Before I close this discussion, I would like to give a brief summary of some important points; we should know brothers that Imaam Bukhaaree (Rahimahullaahuta'ala) with all his efforts has done his best in conveying this message to us in the best, clean & pure form possible, I will tell you frankly, if a person who is sincere and wants to follow the Qur'aan and Sunnah sincerely without blindly following any of the Mazhabs or without sticking to opinions or leaning towards personal ideas made up by some people, if such a person was to take Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and open his eyes and cleans his heart and looks in to it he can be guided, but because people are brought up under the Mazhabs and different environment and different opinions, places for argument in Saheeh Al Bukhaaree were pointed out, to put it again, Imaam Bukhaaree's (Rahimahullaahuta'ala) 'Saheeh al Bukhaaree is a complete code of life after the Qur'aan for a Muslim to carry anywhere on the earth and practice it clearly/properly if he knows what Imaam Bukhaaree (Rahimahullaahuta'ala) is discussing clearly but because confusion has been left by some, every Mazhab tried to 'turn'/interpret Imaam Bukhaaree's (Rahimahullaahuta'ala) statement to his Mazhab so that they can claim that we are implementing Imaam Bukhaaree's (Rahimahullaahuta'ala) Saheeh Al Bukhaaree or try to say Imaam Bukhaaree (Rahimahullaahuta'ala) is wrong and think, no doubt Imaam Bukhaaree (Rahimahullaahuta'ala) can make mistakes and there are mistakes which we will be looking at, but it would be concluded by the understanding of the Sahaba not on someone's personal understanding/reasoning, which is a separate topic i.e. Qur'aan and Sunnah - according to the understanding of the Sahaba not on anyone's personal understanding.
So what I say is; what ever I discussed here is and I will try my best as I discussed in the Introduction (the first one) as I mentioned about the different commentaries of Saheeh Al Bukhaaree and the different Criticisms raised against Saheeh Al Bukhaaree by the different commentators to damage the 'Salafi' meaning of Saheeh Al Bukhaaree in Saheeh Al Bukhaaree and Imaam Bukhaaree's efforts which I will try my best not to protect the 'Salafi Mazhab' put to protect the Sahaba's understanding which in actuality is none other than the 'Salafi Mazhab' because the people may (wrongly) understand that I am also leaning towards a Mazhab, so I say repeatedly not the Mazhab but the Sahaba's understanding, I am not concerned whether they call it Salafi or Asthari or whatever, I am concerned that the Sahaba's understanding which Allah has approved of in the Qur'aan by confirming that He is pleased with them (Sahaba) and they (Sahaba) are pleased with Allah, also Allah has said in the Qur'aan in Surah Baqarah,

If they (people) believe as you (Sahaba) believe then they are truly guided, if they depart they are on the misguidance. And verily Allah is enough for all of you (Sahaba), Allah is most hearing and most knowledgeable [Surah 2 Al-Baqarah : Verse No. 137]

As well the Qur'aanic Verse

And those who departed from the Messenger after the guidance was shown to them and follow the path other than of the believers we would let him go to the path where he want's to go, and his goal will be the hell, and what he does is all worst.

These two verses confirm what I am about to say : whoever decides to understand the Qur'aan and Sunnah in a way other than that of the way of the Prophet Muhammad r and the Sahaba, then such a person has a gurantee for the misguidance - dzaalalah - and dzaalalah is to Jahannum (hellfire). This gurantee is nothing but the verdict of the Prophet Muhammad r who said:

Collected by Saheeh Muslim and Sunan Nasaaie,

In this discussion all that matters which are concerned to keep the meaning clean and pure will be discussed although it may be sometime a little out of topic. My concern here is not to write a detail commentary to Saheeh Al Bukhaaree, Alhamdulillaah by Allah's mercy the detail commentary to Saheeh Al Bukhaaree has been discussed by me in Arabic called Saheeh ul Jaari Sharh Saheeh Al Bukhaaree in detail, where each Imaams point has been discussed with their respective criticisms and I have done there what Allah has written for me to do but in the English language as I told mentioned previously I cannot convey all that I have to convey in English, but I will be trying to convey what I remember and what I can in the language which I know (English).
Secondly whatever doubts you may have concerning what we are discussing then please post your questions to me

