrahim. However, it is noteworthy that Imam Bukhārī’s father, Ismail, was a pupil of prominent scholars like Malik ibn Anas and Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak. Ismail passed away when Imam Bukhārī was still a child, leaving behind a collection of books to his son. His mother was a pious woman whose prayers were accepted by Allah.
Before the age of ten, Imam Bukhārī started learning hadith under the guidance of esteemed scholars in Bukhara, such as Muhammad ibn Selâm el-Bīkendî (d. 225/839) and Abdullah ibn Muhammad al-Musnadi (d. 229/844). When he was about eleven, he rectified some mistakes made by his instructor al-Dakhili, which drew the attention of those around him due to his remarkable intelligence.
At the age of sixteen, he memorized the books of scholars like Ibn al-Mubarak and Waki’ ibn al-Jarrah (d. 197/812). Then, he went on pilgrimage (Hajj) with his mother and his brother Ahmad. Following the Hajj, he requested his mother’s permission to stay in Makkah to further his studies. She agreed and returned with Ahmad. Her sacrifice facilitated the development of a distinguished scholar within the Islamic tradition. Then, Imam Bukhari stayed in Makkah, where he studied hadith from scholars, including Hallad ibn Yahya and Abdullah ibn Zubayr al-Humaydi (d. 219/834).
His expertise in hadith and his judgment
Imam Bukhārī traveled to many places and collected numerous hadiths. He carried his books with him during these travels. One day, his servant remarked that there was no place to walk in his room. Imam Bukhārī counted all the hadiths he had written and said he had recorded 200,000 hadiths with full chains (isnad). He not only wrote these hadiths but also memorized them. In Baghdad, some scholars subjected him to a test. They mixed the chains and texts of 100 hadiths and asked ten people to read them to him. Imam Bukhārī stated, “I do not know these hadiths like this.” Then, he provided the accurate chain and text for each hadith. The scholars were amazed by his extraordinary memory and vast knowledge.
His teachers, including Muhammad ibn Salam and Abdullah ibn Yusuf al-Tinnisi, requested his assistance in correcting their texts. On one occasion, when Humaydi disagreed with another scholar, he requested the judgment of the eighteen-year-old Imam Bukhari, underscoring the profound trust placed in him.
Imam Bukhārī explained Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh) through the hadiths. He did not avoid repeating a hadith if it represented multiple meanings. Due to this reason, his famous book al-Jāmiʿ al-Ṣaḥīḥ is preferred over many other hadith books.
Good character opens doors
Imam Bukhārī was recognized from an early age not only for his exceptional intellect but also for his exemplary character. He once stated: “Allah will question me about many things, but inshaAllah not about backbiting. I never engaged in backbiting, and I hope to meet Allah with a pure tongue.”
Many people were great in knowledge, like Imam Bukhārī, but his strong morals distinguished him and earned him widespread respect. When Imam Bukhārī refrained from accepting a hadith from a narrator, he never labelled him as a liar. He refrained from engaging in backbiting. Instead, he used one of three courteous phrases:
- Fīhi naẓar — “There is disagreement about him.”
- Sakata ‘anhu — “The scholars remained silent regarding him.”
- Munkar al-hadith — “His hadith is not accepted.”
Pure intention brings honor to the deed
It is reported that when Imam Bukhārī was about 16 or 17 years old, he pursued his studies in Makkah with his teacher Ishaq ibn Rahuyah. One day, the teacher expressed the following desire: “I wish someone could collect only the authentic sayings and sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him), so people can understand them clearly.”
Imam Bukhārī heard these words and thought deeply for many days. Then, one night, he saw the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in a dream. In this dream, the Prophet was sitting alone in the desert, and Imam Bukhārī was providing comfort by fanning him. The Prophet was pleased. When he woke up, he told his teacher about the dream. His teacher said, “InshaAllah, Allah will choose you for this mission.”
More sensitivity brings more quality
On one occasion, Imam Bukhārī visited a narrator to collect a hadith. When he arrived, he saw the man holding his hat as if it contained food, trying to bring his horse into the stable. But the hat was empty. Imam Bukhārī said, “A person who lies to an animal can lie to people, too.” So, he refused to take hadith from him. This incident illustrates Imam Bukhārī’s remarkable caution — he accepted hadiths only from narrators known for their honesty and integrity.
The death of Imam Bukhārī
As highlighted throughout our discussion, Imam Bukhārī — one of the most eminent hadith scholars in Islamic history — dedicated his life to collecting only authentic hadiths. In 870, he intended to return to his hometown of Bukhara after many years of travel. However, due to political tensions, he instead moved to a small village called Khartank near Samarkand. Soon after, he passed away there.
His famous book, al-Jāmiʿ al-Ṣaḥīḥ, is not only a major hadith collection but also one of the most trusted works in Islamic history. In the Islamic world, after the Qur’an, the greatest attention has been given to al-Bukhārī’s al-Jāmiʿ al-Ṣaḥīḥ. The meticulous selection of its hadiths, its excellent organization, and the richness of its content have granted it this prestige. Al-Jāmiʿ al-Ṣaḥīḥ has been recited not only with the intention of gaining divine reward but also with the hope of deliverance from material and spiritual hardships, illnesses, and calamities, as well as with the desire to attain various aspirations. After his death, scholars continued to respect and honor him for his significant contribution to Islamic tradition.
References
- el-A’zamî, Muhammed Mustafa. “Buhârî, Muhammed b. İsmâil.” Türkiye Diyanet Vakfı İslâm Ansiklopedisi, cilt 6. İstanbul: Türkiye Diyanet Vakfı Yayınları, 1992, 320–327. (Accessed: 06.04.2025).
- The Life and Struggle of Imam Bukhārī. https://youtu.be/D8LeMI1aMao?si=ubxI_EsgUXFHxi49 (Accessed: 08.04.2025).