The Travels and Teachers of Imam Muhammad ibn Isma'il al-Bukhari

Imam Muhammad ibn Isma'il al-Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him) traveled through various regions, cities, and countries in pursuit of knowledge. He himself said, “I heard from one thousand and eighty (1080) teachers that faith consists of words and actions.” [Fath al-Bari] Note: This statement by Imam Bukhari is proof that he had more than a thousand teachers from various cities and countries. Accordingly: ◈ In the city of Balkh, he studied under Makki ibn Ibrahim (may Allah have mercy on him), from whom he received a high chain of narration and also a thulathi (i.e., in some narrations from Makki ibn Ibrahim, there are only three links between Imam Bukhari and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ). ◈ In Marw, he acquired knowledge from a group of scholars including Abdan ibn Uthman, Ali ibn Hasan ibn Shaqiq, and Sadaqah ibn al-Fadl (may Allah have mercy on them). ◈ In Nishapur, he learned from Yahya ibn Yahya (may Allah have mercy on him) and a group of others. ◈ In Baghdad, he studied under Muhammad ibn Isa ibn al-Tabba’, Sarij ibn al-Nu’man, Muhammad ibn Sabaq, and ‘Affan (may Allah have mercy on them). ◈ In Basrah, he learned from Abu ‘Asim al-Nabil al-Ansari, Abd al-Rahman ibn Hammad al-Sha’ithi (the companion of Ibn ‘Awn), Muhammad ibn ‘Ar’arah, Hajjaj ibn Minhal, Badal ibn al-Muhabbar, and Abdullah ibn Raja’ (may Allah have mercy on them). ◈ In Kufah, he studied under Ubaydullah ibn Musa, Abu Nu’aym, Khalid ibn Makhlad, and Talaq ibn Ghanam (may Allah have mercy on them). ◈ In Makkah, he acquired knowledge from Abu Abd al-Rahman al-Muqri, Khallad ibn Yahya, Hassan ibn Hassan al-Basri, Abu al-Walid Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Azraqi, and Humaydi (may Allah have mercy on them). ◈ In Madinah, he benefited from Abdul Aziz al-Awaysi, Ayyub ibn Sulayman ibn Bilal, and Ismail ibn Abu Uways (may Allah have mercy on them). ◈ In Egypt, he benefited from Sa’id ibn Abi Maryam, Ahmad ibn Ishkab, Abdullah ibn Yusuf, Asbagh (may Allah have mercy on them) and others. ◈ In Sham, he studied under Abu al-Yaman, Adam ibn Abi Iyas, Ali ibn Ayyash, and Bishr ibn Shu’ayb (may Allah have mercy on them). See: [Siyar A‘lam al-Nubala’ by Imam al-Dhahabi, may Allah have mercy on him]