TEXT OF THE COMMENTARY SECTION This Commentary includes :
Ash-Shiekh Al-Imam Al-Hafiz Abu Abdullah Muhammad bin Isma'il bin Ibrahim bin Al- Mughira Al-Bukhaaree (Rahimahullaahuta'ala) Said :

Chapter - How the Divine Inspiration started to be revealed to Allah's Apostle r, And the statement of Allah Y :

Indeed We have inspired you as We inspired Noah and the Prophets after him. (Surah No. 4 An-Nisaa Verse No : 163)

POINTS BEFORE COMMENTARY

Commentary Tips

Commentary of Saheeh Bukhaaree is a very detailed study ......
It is important to note that the Commentary to each Hadeeth can be a very detailed study, where volumes of books have been written by our predecessors. For this class we will confine ourselves to some important areas as time permits Inshaa'Allah.

COMMENTARY TIPS Before we begin we will mention some areas of discussion one could look into while doing a commentary.

Firstly there is to discuss the origin of the text of the Chapter itself.

A quick look on Imaam Bukhaaree's biography as today he is the best person to tell us the how he began his Hadith book in the transcription of this commentary to Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree. - Inshaa'Allah later we will go into a the detailed discussion of Imaam Bukhaaree's biography. But for now we will confine to discussing two to three paragraph on the system of Imaam Bukhaaree's chaptering to this Hadeeth,

Then after that concerning the matters which Imaam Bukhaaree (Rahimahullaahuta'ala) has noted in his chapter, the Qur'aanic text, the commentary about it,

We will Inshaa'Allah also discuss concerning the line of narration of Imaam Bukhaaree (Rahimahullaahuta'ala) then concerning other lines of narration in this first Hadeeth.

We will Inshaa'Allah then be discussing the main things about the chaptering called 'Fiqhu-abwaAbul Bukhaaree, - The Fiqh of the chaptering of Imaam Bukhaaree (Rahimahullaahuta'ala). Where the Salafi Fiqh of the Islaamic Ummah has been generally explained by Imaam Bukhaaree (Rahimahullaahuta'ala) by the chaptering in his chapters.

After this we will enter into the discussion of the text where we will be discussing on the wordings of this Hadeeth and the differences between the same Hadeeths in the different places of Saheeh -Al-Bukhaaree and as well the wordings of this Hadeeth in the other lines of narration either in Bukhaaree or in other than Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree,

Then we will be discussing why Imaam Bukhaaree (Rahimahullaahuta'ala) has chosen this Hadeeth with this particular wording why not the other wordings of this Hadeeth.

There is another discussion which comes under Science of Hadeeth that is concerning the line of narration - study of its authenticity - where an argument has arisen, that will be discussed, then later a brief discussion on some of the narrators,

Thus we see here a glimpse of the depth of the study one can cover only with the Hadeeths of Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree, As we go along we will look into a few of the areas mentioned above in detail as much as possible, if time permits.

UNDERSTANDING THE METHODOLOGY OF SAHEEH AL-BUKHARI We should understand very clearly that in Saheeh Bukhaaree Imaam Bukhaaree (Rahimahullaahuta'ala) will be discussing many matters which will be having general linguistic meanings - but we should be very careful, the linguistic meanings should be carried according to the way the Sahabas (RadhiAllahu Anhum) understood it and according to the Qur'aanic and Prophetic methodology as understood by the Sahabas (RadhiAllahu Anhum) here two things should be kept in the mind :

