Lesson 2: Introduction to Sahih al-Bukhari and Intentions in Islamic Finance
About Imam al-Bukhari
Abu Abdillah Muhammad ibn Isma’il ibn Ibrahim ibn Mughirah ibn Bardizbah Al-Ju’fi Al-Bukhari (rahimahullah), mostly known as Imam al-Bukhari, was born after the Friday prayer on the 13th of Syawal,13th 194AH, in Bukhara, the region known as Transoxiana, and passed away in Bukhara on 256AH.
Imam Bukhari faced several tribulations as a child. His father passed away while he was still very young, and thus, he had to grow up as an orphan while being cared for by his mother. Secondly, he became blind while still so young, causing his mother so much sadness that she supplicated to Allah excessively to return his eyesight. One night, her mother dreamt of meeting Prophet Ibrahim (Peace Be Upon Him), who stated to her, “Allah has returned your son’s eyesight due to your excessive supplication for him”, and when Imam Bukhari was awakened by his mother, he was able to see again.
Imam al-Bukhari travelled extensively, studying under more than a thousand scholars across the Islamic world, including regions like Hijaz, Makkah, Madinah, Basra, Baghdad, Sham (Syria), and Egypt. This was no small feat, as he would have had to travel by foot for hundreds and thousands of kilometres just to learn under these scholars, truly reflecting the desire to go out of one’s comfort zone in search of knowledge.
Uniqueness of Sahih al-Bukhari
Sahih al-Bukhari, or the full title of “al-Jami al-Sahih al-Musnad al-Mukhtasar min Umur Rasool Allah wa sunanihi wa Ayyamihi” (الجامع المسند الصحيح المختصر من أمور رسول الله ﷺ وسننه وأيامه) or translated as “The Abridged collections of Authentic Hadith with Connected Chains regarding Matters pertaining to Allah’s Prophet ﷺ, His Practices and His Times”. Sahih al-Bukhari contains authentic narrations of the Prophet ﷺ, serving as a timeless reference for navigating our current times. The compilation consists of 7,275 hadiths with repetitions and 4,000 without repetitions.
Several factors influenced Imam al-Bukhari’s decision to compile a collection of authentic hadith. Firstly, he recognized the need for a comprehensive collection focused solely on authentic hadith. Secondly, he was inspired by a statement from his teacher, Ishaaq Ibn Rahawayh, who expressed a desire for such a compilation on the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ. Lastly, a dream in which Imam al-Bukhari saw himself protecting the Prophet from flies, interpreted as his future role in safeguarding the Prophet’s hadith, solidified his resolve to compile the book.
The compilation process took 16 years and became famous for Imam al-Bukhari’s rigorous selection process. His criteria for accepting hadiths were extremely stringent, particularly regarding the reliability of the narrators. The key conditions for a hadith to be included in Sahih al-Bukhari were:
- Integrity of the Narrators (Adalah/Adil): This was a strong indicator of a person’s integrity and dignity, which could be observed in their day-to-day character. In Imam al-Bukhari’s time, even minor actions like eating while standing or laughing publicly could impact a narrator’s integrity. The lesson here is to maintain integrity by following the etiquettes of the Prophet ﷺ, as one is responsible for conveying the words of Allah’s beloved messenger.
- Knowledge and Memory of the Narrators: Narrators needed to possess deep knowledge and a strong memory, both vouched for by scholars with extensive expertise in hadith. This not only included memory but also the narrator’s ability to learn, memorize, and report hadith accurately. Each narrator’s biography was meticulously examined to ensure their reliability.
- Complete Chain of Narration: A complete chain of narration was required, with no missing narrators.
- Meeting of Consecutive Narrators: Consecutive narrators in the chain had to have met each other. This criterion, absent in Sahih Muslim, was implemented to eliminate any uncertainty regarding the chain of transmission.
While Imam al-Bukhari did not explicitly state these conditions, they have been derived and confirmed through multiple reviews and analyses. The result was a compilation of 7,275 hadiths with repetitions and 4,000 without repetitions (as noted by Ibn al-Salah). To this day, scholars and students of hadith continue to study the cryptic nuances of the book, exploring the underlying messages in the consistency of its headings and the placement of specific hadiths under particular chapters.
