Introduction to Sahih al-Bukhari by Hafiz Abdul Mannan Nurpuri (Rahimahullah)
The Title of Sahih al-Bukhari
The full title of the book is: “Al-Jami‘ al-Sahih al-Musnad min Hadith Rasul Allah ﷺ wa Sunanih wa Ayyamih.”
Subject of the Book
The title of the book indicates that its subject is the collection of authentic and connected (musnad) hadiths. This is further confirmed by Imam al-Bukhari's own statement: “I have not included in this book except what is authentic (sahih).”
He further stated: “I selected the authentic (hadith) from six hundred thousand narrations.”
Besides musnad hadiths, the book also includes numerous discussions on jurisprudence, beliefs, Qur’anic issues, fatwas, linguistic insights, principles, technical matters, and other beneficial content. However, these are not the primary subject of the book. The subject remains strictly the collection of authentic and connected narrations.
An Objection and Its Responses
Objection: Some hadith rejecters argue: If Imam Bukhari selected only authentic hadiths from 600,000, does that mean the rest are weak or unreliable? If they were reliable, why did he leave them out?
Response 1:
Imam al-Bukhari stated that he selected from 600,000 narrations—not 600,000 distinct hadiths. A single hadith could have over 200 chains of transmission. He chose only the isnads that met his strict criteria. The rest were either weaker by his standards or omitted to avoid excessive length.
Response 2:
This statement does not mean the remaining hadiths are not authentic. Imam Bukhari only included those that fulfilled his highest criteria. Other authentic hadiths simply did not meet *his* specific standards.
Response 3:
Imam Bukhari himself clarified: “What I left out from authentic hadiths is even more.” His student Ibrahim ibn Ma‘qil said he heard from Imam Bukhari that he omitted many authentic narrations just to avoid making the book too lengthy.
(Source: Tarikh Baghdad, Vol. 2, p. 322, Dar al-Gharb al-Islami, Beirut)
This misconception by hadith rejecters is a deliberate distortion intended to mislead.
Reason for Compilation
According to scholars, the existing collections at that time—jami‘ and musnad—contained all types of hadiths, making it difficult for the average person to distinguish the authentic ones or act upon them confidently. Imam al-Bukhari intended to compile only sahih hadiths to make practice easier.
Hafiz Ibn Hajar (Rahimahullah) writes that Imam Bukhari also saw a dream regarding this. His student Muhammad ibn Sulayman narrates with a sound chain:
“I saw the Prophet ﷺ in a dream, and I was standing before him with a fan in my hand, warding off lies from him. I asked a dream interpreter, and he said: ‘You will protect the Prophet ﷺ from lies.’ This is what motivated me to compile al-Jami‘ al-Sahih.” (Source: Fath al-Bari, Vol. 1, p. 7)
He also acted upon the encouragement of his teacher Ishaq ibn Rahawayh, who once said in a gathering: “Is there anyone who would compile only the authentic hadiths?” Imam Bukhari said: “This settled in my heart, and I began writing hadiths.”
Imam Bukhari’s Sincerity
His sincerity and pious intentions are evident from a statement of his student Muhammad ibn Yusuf al-Farbari, who narrated that Imam Bukhari said:
“I did not record any hadith in my Sahih without first performing ghusl and praying two rak‘ahs.” In another version: “I only recorded it after being certain of its authenticity.”
It is because of this sincerity that all scholars unanimously acknowledge: After the Qur’an, the most authentic book is Sahih al-Bukhari.
Endorsements by Great Scholars
Imam Abu Ja‘far al-‘Aqeeli states that once Imam Bukhari completed his Sahih:
“He presented it to Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Yahya ibn Ma‘in, ‘Ali ibn al-Madini, and others. They praised it and testified to its authenticity—except for four hadiths. Al-‘Aqeeli says: The final word is with Imam Bukhari, and even those four hadiths are authentic.”
Beyond the Qur’an, the authenticity of Sahih al-Bukhari is undisputed. Books like Muqaddimah Ibn al-Salah, Sharh Nukhbat al-Fikr, the introduction to ‘Umdat al-Qari, and the introduction to Fath al-Bari all affirm this statement: “**The most authentic book after the Book of Allah is Sahih al-Bukhari.**” This has reached the level of scholarly consensus.