- The Qur'aan and Sunnah as understood by the Sahabas

- The language as understood by the Sahabas,

Both should be understood as understood by the Sahabas, language itself has disputes after the time of the Sahabas where the Kufi Madrasa and the Basree Madrasa led to huge disputes and today you will find leading scholars who are Muhaditheens (Scholars of Hadeeth) as well like Zamakshari - a leading scholar of his time. Who wrote the Tafseer Al-Kashaaf in which he says that the Qur'aan is created - which is Kufr (disbelief) - only due to not relying on the linguistic meanings as understood by the Sahabas and not turning back to the Qur'aanic verses and Hadeeths as understood by the Sahabas (RadhiAllahu Anhum).

METHODOLOGY OF IMAM BUKHARI'S COMMENTS You will find in the methodology of Imaam Bukhaaree (Rahimahullaahuta'ala) throughout this book (Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree) when ever he (Rahimahullaahuta'ala) puts a Baab, a Chapter or if he starts a discussion he will have a Qur'aanic Verse quoted or a Hadeeth quoted or a saying of a Sahabi or a Taab'ee or a Taba Taab'ee or at least a slightly elaborated point to make understand that this Hadeeth leads to this point.
RECOGNIZING THE ORIGINAL TEXT OF SAHEEH AL-BUKHARI Imam Bukhaaree (Rahimahullaahuta'ala) is wanting the reader to conclude that whatever he put in this book is a revealed matter, so when it is a revealed matter one should understand that the name of this book is Al-Jamie us-Saheeh Al-Musnad min Sunanin Rasoolullaah r Wa Ayyamihi which means this is the Al-Jamie us-Saheeh in which the sayings are mentioned with the line of narration of its..........and Ahkaam etc. concern is that with the line of narration which is the condition of Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree.
So Imaam Bukhaaree (Rahimahullaahuta'ala) is trying to show us that the path of Bukhaaree or the original text of Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree which you may say as 'Rawahul Bukhaaree - 'Bukhaaree narrated it' then it has been narrated to us with a line of narration, why? which has been put under chaptering with an commentary text or for a explanation or for a purpose of a discussion or for specifying something general this you can never say Rawahul Bukhaaree (Bukhaaree narrated it) Bukhaaree narrated it - you can never say Bukhaaree narrated it, you can say Zakarahul Bukhaaree Fee Saheehhi i.e.- Bukhaaree mentioned it in his Saheeh - but not narrated or Allakahul Bukhaaree Fee Saheehhi i.e.- Bukhaaree commented it in his Saheeh - this is the methodology the Imaams of the Muhaddithseen adopted to convey a matter or to convey a message while you convey it from Saheehul Bukhaaree - so this we should study. for e.g. when we read the Ayah Indeed We have inspired you as We inspired Noah and the Prophets after him. we should not say at the end of it - Rawahul Bukhaaree - (Bukhaaree narrated it) you should never say that, even though it is found in Saheeh Bukhaaree, but you can say Zakarahul Bukhaaree - which means Bukhaaree mentioned it in his Saheeh, under the heading How the Revelation started (began) to Rasoolullaah r.

COMMENTARY OF THE TEXT OF SAHEEH AL-BUKHARI Lets start by looking at the very beginning of the book of Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree, where we note Imaam Bukhaaree (Rahimahullaahuta'ala) while writing Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree did not write at the beginning Kitab bad-ul Wahi as it is printed in most of the Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree's books, (the word Kitab bad'ul Wahi or The book of the beginning of Revelation is a word added by the printer's). Those who have looked into the manuscripts from the museum, have noted that Imaam Bukhaaree (Rahimahullaahuta'ala) never started his book other than with the word Bismillaah Hirrahmaanir Raheem, and the statement باب كيف كان بدء الوحي - Chaptering of how the revelation started There were some criticism being made against Imaam Bukhaaree (Rahimahullaahuta'ala) for starting his book without the Khuthbathul Hajjah, which is what Rasoolullaah r has taught us to start our beginnings which I said in the start of this gathering.
There is an authentic Hadeeth, narrated by Abu Hurairah (Raziallahu Anhu) in Sunan Abu Dawood, which says as :