The comprehensive nature and unparalleled authenticity of Sahih al-Bukhari have led it to be recognized as the most authentic book after the Quran. Before its compilation, this distinction was held by Muwatta Imam Malik. Imam al-Bukhari’s dedication to preserving the hadith has ensured that Sahih al-Bukhari remains a cornerstone of Islamic scholarship and a vital resource for understanding the practices and teachings of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
Hadith in Sahih al-Bukhari
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Hadith: Musalsal (continuity)
The Hadith of Continuity, known as “musalsal” is a type of narration characterised by a chain of transmitters following a specific pattern. This pattern can pertain to various aspects, such as the narrators sharing a common attribute or repeatedly stating the same phrase. For instance, when all narrators belong to the same school of thought, like Hanafi, Shafi’i, Hanbali, or Maliki, or come from the same city. Thus, in musalsal, it should be as follows:
- The chain should follow a certain pattern
- They could all be from the same Mazhab (Shafie, Hambali, Hanafi, Maliki)
- The narrators may have all said the same thing or statement.
One example of this type of hadith is the al-hadith al-musalsal bi al Awwaliyah (The Continuous Chain of the Opening Narration) or also known as Hadith Al-Rahman (Narration of Mercy) which is narrated by Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-‘As and is usually the first hadith a scholar of Hadith will narrate to his student:
عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو، يَبْلُغُ بِهِ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم “ الرَّاحِمُونَ يَرْحَمُهُمُ الرَّحْمَنُ ارْحَمُوا أَهْلَ الأَرْضِ يَرْحَمْكُمْ مَنْ فِي السَّمَاءِ
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: The Compassionate One has mercy on those who are merciful. If you show mercy to those who are on the earth, He Who is in the heaven will show mercy to you.
This hadith highlights that Islam is a religion of mercy, with the Prophet ﷺ being sent as a mercy to all of mankind and the world. As Muslims, we are called to embody this mercy by treating Allah’s creations with kindness and nobility, so that we may receive Allah’s mercy in return.
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Hadith: Intentions in Islamic finance (eliminate harm/to help others)
A well-known hadith that students may come across at the start of their journey is the hadith on intentions which is. The hadith is narrated by the great companion, Umar ibn Al-Khattab who reported that Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said:
الأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّيَّةِ، وَلِكُلِّ امْرِئٍ مَا نَوَى، فَمَنْ كَانَتْ هِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ، فَهِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ، وَمَنْ كَانَتْ هِجْرَتُهُ لِدُنْيَا يُصِيبُهَا، أَوِ امْرَأَةٍ يَتَزَوَّجُهَا، فَهِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى مَا هَاجَرَ إِلَيْهِ
“The reward of deeds depends upon the intention and every person will get the reward according to what he has intended. So whoever emigrated for Allah and His Apostle, then his emigration was for Allah and His Apostle. And whoever emigrated for worldly benefits or for a woman to marry, his emigration was for what he emigrated for.” (Sahih Al-Bukhari 54).
The foundation of our actions lies in our intentions, which determine whether our deeds are accepted or rejected. In our daily lives, we may often encounter whispers from the devil, discouraging us from performing good deeds—such as offering additional prayers before and after the obligatory ones—by instilling fear of riyaa’ (showing off). However, scholars advise us to persist in these actions until they become habitual and genuinely meaningful.
This principle extends into Islamic finance, which is deeply rooted in the teachings of Islam and guided by the principles of Shariah. The intentions behind financial dealings are crucial. While the primary objective is to earn wealth (mal) that is Halal, or permissible according to Islamic law, this can be achieved through various means such as investments, work, and trade, all of which must adhere to the ethical and legal standards set by Islamic jurisprudence.
Moreover, one of the core intentions in Islamic finance is to propagate Islamic teachings and values. This can be accomplished through educational initiatives, such as conducting classes, or through personal actions like migration (hijrah) to preserve and practice one’s faith.
Another essential aspect is fulfilling responsibilities towards dependents. Ensuring that one’s family and those under their care are provided for in a manner that aligns with Islamic teachings is of paramount importance in Islamic finance. This approach not only contributes to financial well-being but also promotes social justice and ethical conduct in all financial transactions.
Conclusion:
In part one of the second lesson in Messenger’s Money Morals, we begin by delving into one of the primary sources we will explore: Sahih al-Bukhari. This foundational text forms a cornerstone of the course, as we seek to understand how our beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ might and would have responded to the challenges of our modern era. Studying the history of the author is also a nod to traditional Islamic sciences, allowing us to gain blessings and renew our commitment as we engage with the vast wealth of Islamic knowledge available.
Click here to read Mufti Faraz Adam’s summary of the lesson on Linkedin.
From the course at Islamic Finance Guru – Messenger’s Money Morals, taught by Mufti Faraz Adam and notes taken by Nafisah Yusra Abdul Rahim and Muhammad Ridhwaan Radzi
