Hadith of Bukhari and Muslim

15-1-2002 | IslamWeb

Question:

1. Should every Muslim believe in the Hadith of Bukhari and Muslim?2. Are there any weak or fabricated Hadith in two Sahihs?3. There is Ijmaa about two Sahihan i.e. Bukhari and Muslim.... When and which scholars approved about these two books.4. Is it right to believe that after Holy Qur'an, Sahih Bukhari is the authentic book?5. Many people doubt about the authenticity of the two Sahih's. What do you call such people? How can you refute their argument?

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Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

Allah, The Great and Almighty, has safeguarded Islam from the evil deeds of abusers and spoilers, and the tricks of plotters. A truth-seeker and justice-bearer can find this safeguarding clearly. Allah Says (what means): {Indeed, it is We who sent down the Qur'an and indeed, We will be its guardian.} [Quran 15:9]

This Book was/is/will be printed in millions in all places and at all times since it was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad but it is still as accurate as it was at the time of revelation. No one can find any omission or commission even a single word or less. So, if a person takes some copies from different places worldwide and compares them, he will not find the slightest difference.

As for the Prophetic Sunnah which explains the Quran, Allah has made numerous great scholars to safeguard it. Those savants spared no effort to protect and record the Sunnah of the Prophet . For example, Imam Al-Bukhari Muhammad Ibn Ismail who, according to Hatim Ibn Mansoor as recorded in The Book of as-Siyar by ath-Thahabi, “Was a sign of Divine creation in his insight in knowledge.”

Rajaa’ al-Hafidh said: “Muhammad Ibn Ismail is as much superior to other scholars as men are superior to women. He is one of Allah's miracles walking on earth.”

Ibn Khuzaymah said: “I have never seen on earth more learned in the Prophetic Hadeeth nor better in memorizing it than Muhammad Ibn Ismail Al-Bukhari.”

In addition, ImamMuslim is as just and reliable as Imam Al-Bukhari; both had the highest degree of memorization, proficiency and truthfulness with Allah. Also, the book of Saheeh Muslim occupies the 2nd place after Al-Bukhari; both books were received with full acceptance by the Muslim Ummah due to meeting all conditions of the highest degree for a sound Hadeeth. Only a straying innovator would contest anything of either book.

The aim of such an innovator is no more than destroying the Sharee’ah through his unreasonable doubts. They will fail because both of the righteous predecessors and the latecomers attest to their trustfulness.

In this vein, Imam an-Nawawi said while explaining Saheeh Muslim: “The Muslim scholars agreed upon the fact that Saheeh Al-Bukhari and Saheeh Muslim are the most correct books after the Quran. The Muslim Ummah received them with full acceptance.”

Al-Sharzowri said: “Each and every Hadeeth that is considered as Saheeh in Al-Bukhari and Muslim is, without a bit of doubt, Saheeh (authentic). The Muslim Ummah received such books with full acceptance except those whose disagreement makes no problem to 'Ijmaa’ (consensus). From a deductive point of view, we have to accept Hadeeth al-Ahaad (every Hadeeth that has not achieved the characteristics of the Mutawatir (undoubted Hadeeth) since the Muslim Ummah received it with acceptance.” (Please refer to the book of Sianet Saheeh Muslim Vol.1/85).

Abu al-Ma'ali al-Juwayni said: “A person who swears by Allah that his wife will be divorced if the contents of Saheeh Al-Bukhari and Saheeh Muslim are not fully authentic, his wife will not be divorced nor he has to make an expiation for an oath since the Muslim scholars agreed upon the authenticity of both books.” (Please refer to the previous reference, P: 86).

Some innovators refuse texts of the Sunnah on the plea of Hadeeth al-Ahaad, claiming that such Ahadeeth are not binding.

Sometimes, such innovators claim that Ahadeeth al-Ahaad have no decisive evidence, and that we are not obliged to accept them. Such people took themselves away from the light of Revelation and the Divine guidance. Such people must know that the Quran, although it is with full accuracy in text, is presumptive in interpretation and understanding of evidence. In addition, the most part of the Sunnah is presumptive, both in text and in deduction. So, the person who accepts only decisive evidence, will reject most of the Sharee’ah.

Imam Ibn 'Abd al-Bar said in at-Tamheed book: “Scholars of Fiqh and Hadeeth are agreed upon the acceptance of a just reporter of Hadeeth al-Ahaad; also they believe that it is a must to follow such Hadeeth unless it is abrogated by another Hadeeth or Ijmaa'. There is a consensus of opinion about the above-mentioned point except by some innovators and the group of al-Khawarij, whose disagreement has no effect. The Muslim scholars unanimously legalize a Fatwa issued by some scholar to anyone.”

Ibn 'Abd al-Bar added: “We have to act according to Hadeeth al-Ahaad in the same manner that we accept and act according to the testimony of the two or four witnesses.” This is the opinion of the majority of scholars of Fiqh and Hadeeth. In addition, all of them act according to such Hadeeth in all the matters of Sharee’ah regardless of whether they belong to the matters of faith or actions. This is the faith of Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah.

Imam al-Qurtubi said in his Tafseer 2/152: “There is an undoubted consensus of opinion concerning Hadeeth al-Ahaad among the righteous predecessors. It was the Prophet's practice to send his envoys, as individuals, to different regions to teach the others the rulings of Islam and the Sunnah in relation to prohibited and unprohibited matters.”

Allah knows best.