Every Sermon which does not have the witness it is like empty hand
This Hadith is a Hassan Hadeeth, this Hadith enlightens to us that every Khuthbah (sermon) which does not have the Praise of Allah and Prayers in it then it is just like an empty hand, and on this base Imaam Badurud-Deen Al-Aainee and certain other scholars criticized Imaam Bukhaaree (Rahimahullaahuta'ala) for starting Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree in other than the method of the Sunnah - the answer to this is available in different opinions - Ulemaa explained a lot about this, I will be explaining the most authentic and strongest answer first and then I will mention what I can remember from my memory about the different answers/explanations the Ulemaa presented.

THE ISSUE OF KHUTHBATHUL HAJJAH The Khuthbathul Hajjah which is to be presented in the beginning of a majlis which was taught by Rasoolullaah r in the Hadeeth of Ibn Abbaas (RadhiAllahu Anhu) and Ibn Mas'oud (RadhiAllahu Anhu) and Abu Hurairah (RadhiAllahu Anhu) in the books of Thirmidhi, Nasaaie, Ibn Maajah and the other authentic narrations of this Hadeeth where the Prophet Muhammad r said the meaning of which is If any one of you wants to make a sermon or say something than let him start by saying the Khuthbathul Hajjah then let him say what he wants' - so here the point is that Rasoolullaah r teaches us that if we are going to speak or if we are going to talk or address to do that, while from his own practical Sunnah, when he wrote letters to the kings he did not write the Khuthbathul Hajjah, he just wrote Bismillaah Hirrahmaanir Raheem, and then he wrote Min Muhammadin Abdullaahi Rasoolullaahi illa Maliki Fulan, Malik so and so and then he wrote…., So the Prophet Mohammed's r practical Sunnah explains to us that when he was writing letters he did not start with Khuthbathul Hajjah, even though he is the one who told us that you should start the sermons with Khuthbathul Hajjah, so from this we clearly understand that the Khuthbathul Hajjah is only while addressing and not while writing, but while writing if you just mention the praise of Allah it is enough, either you use the Khuthbathul Hajjah or you use any other wordings, That is why Imaam Bukhaaree (Rahimahullaahuta'ala) has used the shortest and the most beautiful 'sermon' with which we start all our Surah's except Suratut Taubah which is Bismillaah Hirrahmaanir Raheem. (In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Beneficent). This is the strongest answer to be given to the criticism made against Imaam Bukhaaree (Rahimahullaahuta'ala) for not starting his Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree with Khuthbathul Hajjah.

Answer to the doubts created on the Issue of Khuthbathul Hajjah

Wrong Answers of certain Scholars on the Issue of Khuthbathul Hajjah However there were certain scholars who did say that the Hadeeth regarding Khuthbathul Hajjah was not on the level of authenticity of the conditions of the a Hadeeth of Saheeh-Al-Bukhaaree that is why Imaam Bukhaaree (Rahimahullaahuta'ala) did not implement it. Well that is a wrong answer because Imaam Bukhaaree (Rahimahullaahuta'ala) did not make it a condition that only those Hadeeth which meet with his criteria of Saheeh will be implemented by him while those which fail to reach his level of Saheeh he will not be implemented. Imaam Bukhaaree (Rahimahullaahuta'ala) never made or claimed such a condition, what he said was I include in this my book Al-Jam'ee As-Saheeh only that has been proved authentic I have left a lot more of the authentic for it's time so Imaam Bukhaaree (Rahimahullaahuta'ala) clearly says all the Saheeh he does not put in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree, there are still other Saheeh which he confirms to be Saheeh but it is not in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree for it is not meeting with the conditions of the Hadeeths found in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree - so the answer that has been given that the Khuthbathul Hajjah was not on the level of the Hadeeth of Saheeh Al- Bukhaaree is a wrong answer, for Imaam Bukhaaree (Rahimahullaahuta'ala) was not a person who would refuse a Hadeeth after it has been proved authentic just because it does not reach a higher level. A Hadeeth which is even in a lower level of authenticity is to be accepted by a Muslim for we cannot refuse a Hadeeth if it is authentic in whatever level or stage it may be as long as it is in the authenticity level. So that answer was a wrong answer which cannot be accepted as the reason for the criticism laid down against Imaam Bukhaaree (Rahimahullaahuta'ala).

