Imam Bukhari's educational journey.part:2

 Part:2

 Imam Bukhari's educational journey.

The journey that is taken to acquire knowledge of Hadith or to obtain a high degree of Hadith. It is called "Rehla".

This blessed journey is mentioned in the Qur'an in Surah Tawbah verse number one hundred and twenty-two.

Translation:

Then why didn't it happen that some people from each group would go out to gain understanding in religion. So that when they return to them, they will frighten their people, so that they may avoid such evil deeds.

Under this verse, the Companions and their followers was very keen to acquire knowledge of Hadith.

Abdullah bin bared say that a Companion traveled from Medina to Egypt for only one hadith and met Fuzalah bin Ubaid. When he reached Egypt, Fuzalah bin Ubaid was feeding camel. Hazrat Fuzalah saw them and welcomed.

The companion said: I did not come to meet you, but my visit was only because we both heard a hadith from the Messenger of Allah. I hope you remembered it, and you will not forget it. Hazrat Fuzalah asked which hadith is it? Sahabi narrated that hadith. (Musnad Ahmad.22/6)

Imam Bukhari acquired knowledge from the narrators of hadith of his country for sixteen years, because this is the condition for the journey of knowledge. Imam Bukhari started from Hijaz area as it is the center of revelation and Islam and the abode of Prophet of Allah. Similarly, it was also the abode of the Companions.

Imam Bukhari's elder brother Ahmed was also with him on this journey. Imam Bukhari's mother and brother performed Hajj. After performing Hajj, his mother and Imam Bukhari's brother Ahmed returned to Bukhara.

Imam Bakhari stayed in Makkah to acquire knowledge and started attending the gatherings of scholars in Makkah. At that time, the schools of Hadith scholars in Makkah were well-known and distinguished, and they were experts in the art of Hadith and a source of reference for the people. Their names are as follows.

1: Abu al-Walid Ahmad bin al-Azraqi

2: Abu Bakr Abdullah bin Zubayr

3: Abdullah bin Yazid

4: Ismail bin Sallam and

5: Allama Humaidi (may Allah have mercy on them all).

Imam Bukhari also acquired knowledge of Hadith from other scholars of Makkah. After leaving Makkah, he turned towards Madinah. Concerning which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: It is near that people will travel to acquire knowledge, then they will not find anyone better than the scholar of Madinah. (Musnad Ahmad Volume No2 -Page No. 299)

Imam Bukhari reached Madinah in 212 AH. The following are the names of Imam Bukhari'sMadni teachers.

1. Ibrahim bin Munzer

2. Mutarif bin Abdullah

3. Ibrahim bin Hamza

4. Abu Thabit Muhammad bin Abdullah

5. Abdul Aziz bin Abdullah Al-Owaisi.

It should be noted that Imam Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him) during his stay in Madinah had written the book "Tarikh-ul-Kabeer" in the light of the moon.

After Madinah, Imam Bukhari turned to Basra for the acquisition of knowledge, which in those days was progressing in terms of breadth of knowledge and publication of hadith.

Imam Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him) traveled to Basra four times, And gained knowledge from the following narrators.

1. Imam Abu Asim Al-Nabil

2. Safwan bin Isa

3. Baddal bin Mohabbir

4. Harmi bin Amara

5. Affan bin Muslim

6. Muhammad bin Ararah

7. Sulaiman bin Harb

8. Abu Walid Al-Tayalisi

9. Muhammad bin Sanan۔

After that, Imam Bukhari went to Baghdad to acquire knowledge.

In those days, Baghdad was the capital of the Abbasid Empire. The Banu Abbas used to take an active part in the promotion of Islamic sciences under the patronage of the government.

The appreciation of the scholars at the official level had made Baghdad the source of knowledge. Perfect scholars from all sides had gathered in Baghdad. Imam Bukhari traveled to Baghdad many times to acquire knowledge. The sheikhs of Baghdad are as follows:

1. Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal 2. Imam Muhammad bin al-Sabbagh 3. Imam Muhammad bin Saiq 4. Suryj bin Numan۔

When Imam Bukhari (May Allah have mercy on him) started returning from Baghdad for the last time and went to meet Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal, Imam Ahmad said in a very painful tone:

 "You are leaving the peoples and knowledge and going to Khurasan".

When the Abu Tahir, ruler of Bukhara, slandered Imam Bukhari and planned to deport him, Imam Bukhari was very sorry to recall the saying of Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal. He used to say:

 "Now I remember the words of Imam Ahmad."

Imam Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him) also traveled to Syria for the sake of knowledge. There he obtained knowledge from the following sheikhs.

1. Imam Yusuf Faryabi

2. Abu Nasr Ishaq bin Ibrahim

3. Adam bin Abu Ayas

4. Abu Yamaan Al_Hukam bin Nafi

5. Haywah bin Shurih.

Imam Bukhari, in addition to them, made full use of the knowledge of our contemporaries.

Imam Bukhari also went to Egypt to acquire knowledge and there he received hadith from Usman bin Sayegh, Saeed bin Abu Maryam, Abdullah bin Saleh, Ahmed bin Saleh, Imam Ahmed bin Shabib, Saeed bin Abu Isa, Saeed bin Katheer and Yahya bin Abdullah. Imam Bukhari learned from Ali bin Hasan, Abdan and Muhammad bin Muqatil in Marw. In Balkh, he learned from Makki bin Ibrahim, Yahya bin Bashir, Muhammad bin Aban, Hassan bin Shuja, Yahya bin Musa and Imam Qutayba. Teachers in Herat include Ahmad bin Abu al-Walid Hanafi, and in Nishapur Yahya bin Yahya, Beshar bin Hukam, Ishaq bin Rahawiyah, Muhammad bin Rafi '. He learned hadith from Ibrahim bin Musa in Ray and Hasan bin Hasan, Hasan bin Abdullah and Saeed bin Abdullah in Wasit.

Imam Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him) says: I have narrated the hadith only from those teachers who believed in increase and decrease in faith and considered deeds as part of faith, as was the position of the Companions.

(Muqadimah Fath _ul_Bari - Page: 670).

(to be continued)