The first comprehensive critical biography of Muhammad ibn Ismāʿīl al-Bukhārī

• Presents the first comprehensive critical biography of al-Bukhārī, offering an in-depth examination of his personal life and scholarly career
• Meticulously documents al-Bukhārī’s extensive travels in collecting and teaching hadith, and traces the development of his intellectual trajectory
• Offers a thorough analysis of al-Bukhārī’s method and principles of hadith criticism
• Examines al-Bukhārī’s legal scholarship, exploring both his methodology and legal reasoning
• Provides a rigorous assessment of al-Bukhārī’s theological views and delivers a systematic study of the Quranic controversy that marked the final years of his life

Muḥammad ibn Ismāʿīl al-Bukhārī (d. 256/870) stands as one of the most influential figures in Islamic intellectual history. His magnum opus, the Ṣaḥīḥ, is revered as the most authoritative collection of Prophetic hadith and precedent in Sunni Islam and remains the most frequently cited book in Islamic history. Beyond its juridical and theological significance, the Ṣaḥīḥ was venerated in pre-modern Muslim societies as a source of spiritual blessing, recited to invoke divine favour, seek salvation, and even bring rain. Al-Bukhārī’s legacy continues to shape Islamic scholarship and devotional practice to this day.

This pioneering critical study offers the first comprehensive examination of al-Bukhārī’s life, his intellectual formation and the socio-political contexts that shaped his scholarship. It provides a meticulous analysis of his biography, methods of hadith criticism, theological commitments, and legal reasoning. Combining historical depth with analytical rigour, this monograph makes a major contribution to the study of early Islamic theological, legal and hadith traditions.

Brings together western and Middle Eastern scholars to explore medieval and modern approaches to the study of Hadith

• Explores and analyses state-of-the-art scholarship in Hadith studies in Middle Eastern and Western contexts, covering a variety of approaches and methods to studying and evaluating the Hadith corpus
• Addresses several methodological issues and questions in evaluating Hadith reports
• Provides a rich analysis of the global trends in Hadith studies, affording a broad understanding of the field and bringing together contributions from scholarly communities typically inaccessible to one another

This book is dedicated to examining the various methods and trends in Hadith Studies across the globe. Bringing together contributions from 10 scholars of Hadith, it addresses the subject from a variety of methodological vantage points and historical premises. Some of these authors seek to overturn, refine or reaffirm dominant paradigms within the field, while others look to expand its horizons in new directions. The global scope, and coverage of both longstanding debates and cutting-edge methods and approaches, allows this book to make a significant contribution to a controversial and challenging field.