Sahih Bukhari is famous across the globe. Known for its authenticity and stringent conditions. This book is truly a masterpiece. This article answers a common objection to Sahih Bukhari, which is the exclusion of an Introduction to the book.
In the name of Allah, most merciful, most compassionate.
– Firstly the author deals with the objections made against Sahih Bukhari and gives a response
Objections made to the Sahih of Imam Bukhari – No Khutbah/Introduction
Imam Bukhari [Allah bless him] begins his book with the Basmalah [Bismillah], following the Quran, and also following what has been established from The Noble Messenger [Allah bless him], from beginning his writings [treaties] and letters.
An objection made regarding the author that he did not begin his book with a khutbah that comprises of [the following 4 aspects] :
- Praise
- Testimony
- Salutations upon the beloved [Allah bless him]
- The purpose of him authoring this book.
As for the khutbah, then the Noble Prophet [Allah bless him] taught it at the time of need, like it has been established from the Hadith of Ibn Masood, which has been narrated by the compilers of the sunan. The hadith is –
عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ، قَالَ أُوتِيَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ جَوَامِعَ الْخَيْرِ وَخَوَاتِمَهُ – أَوْ قَالَ فَوَاتِحَ الْخَيْرِ – فَعَلَّمَنَا خُطْبَةَ الصَّلاَةِ وَخُطْبَةَ الْحَاجَةِ خُطْبَةُ الصَّلاَةِ التَّحِيَّاتُ لِلَّهِ وَالصَّلَوَاتُ وَالطَّيِّبَاتُ السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكَ أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْنَا وَعَلَى عِبَادِ اللَّهِ الصَّالِحِينَ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ . وَخُطْبَةُ الْحَاجَةِ إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ لِلَّهِ نَحْمَدُهُ وَنَسْتَعِينُهُ وَنَسْتَغْفِرُهُ وَنَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنْ شُرُورِ أَنْفُسِنَا وَمِنْ سَيِّئَاتِ أَعْمَالِنَا مَنْ يَهْدِهِ اللَّهُ فَلاَ مُضِلَّ لَهُ وَمَنْ يُضْلِلْ فَلاَ هَادِيَ لَهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لاَ شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ . ثُمَّ تَصِلُ خُطْبَتَكَ بِثَلاَثِ آيَاتٍ مِنْ كِتَابِ اللَّهِ {يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ} إِلَى آخِرِ الآيَةِ { وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ الَّذِي تَسَاءَلُونَ بِهِ وَالأَرْحَامَ } إِلَى آخِرِ الآيَةِ {اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَقُولُوا قَوْلاً سَدِيدًا يُصْلِحْ لَكُمْ أَعْمَالَكُمْ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ} إِلَى آخِرِ الآيَةِ .
It was narrated that:
`Abdullah bin Mas`ud said: “The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was granted a combination of all manner of goodness, as well as its seal,” or he said: “The opening (of the way to) all good. He (ﷺ) taught us the Khutbah of prayer and Khutbah of need. ‘The Khutbah of prayer is: At-tahiyyatu lillahi was-salawatu wat-tayyibat. As-salamu `alaika ayyuhan-Nabiyyu was rahmat-ullahi was barakatuhu. As-salamu `alaina wa `ala `ibadillahis-salihin. Ashhadu an la ilaha illallah. Wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan `abduhu wa rasuluh (All compliments, prayers and pure words are due to Allah. Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. Peace be upon us and upon the righteous slaves of Allah. I bear witness that none has the right to be worshiped but Allah. And I bear witness that Muhammad (ﷺ) is His slave and Messenger). The Khutbah of need is: Al-hamdu lillahi nahmadhu wa nasta`inuhu wa nastaghfiruhu, wa na`udhu billahi min shururi anfusina wa min sayi’ati a`malina, man yahdihillahu fala mudilla lahu, wa man yudlil fala hadiya lahu. Wa ashadu an la ilaha illallahu wahduhu la sharika lahu, wa anna Muhammadan `abduhu wa rasuluhu. (Praise is to Allah, we praise Him and we seek His help and His forgiveness. We seek refuge with Allah from the evil of our own souls and from our bad deeds, Whomsoever Allah guides will never be led astray; and whomsoever is led astray, no one can guide. I bear witness that none has the right to be worshiped but Allah, alone with no partner or associate, and that Muhammad (ﷺ) is His slave and His Messenger). Then add to your Khutbah the following three verses: ‘O you who believe! Fear Allah as He should be feared, and die not except in the state of Islam (as Muslims) with complete submission to Allah.’ And: ‘O mankind! Be dutiful to your Lord, Who created you from a single person, and from him He created his wife, and from them both He created many men and women, and fear Allah through Whom you demand your mutual (rights), and (do not cut the relations of) the wombs (kinship). Surely, Allah is Ever an All-Watcher over you.’ And: ‘O you who believe! Keep your duty to Allah and fear Him, and speak (always) the truth. He will direct you to do righteous good deeds and will forgive you your sins…’ until the end of the verse.” [Ibn Majah: 1892]
As for the other 3 aspects, it has come in Ahadith that whoever leaves it out is devoid of blessings. As for praise [Hamd] Imam Abu Dawud Sijistani [Allah bless him], Imam Nasai in ‘actions of the day and night’, Imam Ibn Majah [Allah bless him] and the wording is of Sunan Ibn Majah from Abu Hurairah [Allah bless him]: The Prophet [Allah bless him] said:
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ “ كُلُّ أَمْرٍ ذِي بَالٍ لاَ يُبْدَأُ فِيهِ بِالْحَمْدِ أَقْطَعُ ” .
It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that:
The Messenger of Allah said: “Every important matter that does not start with praise of Allah, is devoid (of blessings).” [Ibn Majah: 1894]
[Abu Awanah [Allah bless him] has rigorously authenticated it in the beginning of his musnad, Ibn Hibban [1/102], Imam Ibn Salah and Imam Nawawi [Allah have mercy on them] have graded it Hasan.]
As for Shahadah [testimony], Imam Ahmad, Imam Ibn Abi Shaybah, Imam Abu Dawud, Imam Tirmidhi and Imam Bukhari in his tarikh narrate from Abu Hurairah [Allah bless him] that The Prophet [Allah bless him] said:
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ” كُلُّ خُطْبَةٍ لَيْسَ فِيهَا تَشَهُّدٌ فَهِيَ كَالْيَدِ الْجَذْمَاءِ
Abu Hurairah narrated that:
The Messenger of Allah [Allah bless him] said: “Every Khutbah that does not have the Tashah-hud in it, then it is like a severed hand.” [Tirmidhi: 1106]
[Imam tirmidhi says it is fair [hasan], Imam Ibn Hibaan rigorously authenticated it and Imam Subki [Allah bless them] said: its chain is authentic based on the conditions of [Imam] Muslim.]
As for salutations upon The Prophet [Allah bless him], Hafidh Abu Yala in his Irshad has narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Prophet [Allah bless him] said:
Every important matter that does not start with praise upon Allah and salutations upon me [Allah bless him], then it is devoid of all blessings. [Irshad: 1/449]
Answers to the objections to the Sahih of Imam Bukhari
There are 12 answers to the objection that have been made to Imam Bukhari. [The objection being why did Imam Bukhari not include a khutbah/introduction to his book].
Answer 1:
Imam as-Subki [Allah bless him] and others state: That which the two Hadiths require are praise [hamd] and testimony [shahadah], not to combine between them two in utterance and writing together. It is possible to praise [hamd] and testimony [shahadah] is in utterance, even if they did not write both of them [hamd and shahadah]. This is also the answer regarding the compilers of the Sunan [Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, Nasai and Ibn Majah] in them leaving out praise [hamd] and testimony [shahadah], that they uttered in words [what is required], even though they did not write it in writing.
More content to follow Insha-Allah.
– Taken from Nibras Sari