COMMENTARY OF THE CHAPTER HOW DID THE DIVINE INSPIRATION START Why did Imaam Bukhaaree start His Book with the Chapter on How did the Divine Inspiration start was a question raised by many scholars. They stated as if it was titled How was the Divine Inspiration it would be more convenient than titling as How did the Divine Inspiration start. The reason for this disagreement was due to certain scholars understanding the Hadeeths available after the Title How did the Divine Inspiration start as the explanation to the this Title. This have been answered by me in the discussion of the Baab Imaam Bukhaaree (Rahimahullaahuta'ala) started his book with How the Divine Inspiration started & did not add the word Baab - the word Baab means Chapter -, in the narrations of Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree from Imaam Bukhaaree (Rahimahullaahuta'ala) of the Abi Zar Alharawee, Abil Waqth, Abu Haithem Al-Kashmaheenie, Al-Hamawie, Al-Musthamlie & Al-Kareemah. This is being mentioned only in the narrations of Usayli and Ibn A'saakir is not acceptable as it is opposite to what all others narrated from Imam Al-Bukhaaree We are concerned with the word Baab so much because when it comes under the matter of Baab whatever is going to be discussed under the Baab should be according to the Chapter because in some manuscripts have the word Baab, therefore there was a great argument between the people who wrote commentaries to Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree, namely how did Imaam Bukhaaree (Rahimahullaahuta'ala) name the Chapter with a name How the Divine Inspiration Start and put the Hadeeth of The reward of deeds depends upon the intentions ........? What has this Hadeeth got to do with How the Divine Inspiration started? So all these argument did arise due to the mistake of including the word Baab, if the word Baab was not there then the discussion is nothing but an introduction to Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree.
Imaam Bukhaaree (Rahimahullaahuta'ala) is keeping this chapter as an Introduction to Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree, it is as if Imaam Bukhaaree (Rahimahullaahuta'ala) is trying to say : As I am going to bring you to the authentic Sunnah, so lets first look at the introduction i.e. How did this Sunnah come to Rasoolullaah r then Imaam Bukhaaree (Rahimahullaahuta'ala) starts with the Hadeeth of "The reward of deeds depends upon the intentions ........"
CONCERNING THE AYAH IMAM BUKHARI QOUTED Imaam Bukhaaree (Rahimahullaahuta'ala) has quoted from the Qur'aan which is Indeed We have inspired to you as We inspired Noah and the Prophets after him. (4:163) now here is the question, Allah says in this Qur'aanic Verse Indeed We have inspired you as We inspired Noah and the Prophets after him, not Adam is it not so? Allah says Indeed We have inspired to you as We inspired Noah and the Prophets after him. why not the Prophets before Noah?
So now in the above Qur'aanic verse Allah says Indeed We have inspired you as We inspired Noah and the Prophets after him. So this shows that there is a difference in the message of the Prophets before Noah and the Prophets after Noah, now there is a narration which tells that the prophets who came before Noah were given 'Revelations' which taught them to live the life on the earth about the meals, food and worldly life, while after Prophet Noah the Ahkaam (the Religious laws) started, so Allah says Indeed We have inspired you as We inspired Noah and the Prophets after him. That means the Revelation given to the Prophet Muhammad r is concerning the Religious matters, so Imaam Bukhaaree (Rahimahullaahuta'ala) starts his books with that, that means that the discussion in the Sunnah is concerning the Religious matters, we are going to discuss the Religious methodology of living, the worldly life is not our concern unless the Religion comes and guides/stipulates the worldly life by putting certain limits and certain meanings and certain matters, this is what this Qur'aanic verse applies and Imaam Bukhaaree (Rahimahullaahuta'ala) brings it.
Every Prophet is not a Messenger but not every Messenger is a Prophet. There is an authentic Hadeeth in the Saheeh of Ibn Habbaan, it was asked from the Prophet Muhammad r Is Adam a Prophet? he r replied :
Yes Adam was a Prophet and one to whom Allah spoke he further said : And between Adam and Noah there were ten generations and among them there were 115 Messengers, in another narration of Imaam Ahmed with a authentic line of narration the Prophets were 124,000. The Hadeeth in the Musnad of Imaam Ahmed (Rahimahullaahuta'ala) says The Prophets were 124,000 and among them the Messengers were only 115 so that means not every Prophet is a Messenger, But every Messenger is a Prophet, now here there is an argument between the scholars, Imaam Aaloosi in his book Rooh-ul-M'aani on the commentary to verse # 52 of Suratul Hajj says :

- Certain scholars said that the difference between the Messengers and the Prophets is that the Prophet is a person to whom a Revelation has been revealed but he is not ordered to convey the revelation while The Messenger is the person to whom a Revelation has been revealed and he is ordered to convey the revelation

- Another explanation which says that The Prophet is a person to whom the previous Shariah is applicable and is being brought for his particular people or for the whole nation and A Messenger is a person to whom a new Shariah is given

Now these two definitions/opinions must be understood carefully.
The first definition contradicts the Qur'aan and Sunnah, for if the Prophets as the above definition explains were not ordered to convey what Allah had revealed to them, than the Prophet Muhammad r said Whoever conceals Knowledge will get a place in the fire so this is something which you cannot believe a prophet would do - therefore this definition that says that the Prophet is a person to whom a Revelation has been revealed but he is not ordered to convey the revelation is a wrong definition contradicting the Qur'aan and Sunnah. While the second definition says that the Prophet is a person to whom the previous Shariah is applicable and is being brought for his particular people or for the whole nation and a Messenger is a person to whom a new Shariah is given is correct, this is why the authentic Hadeeth says Between Musa u and Eesaa u there were Prophets for the Bani Israel and another Hadeeth says The scholars of my Ummah are like the Prophets of Bani Israel except that Wahi (Revelation) is not revealed to them. The Prophets of Bani Israel are what? they used to take the message given to Musa u and modify it elaborate/ explain and convey it to the people and Wahi used to come to them for explaining a certain specific situation or specifying a general law which was revealed to Musa u that is why this Hadeeth gives us a clear explanation of the Prophets implementing a previous Shariah except that certain changes/advancements are given to them in the Shariah, while as the Hadeeth says The scholars of my Ummah are like the Prophets u of Bani Israel except that Wahi is not Revealed to them so the only difference between the Prophets of Bani Israel and the Scholars of our Muslim nation do not have the right to modify/change the Shariah they have to convey it as it is, and explain it to the people and elaborate on it - nothing more - while the prophets of Bani Israel they had the right to specify, modify certain things according to the Revelation revealed to them, so here it shows that the Prophets have a different place than the Messengers,

Every Prophet is not a Messenger while every Messenger is a Prophet

Method of Inspiration given to Prophet Muhammed r

CONCERNING THE CHAPTER TITLE

Wahi

METHODOLOGY OF THE INSPIRATION TO PROPHET MUHAMMED r

CONCLUSION OF IMAM BUKHARI'S CHAPTER

1ST HADEETH

COMMENTARY OF THE FIRST HADEETH.

Forward to the Introduction Section

Summary of this Talk

Commentary Tips